Indonesia - Timor Leste Reconciliation Undermined

Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara) (ANTARA News) - Last Friday`s border shooting by East Timor police of three Indonesian civilians from Belu District, East Nusa Tengara (NTT) province has undermined the relations of friendship and efforts to promote reconciliation between Indonesia and Timor Leste, Kupang Archbishop Petrus Turang said here on Monday.

"The shooting has undermined the reconciliation process that we have been developing so far," said Turang who is a member of the Indonesia-East Timor (Timor Leste) Truth and Friendship Commission.

The three civilians shot dead by at a spot on the Indonesia- East Timor borders were identified as Stanis Mauber, 48, Jose Mausorte, 38, and Candido Mariano, 26.

According to Turang, a shooting incident could occur anywhere around the world, but the one on Friday did indicate an inability to build a good communication based on humanity.

"I view the border incident as something that had the least sense of humanity at a time that the reconciliation efforts and relation of friendship are being built toward a mutual understanding by the neighboring countries," he added.

To prevent a similar incident from happening again in the future, the archbishop expressed hoped an honest diplomacy based on humanity between Indonesia and East Timor could continue to be developed.

"A diplomatic bid should be honestly developed on a humanitarian basis by the two countries and their security personnel assigned in border area," Turang said, adding that East Timor security personnel were expected to respect the rights of civilians.

He also called on the country`s security personnel to leave behind past animosities and allow time to consume them.

"Let bygones be bygones, because Indonesia and East Timor have equal rights as sovereign countries. Let us think of something related to reconciliation, national and international matters," he said.(*)