UN envoy to meet with women abuse victims
UN envoy to meet with women abuse victims
JAKARTA (JP): The United Nations' Special Rapporteur for
Violence against Women said on Monday she would meet women who
were reportedly victims of violence in East Timor.
"At the United Nations there are many reports of East Timorese
women becoming victims of violence," Rodhika Coomaraswami was
quoted by Antara as saying. She added the dialog was to be held
with the cooperation of various organizations.
After meeting Goernor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, she said the
visit was not part of an investigation into rights abuses.
The public relations officer of the administration in the
province, Expedito Dias Ximenes, said a proposal would be
forwarded to the UN to request assistance for the women.
Coomaraswami will be in East Timor until Wednesday. She is
accompanied by Clementino dos Reis Amaral of the National
Commission on Human Rights. He is a native of the province.
The governor told her that not all information about rights
abuses was true and conditions of women in the province were
better than during the Portuguese colonization.
Meanwhile, most observers in a discussion on East Timor in
Jakarta supported the idea of more autonomy under the central
government than an independence referendum because the province
was not ready.
They expressed their thoughts in an international seminar
titled "Democratization in Indonesia and the Questions of East
Timor" held by Paramadina Mulya University and Solidarity For
Peace In East Timor.
"I think the best way is for East Timor now to be given its
autonomy because that would solve many political and social
problems there," Nurcholish Madjid said.
The issue hinged on the government's political will in
responding to the East Timor's people demands.
"East Timor people need an opportunity to determine their own
fate. So let them develop their own way. It's better to
strengthen the community first."
He said he did not object to a referendum "but now it's better
to strengthen the community's economic and political bases".
Sociologist Loekman Soetrisno said the Armed Forces' role must
be gradually reduced in East Timor.
Researcher Astrid Susanto said East Timorese should be allowed
to speak because they had long lived in fear, but added her
research showed more autonomy was vital to boost their lot.
Gerry van Klinken, an editor of Inside Indonesia magazine in
Australia and a lecturer at the Griffith University, said
autonomy proposals had disadvantages as they put Indonesia in
charge of East Timor's foreign relations. (edt/anr)