UNAMET is unfair

I enjoyed reading G.K. Sangster's letter in The Jakarta Post of Aug. 19, 1999. The letter was written by an expatriate who witnessed the acts of UNAMET personnel in East Timor.

As a layman, I feel that UNAMET's official opinions are, sometimes, not fair. The prointegration group's actions are always blamed. In contrast, the actions of groups opposed to integration are merely reported.

It is a known fact that Portugal always left unfinished business, problems and chaos in its colonies, such as during the decolonization of Mozambique and Angola, with Cuban mercenaries playing a big role in the countries afterwards.

It is sad that Indonesia is always blamed for the problems in East Timor. Is it because the smell of oil in the Timor Gap that leads to UNAMET's unfair treatment? Because a free East Timor will be much easier to dictate to than Indonesia? And because UNAMET/Australia no longer fears the communist or socialist ideology, as it was in the 1970s?

Last but not least, the wife of Indonesia's minister of information, who herself is a native East Timorese, was rejected when she tried to register for the ballot several weeks ago. Has she been registered yet?

PRANOWO HADIWIDJOJO

Jakarta