From: c9110499@cc.newcastle.edu.au (You want to barter my soul? You mean it's worth something? Here, take it...)
Subject: Re: E. Timor & Indonesia
Organization: University of Newcastle, AUSTRALIA
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 04:35:04 GMT

In article <1992Nov14.215739.23764@doug.cae.wisc.edu>, dewanto@cae.wisc.edu (Gaston Dewa
>>
> We, the Indonesian, also concern about the East Timorese. While it may be true
> that historically E. Timor was not part of Majapahit or other kingdoms in
> Indonesia (I am not sure about this), geographically and ethnically E. Timor
> should be part of Indonesia now. West Timor and other islands around Timor
> are part of Indonesian.Just because the Portuguesse had come before the Javanese
> came can not be accepted as a claim that they have more right about Timor.
> 
> Also, the way the Portugal government left E. Timor in civil war did not 

My understanding is that Portugal left ET independant, and afterwards the civil
war started.

> The accusations made by the Portuguesse are based from two reasons I think.
> 
> 2. They don't really understand the culture and the way of life from other
> ethnics. I believe this misunderstanding is also shared by other westen
> cultured people (with all my respect).
> The west thinks that everything that is best for them is also the best for
> the rest of the world. If there are freedom of speech or freedom of act or
> whatever in west countries, then there should be too in other countries.

ET is part of the west then if they believe they should have freedoms?
Hardly!!  It's not only the 'west' that believes in certain freedoms.  The
fact that ET doesn't have freedoms, which is part of their culture now, is
because those customs were imposed upon them by another country, whose
customs they were...a country which invaded.

> They fail to see that that depends on the local culture, local situation
> in each country respectively. For example, the bad roads or the uniforms
> worn by the E. Timor elementary students are used as proofs of Indonesia
> bad treatments to the ET people, while actually those conditions are
> common in other parts of Indonesia.
> 
> I want to make comments of two arguments made by the Portuguesse.
> 
> 1. Indonesia is accused to take E. Timor because of the oil resource in
> Timor Sea. 
> I don't think that Indonesia knew there was oil resource in Timor Sea in 
> 1976. If we knew that, then the Portugal must have known too and they 
> wouldn't abandon ET.
> Also it is Australia who gets most benefit from the oil resource, not
> Indonesia.

Must be Australia...I remember hearing a story about the UN deciding the final
solution to the Timor Sea, as A and I had been working on it for 15 years and
getting nowhere.  The UN assigned it to A, but had to sign it over in Hawkes
reign, when I announced it's intentions to have it.  There was little we could
do.

> We don't want to kill the ET people, they are our brothers like the
> rest of Indonesians. But any act to separate E. Timor from Indonesia can
> not be accepted.

Why don't you let your 'brothers' leave home?  Are the West Papuan's also 
your 'brothers', considering they are of a different race and culture?
Funny that I didn't hear that 'cannot be accepted' about Singapore.

> 
> In my opinion, it is best for the ET people if we don't support any
> act toward ET independence. Any separatist movement will only invite
> military action and will slow down the development. I think, most
> ET people, like other people, do not really care whether they are
> Indonesia or independent as long as they can make good living.

One country invading another for that countries benefit?
*sarcasm on* Aw...how sweet. *sarcasm off*

> 
> g.dewanto
> mben/uw-m
> dewanto@cae.wisc.edu 
> 
> 
Fal....here.