David Shanks, Dublin – The East Timorese resistance to illegal Indonesian rule has called for an indefinite unilateral ceasefire in the former Protuguese colony.This reflects diplomatic suggestions from Western leaders to the resistence to lessen tensions with a so far intransigent Indonesia and to offer an "olive branch."
The almost 30 year Indonesian "New Order" dictatorship is suffering from a south-east Asian economic crisis. An East Timorese generation that was hardly born at the time of the 1975 invasion continues opposition to Indonesian military rule. Its confrontational spirit is born essentially of experience, as is a change of heart by former integrationist Timorese aristocrats. Both have encountered security force violence or threats like that visited regurarly on a pro-democracy movement in Indoensia.
Timor's Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Dr Jose Ramos Horta, told The Irish Times yesterday he is trying to avoid any confrontational public statement that "would add fuel to the fire". There is a diplomatic chess game in progress - but it is aimed at getting Indonesia to play.
For the first time the rebel commander, Mr Konis Santana, has joined a ceasefire call by Dr Ramos Horta, the East Timrese resistence spokesman abroad. Mr Santana is awaiting an Indonesian reply to a letter proposing this through Nelson Mandela of South Africa, who has been acting as a mediator.
Dr Ramos Horta this week urged Indonesia to release all political prisoners, stop human rights abuses and reduce and reduce troop levels, which he has said are as high as 30,000.
In a New Year message he appealed to all involved in the resistance – fighters, youths, students, the diaspora – to observe a ceasefire. "The resistancce, if it is to serve its own cause and purpose, must observe a complete cessation of all armed activity that can give rise to Indonesian use of force," he said.
Dr Jamsheed Marker, the UN Secretary-General's special envoy, made his second visit to East Timor just before Christmas. He has told the Irish Times that both sides basically want to settle, in the words of the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr Ali Alatas, has been " pebble in the shoe". Dr Marker, a wily former senior Pakistani diplomat, did not specify a time-frame. Military activity in East Timor has increased since election violence last May and June, with 42 membrs of the security forces, rebels and civilians killed. This week four East Timorese were sentenced to 12 years in jail because of rebel attacks, and earlier two others were sentenced to death after being convicted of teking part in an ambush in which 12 policemen and a soldier died.
The rebels went on an offensive against "no-choice elections". But the escalation of violence led to more suffering for the people. Dr Ramos Horta, briefly foeign minister of an indepedent East Timor, now hopes that taking the "high moral ground" will put pressure on the United States and Britain and send a message "at this time of crisis" for Indonesia.
At the Vancouver APEC summit last year President Clinton raised the East Timor question with President Suharto. Mr Mandela prevailed on the Indonesian leader to make the goodwill gesture of allowing him to have dinner woth the imprisoned Timorese rebel leader, Xanana Gusmao. Timor is "a major issue for Robin Cook", the Biritsh Foreign Secretary, Dr Ramos Horta told The Irish Times.
"The oligarchies of south-east Asia are now using the smae policies and arguments as the old Soviet Union...They talk of 'Asian values' as if Asians don't have the same right to good government and dignity as people elsewhere.
"Asian values are not a code for 'development' but a short handed way of saying 'get your nose out of governmnet but keep it in our business'." Dr Ramos-Horta believes that "freedom for East Timor is in sight". Only the wisdom of Indonesia" is required.