Not getting better

It is quite sad to know that the people of East Timor are getting further away from their dreams. When they elected to be independent from Indonesia, they were hoping for a better future. East Timor today is at a worse situation from the days prior to referendum. I say this not only from the fact of recent violence, but also look at the fact that East Timor is no longer receiving much help and attention from the people who supported its independence.

Recent violence that is downplayed by Foreign Minister Ramos Horta not merely shows the dissatisfied minority, but also the division between the various factions that made up of the government. The 600 ex militants that are recruited into the army are dismissed from their post and they expressed their unhappiness through staging demonstration. Within the existing army, the “Eastern” faction who are from the Eastern part of East Timor and contributed a lot to the past insurrection movement is unhappy with their “Western” counterpart because of their equal treatment within the military.

The standard of living of the people is not getting better either. There has not been any news about foreign companies making big investment in East Timor. Neither does there is any indication of building of new factories. According to my friends there, there are almost little or no developmental projects in the country. Corruption is still as rampant as before. Minister Ramos Horta once mentioned in an interview that “in the future we are going to have a lot of money” from the oil exploration, but the question is that is he certain that Australia is really making big concession for East Timor after “investing” so much in helping him to be independent country.

Most of the countries that is helping East Timor in the past is not driven by their desire to secure human rights and democracy and prosperity of the East Timorese, but rather their own self interest. Portugal, Australia and United Nation used to be at the front line condemning Indonesia’s past actions and seemed to appear always there for East Timorese. But now where are they? Australia is more concern about getting a better share of the Greater Sunrise Oil Fields. United Nation is more concern about supporting American’s international adventure and Portugal perhaps is more concern about their world cup success.

I have to admit that Indonesia has committed a lot of sins and should seek forgiveness because of that. Human rights abuse and bad governance seemed to be the problem during the harsh Indonesian period, but at least the East Timorese need not to be concern whether they have food on their table. During that time, the economic activity in Pante Makassar, Dili, Los Palos and other cities were much more bustling that today. I still remember when I was there and invited for a dinner at my friends’ houses. They eat mostly plain rice with steamed spinach and sambal. They used to be able to have meat in the past.

I think East Timorese still have to endure a long period of sufferings. Their leaders are busy to go before international forum to assure international community that they are capable of governing, their parliamentarians are busy quarrelling in the parliament with no concrete solutions produced, and their military is facing internal infighting for dominance. Who really care about them?

Perhaps until a certain time, the East Timorese will start to think whether they have taken the correct course of action. I believe that at one time in their life, they will think whether their struggle for independence is meaningful. They will start to ponder why it is getting more and more difficult to make a living and that the international community is no longer there to support them financially. Then they will reconsider the reunion with their old brother.