From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Timor: Gusmao still backs fight
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 01:09:41 GMT

/** reg.easttimor: 342.2 **/
** Written 11:53 pm  Dec 14, 1992 by cscheiner in cdp:reg.easttimor **
** Written  7:20 pm  Dec 14, 1992 by apakabar in cdp:reg.indonesia **

Remark: Forwarded by an Oz reader.  Jill basically confirms the analysis
of the prison interview posted by CDPM.  Unfortunately, her story also
contains the first strong indication that Rogerio Lobato and Abilio
Araujo may have at least de facto teamed up in yet another inter-necine
quarrel to undercut the Jose Ramos Horta-Xanana Gusmao leadership.
This comes at a very inauspicious time -- shortly before the 'tripartite'
talks are scheduled to open under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General.
  -- John

Source: Melbourne Age
Date: 14 December 1992
Dateline: Lisbon, Sunday 13 December
Byline: Jill Joliffe
Scope: Unabridged
Headline: Gusmao still backs fight: journalist

The East Timorese resistance leader Mr "Xanana" Gusmao has passed a message to
a Portuguese journalist saying he still supports armed struggle against
Indonesia, despite public declarations to the contrary.

The television reporter Mr Jose Gabriel interviewed Mr Gusmao in a police
barracks in Jakarta on Thursday for Portugal's new private channel SIC. The
interview was conducted in an auditorium in front of around 30 military
officers and a censorship panel of five people, which later cut 10 of the 20
minutes of videotape recorded.

The impression given by what remained of the interview is of a conscious
attempt by Mr Gusmao to indicate that he is not speaking freely, through
various clues and ambiguous wording of replies. 

Mr Gabriel has said that after the interview Mr Gusmao grasped his hand when
the two men were briefly out of earshot of the Indonesian officials and that
during this time "he murmured a phrase guaranteeing that he had not given up
the principles which inspired him during 17 years of struggle". 

Mr Gabriel described the material cut by the censor in which Mr Gusmao managed
to pass other messages.

Mr Gabriel said Mr Gusmao's long reply to a question about how the Timor
problem could be solved was also cut, in which he spoke of "an international,
lasting solution for Timor". 

Most of the interview followed the lines of an earlier one with the governor
of East Timor, in which he claimed that he had changed his ideas about
independence, had been guilty of misleading other East Timorese, and urged
guerilla fighters to surrender. 

Two overseas representatives of Fretilin in Lisbon have denounced Mr Gusmao.
Mr Rogerio Lobato, who left East Timor in December 1975, before Indonesian
paratroopers in Dili, said the guerilla leader had failed East Timor. 

Mr Abilio Araujo said: "Mau Hodu (another captive resistance leader) and
Xanana are past history. Now the resistance can reorganize in a disciplined
way and wage a fierce struggle against adventurism".

Next Thursday the Portuguese and Indonesian foreign ministers are due to meet
the New York office of the UN Secretary General, Dr Boutros Ghali, for a new
round of talks about East Timor's future.

Dr Boutros Ghali earlier said he wanted to enlarge the talks to include East
Timorese representatives, and Mr Gusmao's possible presence was discussed at a
meeting several months ago. Observers believe his imprisonment will rank high
on the agenda, and the success or failure of the talks is likely to revolve
around this question.
** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor **

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