From: indra@earthview.cms.udel.edu (Indra Jaya)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Subject: re: East Timor
Date: 13 Oct 92 22:06:56 GMT
Reply-To: indra@earthview.cms.udel.edu
Organization: Marine Studies, University of Delaware

In article <9210080152.AA22315@suna7.cs.uiuc.edu>,         Max Becherer <becherer@SUNA0.CS.UIUC.EDU> writes...
>M. Parikesit writes...
> 
>    I need to ask two questions concerning these East Timor ordeal, just
>    to get a clearer picture ;
>
>> 1. Why does the East Timorese is so persistent (like you say)
>>    to be independent.

Lets get this as straight as possible. 
Prior to the involvement of the Indonesian Government (IG) in the 
East Timor (ET) the situation can be describes somewhat similar to what 
happened in Somalia (not of the starvation but of the civil war). In 
the case of East Timor, the mess was the legacy of the Portugese (somewhat_small_but_awefully_bad_boys, of course). In brief, the ET 
people is fragmented into at least two groups. One of the group that 
you often heard is represented by Fretelin. This group is minority `
but are much vocal+noisy [sounds familiar?]. Other groups, which are 
majority of the ET people are much more quite, just like their other 
islands brothers :-). My point is, that there is no unity among ETese. 

Therefore, let me reformulate your question, to be more specific:
1. Why does the Fretelin (and their simphatizer, for the sake of complete-
   ness) is so adamant to be independent while the majority of the ET
   people seek a peaceful settlement and be part of Indonesia?

>From pires@vxcrna.cern.ch (Rui)
>Rui's answers (not too the reformulated question, though):

>Because their culture is completely different from Indonesian culture(s)
>  (different languages, different colonizer, different ethnies, different 
>  religions, different politics, etc., etc.).

Frankly, I can sympathize if someone want to break away because of
their differences (and damn proud of it) on languages, ethnies and religions
BUT because of different colonizer? Sounds a little silly, don't you
think? Well, OK, I got your points: the ET is different from Indonesian
cultures and this could be the reason. However, it could also be an 
ingredian for the unity with other culture to achieve what we, Indonesian
call it: unity in diversity. How nice!
 
>Because they were not asked to be Indonesian, they were invaded.

To be more accurate, the IG involvement in ET can be seen by ETese
as an: 1. Invasion; 2. Deliberation, 3. Peaceful Settlement.
As you are entitle to your opinion so does each individual ETese. 
 
>Because under Indonesian occupation they were brutalized, raped, 
>  massacrated, almost dizimated.

The word "occupation" is not truely represent the correct situation.
Now, to be more accurate (and fair, I hope): Under IG settlement
efforts, all the citizen of the country will be treated accordingly.
Those who creates social unrest or disturbance should expect a punishment.
Folks, is the same law everywhere. 

>Because they feel like foreigners in their own land, only get underpaid 
>  jobs, and live under miserable conditions.              

Doesn't most of us feel this way, underpaid and live under our desire
condition? :-). 

>Because it is foreigners which benefit from their natural ressources.

If you refer to Portugese as a foreigner than you are absolute_definitely
correct!. 

>Because they want to decide their own future.
>Because it is a right they have and they want to use.

Majority of them have made their decision and have used their right.
The bad news is, for you of course, they have chosen to be part of
Indonesia. Tragic? Maybe, only god knows.

>>    What are the benefit for them as an Independent country, and
>>    why being Indonesian is so bad for them ?

>The benefit is enourmous, as you can see above.

Well, I don't see much benefits. 

>> 2. What do they have to live on as an Independent country ?

>Maybe you never heard of the huge amounts of oil recently discovered
>in the Timor Sea,  which Indonesia is selling to other countries (like 
>Australia), and from which the East Timorese will never benefit unless 
>they become independent.  And they have many others natural ressources 
>and others that they can start exploiting (f.ex. tourism).

First, oil in the Timor Sea will not ONLY belong to ET but to Indonesian
and Australian as well, for the reason of the present estimated location 
of the reservoir and of the legality (UN Law of the Sea - See section on 
the Archipelagic Country). Then, o fully utilize this natural resource 
they have to come to term with its neighboring states who claimed the 
same resources. 

But anyway, the second question is entirely hypothetical. You like it or not
ET has became part of Indonesia. Perhaps, to some of you, a little harsh 
reality to swallow. 

             *                  Indra Jaya
             IX                 Student, AOS-CMS-UD
            _I   /o             Robinson Hall,Newark, DE 19716
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