Issues

Issues

East Timor

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Category: Book of Statements
Published: Saturday, 24 November 2018 14:22
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AAPSO On The Situation
In East Timor

* 7/9/1999

The news emanating from East Timor is alarming and shocking. Para-military forces aligned to the Indonesian authorities are running riot in the territory after the declaration of results of the referendum. Villages are set on fire, houses are burnt and shooting of innocent people continue. The capital Dili is deserted as people have fled. AAPSO appeals to the UN Secretary- General to act quickly with a peace keeping force before it is too late.


East Timor had undergone enormous suffering since it was annexed by Indonesia in 1975. In spite of the strong and heavy-handed military intervention by the Indonesian army, the resistance continued. East Timor had to pay heavily in blood for the struggle for self-determination. Over 200,000 people - one third of the population - had been exterminated over the years.


Although the UN did not recognise the annexation of East Timor by Indonesia , the big powers remained silent when the East Timorese were killed in cold blood. They were providing enough arms to Indonesia to keep the territory under their rule, although now they shed crocodile tears and try to distance from their crimes.


According to Nobel Laureate Ramos Horta, the resistance leader, Tony Blair's government signed more agreements with Indonesia to provide arms to kill East Timorese. At the Hague Appeal for Peace Conference in May, Ramos Horta declared that the very countries which bomb Yugoslavia were responsible for the massacres in East Timor by aiding and abetting the dictatorship of Soharto.
Despite these uphill task and enormous difficulties, the will of the people of East Timor prevailed with the holding of the referendum under UN supervision to decide the Timorese ties with Indonesia.
The Secretary-General of the UN Kofi Annan announced the results of the referendum. 98 percent of the East Timorese came out to cast their vote which is unprecedented in history. 78.5 percent had voted for independence and only 21.5 percent voted for autonomy within Indonesia. Accordingly, the stage is set for the transition of East Timor to be independent.
The armed gangs supported by the military had taken the law into their hands to disrupt the independence move by resorting to violence. The jailed Timorese leader Xanana Gusmao has expressed his deep concern from jail of the genocide attempts of the pro-Indonesian armed groups and appealed for UN troops to be sent to the territory for peace keeping. AAPSO Support this move as the only rational way to create stability in the country during the transition period.
AAPSO also thanks Secretary-General of UN, Kofi Annan for the enormous effort he made to keep the referendum of East Timorese a success. AAPSO also congratulates the East Timorese people in their victory and they would do all possible to live as good neighbours of Indonesia.
As for the Indonesians, president Habibi has already announced the acceptance of the peoples verdict and would abide by it. Similarly the likely winner of the Indonesian elections-Megawatti Sukarnuputri has already gone on record that whatever the outcome of the results of the referendum, she would work for the reconciliation as all of them have to live as good neighbours.
By voting out to be independent, the East Timor people have no grudge against the people of Indonesia. Their struggle was for self-determination and against repressive dictatorship. The ushering of democracy in Indonesia - no doubt, will open up for better relations with all neighbours.