Jakarta – Rumours said that the Indonesian military, especially the intelligence community planned to ban IMPETTU (the East Timor Students' Association) considering the fact that they cannot control the Organisations' activity anymore. Recent development of IMPETTU's activity revealed clearly that its political views are shifting and now they are much more against the government's integration policy
The rumour had been heard stronger after some IMPETTU documents fell in the hands of the intelligence. The documents were written two weeks ago by some IMPETTU Secretariats and sent to participants of All Inclusive Intra-East Timorese Dialogue (AIETD) III in Krumbach, Austria.
The documents was signed by IMPETTU functionaries and strongly recommended a broadening of materials being discussed on the AIETD Forum and were also urging to enhance the status of AIETD itself. The letter demanded the participants not only discussing socio-cultural problems but most important-ly, AIETD must talk on the substantial problem itself, i.e., the political status of East Timor. According to them, the uncertainty of East Timor's political status is the root of all problems that lead into violations and denial of human rights in general and economic, social and cultural rights in particular.
The Armed Forces Intelligence Agency (BIA) is now seriously studying the document. As far as MateBEAN knew there were no hints at all that IMPETTU will be banned in the near future but sources in the students' circles said that it is only a matter of time.
IMPETTU is an East Timorese student's organisation born in the eightieths and backed strongly by Indonesian Military, especially by General LB Moerdani. This student organisation was aimed to gather East Timor students who studied in different cities into a one single easy-to-control organisation.
At first IMPETTU bore the same organisational name but up to this moment only Jakarta, Bandung, Solo and Bali branches who still bear the name. IMPET-TU itself has a political meaning; the word "impetus" means strength". Many IMPETTU branches change their name. We can find IMPELTIM in Salatiga, IMAPTI in Semarang, IMPETTY in Yogyakarta, IMARTIM in Surabaya, IMPETIMUR in Malang,and IMPELTIJ in Jember.
The military has long been suspicious towards IMPETTU and growing more suspicious when many of the members were involved in protest rallies against government policies in East Timor. It culminated in Yogyakarta when Major General Prabowo Subijakto openly stated to East Timor students that he did not trust IMPETTU anymore."There are only two organisations whose are fully supporting integration. East Timor Students Movement (ETSM) and the Young Guards of Integration (GARDA PAKSI). Other organisations are all clandestine groups," Prabowo said boldly. ETSM is centered in Yogyakarta and the top organiser is Octavio Osorio Soares (nephew of Abilio Osorio) and Joao Mota (Prabowo's adopted kid); the latter is the one who had been arrested by Norwegian Police in 1996 in Oslo when he tried to be present at the Nobel Prize presentation ceremony for Bishop Belo and Ramos Horta.
Meanwhile GARDA PAKSI is centered in Dili, and headed by a certain Marcal Almeida, a regional parliament member from Golkar faction. Garda Paksi is actually a kind of vigilante group, acting as informant to the Military intelligence unit, SGI. This group is popular among the people of East Timor for their behaviour in terrorising anti-integration youths.
East Timor students must start thinking about the worst possibility, i.e., IMPETTU's banning and take appropriate steps to anticipate it.