Bali Post Saturday, 16 September 2000

"Eurico targets a forced overthrow of E. Timor"

KUPANG -- Former vice commander of the Forces for the Integration Struggle (PPI) has stressed that the final target for pro-integration refugees is to seize back E. Timor. This is possible because Eurico has the strong impression that because the UN has not yet succeeded in forming a new government in E. Timor, that international organization appears as a new "colonizer." Therefore their request to be given an empty island must be seen as a centralization of strength to achieve this target.

In a special conversation with Bali Post, Eurico said the uninhabited island that is to be made ready by the government is a form of respect to pro-integrationists who are still loyal to the Republic of Indonesia. On this uninhabited island, 130,000 pro-integrationists will carry out their activities as a sub-regency, regency or even as its own province. Nevertheless, this won't weaken their desire to seize back E. Timor, said Eurico. He is convinced that with a concentration of pro-integrationists on their own island, the target to seize back E. Timor into the lap of Mother Pertiwi will have a greater opportunity to be realized. This former hardline PPI leader said on the island his group would govern themselves. "Because we will have our own governor, regents, sub-regents, head of a People's Assembly and the people as capital and strength," he continued full of enthusiasm. He expressed surprise concerning how long it has taken to make a decision concerning the status of E. Timor refugees in W. Timor. For at least a year the government has been giving fish and that hasn't yet been exchanged for fishing equipment. Concerning the uninhabited island, Eurico wasn't concerned about its location whether it was in NTT province or not. What is important is that it is uninhabited. "We will all gather there as Indonesian citizens, not as refugees." The unanimous determination of Eurico and his followers to seize back E. Timor is now quite open. The pro-independence victory in last year's referendum hasn't directly resulted in the independence that was dreamed of. Just look, up until now that region that was a Portuguese colony is still "colonized" by the UN, what more in the same region there are still groups fighting each other.

According to Eurico, their target to return to E. Timor will only be cooled by the desire of all sides to carry out reconciliation without forcing their wills on each other. Concerning the readiness of an uninhabited island promised by the government, according to Head of the NTT People's Assembly, Daniel Woda Palle, NTT doesn't have an uninhabited island to give to E. Timor refugees and this has already been reported to President Gus Dur. The same thing was said by Vice Assembly Chair, Rev. Dr. Nico Wolly and head of the PPP Fraction, Yahidin Umar. According to them, of the 556 islands in NTT, there is not even one that is uninhabited, what more that is big enough to accommodate more than 130,000 people. Other NTT Assembly members, Chris Boro Tukan and Yosua Moy see the government's promise as merely a political statement.

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