Tension over East Timor

Tension over East Timor

Even in the most untroubled of times, relations between
Indonesia and Australia have always been prone to ups and downs.
Recurrent standoffs and tensions, one might say, are practically
the rule that characterize relations between the two big
neighbors. This is to be expected, and to a certain extent
acceptable, given the different cultural and historical
backgrounds of the two nations.

The current conflagration in East Timor, however, has brought
this discord to a point where an absence of wisdom or restraint
could result in a more total and lasting devastation of whatever
accord exists between Indonesia and Australia. There are possible
disastrous consequences, not only for the two countries involved,
but also for the Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific regions.

Over the past few days, protesters in several Australian
cities have besieged Indonesian diplomatic missions, shouting
slogans and burning Indonesian flags to protest Indonesia's
handling of East Timor. The protesters say there is a conspiracy
between elements of the Indonesian military and police and armed
pro-Jakarta militias in East Timor to prevent the East Timorese
from realizing the independence for which they overwhelmingly
voted for on Aug. 30.

In retaliation, Indonesian youths besieged the Australian
Embassy in Jakarta and Australian consulates in other cities to
protest what they called undue Australian (and United Nations)
interference in this country's internal affairs.

Instead of subsiding, protests on both sides appear to be
escalating as the Timor crisis continues to drag on unresolved,
despite promises from the authorities in Jakarta to stop the
chaos in East Timor. As many as 20,000 to 25,000 people took to
the streets on Friday in the Australian city of Melbourne to
protest the ongoing rampage and killings in the former Portuguese
colony.

In an act that is certain to be more damaging to Indonesia,
the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) banned its members
from processing Indonesian crude oil, providing postal and
telephone services to the Indonesian Embassy and consulates
throughout Australia and servicing air freight and passenger
flights between Indonesia and Australia. Union members are even
barred from collecting the garbage from Indonesian missions.

More likely to bring serious and lasting damage to relations
between Jakarta and Canberra, however, is Australia's apparent
impatience to dispatch a peacekeeping force to East Timor. Such a
move is trying to be made with the consent of Jakarta, but, as it
is increasingly beginning to look like, if necessary without such
consent. Australia's prime minister, John Howard, who earlier
stated his country's willingness to lead such a force for duty in
East Timor, is pressuring others to support a peacekeeping force
under the UN flag. Some 2,000 Australian troops are reported to
have already been put on alert for possible shipment from Darwin
should the need arise.

Obviously, such audacity is being viewed with great distaste
in Jakarta. There is no denying, however, that there is every
reason for the world -- Australians included -- to be gravely
concerned about what is happening in East Timor. Harrowing tales
are being told by survivors of the carnage who fled the
territory, many of whom are compelled to live in deplorable
conditions in camps in West Timor. After more than a week of
unbridled rampaging by militias, the city of Dili is largely in
smoking ruins. An untold number of people have been killed and
families have been torn apart.

Even as late as yesterday -- two days after martial law was
declared, and the day the UN ultimatum for the restoration of
peace was supposed to have expired -- militias were reported to
have broken into the UN compound in Dili, smashing cars and
looting possessions.

Even so, the wisdom of promptly sending UN peacekeepers to
East Timor is questionable. A more judgmatic view might be to
continue to pressure Jakarta to agree to a peacekeeping force,
but not so much as to destabilize the government in Jakarta.
Under the circumstances there is considerable wisdom in the words
of Philippine presidential spokesman Fernando Barican: "We are
very concerned. We are doing what we can, but we will do this in
cooperation with Indonesia. It is easier to work with the
Indonesian government and the military rather than to work
against them."

East Timor deserves the gravest attention. The handling of the
East Timor problem, therefore, calls for the greatest wisdom on
the part of all those concerned. For Indonesia, the message is
clear: End the violence immediately. Give the people of East
Timor their right to independence, as they were promised by the
President of Indonesia. In the final analysis it would be best
for everyone to ensure that East Timor can grow into a peaceful,
peace-loving and prosperous country.