Letter to the Editor, Ocala Star Banner, August 23, 1999
Editor,
What is the next conflict in which U.S. troops may be in harm's way? A leading candidate is East Timor, half of tiny Timor Island in Indonesia. On August 30, citizens of East Timor vote on whether or not they want independence from Indonesia. Indonesia army backed militias are threatening a full scale war if the citizens vote for independence. U.S. Congress members recommend peacekeepers be assigned there before, during, and after August.30.
Prior to 1975, East Timor was a Portuguese colony. Portugal freed it in 1975. The United Nations took no action to recognize East Timor's freedom. After clearing with U.S. President Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in a meeting in Indonesia, dictator Suharto launched a successful invasion of East Timor. The U.S. doubled military aid to Indonesia, blocked the UN from taking any action, provided International Military Education and Training aid, and continued to sell new weapons to them for the next two decades.
Inasmuch as more than 90% of the citizens of East Timor are Roman Catholics, the Vatican and U.S. bishops have worked tirelessly since 1975 to get the U.S. and U.N. to free East Timor from Muslim dominated Indonesia. On November 12, 1991, Indonesian troops massacred more than 270 Timorese civilians. Since then, a bipartisan effort in Congress and the administration set out to reverse our government's course.
The U.N. will monitor the vote. The U.S. bishops urged the U.S. to have a strong presence in East Timor at that time. Sec. of State Madeline Albright recently visited the likely leader of East Timor, who was under house arrest, should it become independent.
Will East Timor be the next place American troops may be placed in harm's way?
James M. O'Hara
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