| Subject: AN: Pro-Indonesia leader condemns Portugal
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 09:24:07 -0500 From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org> BBC Summary of World Broadcasts March 19, 1999, Friday Pro-integrationist cautions on Lisbon "sweet talk" Antara news agency, Jakarta, in English 17 Mar 99 Text of report by Indonesian news agency Antara web site Dili, East Timor, 17th March: A pro-integration East Timorese figure here Wednesday [17th March] warned fellow East Timorese to be on guard against Portugal's stratagem of changing its image "from inhumane colonial to angelic donor" . "This political manoeuvre may throw East Timor into a new civil war," Francisco de Carvalho said. He was commenting on a recent statement by the head of Portugal's Interest Section, Ana Gomes, that her government was ready to send medicines and medics to East Timor. "Portugal wants to change its image: formerly an inhumane colonial power and now an angelic donor. Portugal is conveniently forgetting that it colonized East Timor for 450 years and abandoned it in 1975 while a civil war was raging," Carvalho said. According to Carvalho, Anna Gomes made the promise of medical aid during a meeting with the leadership of the National Council for East Timorese Resistance (Concelho Nacional Resistencia de Timorese -CNRT). He said the promise was "just sweet talk" . Portugal could not possibly fulfil its promise because it did not have the necessary resources, while many of its former colonies - such as Angola, Mozambique and Guinea Bissau - were still in desperate conditions. Carvalho called on East Timorese to take Portuguese promises with a big dose of scepticism or else they could again wage a civil war. "Don't let ourselves be deceived by Ana Gomes's promises about a saviour to come and improve our plight overnight," Carvalho warned. He urged all East Timorese to realize that Portugal's programme for decolonization had been pursued without a clear concept, thus resulting in the civil war in 1975. "Nationally, Portugal incorporated the programme for East Timor decolonization into its constitution as a matter of pride. But, in reality, this was mainly directed for its own benefit," Carvalho said. Back to March Menu |