Source: https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/99JAKARTA1577_a.html
Timestamp: 2015-11-25 12:53:24
Document Index: 7716075

Matched Legal Cases: ['ARTA1577', 'ARTA1577', 'ARTA 001577', 'ARTA 1413', 'ARTA 001577', 'ARTA 1413', 'ARTA1577', 'ARTA1577', 'ARTA1733']

Cable: 99JAKARTA1577_a
XANANA GUSMAO LETTER TO THE SECRETARY
Date:1999 March 30, 08:16 (Tuesday)
Canonical ID:99JAKARTA1577_a
TAGS:ID - Indonesia | PGOV - Political Affairs--Government; Internal Governmental Affairs | PHUM - Political Affairs--Human Rights | PINR - Political Affairs--Intelligence | PREL - Political Affairs--External Political Relations | UN - United Nations
To:Secretary of State ContentC O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001577 E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/24/09 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ID, UN SUBJECT: XANANA GUSMAO LETTER TO THE SECRETARY REF: A) STATE 47684, B) JAKARTA 1413 Show Headers 1. CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE MICHAEL P. OWENS, REASON, 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. FOLLOWING IS A LETTER FROM EAST TIMORESE RESISTANCE LEADER XANANA GUSMAO TO THE SECRETARY, IN RESPONSE TO THE SECRETARY'S LETTER OF MARCH 19 (REF A). THE ORIGINAL IS BEING FORWARDED BY POUCH: SALEMBA, MARCH 22, 1999 SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 2201 C STREET, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20520 DEAR MADAME SECRETARY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF MARCH 19. YOUR WORDS ARE OF GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT AND CERTAINLY REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENT FOR PEACE IN EAST TIMOR AS OUR HUMBLE CONTRIBUTION TO A STABLE AND PEACEFUL SOUTHEAST ASIA. I WILL RECALL OUR MEETING AS A MEMORABLE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A MOMENT OF FREEDOM WITH SOMEONE WHO SO CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS ITS MEANING. IT WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THE YEARNINGS OF MY PEOPLE FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION AND, ABOVE ALL, PEACE OF MIND TO SECURE A FREE AND DIGNIFIED LIFE FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN. I ALSO WISH TO EXPRESS OUR INTEREST IN STAYING IN CLOSE AND REGULAR TOUCH WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND AMBASSADOR J. STAPLETON ROY. MY PERSONAL ASSISTANT, MS. KIRSTY SWORD, WILL ENSURE THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE US EMBASSY IN JAKARTA AND MY OFFICE. REPORTS FROM EAST TIMOR ARE UNFORTUNATELY DEPICTING AN ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AS WELL AS AN INCREASE OF ARMED MILITIAS GROUPS (NAMELY IN LOSPALOS AND SAME). THE PEACE AND RECONCILIATION PROCESS IS FACING NEW SETBACKS AFTER THE EXPOSURE OF THE POLITICAL MANEUVERING BY GOVERNOR ABILIO OSORIO SOARES AND MR. GIL ALVES, PRESIDENT OF KLIBUR. THE DOCUMENT, WHICH REVEALED THEIR INSINCERE INTENTIONS IN THE RECONCILIATION DIALOGUE ALSO PROVES ABRI (THE INDONESIAN MILITARY) AND DEPLU (THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS) BACK THEIR ACTION AND STRATEGY. THEY RECENTLYHELD A MEETING WITH A GROUP OF TEN INDONESIAN GENERALS IN WHICH SEVEN STATED THEY WOULD RESPECT A DECISION TAKEN BY THE PEOPLE OF EAST TIMOR WHILE THREE, INCLUDING MR. ZACHY ANWAR (FORMER HEAD OF BIA)(MILITARY INTELLIGENCE), SUPPORT THE ONGOING WAR AGAINST DEFENSELESS CIVILIANS. WE INSIST THAT THE TWO CATHOLIC BISHOPS, MONS. XIMENES BELO AND MONS. BASILIO DO NASCIMENTO, LEAD THE PEACE AND RECONCILIATION PROCESS. NO ONE ELSE GATHERS SIMILAR CONSENSUS, POLITICAL CREDIBILITY AND LEGITIMACY. WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS CARRIED OUT BY KOMNASHAM (THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION) TO FACILITATE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE EAST TIMORESE, TO SET UP A BROAD- BASED PEACE AND STABILITY COUNCIL. WE SUPPORT THE TWO CATHOLIC BISHOPS' STANCE ON DEVELOPING THE RECONCILIATION PROCESS IN DILI RATHER THAN JAKARTA AND URGE THAT PRESSURE BE EXERTED UPON JAKARTA TO ENABLE MY PRESENCE IN DILI TO PARTICIPATE IN A FUTURE MEETING CONVENED BY THE BISHOPS. WE INSIST ON THE NEED TO DISARM AND DISBAND THE ARMED MILITIA GROUPS. WE ARE AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THIS WILL RAISE GIVEN THE SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT GRANTED BY JAKATA AND ABRI. UNFORTUNATELY SUCH A SITUATION HAS FORCED ME TO SHIFT MY CALL FOR A UN POLICE FORCE TO A UN PEACE KEEPING FORCE. THE ACTION CARRIED OUT BY THESE GROUPS IS NOT WARFARE AGAINST AN ARMED COUNTERPART. IT IS COLD-BLOODED MURDER AGAINST DEFENSELESS CIVILIANS, SUCH AS THE MALIANA KILLINGS TWO DAYS AGO, WHERE TWO ELEVEN YEAR OLD CHILDREN WERE SHOT. WE FULLY AGREE WITH AND HIGHLY APPRECIATE THE POINTS YOU RAISED AS ON-GOING EFFORTS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE IN THE TERRITORY. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE AND ADMIRATION FOR YOUR WORDS AND SPEECH "INDONESIA, THE UNITED STATES AND DEMOCRACY," ADDRESSED IN JAKARTA BEFORE LEAVING INDONESIA. WE AGREE THAT ONLY AN IMMEDIATE REDUCTION OF ABRI'S PRESENCE IN EAST TIMOR WILL ENABLE ITS FUTURE PARTICIPATION IN A UN PEACE KEEPING FORCE AND THAT ONLY A DEMOCRATIC AND CREDIBLE MECHANISM TO DETERMINE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE WILL LAST AND SUCCEED. WE ARE CERTAIN THAT WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND COMMITMENT TO PEACE IN EAST TIMOR IT WILL BECOME A REALITY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE PLEDGE OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE FREEDOM OF EAST TIMOR AND THE BIRTH OF OUR NEW NATION WILL BE YET ANOTHER FIRM STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF PEACE AND COOPERATION IN THIS TROUBLED REGION OF THE WORLD. SINCERELY KAY RALA XANANA GUSMAO 3. COMMENT: IN OUR VIEW, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT POINTS IN XANANA'S LETTER ARE: -- AN INSISTENCE THAT THE TWO BISHOPS TAKE THE LEAD IN RECONCILIATION EFFORTS (WHICH CONFIRMS EARLIER REPORTS - REF B), AND HIS DESIRE TO ATTEND ANY RESULTING CHURCH- SPONSORED FORUM IN EAST TIMOR. -- HIS REITERATION OF SUPPORT FOR KOMNASHAM'S PROPOSED PEACE AND STABILITY COUNCIL. (OTHERS ON THE PRO- INDEPENDENCE SIDE ARE LESS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT A KOMNASHAM ROLE.) -- A CALL FOR A UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE. XANANA PREVIOUSLY HAD EXPRESSED PREFERENCE FOR A RELATIVELY SMALL UN POLICE CONTINGENT. -- HIS CALL FOR A REDUCED ABRI PRESENCE. UNLIKE SOME ON THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE SIDE, XANANA STOPS SHORT OF DEMANDING A TOTAL ABRI WITHDRAWAL BEFORE THE VOTING PROCESS AND EVEN SUGGESTS THAT ABRI COULD BE PART OF A "PEACEKEEPING FORCE." 4. XANANA'S UNCHARACTERISTICALLY UNDIPLOMATIC DIATRIBE AGAINST GOVERNOR ABILIO SOARES AND SOARES' BROTHER-IN- LAW GIL ALVES STEMS FROM HIS BELIEF THAT HE WAS DECEIVED ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE LATTER'S "RECONCILIATION DIALOGUE," WHICH WAS TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE MARCH 19-20 IN JAKARTA (REF B). XANANA APPARENTLY HAD AGREED TO ATTEND THE MEETING AFTER BEING GIVEN THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO START A DIALOGUE BETWEEN PRO AND ANTI- INDEPENDENCE FORCES. HE SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVERED THAT SOARES AND ALVES, IN A FUNDING REQUEST TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HAD PORTRAYED THE FORUM'S PURPOSE AS PROMOTING THE AUTONOMY OPTION. THERE CURRENTLY IS A SEEMINGLY UNBRIDGEABLE DIVIDE BETWEEN THE PRO AND ANTI- INDEPENDENCE FORCES IN REGARD TO THE CONCEPT OF "RECONCILIATION." XANANA'S SIDE SEES RECONCILIATION AS CONVINCING THE PRO-INTEGRATION FORCES TO ACCOMMODATE THEMSELVES TO THE REALITY OF INEVITABLE INDEPENDENCE, WHILE THE PRO-INTEGRATIONISTS DEFINE IT AS LEADING TO A COMPROMISE SOLUTION BETWEEN OUTRIGHT INDEPENDENCE AND THE STATUS QUO, I.E., AUTONOMY. XANANA'S CRITICISM OF ZACHY ANWAR IS IN CONTRAST TO PREVIOUS INDICATIONS THAT ZACHY (WHO HAS MET WITH XANANA ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS) HAD ESTABLISHED A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH XANANA AND WAS PLAYING A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN PROMOTING RECONCILIATION EFFORTS. OWENS Raw contentC O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001577 E.O. 12958: DECL: 3/24/09 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ID, UN SUBJECT: XANANA GUSMAO LETTER TO THE SECRETARY REF: A) STATE 47684, B) JAKARTA 1413 1. CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE MICHAEL P. OWENS, REASON, 1.5 (B) AND (D). 2. FOLLOWING IS A LETTER FROM EAST TIMORESE RESISTANCE LEADER XANANA GUSMAO TO THE SECRETARY, IN RESPONSE TO THE SECRETARY'S LETTER OF MARCH 19 (REF A). THE ORIGINAL IS BEING FORWARDED BY POUCH: SALEMBA, MARCH 22, 1999 SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 2201 C STREET, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20520 DEAR MADAME SECRETARY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF MARCH 19. YOUR WORDS ARE OF GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT AND CERTAINLY REINFORCE OUR COMMITMENT FOR PEACE IN EAST TIMOR AS OUR HUMBLE CONTRIBUTION TO A STABLE AND PEACEFUL SOUTHEAST ASIA. I WILL RECALL OUR MEETING AS A MEMORABLE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A MOMENT OF FREEDOM WITH SOMEONE WHO SO CLEARLY UNDERSTANDS ITS MEANING. IT WAS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THE YEARNINGS OF MY PEOPLE FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION AND, ABOVE ALL, PEACE OF MIND TO SECURE A FREE AND DIGNIFIED LIFE FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN. I ALSO WISH TO EXPRESS OUR INTEREST IN STAYING IN CLOSE AND REGULAR TOUCH WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND AMBASSADOR J. STAPLETON ROY. MY PERSONAL ASSISTANT, MS. KIRSTY SWORD, WILL ENSURE THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE US EMBASSY IN JAKARTA AND MY OFFICE. REPORTS FROM EAST TIMOR ARE UNFORTUNATELY DEPICTING AN ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION AS WELL AS AN INCREASE OF ARMED MILITIAS GROUPS (NAMELY IN LOSPALOS AND SAME). THE PEACE AND RECONCILIATION PROCESS IS FACING NEW SETBACKS AFTER THE EXPOSURE OF THE POLITICAL MANEUVERING BY GOVERNOR ABILIO OSORIO SOARES AND MR. GIL ALVES, PRESIDENT OF KLIBUR. THE DOCUMENT, WHICH REVEALED THEIR INSINCERE INTENTIONS IN THE RECONCILIATION DIALOGUE ALSO PROVES ABRI (THE INDONESIAN MILITARY) AND DEPLU (THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS) BACK THEIR ACTION AND STRATEGY. THEY RECENTLYHELD A MEETING WITH A GROUP OF TEN INDONESIAN GENERALS IN WHICH SEVEN STATED THEY WOULD RESPECT A DECISION TAKEN BY THE PEOPLE OF EAST TIMOR WHILE THREE, INCLUDING MR. ZACHY ANWAR (FORMER HEAD OF BIA)(MILITARY INTELLIGENCE), SUPPORT THE ONGOING WAR AGAINST DEFENSELESS CIVILIANS. WE INSIST THAT THE TWO CATHOLIC BISHOPS, MONS. XIMENES BELO AND MONS. BASILIO DO NASCIMENTO, LEAD THE PEACE AND RECONCILIATION PROCESS. NO ONE ELSE GATHERS SIMILAR CONSENSUS, POLITICAL CREDIBILITY AND LEGITIMACY. WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS CARRIED OUT BY KOMNASHAM (THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION) TO FACILITATE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE EAST TIMORESE, TO SET UP A BROAD- BASED PEACE AND STABILITY COUNCIL. WE SUPPORT THE TWO CATHOLIC BISHOPS' STANCE ON DEVELOPING THE RECONCILIATION PROCESS IN DILI RATHER THAN JAKARTA AND URGE THAT PRESSURE BE EXERTED UPON JAKARTA TO ENABLE MY PRESENCE IN DILI TO PARTICIPATE IN A FUTURE MEETING CONVENED BY THE BISHOPS. WE INSIST ON THE NEED TO DISARM AND DISBAND THE ARMED MILITIA GROUPS. WE ARE AWARE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THIS WILL RAISE GIVEN THE SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT GRANTED BY JAKATA AND ABRI. UNFORTUNATELY SUCH A SITUATION HAS FORCED ME TO SHIFT MY CALL FOR A UN POLICE FORCE TO A UN PEACE KEEPING FORCE. THE ACTION CARRIED OUT BY THESE GROUPS IS NOT WARFARE AGAINST AN ARMED COUNTERPART. IT IS COLD-BLOODED MURDER AGAINST DEFENSELESS CIVILIANS, SUCH AS THE MALIANA KILLINGS TWO DAYS AGO, WHERE TWO ELEVEN YEAR OLD CHILDREN WERE SHOT. WE FULLY AGREE WITH AND HIGHLY APPRECIATE THE POINTS YOU RAISED AS ON-GOING EFFORTS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE IN THE TERRITORY. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE AND ADMIRATION FOR YOUR WORDS AND SPEECH "INDONESIA, THE UNITED STATES AND DEMOCRACY," ADDRESSED IN JAKARTA BEFORE LEAVING INDONESIA. WE AGREE THAT ONLY AN IMMEDIATE REDUCTION OF ABRI'S PRESENCE IN EAST TIMOR WILL ENABLE ITS FUTURE PARTICIPATION IN A UN PEACE KEEPING FORCE AND THAT ONLY A DEMOCRATIC AND CREDIBLE MECHANISM TO DETERMINE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE WILL LAST AND SUCCEED. WE ARE CERTAIN THAT WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND COMMITMENT TO PEACE IN EAST TIMOR IT WILL BECOME A REALITY IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE PLEDGE OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE FREEDOM OF EAST TIMOR AND THE BIRTH OF OUR NEW NATION WILL BE YET ANOTHER FIRM STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF PEACE AND COOPERATION IN THIS TROUBLED REGION OF THE WORLD. SINCERELY KAY RALA XANANA GUSMAO 3. COMMENT: IN OUR VIEW, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT POINTS IN XANANA'S LETTER ARE: -- AN INSISTENCE THAT THE TWO BISHOPS TAKE THE LEAD IN RECONCILIATION EFFORTS (WHICH CONFIRMS EARLIER REPORTS - REF B), AND HIS DESIRE TO ATTEND ANY RESULTING CHURCH- SPONSORED FORUM IN EAST TIMOR. -- HIS REITERATION OF SUPPORT FOR KOMNASHAM'S PROPOSED PEACE AND STABILITY COUNCIL. (OTHERS ON THE PRO- INDEPENDENCE SIDE ARE LESS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT A KOMNASHAM ROLE.) -- A CALL FOR A UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE. XANANA PREVIOUSLY HAD EXPRESSED PREFERENCE FOR A RELATIVELY SMALL UN POLICE CONTINGENT. -- HIS CALL FOR A REDUCED ABRI PRESENCE. UNLIKE SOME ON THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE SIDE, XANANA STOPS SHORT OF DEMANDING A TOTAL ABRI WITHDRAWAL BEFORE THE VOTING PROCESS AND EVEN SUGGESTS THAT ABRI COULD BE PART OF A "PEACEKEEPING FORCE." 4. XANANA'S UNCHARACTERISTICALLY UNDIPLOMATIC DIATRIBE AGAINST GOVERNOR ABILIO SOARES AND SOARES' BROTHER-IN- LAW GIL ALVES STEMS FROM HIS BELIEF THAT HE WAS DECEIVED ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE LATTER'S "RECONCILIATION DIALOGUE," WHICH WAS TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE MARCH 19-20 IN JAKARTA (REF B). XANANA APPARENTLY HAD AGREED TO ATTEND THE MEETING AFTER BEING GIVEN THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO START A DIALOGUE BETWEEN PRO AND ANTI- INDEPENDENCE FORCES. HE SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVERED THAT SOARES AND ALVES, IN A FUNDING REQUEST TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, HAD PORTRAYED THE FORUM'S PURPOSE AS PROMOTING THE AUTONOMY OPTION. THERE CURRENTLY IS A SEEMINGLY UNBRIDGEABLE DIVIDE BETWEEN THE PRO AND ANTI- INDEPENDENCE FORCES IN REGARD TO THE CONCEPT OF "RECONCILIATION." XANANA'S SIDE SEES RECONCILIATION AS CONVINCING THE PRO-INTEGRATION FORCES TO ACCOMMODATE THEMSELVES TO THE REALITY OF INEVITABLE INDEPENDENCE, WHILE THE PRO-INTEGRATIONISTS DEFINE IT AS LEADING TO A COMPROMISE SOLUTION BETWEEN OUTRIGHT INDEPENDENCE AND THE STATUS QUO, I.E., AUTONOMY. XANANA'S CRITICISM OF ZACHY ANWAR IS IN CONTRAST TO PREVIOUS INDICATIONS THAT ZACHY (WHO HAS MET WITH XANANA ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS) HAD ESTABLISHED A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH XANANA AND WAS PLAYING A CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE IN PROMOTING RECONCILIATION EFFORTS. OWENS MetadataO 300816Z MAR 99
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6887
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