East Timor Action Network

(Ed. note: The following is a statement by the East Timor Action Network/US [ETAN] on recent indications by the Indonesian government on considering full independence for East Timor. ETAN, in the 27 January 1999 statement, called on the Indonesian government to immediately withdraw its troops, allow monitors of the United Nations and set a timetable for a U.N.-supervised referendum on self-determination for East Timor. In the meantime, the human rights situation in East Timor remains dire.)

Recent statements from Jakarta offer some hope that Indonesia is finally ready to recognise East Timorese aspirations by allowing independence. However, these statements by Information Minister Yunus Yosfiah and Foreign Minister Ali Alatas raise as many questions as expectations. The real proof of Indonesia’s intentions will be its actions in the coming weeks.

While government officials deliberate over East Timor’s status, the situation in the territory remains dire. Recent events, especially the arming of paramilitary vigilante groups, seem designed to are exacerbating conflict which would make the holding of a referendum or a peaceful political transition impossible. In a recent example, the East Timor Human Rights Centre reported the killing of four and disappearance of six others when members of the Indonesian military and armed civilian militia groups launched an assault on the village of Galitas on 25 January 1999. Such attacks in remote areas of East Timor have resulted in a flood of internal refugees into Dili and elsewhere in East Timor.

Foreign Minister Ali Alatas has said that if East Timor rejects Indonesia’s autonomy offer, he would suggest that the Indonesian parliament consider granting East Timor independence. But independence is their legal and moral right - it is not up to the Indonesian parliament to decide.

If Indonesia is sincere about respecting the wishes of the East Timorese, it can show its good faith by immediately implementing the following measures. This week’s United Nations talks on the territory provide one forum at which Indonesia could announce its plans to:

1) Immediately withdraw its troops and set a timetable for a U.N.-supervised referendum on self-determination.

2) Allow a permanent United Nations presence to monitor human rights abuses, guarantee genuine Indonesian military withdrawals and work with the East Timorese to prepare a referendum on self-determination, the only internationally legitimate way to determine East Timorese opinion on their political status. Non-governmental organisations, media and independent human rights monitors should be allowed free and full access to the territory. This international presence would also act as a restraint on further Indonesian-initiated violence against civilians.

3) End human rights abuses and stop the distribution of weapons to local militias and paramilitaries and disbanding these groups.

4) Free all political prisoners, in-cluding Xanana Gusmao. Indonesia has said it will transfer Xanana to a form of house arrest, but he and other East Timorese political prisoners need to be freed to participate in negotiations and take part in the political development of their homeland. Moving Xanana to a larger prison cell is not enough.

The East Timor Action Network (ETAN) shares the scepticism voiced by East Timorese leaders Jose Ramos-Horta and Roque Rodrigues. We join Bishop Carlos Belo (who won the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Ramos-Horta) in calling for a referendum.

The East Timor Action Network/U.S. supports genuine self-determination and human rights for the people of East Timor and democracy in Indonesia. Last fall, ETAN released with others leaked Indonesian military documents proving increased troop levels in East Timor, despite Indonesian government claims of withdrawals last summer.

On 7 December 1975, the Indonesian military brutally invaded East Timor. In the following July, East Timor was illegally but formally "integrated" into Indonesia as its "27th province." The United Nations and most of the world’s countries do not recognise this act, and the East Timorese reject it. According to human rights groups and the Catholic Church, more than 200,000 people - one-third of the pre-invasion population ­ have been killed by the Indonesian occupation forces.