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Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 13 Oct 1992 19:50:00 EDT
From:         "Carl A. Trocki" <CTROCKI@GUVAX.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: East Timor

To Indra Jaya,
        I was glad to read your thoughtful comments on the situation
in East Timor.  I think however that there are some questions about
your interpretation of event that have taken place in ET.  I do not
think it is at all clear that FRETELIN was a minority, rather, most
reports I have read suggest that it represented the wishes of the
majority especially in its program for the complete independence of
ET.  I think that this conclusion is also proven by the behavior of
the Indonesian Govt.  If, as you say, Indra, the ET people who wanted
union with Indonesia were a majority, then why hasnt there been a
simple plebescite to vote the issue up or down?  Yes or no?  Why not?
I think you know the answer to that.  Because most the the ET people
would vote for independence and their voice would demonstrate that the
presence of the ABRI in ET is indeed an occupation.  It is the same as
the Nazi  (you might say Gestapo) occupation of Europe during WWII or
of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait.  Unfortunately, ET was not ruled by
an oil sheik who was the darling of American oil companies, rather, it
was a poor place that was invaded by an renegade army that belonged to
Indonesia.
        Indonesians complain about the role of American oil companies,
and with good reason, they help to lobby for support for the Suharto
govt, he is their friend, they are his friends.  Who is the friend of
the Indonesian people?  Not the oil companies.
        Even tho the United States government stood idly by when
Indonesia invaded ET back in the 1970s, this country has never
given official recognition to the act.  But, our govt has never
opposed the occupation of ET.  In fact, Bush and his oil company
buddies still want to sell more guns to ABRI and to continue to train
ABRI officers in our military schools.  The issue behind this current
flame, is that the US Congress and Senate finally got the nerve to
stand up to this criminal policy by Bush and his cronies.  They voted
to stop military aid to Indonesia only partly  because of the lobbying by ET
human rights activists, but also because of their own awareness (and
they have access to real facts) about the true situation in ET.
        I am a student just like everyone else.  I always want to
learn.  I would like to learn the truth about ET.  If unbiased United
Nations observers and Red Cross personnel and international
journalists could enter Dili and go around and talk to the people and
send their own reports out, then we would be able to learn the true
facts about what is there.  Ask yourself, why can't they go there? Why
is ET off-limits to foreign observers?  I think the reason is that
they are ashamed of what people would see there.  But, I don't know
for sure, because people can't go there and find out, so I can only
speculate and listen to all of the information from all of the sources
are accept what seems true and reject what seems false.
        What about you?
                        Carl