Xanana will not be released, government official says

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto will send a reply to South African President Nelson Mandela, informing him that jailed East Timorese rebel leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao will not be released, a senior government official said yesterday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said the letter would be sent to Pretoria as an official reply to Mandela's letter sent to Soeharto after visiting Jakarta last month.

"The President will clearly point out that he can not release Xanana because he is a criminal and not a political prisoner," the official told The Jakarta Post.

During his three-day state visit here last month, Mandela met with Xanana at the State Guest House. The meeting was approved by Soeharto.

Despite Soeharto's refusal to release Xanana, the official said the President was willing to visit South Africa in exchange for Mandela's three visits here.

"President Soeharto respects President Mandela as a great statesman and trusts his sincerity in assisting Indonesia in finding an international solution on East Timor," the official said.

During the meeting with Mandela here, Soeharto supported Mandela's initiative to help find an international solution to the East Timor issue.

But Indonesia assumes it will be based on "quiet diplomacy".

Mandela, in his letter to Soeharto, said the release of all political leaders including Xanana was necessary to "normalize the situation in East Timor".

The letter sparked controversy because it was "accidentally" sent to the Portuguese embassy instead of the Indonesian embassy in Pretoria.

Pretoria expelled Portuguese Ambassador Vasco Valente for allegedly leaking the contents of the letter to the Portuguese press.

Xanana, 51, was arrested in East Timor in 1992 and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 1993. His sentence was later reduced to 20-years by President Soeharto.

The former Portuguese colony of East Timor was integrated into Indonesia in 1976. The United Nations, however, still recognizes Lisbon as the administrating power. (prb)