Youngest province set for investors

Youngest province set for investors

By Imanuddin

DILI, East Timor (JP): Twenty-one years after it was
integrated into Indonesia on July 17, 1976, the former Portuguese
colony of East Timor can no longer be considered an isolated
territory.

The United Nations still recognizes Portugal as the
administrative power here, but Jakarta is extending itself to
speed up development programs in the province.

This approach has given East Timor infrastructure which is
more than adequate for it to turn itself into a financially
independent province. Public transportation now roams even the
smaller streets of the province's towns.

The Armed Forces and local administration have guaranteed
visitors' safety and access to the province's 13 regencies. They
can enjoy the province's 2,683.91 kilometers of asphalt roads,
telecommunications and other supporting facilities.

There are certainly some social problems that remain unsettled
and need inter-departmental cooperation to resolve them.

"We (the nation) have all agreed that there should not be any
questions about the status of East Timor," said Judith J.
Dipodiputro, a special assistant for public relations and
international cooperation to chief of the Indonesia-Portugal
Friendship Association.

Jakarta has refused to hold a referendum on the territory's
future as demanded by the imprisoned leader of the East Timorese
Fretilin separatist movement, Jose Alexandre (Xanana) Gusmao. The
Indonesian government claims that most of the 700,000 East
Timorese chose to be integrated into Indonesia in 1976.

Francesco Mozina, a Portuguese Tropas (soldier) before East
Timor's integration, said the Indonesian government had achieved
many things that the Portuguese administration had failed to do.

Mozina, now living on nearby Atauro island, said East Timor
enjoyed development only after it was integrated into Indonesia.

Principal Elias Fretes of the Santo Domingus Savio Catholic
Elementary School in Baucau regency shared Mozina's opinion.

"Our children would not have been able to go to school if we
were still under Portuguese colonial rule," he said.

There were only 47 elementary schools in 1975. Now, the
province has 715 schools scattered across the province. There
were two junior high schools in 1975, compared with 114 in 1996.

A year before it was integrated into Indonesia, East Timor
only had one high school. This number grew to 58 last year. The
province used to have no universities, but it has three now.

Discontent

Despite this proof of development, Judith said, many people
were still dissatisfied.

The province's human resources remain under developed and
unemployment has been a prominent source of discontent,
especially among youths who have graduated with good educations
and tried to enter the job market.

East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares said that about
25,000 people entered the territory each year to seek employment
or start a business.

"We must go on with East Timor's development programs," Abilio
said, adding that dissatisfaction over economic disparity and
unemployment should be answered by even better development and
distribution.

Geologist J. Sinambela of the Timor Foundation for
Reconciliation and Development suggested the establishment of a
key industrial project which could stimulate the development of
other sectors, including agriculture and smaller industries.

"We have identified the cement industry as the most
appropriate industry for East Timor," Sinambela said.

Violence and sporadic security disturbances by East Timorese
separatist rebels continue.

But Judith said development should not be delayed or stopped
because of the rebels' campaign to disrupt security.

Several street children, who admitted to frequently taking
part in violent action including the burning of markets and
public property, supported Judith's opinion that the campaign
aimed to disrupt development.

"We were paid to create those disturbances," a high school
graduate told The Jakarta Post.

East Timor Military Command Chief Col. Salamat Sidabutar said
last Sunday that the number of separatist rebels had dwindled to
a point where the movement was insignificant.

Sidabutar did not deny that it had taken the Armed Forces a
long time to curb the activities of separatists, but said: "It
was because our soldiers had been instructed not to use a
security approach indiscriminately."

"Soldiers are required to take persuasive measures and try to
avoid bloodshed," he said. "These people are our brothers."

Sidabutar said that most soldiers in remote areas were more
active in public education programs than in military activities.

"Many of our soldiers teach people how to read and write and
master certain basic skills," he said.