No solution on East Timor in sight

DILI, East Timor (JP): Tomorrow is the 21st anniversary of East Timor's integration into Indonesia but resolving the diplomatic stalemate and overcoming the separatist guerrillas still appear a long way off.

Government officials are quick to point out the physical developments in Indonesia's youngest province and the diplomatic gains achieved in various international forums.

But top officials admit that a long road still lies ahead.

East Timor military commander Col. Salamat Sidabutar conceded Monday that it would take a long time to overcome the separatists.

"Although they are weakening, we still can't determine when it (the conflict) can be resolved because they are using guerrilla tactics," Sidabutar said. "Anywhere in the world, when you're talking about a guerrilla war, it's hard to determine (when conflict will end)."

Military sources claim that less than 200 separatists guerrillas are still at large.

The former Portuguese colony was integrated into Indonesia as its 27th province on July 17, 1976. The House of Representatives passed Law No. 7/1976 on the integration.

But 21 years later the United Nations still recognizes Lisbon as East Timor's administrator and most Western nations have not recognized East Timor as a part of Indonesia.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wiranto said in East Timor yesterday that one of the reasons why it was hard to wipe out the separatists was because they came from local communities.

"That's why in dealing with these separatists we are asking locals to help secure their areas," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Prerequisite

He said that security was a prerequisite for investment and the overall development of the province.

During a recent hearing of House Commission I on foreign policy, legislators expressed their languor over discussing East Timor again and again.

Foreign minister Ali Alatas told the legislators that he too often felt the same.

"I can only answer that if Commission I is bored with this issue, then you can imagine what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs goes through. It feels like the mother of all boredom," he said in jest.

Indonesia is involved in ongoing tripartite talks with Portugal to find an internationally acceptable solution to the East Timor issue. The talks are sponsored by the UN secretary general.

"It's difficult to predict when this issue will be concluded because we're facing people from outside," he said. "If they don't want to end it what can we do?"

"We are trying our best that under the new UN secretary general we can at least have a more concrete idea of what Portugal really wants. What is its bottom line," Alatas said.

Diplomatic efforts are focussing on the issue decolonization and human rights in East Timor.

"On decolonization, Indonesia's diplomatic efforts at the UN have succeeded in reducing the degree and intensity of discussions from the Security Council, to the General Assembly, and to the tripartite dialog level which is bilateral in nature," Alatas said.

"But since the Nov. 12, 1991, incident the East Timor issue has risen again, particularly the human rights aspect," he said referring to the bloody clash between demonstrators and security forces in Dili which claimed 50 civilian lives.

"Since 1991, Portugal has intensified its diplomacy particularly on lobbying and public relations," he said, adding that one could not say that Portugal's diplomacy had been totally successful. (33/mds)