ABILIO SLAMS AT GOVT`S LENIENCY TOWARD E TIMOR

Jakarta, Feb 22 (ANTARA) - Former East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares criticized the leniency of the government toward East Timor.

Speaking before members of the House`s Commission I here on Thursday, Soares also deplored the government`s continued financial support to East Timorese pro-independence students in Indonesia.

"When Xanana Gusmao came to Indonesia, he was escorted to meet with the president. "Who is he actually?" said Abilio who was invited to give a clarification on Yunus Yosfiah, former Information Minister, who had been declared by the United Nations as a suspect in the murder of five foreign journalists in Balibo, East Timor, in 1975.

Most deplorable was President Wahid`s apology to the East Timorese people for the human rights violations allegedly committed by Indonesia in the past.

According to him, as a matter of fact it was the Portuguese colonialists who had grossly violated and trampled the human rights of East Timoreses, especially the Fretilin group who was in power in East Timor in the post-ballot period.

Abilio also questioned the lenient attitude of the government toward East Timorese pro-independence students studying in Indonesian territory.

"Why should they be given an opportunity to study in Indonesia and even provided with money. In fact, they have burned the Red and White flag," he said.

Ironically, the government never looked at the fate of over 130,000 East Timorese refugees who have chosen to fight for the Indonesian unitary state in the border region near Atambua.

Later, Abilio referred to his fate and experience as example that as a civil servant he had never enjoyed government attention like receiving his salary or a transfer to other posts since the announcement of the outcome of the ballot in East Timor several years ago.

(T.PTU09/RSI03/23:30/ING/22/02/:1 23:36/b/fn01)

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