Dili – The small, unassuming office of the CPD-RDTL (Council in Defence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor) in Balide belies the debate that is brewing over the restoration of the independence which was declared by Fretilin on November 28, 1975. Now that East Timor has been liberated from the Indonesian occupying forces, what happened to the "unilateral declaration" of independence? VANYA TANAJA spoke to ANTONIO DA COSTA, coordinator for the CPD-RDTL, about the campaign for the restoration of the Democratic Republic of East Timor (DRET).

After a meeting of the National Council for Timorese Resistance (CNRT) political commission on March 7, CNRT president Xanana Gusmao was quoted by the Timor Post on March 8 as saying that reconciliation needs to take place not only between the pro- independence and pro-integration forces, but also within the former. He pointed out that the issue of the DRET has remained a sticking point inside Fretilin. A difference of opinion seems to have arisen inside Fretilin regarding the party's position on DRET.

"If [Xanana] talks of reconciliation, then he has to respect the aspirations of the majority, the 250,000 dead and all the physical and psychological losses suffered by many people who fought for DRET", Antonio da Costa commented.

"The issue of the DRET is greater than just our council. We are prepared to take part in reconciliation, but in what form? Under what principles? We think that it is important to reconcile oneself with the idea that people want the DRET to continue and engage with the reality of what the people have done to win it back."

"The Timorese people fought hard over the past 25 years, lost lives and took great personal risks to defend the independence we declared in 1975. The UN now pretends to give 'independence' to East Timor, whereas 250,000 people have died defending the republic, fighting for the restoration of independence before the UN was ever seen in East Timor", da Costa told Green Left Weekly.

"We believe that there are three stages for East Timor: liberation from military occupation, which has been achieved; then restoration of independence with its accompanying institutions, such as the flag, national anthem and constitution; then we can have development of the country. It seems we are jumping straight to the third stage, without regard to the political framework in which that development takes place."

A number of parties and organisations support the restoration of the DRET, such as the Socialist Party of Timor, a section of Fretilin and also, according to da Costa, 23 people's organisations including representatives of students, former- political prisoners and women.

The CPD-RDTL is part of "the section of Fretilin called Fretilin-Struggle" as distinct from the Fretilin that is inside CNRT, headed by Mari Alkatiri. There is a congress planned in May, initiated by the Fretilin-CNRT. "If we are invited, we will attend. But we cannot accept the [CNRT] symbol that has only been around for just over a year, compared to that of the DRET that has been around for 25 years", da Costa stated.

Da Costa believes that the decision to send Fretilin representatives, Mari Alkatiri and Luolo, to work inside CNRT was simply a way of participating in a united front to resist Indonesian occupation. "Now that the referendum has been had, and Indonesia has left, they should return to building Fretilin and no longer participate in CNRT", he declared. There are few signs that this is likely to happen. The CPD-RDTL has divided East Timor – in terms of carrying out its work – into three regions: east, central and western. In each district, there is a regional committee down to small groups of 10 people each in local areas.

Da Costa contends that the majority of people understand and support the restoration of the DRET, whereas many still do not understand what the CNRT is, its program and its role in the struggle to liberate East Timor. He believes that if the issue of the restoration of the DRET is not resolved and a "new" republic not created, this can be compared with Indonesia's attempt to integrate East Timor forcibly.

"The sort of independence that East Timor needs has to be discussed with the people – or to get a clearer result, have a referendum." Activists who support the CPD-RDTL consult with people in the outlying areas, where the organisation has a base, taking a copies of Fretilin's 1974 Political Manual. They then report back on people's sentiments on what form of government they want.

Da Costa claimed that on February 29, demonstrators greeting Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) on his visit to East Timor were very disappointed to see that the CNRT flag was flying alongside the Indonesian flag.

"[The demonstrators] came to demand that Gus Dur take responsibility for the deaths of their family members during the Indonesian occupation. So for them to see that the flag for which their family members fought [that of the DRET] was nowhere to be seen added insult to injury. During other official visits such as those of Portugal's President Jorge Sampaio and UN secretary- general Kofi Annan, the CNRT flag was also featured. There was no sign of the DRET flag", da Costa pointed out.

Da Costa also attacked the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor for agreeing to the CNRT flag being flown as the official East Timorese flag.