Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono laid a wreath yesterday at an East Timor cemetery where Indonesian soldiers massacred dozens of pro-independence protestors 14 years ago.
Yudhoyono's visit to the Santa Cruz cemetery was another step towards reconciliation between Indonesia and the territory it occupied for a quarter century, often brutally, before it opted for independence in a UN-sponsored vote.
Indonesian troops opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators who had gathered at the Santa Cruz cemetery in November 1991 to honor pro-independence activist Sebastiao Gomez, who was killed a week earlier by the Indonesian military.
More than 200 people were believed killed in the shooting, which prompted the US to restrict arms sales to Indonesia and suspend the training of Indonesian soldiers.
A planned protest during Yudhoyono's visit to the cemetery with East Timor Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta yesterday did not materialize. He was instead greeted warmly by about 100 East Timorese, some of whom shook his hand.
The Indonesian president, who served in East Timor as a military officer, then moved on to a nearby cemetery for Indonesian soldiers who died during the occupation.
Speaking later after meeting with East Timor parliamentarians, the former general described the tiny country as a "true friend" because, despite its own financial difficulties, it had donated US$75,000 for victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami that devastated northwestern Indonesia.
"A friend in need is a friend indeed. I thank all the people of Timor Leste for their attention during our time of distress," Yudhoyono said.
He told a group of about 100 Indonesians living in East Timor that he felt welcome in the half-island country, where he arrived on Friday for his first visit to Dili since taking office last year.
"I was touched because along the way the people greeted me with enthusiasm. Some people called out my name. This shows that the two countries' relations are excellent," Yudhoyono said.
Yudhoyono had lunch with East Timor President Xanana Gusmao later yesterday before flying back to Indonesia.
Both countries have avoided addressing the military-backed atrocities committed after Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975 and before it pulled out in 1999.
Indonesia withdrew from the territory in a maelstrom of military-backed violence surrounding the UN independence vote. The UN alleged that at least 1,400 people were murdered. Whole towns were razed.
An Indonesian tribunal set up to try military officers and officials for atrocities in East Timor has drawn international criticism for failing to jail any high-ranking Indonesians.
The UN has begun a review of the tribunal, but Dili and Jakarta say the move is unnecessary, preferring to focus on a South African-style truth and reconciliation commission to deal with the past.
On Friday Yudhoyono and East Timor Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri signed a border agreement clarifying 96 percent of their mutual frontier and removing one of the last obstacles to reconciliation.
IDENTITY: A sex extortion scandal involving Thai monks has deeply shaken public trust in the clergy, with 11 monks implicated in financial misconduct Reverence for the saffron-robed Buddhist monkhood is deeply woven into Thai society, but a sex extortion scandal has besmirched the clergy and left the devout questioning their faith. Thai police this week arrested a woman accused of bedding at least 11 monks in breach of their vows of celibacy, before blackmailing them with thousands of secretly taken photos of their trysts. The monks are said to have paid nearly US$12 million, funneled out of their monasteries, funded by donations from laypeople hoping to increase their merit and prospects for reincarnation. The scandal provoked outrage over hypocrisy in the monkhood, concern that their status
Trinidad and Tobago declared a new state of emergency on Friday after authorities accused a criminal network operating in prisons across the country of plotting to kill key government officials and attack public institutions. It is the second state of emergency to be declared in the twin-island republic in a matter of months. In December last year, authorities took similar action, citing concerns about gang violence. That state of emergency lasted until mid-April. Police said that smuggled cellphones enabled those involved in the plot to exchange encrypted messages. Months of intelligence gathering led investigators to believe the targets included senior police officers,
A disillusioned Japanese electorate feeling the economic pinch goes to the polls today, as a right-wing party promoting a “Japanese first” agenda gains popularity, with fears over foreigners becoming a major election issue. Birthed on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic, spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, the Sanseito Party has widened its appeal ahead of today’s upper house vote — railing against immigration and dragging rhetoric that was once confined to Japan’s political fringes into the mainstream. Polls show the party might only secure 10 to 15 of the 125 seats up for grabs, but it is
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is to meet US President Donald Trump this week, hoping Manila’s status as a key Asian ally would secure a more favorable trade deal before the deadline on Friday next week. Marcos would be the first Southeast Asian leader to meet Trump in his second term. Trump has already struck trade deals with two of Manila’s regional partners, Vietnam and Indonesia, driving tough bargains in trade talks even with close allies that Washington needs to keep onside in its strategic rivalry with China. “I expect our discussions to focus on security and defense, of course, but also
RSS