By Jon Land
During the visit of foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer to Indonesia on July 9-11, the federal government's reluctance to make any significant change of policy on East Timor became clearer.
Against the trend of other governments putting more pressure on Indonesia to allow a referendum on self-determination in East Timor, Australia has backed the Habibie government's proposal of "special status" and autonomy. Habibie's proposal has been condemned by the East Timorese resistance and prompted public protests throughout East Timor.
Downer signalled a "business as usual" position during his visit, praising Habibie for his efforts to resolve the issue and stating that the Indonesian military had shown great "restraint". Downer also repeated calls for some Indonesian troop withdrawals from East Timor.
The arrest and intimidation of East Timorese young people by the occupying army continue. Nine youths were detained in Balibo on July 10, after an extra six battalions moved in from across the border. Indonesian troops and police were more visible on the streets around July 17 (Integration Day), which passed without major incident.
Armed gangs (called ninjas), funded and trained by the Indonesian military, continue to terrorise those who support independence. Imprisoned resistance leader Xanana Gusmao on July 10 told the Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias that the Indonesian army "are training 2000 armed men, and a further 4000 to take part in destabilising activities, in order to show that the government is right when it says that a referendum could spark off a civil war".
The East Timor Human Rights Centre issued an urgent appeal on July 22 for 10 young East Timorese detained and tortured by Indonesian soldiers in Dili on July 11. The youths were part of night-time neighbourhood defence guards, established to protect people from the ninja gangs. There are grave fears for three men still held in detention at the Wirahusada military hospital in Dili.
It appears that the gangs are also targeting transmigrants, to discredit the pro-independence movement and heighten tension between transmigrants and East Timorese. Reports of the number of people leaving East Timor have fluctuated wildly from several thousand to more 20,000.
The July 22 Sydney Morning Herald reported that the Indonesian navy has 10 ships on stand-by off East Timor. According to Vice-Admiral Amonaris, they will remain there for eight months to assist with "an exodus of East Timorese citizens" and to "support military operations".
The Indonesian government is attempting to argue that a civil war could result if a referendum on self-determination takes place.
The Australian government alone echoes this false claim. Downer asserts that East Timor is "deeply divided" and that a referendum is not the best way forward, but most, if not all of these so-called divisions, have been created by the Indonesian military.
Downer does concede that the majority of East Timorese are pro-independence. Similarly, support for an independent East Timor in Australia is very high. The day after Channel 9's Sunday program featured East Timor on July 19, an internet poll it conducted showed 84% in favour of self-determination.