Habibie and East Timor

Habibie and East Timor

East Timor is a part of Timor island, the territory of Nusantara.  Since the age of colonialism, East Timor was colonized by Portugis. In 1915 Netherlands and portugal agreed to dividing Timor Island into 2. West timor to be a part of Hindia Belanda and East Timor still colonized by Portugal. Until about 1970 portugal left East timor, because it has happened a fluctuation in Portugal, then there was nothing government in east Timor, in 1975 western urge Indonesia to do the invasion of east Timor so as not the basic of communist and as the effort to bring peace after a spate of civil war.

After that in 1976 through TAP MPR, Indonesia established that east timor became part of The Republic of Indonesia. since then, indonesia has always got an international outry, one of them is about colonization and the violation of human right.

The fall of Soeharto’s government make Habibie as a President, there was several differences between Habibie and Soeharto. Soeharto’s thinking was formed in military world, he was one of the warriors of indepence of Indonesia. At the beginning, of his goverment he is always supported, because he has dropped the dictatorship Soekarno’s government. He always create a construction, untill called the father of construction, but a lot of construction built in Java Island. That case creats the people of outside Java consider it unfair.

When habibie became as a President, he creat many regulations to delete it. Habibie makes an autonomous region, when the region can rules their area themselves. Habibie also makes the growing of democracy, he published the regulation about press, so that, organization of press grows and more and more. Much democarcy planning appear, for example, direct election to select a President, the establishment of anti-corruption agencies, and others. Even Habibie see that planning can be impelemented after several years.

If we look at the background of Habibie, we can got the answer of question, why did Habibie waive East Timor, psychologically. Since young Habibie went to Europe, maybe, there, his thingking about democracy and human right develop. So, when he look at East Timor, he did not only look through spectacles of unity of Indonesia as well as the views of Military, including Soeharto (the former President before Habibie). But, he look through spectacles of democracy and human right.

Historically, The republic of Indonesia was formed by the fate similarity between several ethnic and teritory in nusantara, through proclamation in 17 August 1945, Indonesian people declare the independence from colonialism. But not East Timor. In that time East Timor is still colonized by Portugal.
In addition, the goverment also see that East timor should not be a sustainable problem to Indonesia. since East Timor entered to teritory of Indonesia, 93% funding is from the centre goverment and the rest from region goverment.

“Indonesia has entered to new era, reformation. The east timor problem must be finished before the election President in 1999. So that, If east Timor people want to join and develop with Indonesian people, Indonesia always open his door, but if they don’t want, indonesia will ready to consider east timor as a good neighborhood and good friend.” So Says Habibie. In fact when a referendum, East Timor People almost 75% voted for independence.

The obligation of Habibie to do the referendum (jajak pendapat) in 30 August 1999 has invited a contradiction, a lot of Indonesian people prevented, including much of politican. Politican used these opportunitys to attack Habibie. So, in the speech of accountability in MPR council, his speech was prevented through voting. Even there was nothing relationship between his speech in MPR council and turned the candidacy of president. Habibie select to retreat. Because he has felt if his speech is prevented it is showed that he has failed as a President.

Then, when the middle of night, some elites of partys (Amin Rais, Akbar tanjung, Hamzah Haz, Marwah daud and others) came to his house, they asked him to run again as President in election, but he prevented. And the stonger candidate is Megawati from PDIP. So that democracy always impelement. Habibie ask them to run as a President. Amin prevented and he believe Gusdur, the Habibie asked Akbar Tanjung, he also prevented. Finally, the choice was felt to Gusdur. And the voice of Golkar party in Parlemen is gave to Gusdur. Then, Gusdur was selected as a President of Indonesia.

It is Habibie, because their obligation to effort a democracy. He has released his post as a president of Indonesia. then, he deserves to be called the father of democracy. 

This note taked from the book memorandum Habibie. “Detik-detik yang menentukan: Jalan Panjang Indonesia menuju Demokrasi”

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