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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.
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