New stage in East Timor struggle
By Jon Land
A new stage in the fight for East Timor's independence has begun with a wave of militant protests by Timorese youth and students. Since June 2, thousands of activists have joined almost daily protest actions in both Dili and Jakarta.
The mobilisations have been the largest and most concerted show of strength for self-determination since the huge rallies in East Timor in December 1996, when Noble Peace Prize recipient Bishop Belo returned from overseas.
Buoyed by the success of Indonesian student demonstrations and the continuing protests across Indonesia for more democratic reforms, the East Timorese have vowed to raise the level of struggle. More demonstrations are being planned to pressure the Habibie government to change policy on East Timor.
East Timorese student leader Antero Benedito da Silva told the June 19 South China Morning Post: "The Suharto regime has collapsed so we have to do something in this new atmosphere ... We [students] have stopped our studies. Maybe we will find a new way to learn on the streets."
The strongest demonstrations followed the shooting of a 21-year-old East Timorese man by Indonesian soldiers on June 16, near the village of Manatuto, 50 kilometres east of Dili.
Herman Soares and his cousin, Olandino Soares, were collecting wood by the roadside when they were fired upon. Herman was hit in the leg and then in the chest after he took cover in his truck. He died on the way to hospital.
Ten thousand demonstrators, led by students from the University of East Timor, accompanied a car carrying his body through the streets of Dili on June 18.
The march, the largest off-campus action, made its way to the governor's office and then the provincial parliament, where 40 to 50 students staged a brief occupation. The students sang liberation songs and yelled independence slogans. At a day-long vigil outside the parliament, banners critical of the military were strung up. One banner read "Demilitarise Timor — When?".
Students issued a call for an independent inquiry into the killing, a UN-sponsored referendum on the future of East Timor and the immediate withdrawal of Indonesian troops.
Hundreds also reportedly rallied in Baucau, East Timor's second largest town. Riots in the village of Manatuto were halted only by direct appeals from Bishop Belo.
On June 17 in Jakarta, 320 East Timorese students marched defiantly upon the Justice Ministry, demanding the release of all political prisoners. They passed on a petition calling for the release of resistance leader Xanana Gusmao so that he can join negotiations on East Timor. Many of the students involved in this action also attended the 1500-strong sit-in at the Foreign Office in Jakarta on June 12, which was violently attacked by Indonesian soldiers.
The deputy military commander for East Timor, Colonel Mujiono, apologised for the death of Herman Soares. He stated: "Our people were at fault. There was no reason for shots to be fired since the soldier suspected the victim of stealing wood."
Mujiono's statement further angered Timorese student activists. Soares' execution was not simply a matter related to the "theft" of wood. Da Silva told the June 19 South China Morning Post that the military suspected Soares was involved in the clandestine movement against Indonesia. "It was a political killing."
The Habibie government has not made any significant concessions on East Timor. Habibie's June 10 offer of "special status" prompted student protests in Dili and has been flatly rejected by the Timorese resistance leadership. The release of a handful of political prisoners is largely token.
"We are going to keep East Timor the way it is, an integral part of Indonesia", Habibie told reporters on June 15.
Armed forces leader General Wiranto and other military chiefs have also said that there will be no change on East Timor and no reduction in troop numbers stationed there. "All the people of the youngest province of Indonesia continue to want integration", claimed General Subagyo on June 16, despite the demonstrations.
Apart from the detention of former guerilla leader Mau Huno by security agents on June 13, the Indonesian military and security agents have maintained a relatively low profile during the protests in Dili. Huno played a prominent role in Dili's June 6 "free-speech forum", which attracted more than 3000 people.
Harold Moucho, NSW coordinator of the East Timor independence organisation Fretilin, told Green Left Weekly that one reason for the low profile of Indonesian soldiers was the presence of large numbers of foreign journalists.
"I think the military are also aware that if there is a crackdown, thousands will leave for the mountains to join the guerillas", Moucho added.
Indonesian operations in East Timor have been set back by the deaths of 12 leading military personnel in a helicopter crash on June 4. Those killed included Major-General Yudomo, commander of the Udayana region — which includes East Timor — and the army chief for East Timor, Colonel Slamet Sidabutar.
East Timorese and solidarity activists in Australia have held actions supporting the Dili and Jakarta protests. On June 13, a vigil outside the Indonesian embassy in Canberra attracted 50 people. Vigil organisers intend it to continue at least until July 17, the anniversary of Indonesia's "incorporation" of East Timor.
A similar-sized protest took place outside the Indonesian consulate in Sydney on June 14. Moucho told those gathered, "In East Timor, we have had enough. Twenty-three years of massacres is enough. We are prepared to intensify the struggle."
He appealed to the Australian people to stop the Australian government from training and arming Indonesian troops "which go into East Timor and kill innocent civilians".