DATE=1/28/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244788
TITLE=EAST TIMOR (L)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDONESIA'S SURPRISING TURNAROUND ON EAST TIMOR HAS
CAUGHT DIPLOMATS AND ACTIVISTS BY SURPRISE. AFTER YEARS OF
SAYING THAT INDEPENDENCE FOR EAST TIMOR IS NOT AN OPTION,
INDONESIA NOW SAYS IT IS WILLING TO RELINQUISH CONTROL OF THE
ANNEXED TERRITORY IF THE TIMORESE REJECT AN OFFER OF AUTONOMY.
VOA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA
BUREAU IN BANGKOK ON THE SKEPTICISM AND CONFUSION GENERATED BY
THE INDONESIAN OFFER.
TEXT: THE SKETCHY NATURE OF THE NEW INDONESIAN OFFER ON EAST
TIMOR HAS RAISED MIXED REACTION, RANGING FROM CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
TO OUTRIGHT SCORN.
EAST TIMORESE ACTIVIST AND NOBEL LAUREATE JOSE RAMOS-HORTA IS
UNAMBIGUOUS IN HIS REACTION TO THE INDONESIAN PROPOSAL. SPEAKING
TO V-O-A BY TELEPHONE FROM AUSTRALIA, MR. RAMOS-HORTA SAID HE IS
EXTREMELY SKEPTICAL. HE SAID WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY PROOF OF
INDONESIA'S GOOD INTENTIONS SHORT OF A FULL WITHDRAWAL OF
INDONESIAN TROOPS.
// RAMOS-HORTA ACT //
WELL, THEY STILL HAVE TROOPS IN EAST TIMOR. SO WHAT DO
YOU WANT US TO DO? CELEBRATE THE PRESENCE OF INDONESIAN
TROOPS JUST BECAUSE THEY MAKE ANOTHER STATEMENT IN
JAKARTA? THEY HAVE BROKEN PROMISES AND PROMISES AND
PROMISES FOR SO MANY YEARS. NOW THEY ARE MAKING ANOTHER
STATEMENT.
// END ACT //
BUT, DESPITE HIS SKEPTICISM, MR. RAMOS-HORTA SAID HE IS WILLING
TO SIT DOWN FOR TALKS WITH THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT ON THE
ISSUE. BUT HE ADDS THE GOVERNMENT MUST ALSO SHOW GOOD FAITH BY
RELEASING EAST TIMORESE ACTIVIST XANANA GUSMAO.
// RAMOS-HORTA ACT //
CERTAINLY, OF COURSE WE ARE WILLING TO SIT DOWN WITH
THEM WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS IN GOOD FAITH TO TALK ABOUT
ALL THESE ISSUES. THEY HAVE TO RELEASE XANANA GUSMAO,
THE RESISTANCE LEADER, AND TALK WITH HIM, ENGAGE HIM IN
DIALOGUE TO FIND THE BEST POSSIBLE STRATEGY THAT WORKS,
THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.
// END ACT //
INDONESIA INVADED EAST TIMOR IN 1975 AND ANNEXED IT ONE YEAR
LATER. THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT HAS COME UNDER SHARP
INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN THE FORMER
PORTUGUESE COLONY.
NEW ZEALAND IS ONE COUNTRY THAT HAS NEVER RECOGNIZED THE EAST
TIMOR ANNEXATION. NEW ZEALAND FOREIGN MINISTER DON MACKINNON,
WHO HAS BEEN SHARPLY CRITICAL OF INDONESIA'S EAST TIMOR
POLICIES, SAYS THE SURPRISE OFFER SHOULD BE ACCEPTED AT FACE
VALUE.
// MACKINNON ACT
CLEARLY THIS HAS COME AS A SURPRISE TO SOME SECTIONS OF
THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT, LET ALONE THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY. WE TAKE IT AT FACE VALUE, IT'S THERE, AND
LET'S HOPE THE TALKING CAN START PRETTY SOON.
// END ACT //
ON THURSDAY, INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALI ALATAS RULED OUT ANY
REFERENDUM ON INDEPENDENCE, SAYING IT COULD LEAD TO CIVIL WAR IN
EAST TIMOR. ASKED ABOUT THE COMMENTS, MR. RAMOS-HORTA SAID A
REFERENDUM IS NECESSARY AS THE ONLY DEMOCRATIC MEANS OF
DETERMINING THE WILL OF THE EAST TIMORESE PEOPLE.
// REST OPT //
BUT MR. MACKINNON AGREED THAT THERE ARE INHERENT DANGERS IN A
REFERENDUM.
// MACKINNON ACT //
WELL, I THINK THIS DOES UNDERLINE THE VERY DIFFICULTIES
THAT ARE THERE. CLEARLY THERE ARE PEOPLE IN EAST TIMOR
WHO DO NOT WANT INDEPENDENCE. AND WHAT THE PERCENTAGE
IS WE NEVER REALLY KNOW. IT WAS ALWAYS MY VIEW THAT A
REFERENDUM COULD BE QUITE A DANGEROUS VEHICLE IF IT
PRODUCED A 52 PER CENT IN FAVOR AND 48 PER CENT AGAINST.
// END ACT //
SENTIMENT IN EAST TIMOR IS DIVIDED BETWEEN THOSE WHO WANT FULL
INDEPENDENCE AND THOSE WHO FAVOR AUTONOMY, WHILE REMAINING PART
OF INDONESIA. (SIGNED)
NEB/GPT/FC/PLM
28-Jan-99 5:46 AM EST (1046 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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