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Statement at the Department of Justice:

FRONT NASIONAL PEMUDA TIMOR LESTE (NATIONAL FRONT OF EAST TIMORESE YOUTH) Sekretariat: Asrama Mahasiswa Timor Timur Jl. Kaliurang Km 7. No. D-02, Yogyakarta

DEMAND TO RELEASE POLITICAL PRISONERS

The resignation of Suharto and subsequent formation of Reform Cabinet is signal of a new period of democracy and political life in Indonesia. The release of all pro democracy activist imprisoned by Suharto Regim for their activities in expressing their political believes, is a starting point reflecting the good will of the Reform Cabinet to grant the existence of democracy and to guarantee the freedom of expression in Indonesia.

Revocation of five political ordinance, including subversion law, is a concrete step of the Indonesia Government to guarantee the carrying out of democratisation and freedom of expression in Indonesia in a long run.

East Timor problem, which is a denial of the East Timorese right to self-determination, represents the restraint to the East Timor People's collective right to express their aspiration and political believes. The ordinance number 7/1976, based on the False Declaration of Balibo, has been the instrument used by Suharto Regim to extermine the People of East Timor, muzzle the freedom of expression of the People of East Timor, and to imprison East Timor freedom fighters during 23 years of occupation.

>From the perspective of Indonesian Political Reform, East Timor case will be a stagnant factor when it is left unsettled comprehensively. Coincide with the revocation of five political ordinance, the ordinance number 7/1976 on the integration of East Timor into Indonesia, must be revoked, to create a suitable atmosphere to include all conflicting parties in the dialogue to settle the problem of East Timor. Thus, the creation of a suitable atmosphere must be initiated with the recovery of the political rights of the political prisoners who have been victimized for their political believes.

Base on above considerations, we, the East Timorese Youths gathered in the NATIONAL FRONT OF THE EAST TIMORESE YOUTH, demand the government of Indonesia to:

1. Release all Indonesian political prisoners; 2. Release all East Timor political prisoners, especially the East Timor Resistance Leader, Xanana Gusmão, as a concrete step reflecting the good will of the Indonesian government to solve the problem of East Timor as a part of Total Reform demanded by the Indonesian people.

Viva Pahlawan Reformasi Indonesia! Viva Rakyat Maubere! Viva Comandante Xanana Gusmão!

Jakarta, June 17, 1998

NATIONAL FRONT OF EAST TIMORESE YOUTH

Aderito de Jesus Soares, SH Spokesperson