Ramos Horta is losing is propaganda war: Alatas
Ramos Horta is losing is propaganda war: Alatas
JAKARTA (JP): Exiled Fretilin separatist leader Jose Ramos
Horta is fast losing his platform for criticizing Indonesia's
integration of East Timor as more Timorese abroad are beginning
to challenge his allegations, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas claimed yesterday.
Alatas said that although Ramos Horta, "with the help of
certain NGOs", is still active in various places, there were now
an increasing number of voices opposing him.
Alatas was referring to a recent discussion on East Timor in
London where some Timorese disagreed with Horta's charges and
told an often-forgotten story of Portuguese and Fretilin
brutality and oppression in East Timor.
The former Portuguese colony was integrated in July 1976,
becoming Indonesia's 27th province.
"I think what happened in London shows that Ramos Horta is no
longer free to just blab and spread his version of what happened
in East Timor," Alatas said after a meeting with the executive
members of the Portugal Indonesia Friendship Association (PIFA).
Headed by Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, daughter of President
Soeharto, the PIFA board was briefed by Alatas on the progress of
talks between Jakarta and Lisbon along with other developments
regarding East Timor.
Last year, PIFA sponsored a trip by Portuguese of Timorese
descent to Indonesia which was followed by a similar visit to
Lisbon several months later by Timorese Indonesians.
Hardiyanti said that during the meeting with Alatas political
issues were not discussed because PIFA is a non-political
organization.
Alatas is scheduled to leave today for a week-long trip to
Rumania and the Czech Republic in what is being described by the
foreign ministry as a "goodwill visit."
Meanwhile Australian film director Frank Palmos has reportedly
acquired a number of valuable interviews with leading experts and
historical witnesses for his upcoming documentary film on East
Timor, which is due to be finished next month.
The film has been commissioned by the Indonesian government
for Rp 511,597,000 (US$230,969).
Footage for the film was taken in Geneva during the United
Nations-sponsored talks between Indonesia and Portugal last month
as well as in other locations, such as Lisbon and London.
In Lisbon the film crew interviewed Reis Thomaz, a past
resident of East Timor and nephew of a former Portuguese
president, on the early history of the colony.
In a copy of a transcribed dialog obtained by The Jakarta
Post, Reis said that the Timorese who individually declared
independence in 1975 were "people promised power by Lisbon."
"They were by no means elected or had a mandate from the
people. Nor did any of the parties for that matter."
In an apparent attempt to show a pattern of neglect by
Portugal towards its former colonies, the film features an
interview with Goan historian Tetonio de Dousa dealing with
Portugal's policies in its former Indian possession.(mds)