Author Topic: East Timor: Reintigration with Indonesia or retain Independence?  (Read 668 times)

Lorenzo

  • SUPREME COURT
  • THE LEGEND
  • *****
  • Posts: 54226
  • Be the change you want to see in the world...
    • View Profile
East Timor: Reintigration with Indonesia or retain Independence?
« on: February 14, 2008, 03:39:06 PM »
Most of you might be enlightened with the situation concerning East Timor (Timor Leste), which is a tiny nation surrounded by Indonesia, which was granted independency by unanimous vote and by intervention from the United Nations in 1999. The East Timorese demanded independence from the giant that is the Republic of Indonesia due to the religious incursions the latter inflicted on the East Timorese, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, as a result of 4 centuries of Portuguese control. Indonesia, since usurping control of East Timor from the Portuguese after Indonesia's independence instituted an edict known as "Pro dens Indonesi" or commonly known as "Pancasila Indoneseeya Raya".

By executive order and by military protocol, all regions of Indonesian territory were to learn and read Bahasa Indonesiya (the national language) as well as adopt Islam as the national religion, despite the clause within Indonesia's constitution that declares the republic as a secularist nation.

This was made evident in Indonesia's pacification of rebel insurrectionists in Sumatra and Irian Jaya, which were all summarily eradicated by the TNI (Tentara Nacional Indoneseeya), its Armed Forces. One region that Indonesia failed to silence was East Timor. Due to the deep rooted christian characteristics of East Timor, specifically Roman Catholic, the East Timorese drew support from sympathetic catholic nations, primarily the Republic of the Philippines, which is the only Christian-Roman Catholic nation in Asia (over 95% of the nation is christian; and 83% being Roman Catholic). The Vatican as well as most of the west demanded a ceasure of Indonesian violence in East Timor and its Islamification process.

So great was the global uproar that the United Nations intervened and demanded that Indonesia allow the people of East Timor to vote if they wished to remain part of Indonesia or receive independence. The vote was cast in 1999, and the majority of the people demanded independence. And it was so.

Post-independence East Timor has suffered from military weakness, political corruption and regional wars. The nation is on the verge of a civil war, as recent news have documented recent attempts to kill the president as well as members of the congress.

There are also talks within the Indonesian community, mostly in Jakarta of taking necessary steps to 'save' the people of East Timor from a bloody civil war by militarily taking over of East Timor for the time being until the region stabilizes. It is clear that Indonesia is pushing for an aggressive 'reconquest' policy to save its face after it lost its southern province in 1999. The Republic of the Philippines, as an economic and diplomatic patron of East Timor has sent hundreds of peace keeping troops to maintain stability in the country. And if there was to be an Indonesian-led take-over of East Timor, what do you think would be the response of the Philippines? Do you think that East Timor should remain independent, despite the anarchy in its demographic circle or should it be allowed to be unite with Indonesia for stability's sake?

Your views in this matter is imperative.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=9499.0
www.trip.com - Hassle-free planning of your next trip

unionbank online loan application low interest, credit card, easy and fast approval

Tags: