Troops 'to be reduced gradually in E. Timor'

JAKARTA (JP): Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo walked out of a meeting with President B.J. Habibie here yesterday apparently impressed and convinced of his sincerity to resolve troubles in Indonesia's youngest province.

The Nobel laureate lauded Habibie as sincere with a genuine desire to help East Timorese and described the meeting as a new starting point for the people of East Timor.

"My impression is that Indonesia has an extraordinary president with a strong sense of humanitarianism, kindness and sympathy. And he is very open-minded," Belo said after his 75- minute meeting with Habibie at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Despite this seemingly new sense of faith, the bishop warned against any instantaneous results on the issue, no matter how much conviction was put into the process.

"Even Rome or Jakarta was not built in one night. It needs time, patience and cooperation. What is important is a strong goodwill," Belo said.

Habibie was accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas and Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung in the meeting.

The meeting came less than a week after the President revealed that he would be willing to give a special autonomy status to the province.

The former Portuguese colony was integrated into Indonesia in 1976, but the United Nations has not recognized it.

According to Belo, Habibie assured him that military personnel would be gradually withdrawn from the tiny province of 800,000.

"Little by little, they will start it, and little by little, they will withdraw," Belo remarked.

During the meeting, Belo presented Habibie with his everyday experiences in East Timor, including tales of significant human rights violations.

Belo told Habibie that people were still not allowed to freely travel from one village to another, and that many were even forced by security forces to live in resettlement areas.

"The President asked me why it was until now that people were still not free to travel. This is one example of how open he is to accept our suggestions," Belo noted.

Belo said the meeting focused on practical issues, which he described as the people's most urgent needs.

"I did not discuss about autonomy because for us it is better to talk of concrete things, such as daily necessities," he said.

"The main thing we talked about was how to improve the situation in East Timor. On how to lift the dignity of the East Timorese," he added.

When asked whether he requested the release of jailed rebel leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao, the bishop bluntly replied: "He is not the only man from East Timor. We are 800,000 people. How could you ask only for Xanana and not for all East Timorese."

Before the meeting, Minister of Information Lt. Gen. Muhammad Yunus said the East Timorese people were actually not seeking independence but were more upset with rampant corruption, violations of human rights and poor law enforcement.

"The demand is for the enforcement of justice," said Yunus, whose wife is East Timorese.

"My wife also supports special autonomy for East Timor," Yunus said smiling. (prb)