Untuk sekedar menambah wawasan mengenai persoalan yang diajukan Bung Jaya
mengenai Timtim, silakan baca tulisan di suratkabar The West Australian.
Sayangnya tulisan yang seperti begini sangat jarang kita lihat di
koran-koran negara Barat lainnya.
Mahendra
"Free Timor faces hate hurdle"
by Michael V. Day
When Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer visits East Timor
this week, he is bound to hear about the desperate need for reconciliation
in the event of independence.
Few observers expect a majority of East Timorese to choose the autonomy
option - which most analysts believe would lead to more civil conflict - in
the coming vote on the territory's future.
But it would be unrealistic to expect the violence to stop if independence
is chosen - unless there is a big succesful effort at reconciliation.
The immediate concern is the period between the announcement of the
referendum's result and, if the Indonesian parliament agrees, the founding
of an independent state.
The long-term worry is that without reconciliation, even the birth and early
days of a new country could be bathed in blood.
East Timor is a disunified society, its divisions caused not only by events
during Indonesian rule but over hundreds of years. Violence has been common
over a long period of colonial rule in which traditional methods of conflict
resolution have taken a battering. Traditionally, east Timor had between 30
and 40 kingdoms. The society splintered during the waves of colonising
forces. Arrivals have included "black Portuguese" chasing sandalwood,
Japanese who invaded after the Allies breached the neutrality of the colony,
the post-war Portuguese administration and the Indonesians.
The divisions in East Timor still exist and all the blame for them does not
rest with Indonesia, despite the brutallity and psychological warfare used
by its armed forces. Before the 1975 Indonesian invasion, there was a civil
war between groups who had different proposals for what should happen after
the Portuguese withdrawal. The war left an estimated 3000 dead.
In 1976 in the Alieu and Same areas, the Fretilin executed leaders of the
Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) and Apodeti parties. It is estimated that
some 800 were buried in mass graves. The legacy of such horrific events is
the continuation of deep divisions between - and even among - many families.
During the Indonesian rule, further deep divisions spilt East Timorese
society as some prospered while others did not. The outside world is
generally not aware that about one quarter - an estimated 4000-5000 - of the
Indonesian troops in East Timor are ethnic East Timorese. Many of them are
guerillas who came down from the mountains and took jobs as Indonesian
soldiers. They made up the mojority of the 744 and 755 battalions, which
have been among the most active in hunting the pro-independence Falintil
guerillas.
The incorporation of these soldiers in a new independent state - if they
leave their jobs and stay in their homeland - will a big challenge. As well
as the shooting war in East Timor over the years, both sides have conducted
a propaganda battle which may lead to the outside world being ill-prepared
for the eventuality of independence.
Many outsiders, for example, mistakenly believe that all the recent violence
among East Timorese has come from pro-Indonesian militias whose only
motivation is cash payments. The belief that arises from such a conviction
is that once the Indonesian military leave all will be fine. The truth is
far different, as should be expected in a civil war. Both sides have been
involved in acts of violence, storing up grievances that could manifest
themselves in revenge attacks in the future.
A look at copies of the independent Indonesian-language newspaper, Suara
Timor Timur (Voice of East Timor), published in the last two months is
revelation. They include reports of incidents that have been submerged in
the international media under the welter of reports of attacks by
pro-indonesia militias. The world heard of the July 4 attacks by
pro-Indonesia militias on aid convoy in the town of Liquica but there was
also a background to the violence and it was reported in detail by the local
newspaper. The previous day, the paper said, the Falintil had shot and
killed a local man who had got out of his vehicle to remove bamboo and
stones on the road. His two companions were injured. The attack on the
convoy the following day was more than likely revenge, given the belief that
Falintil members were on board. The newspaper also reported that in June
the Falintil had taken two locals hostage and that nine others had been
kidnapped in the Alieu area.
The background to a June 30 incedent at the United Nations (UNAMET) office
in Viqueque, the newspaper said, was that Alfonso Pereira, 30, had been
choped to death with machetes by pro-indepence supporters. Two of his
companions were injured. As a result, their families and friends arrived at
UNAMET to call for protection of pro-integration as well as pro-indepence
supporters.
On July 8, the newspaper reported the kidnapping by Falintil of the wife of
an East Timorese soldier in the Indonesian Army. Marlinda Amara, 32, and
her two children had been looking for a lost horse when armed men dragged
her into the forest. On July 12, the Suara Timor Timur told of terror and
intimidation against pro-integration East Timorese students in Bali by
pro-indepence students, who told them not to hold any more meetings.
The June issues of the paper also have reports of hostage-taking and torture
by the pro-indepence forces as well as as accounts of similar activities by
militias. In one editorial, the paper lamented the violence by both sides
because it was being done by people who had the same religious beliefs
(Roman Catholic) and was against God's teachings, namely the fifth
comandment - Thou shalt not kill.
The newspaper noted that bishops, who had been involved in reconciliation
work, had asked the people to pray to keep them far from the temptations of
Satan. Religion could well be the common foundation on which East Timorese
may reconcile and gain the unity that is essential for future peace and
development.
-----Original Message-----
From: FNU Brawijaya <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Friday, August 06, 1999 11:11 AM
Subject: [warngopol-baduten] Horta dan Unamet....
>Salam jumpa dengan ane lagi... sudah lame ndak muncul pasti rekan-
>rekan telanjur seneng. Eladalah kok ane muncul lagi....hehehe apes deh.
>
>Kacamata Horta memang kacamata horta, bukan kacamata milik
>semua orang. Kalau bicara sesuatu ya pokoke yg menguntungkan diri
>sendiri. Yah...wajar...
>
>Horta saat ini mau menyelidiki harta kekayaan Suharto.... weh, tinggal
>nanya aditjondro rak enak tur kepenak. Wong sama-sama di Australi..
>Jadi masalah gengsi juga tetep ada. Yang saya bilang kacamata
>Horta ya tujuannya yg mengharapkan harta suharto untuk rakyat yg
>mengalami tindak kekerasan.... Ya secara tidak langsung rak mau
>ngomong buwat timtim saja tho? Dasare moto duiten.... yo susah...
>
>Sekarang orang-orang bule anggota Unamet banyak yg mbujuk-mbujuk
>rakyat timtim untuk menolak integrasi. Weh, dasare londo, dasare pihak
>ketiga selalu memikirkan keuntungan dirinya sendiri. Australi sekarang
>pasti gencar cari cara agar timtim merdeka. Kalau timtim merdeka rak
>bisa jadi buffer terhadap so called "bahaya utara" tho? Habis itu entar
>dibantu habis-habisan deh.... Tapi rakyat timtim yg pro kemerdekaan
>ya jangan berharap banyak lah dari australi ini. Silakan lihat aja tuh
>Papua Nugini.... apa sih yg sudah berkembang. Dulu Australi juga yg
>paling semangat jadi saudara tua... Setelah terbukti ndak banyak
>mendatangkan manfaat yo bosen sendiri... dibiarkan merana sendiri.
>
>Balik lagi ke Unamet.... Lha kalau orang unamet nggak netral mestinya
>rak pemerintah secara tegas menolak kehadirannya. Kalau perlu itu
>Australi juga dilarang jadi anggota Unamet saja.... Wong sebagai
>negara tetangga langsung gitu ya jelas nggak bisa lepas dari vested
>interest. Sekarang gini aja deh, sumbangan Australi waktu pra kemer-
>dekaan RI itu apa sih? Waktu SD dulu dikisahkan bahwa Australi ini
>sempet membela kepentingan RI antara lain waktu KMB ya? Tapi
>nyatane NICA di mana sih dulu disusunnya? Tetep aja ya mbelaiin
>walondo tho...wong sama-sama senasib sebagai sekutu...
>Nah, sekarang Australi mau nyusup-nyusup lagi... Daripada rakyat
>Australi yg cuman seuplik itu macem-macem terus... mbok sekali-kali
>dijugugi gito lhu...eh, gitu lho. Biar rada mengkeret dikit, dan ndak
>gembelengan gitu... Pura-puranya demokratis nyatane ya orang
>aborigin hidupnya sengsara. Cuman dikasih bir doang. Ya pantes
>aja ndak maju-maju. Masih mending perlakuan AS thd native american
>deh...
>
>--
>Salam,
>Jaya
>
>
>--> I disapprove of what you say, but I will
> defend to death your right to say it. - Voltaire
>
