The Jakarta Post Saturday, May 12, 2007

Timor Leste, RI and moral complexities

Santoso's article May 1 (Timor Leste 1999 or, how to sell lies) was truly a tour de force, and has been circulated widely.

The article on May 3 by Franz Magnis Suseno is, however, full of holes both factual and moral.

The Indonesian Military controlled the violence and intimidation in East Timor in 1999, and showed it could turn this on and off like a tap as required.

General Wiranto sent black-arts specialist Zacky Makarim to do what he did -- cause unacceptable violence, mayhem and murder.

Surely the author knows about the comprehensive documentation of crimes in East Timor from 1975-1999, the massive CAVR report. Rather than setting up the Commission of Truth and Friendship to muddy the waters or to produce an acceptable report diffusing the issues and excusing the crimes, why not publicize the CAVR report and take legal action against perpetrators?

This is the proper moral response, not excuse-making from the Jesuit professor. Indonesia for its own health and respect needs to bring its justice system and selective morality into the 21st century and up to best international standards.

Indonesia itself came to independence on a great anti-colonial platform, only to forcibly seize West Papua and East Timor, so stop wailing about the correction of one of those two.

ROB WESLEY-SMITH Darwin, Australia

---------------------

Joyo Indonesia News Service