The Timor debate

The Timor debate

Like a stubborn pain that comes and goes but refuses to fade
entirely, the East Timor issue continues to surface now and then
with a level of irritation that could to a certain extent impair
Indonesia's relations with other countries.

One of the latest proofs of this is the fact that New
Zealand's Prime Minister, J.B. Bolger, considered it prudent
during his visit to mention the issue in a meeting with President
Soeharto. Although no official statement was made to affirm this,
it appeared likely that the issue was mentioned because of a
petition signed recently by 51 of the 99 members of New Zealand's
parliament, urging that the Prime Minister assert New Zealand's
concern over the human rights situation in East Timor. New
Zealand officials, however, have made it clear that the issue
will not affect relations between the two countries.

Aside from New Zealand's concerns, however, there is at
present another matter which should be of even greater concern.
That is, of course, the current strain which the East Timor issue
has caused in Indonesia's relations with the Philippines. This is
a delicate matter whose handling demands good statesmanship and
great foresight on the part of the leaders on both sides.

As has been reported, the problem began with an initiative,
which the Philippine authorities said was taken by certain non-
governmental organizations in Manila, to hold an Asia Pacific
Conference on East Timor in the Philippine capital beginning at
the end of this month.

Indonesia regards the meeting as nothing but a platform for
East Timorese "anti-integrationists" led by Ramos Horta, and the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Alatas, has conveyed this
country's strong "disappointment" over the Manila government's
inability to ban the meeting.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with Filipino
presidential envoy Raul Manglapus on Monday, Alatas went so far
as to dispense with diplomatic formality. "Let's not use
diplomatic language here. Indonesia is disappointed at the
Philippine government's inability to stop the seminar."

According to Alatas, Indonesia opposes the conference because
it is part of a political campaign launched by Horta in
cooperation with local Philippine organizers. It appears
difficult for Indonesia to "buy" the Philippine government's
official assertion that the discussion will be of a purely
academic nature and that it cannot ban it on the ground that the
right of assembly is guaranteed by the Philippine constitution.

Given Manila's persistence so far vis-a-vis the strong
feelings in Jakarta on the matter, there is no denying that the
issue is potentially explosive.

The Indonesian media, in reporting the discord, for example,
have made frequent references to the still smoldering Moro issue
in the southern Philippines. The Surabaya Post, for example,
reported that, "If Manila persists in its refusal to ban the
conference, it may not be impossible that Indonesia will
`retaliate' by sponsoring an international conference on the Moro
separatist movement.

"As has been stated by the chairman of the Islamic World
Solidarity Movement, Lukman Harun, Indonesia could easily
organize such a conference considering the fact that Indonesia
enjoys an excellent standing among Islamic countries throughout
the world," the newspaper said. "In addition, the emotions of
Indonesians, who are predominantly Moslem, are easily inflamed by
religious sentiments. Reports about acts of injustice suffered by
Moslems throughout the world can very easily ignite the emotions
of Indonesian Moslems."

As was reported late yesterday, a North Sulawesi delegation
scheduled to attend an ASEAN Business Conference in Davao, the
Philippines, has canceled its departure due to the spat. And
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas himself is reported to
have warned Manila "not to belittle Indonesia's feelings" over
the issue.

It is appalling to think of the far-reaching consequences that
such a turn of events might have for this region. We do hope that
a good sense of perspective will prevail on both sides of the
conflict to bring the discord to a happy end.

As for the continuing criticism which Indonesia has to endure
over the East Timor issue, we believe it may be time for us to
take a really good look at how we are presenting ourselves and
the Timor issue abroad. The best way to deal with the problem
once and for all would be, of course, to ensure the world that we
honestly respect human rights -- not only in East Timor, but
throughout Indonesia. We think President Soeharto's invitation to
the New Zealand parliament to send a delegation of observers to
the province is a step along the right path.