After four centuries of colonization by the Portuguese and 24 years of brutal annexation by Jakarta, the people of East Timor voted in a 1999 referendum to break away from Indonesia. Now, after much bloodshed and two and a half years of transitional UN governance, East Timor has finally achieved independence, becoming the 192th nation of the world. East Timor's path to statehood holds many lessons for Taiwan.
Under massive pressure to unify with Indonesia, the East Timorese independence movement took good advantage of the political changes that hit the regime of former president Suharto. The leaders of the independence movement demanded -- on a platform of self-determination for residents and a tolerance for dissent -- dialogue with the Indonesian authorities. They also sought support from the international community for a non-violent and a peaceful solution to ending Indonesia's rule. The UN's intervention that lead to tripartite talks between Indonesia, Portugal and East Timor, its organization of a transitional government and its deployment peacekeeping forces, a national referendum and elections -- all these played decisive roles in East Timor's path to statehood.
Even more importantly, the people of East Timor were able to overcome ethnic, language and cultural differences and forge the collective will to compel Indonesia to let their territory become independent.
East Timor has now become a nation, but the prediction by Indonesian nationalists that its independence would lead to the break-up of Indonesia?has not come true. Separatist movements in Aceh, Irian Jaya and elsewhere have not yet achieved much momentum. Even Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who opposed East Timor's independence, attended Sunday's ceremony -- an indication that it might be possible to lay the animosity between the two sides to rest. East Timor's independence is a result more of the international respect for the collective will of its people than of the weakening of the Indonesian government.
Taiwan is also standing at a historical crossroads today. Despite differences in historical and geographical background, the wisdom of the East Timorese independence leadership -- and their aggressive quest for international support -- can serve as examples for the people here. Taiwan also endured colonial rule for four centuries -- the Dutch, the Ching dynasty, Japan and finally Chiang Kai-shek's (
Taiwan's opposition movement maintained good relations with the East Timorese movement. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jose Ramos-Horta, now his new nation's foreign minister, has visited Taiwan twice and enjoys a good relationship with the DPP. Even though East Timor quickly established diplomatic ties with China, Taiwan still sent its congratulations and expressed its support for the new nation's independence.
During the struggle for independence, the people of East Timor relied on their revolutionary zeal and valor. Now they must rely on wisdom and patience to manage their country as they deal with its multitude of problems, such as the return of refugees from West Timor, reconstruction, massive poverty and implementing a democratic government. The people of East Timor must work hard to make good on their promise to let flowers bloom on stone.
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