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Strategies & Market Trends : Asia Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: David S. who wrote (3779)	5/21/1998 1:21:00 AM
From: Stitch	Respond to of 9980

David, I suspect its a bit hasty. I do not believe East Timorians have the wherewithal to challenge, even in the current confusion and fluidity of the moment. But I am led to believe it is an incredibly obstinate and determined people. One problem is the lack of available outside support were they succesful in suing for independence. Everyone's hands are tied up with the general demands of the region. To wit, notice the distinct lack of comment lately regarding the extraordinary process underway in Myanmar? best, Stitch

To: David S. who wrote (3779)	5/21/1998 4:07:00 AM
From: tom	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 9980

SYDNEY, May 21 (Reuters) - The resignation of Indonesian President Suharto and the appointment of his protege Jusuf Habibie means nothing for the freedom movement in East Timor, Timorese supporters in Australia said on Thursday. "This is very much a cosmetic change," Australian Coalition for Free East Timor spokesman Andrew Alcock told Reuters. "President Suharto has gone but he's a master puppeteer, he'll be manipulating from behind the scenes," Alcock said. Suharto ended his 32-year reign on Thursday, handing the presidency to his vice president in a constitutional change of power following two weeks of student-led demonstrations calling for his resignation. East Timor was invaded by Indonesia in 1975 after Portugal, the former colonial power, pulled out. Jakarta formally annexed the territory one year later but its action has never been recognised by the international community. Harold Moucho, Asia-Pacific spokesman for the Fretilin resistance movement, urged students in Indonesia to continue demonstrating against Habibie. "For the people of East Timor this will not make any difference whatsoever," Moucho told reporters. "The students need to continue to protest to get rid of Habibie. I think this is the chance for the country to take itself out of this regime and put itself forward again in the international arena as a worthy country," he said. Alcock reiterated his earlier call for Australia to cut all military and government links with Indonesia and work only with pro-democracy groups in Australia's nearest Asian neighbour. "We have called on the Australian government to work with those groups in Indonesia who will bring about democracy," Alcock said. "There are only three political groups allowed to contest elections in Indonesia, so there has got to be a whole reform of the system and there has got to be demilitarisation of their politics," Alcock said. Australian Prime Minister John Howard earlier welcomed Suharto's resignation, which was backed by Indonesia's powerful and politically influential military. Howard told reporters he was glad the change had come about constitutionally and said his government would cooperate with Habibie's administration. East Timor resistance fighters have waged a guerrilla campaign since the Indonesian invasion. Human rights groups say up to one-third of the population, or about 200,000 people, died during the invasion and the subsequent fighting and famine. Nobel peace laureate Jose Ramos-Horta said in Lisbon on Wednesday that people in the East Timor capital Dili should not protest in the streets and should avoid conflict with Indonesian migrants who own many local shops. Ramos-Horta is a vice president of the National Council for the Timorese Resistance.