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Debunking "Integration Day" -- The lies of Indonesia

Indonesia has based its claim that the East Timorese have already expressed their desire to integrate into Indonesia on two actions.

a) The Balibo Declaration - November 30 1975 b) The Act of Integration - May 31 1976

Indonesia has often pointed to the Balibo Declaration as justification for integrating East Timor into Indonesia, but it has rarely mentioned the Act of Integration. It is possible that ETISC or other supporters of East Timorese independence will need to expose, perhaps in the near future and at short notice, the inadequacy of these actions as instruments which reasonably justify the conquest and occupation of East Timor (1975-1998). Listed below are certain facts which show that these two actions cannot be regarded as justification for integration. These facts will also indicate the commonly used tactics which constitute Indonesian "diplomacy".

1. Documents written by ABRI's "intelligence" The East Timorese signatories of both these documents state that they played no part in composing these documents. It is likely that signatories did not sight them until the moment of signing. The documents were written by Indonesians. One assumes that Intel composed them.

The wording of paragraph 4 of the Balibo Declaration suggests Indonesian, and not East Timorese, authorship. "After having been separated from the strong ties of blood, identity, ethnic and moral culture with the people of Indonesia by the colonial power of Portugal for more than 400 years, we deem it is now the right moment for the people of Portuguese Timor to re-establish formally these strong ties with the Indonesian nation"

2. Documents signed under threats of punishment or death The signatories to both these documents signed them under the threat of death or other unspecified punishments. Evidence to this effect has been given by Guilherme Maria Gonçalves (Apodeti) in the case of the Balibo Declaration, and by Antonio Sarmento in the case of the Act of Integration.

3. The small number of signatories Four people signed the Balibo Declaration. Thirty-seven people (according to Indonesian sources), and twenty-eight people (according to other sources) signed the Act of Integration.

4. The unrepresentative nature of the signatories Balibo Declaration. This was signed by one representative from each of the four smallest parties in East Timor - UDT, Apodeti, Kota, and Partido Trabalhista. It was not signed by the fifth and largest party, namely Fretilin. Evidence that Fretilin more fully represented the wishes of the people of East Timor, and that UDT, Apodeti, Kota, Partido Trabalhista, did not represent the people is suggested by these facts: a) Fretilin had won the local elections in February and March 1975, scoring 55% of the votes. Apodeti polled extremely badly in spite of generous financial support from Jakarta. Kota and Partido Trabalhista did not exist. b) Fretilin had won the "civil war" and were the de facto government at the time of the Balibo Declaration. c) The Fretilin military held the powerful Indonesian army at bay for 3 years (1975-1978), suggesting that the East Timorese people supported Fretilin, rather than supporting UDT, Apodeti, Kota and Partido Trabalhista who were collaborating with the Indonesians.

Act of Integration. This was signed only 6 months after the invasion, at a time when at least 80% of East Timor was under the control of Fretilin, and fighting was intense. Indonesia said that a Popular Representative Assembly had been "elected so as to represent the wishes of the people of East Timor", and that "the process of election was democratic and free from any form of pressure". An election in the Fretilin controlled part of East Timor clearly could not, and did not, take place. Stories from signatories suggest that they were hastily conscripted in Dili, and did not represent anybody.

5. Secrecy surrounded the signing of both documents. There were no observers at the Balibo Declaration. Those attending were the four East Timorese signatories, and a number of ABRI personnel. The signing apparently took place in Bali, and not in Balibo, further adding to the secrecy of the occasion and pointing to the desire of the Indonesians to hide the truth.

Some 40 journalists were invited from Jakarta for the Act of Integration, in order to give validation to the occasion. However the event was stage managed, in order to cover up the coercion involved and the unrepresentative nature of the assembly. The secrecy is apparent in the following facts: a) The 40 journalists (both Indonesian and foreign) were flown at Indonesian government expense from Jakarta to Dili and back, in one day. They were allowed to stay in Dili for only three hours. b) The journalists were not allowed to leave the building where the signing ceremony took place. c) They were not allowed to speak to any of the signatories. d) The ceremony was held in Portuguese, but no interpreting or translation was provided.

Postscript Tactics used on these two occasions indicate ABRI's methods:

1) They tell lies (eg Balibo, not Bali; an election was said to have been held when it wasn't). 2) They manipulate people and events 3) They use force (eg threats of death) 4) They work in secret, rather than openly 5) They work with puppets, who are in a minority, against the wishes of the majority.

'EAST TIMOR ON THE NET' For the latest updates, news and views on East Timor and Indonesia Visit http://www.easttimor.com maintained by the East Timor International Support Center Hon Chairman: Jose Ramos-Horta Nobel Peace Laureate 1996

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