President Xanana Gusmao

East Timorese could not be more fortunate than having Xanana Gusmao as their first president in their present march towards full independence next month. The landslide victory in Sunday's presidential election is not simply an acknowledgement for the services and dedication the former guerrilla leader has given to his people. It is also a strong endorsement for his leadership, something that the East Timorese will be counting on as they struggle to overcome backwardness, poverty and other challenges facing a newborn nation.

The vote attested to Gusmao's popularity among the East Timorese people. An overwhelming 86 percent of the 430,000 eligible voters cast their ballots in Sunday's election. The huge turnout itself signified the enthusiasm of the East Timorese in the democratic process. Gusmao won 83 percent of the valid votes, while the only other contender, senior politician Francisco Xavier do Amaral, took the remaining 17 percent.

Xanana Gusmao's illustrious career made him an ideal, if not obvious, choice as the people's president. He fought a guerrilla war against the Indonesian military occupation between 1975 and 1999. He did not flee East Timor like many other leaders, but instead risked his life by fighting from the mountains and jungles, until his capture by the Indonesian forces in 1992. He spent the next seven years in jail and was only released ahead of the UN-sponsored ballot for self-determination in 1999.

Gusmao's charisma and charm defied the long and difficult years he spent as a guerrilla fighter. But as the de facto leader of East Timor since 1999, while the territory has been administered by the United Nations, he has shown the traits required for a president, much more so than all the other leaders. With the overwhelming endorsement from his people, he can rally the nation. The unity of the East Timorese people will be pivotal in the first years of their independence.

The right choice for the people of East Timor fortunately appears to be the right one also for the region, certainly for Indonesia. While making his nom de guerre -- a reminder of his past -- as the name by which he is now officially referred to, Xanana Gusmao has led the campaign to bury the hatchet with Indonesia. You could not expect a more grandiose gesture from a man who not only fought a bloody war against Indonesia, but was also condemned to jail at one time.

Gusmao has a perfectly good reason why he wants to see East Timor to be on friendly terms with Indonesia, in spite of the recent horrible past. Indonesia remains East Timor's closest neighbor. Culturally and ethnically, East Timor was not all that different from the people on the western part of the island. Only history divided the two people: The island was carved four centuries ago at the behest of European rulers.

Bahasa Indonesia remains an important language and will continue to be for some years even if the new government in East Timor would wish differently. And economically, East Timor will inevitably be linked with parts of Indonesia. A hostile attitude towards Indonesia would certainly serve no purpose.

Indonesia should reciprocate Xanana Gusmao's positive gestures. Like him, we should also put the ugly past behind us and move forward to live as two neighboring independent nations. It is heartening to hear that President Megawati Soekarnoputri plans to attend the ceremony of the birth of East Timor in Dili on the eve of May 20, overcoming objections from those who still cannot accept the territory's separation from the republic.

In view of its 25-year occupation of East Timor, and of its violent departure from the territory in 1999, Indonesia certainly has a moral obligation to help East Timor get back on its feet. Even with our own limitations, there are ways of helping a new nation get through the difficult first few years.

There are also a number of pending matters that Indonesia must attend to in its affairs with East Timor. One of these is the prosecution of the people responsible for the orgy of violence that erupted in the last weeks of Indonesia's occupation of East Timor in 1999. The mayhem not only led to the death of many innocent people, but it also left East Timor in complete devastation. Indonesia owes it to the East Timorese people to see to it that those responsible be punished for the heinous crimes.

On that note, we would like to congratulate Xanana Gusmao on his election, and to the East Timorese people for their choice of their president. We know that under Xanana Gusmao, our countries can look forward to more fruitful and cooperative relations.