Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Sat, 12 Dec 1992 15:47:27 EST
From:         JOSE ANTONIO BASTO <jb00@LEHIGH.EDU>
Subject:      E. Timor: Indonesia failure with the new generation

II.11 - Indonesia bets on the new generation

 Synopsis of the presentation by Lici'nia Ramos Horta,
East Timorese.

section # 12

PART-II

2nd SEMINAR ON EAST TIMOR, PORTO UNIVERSITY, PORTUGAL, 1990

"EAST-TIMOR, LAND OF HOPE"

II. -EAST TIMOR, INDONESIA, AUSTRALIA AND THE WORLD
GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION: PROSPECTS FOR EVOLUTION
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 "I spent two years in a Bali University [Indonesia] studying
English literature. There are more than two hundred East
Timorese studying in Bali." The students have to sit for an
admission test, and once they passed it, they will be screened and
have to be approved by KOPSKAM (Indonesia's Secret Service and
National Security body.)

 "KOPSKAM has the final word. Once approved, and when
attending Indonesian universities, the students join the Timorese
Student Associations, all of which are controlled by the Indonesia
military. Take Bali, for instance, all students have to join the
East Timor University and High School Alliance - IMPETTU (in
Bahasa Indonesia.)

 (...) "The Indonesian authorities have decided to nominate a
military commander for the leadership of IMPETTU. All
initiatives taken by this organization come from the military in
co-operation with civil authorities and under the directives of
the Jakarta government.

 (...) "The Indonesian authorities not only control the
organization's activities, they also organize spy networks within
the students' community, within schools, universities and in the
students' residences. They pay and instruct other Timorese to spy
on their compatriots with whom they share desks or lodging.
Other Indonesian students also provide this 'service'. Teachers
act also as spies working closely with the Indonesian secret
service.

 (...) "At school, the East Timorese avoid mingling with the
Indonesians and are always grouped together. This behaviour
enforces the climate of lack of confidence.(...) Since the East
Timorese are not interested in learning Indonesian, language is
another factor that only increases the hostilities.(...)

 "The vast majority of almost two hundred East Timorese
studying in Bali prefer to study Economics, Medicine or Law, and
only two attend Indonesian Literature courses. At school what we
learn most concerns Indonesia, and "Pancasila" - the five
philosophical principles of the Indonesian State - is the most
important subject in all areas of study.

 "Marks on this subject sometimes determines who passes or
fails at exam. East Timor is not mentioned, there are no broad
discussions or debates between the East Timorese students on any
international political issue, on democracy in other countries or
on their economic development.

 "As the teachers and the military told me: <<that is not a subject
for the Timorese.>> Indonesia is all that matters like if it was the
only country on earth. Indonesia has liberated the Timorese from
Portuguese colonialism, the Timorese are considered
underdeveloped.

 "According to Indonesia, the only way to improve their lot is to
learn and assimilate everything that is Javanese or from
cultures of other Indonesian provinces, like Bali.

 "When a student goes to Bali to continue his/her studies has to
present him/herself to the Bali Military Command. During this
meeting with the military authorities, students are told to
socialize with everybody, local and others and not only with the
Timorese. At this stage they are also told to spy on others. (...)

 "Although, as I mentioned before there are no broadly-based or
deep debating on international matters, sometimes they surface
during classes. The teachers and the most distinguished students,
always try as hard as they can to avoid any negative or
vulnerable mention to Indonesia. If someone mentions a
similarity to East Timor, the subject cannot be mentioned,
otherwise one is punished and the smallest punishment is a fail
mark.

 "That is exactly what happened to a colleague of mine who dared
mention the rights of people to self-determination, during a
"Pancasila" class. Although she was a brilliant and distinguished
student, she was the only one to fail the exams."

 Lici'nia Horta then explained the Indonesian efforts to transform
the East Timorese mentality into an Indonesian one, with all sorts
of control, including censorship to family letters, etc. and adds:

 "The East Timorese students do not identify themselves as
Indonesian. The armed resistance on the mountains and on the
occupied areas, are a powerful stimulant for the nationalist
feelings and hostilize the Indonesians even further.

 "Indonesia bets that this new generation will get a
Javanese/Indonesian and integrationist mentality. But this is
also the generation that survived all massacres since day one of
invasion, December, 7, 1975, and all the massacres of 1978,
1979, 1980, etc., during the Indonesian occupation.

 "These students belong to a generation that asks when someone
passes away: <<Was it from disease, accident or the tentaras
[Indonesian soldiers]? >>".

 Lici'nia Horta ends saying:

 "So far, only General Prabowo, Suharto's son-in-law, seems to
be the only one to admit that the bet on the new generation was a
failure. When his soldiers from Battalion 328 were biting the
dust on the battlefield, frustrating his military strategy, he said
<<There is only one way to end the Timor war: exterminate them
all.>>"
[end]