Subject: FEER: Ali Alatas backed the militias
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 08:57:10 -0400Far Eastern Economic Review 09/23/1999
Spotlight: School's Out
By Dan Murphy
Indonesia's military isn't alone in lending assistance to the militias that have
ransacked East Timor since it voted for independence on August 30. The REVIEW has learned
that the Foreign Ministry organized at least two seminars for militia leaders in the art
of public relations, including how to field awkward questions from foreign reporters.
Ministry officials, speaking privately, say the most recent session was held in March at
Bali's four-star Bali Padma hotel, costing taxpayers about 500 million rupiah ($60,000).
Dino Patti Djalal, who until recently was the Foreign Ministry's spokesman for East
Timor, issued a flat denial when asked about the seminars. "No assistance of any kind
has been given by the Foreign Ministry to these groups. Of course, we do have close
relations with them."
But the ministry officials say Foreign Minister Ali Alatas backed the militias, hoping
that independence could be headed off and broad autonomy could be given a try. They say
the goal of the seminars was to soften the world's image of the pro-Indonesian militias
ahead of the independence referendum.
Speakers at the three-day March session included Maj.-Gen. Adam Damiri, the senior
military officer for East Timor, and Abilio Soares, the province's Jakarta-appointed
governor. Damiri, dressed in civilian clothes, told the gathering that Indonesia "was
behind them 100% and would never abandon them," say the ministry officials.
In the audience were Joao Taveres and Herminio da Cost da Silva, leaders of militias
since accused by human-rights organizations of playing a major role in the violence in
East Timor. Also attending were Basilio Aurojo, Domingos Soares and Filomeno Orai, leaders
of the Forum for Unity, Democracy and Justice, or FPDK, a pro-integration group
established with Foreign Ministry aid.
Their media training clearly failed to take root. As soon as the vote tally was
announced, the militias went on a rampage, often targeting foreign journalists.
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