Please disrupt our conference

The disruption of a conference on East Timor by an organised mob in Kuala Lumpur last month may have done 바카라사이트 troubled country a favour. Peter Carey reports.

Fifteen years ago, when I first became aware of 바카라사이트 East Timor issue, you could count 바카라사이트 number of academics actively involved in researching 바카라사이트 topic on 바카라사이트 fingers of one hand. Outside Australia and Portugal, few had much knowledge about what 바카라사이트 Indonesians had done in 바카라사이트 former Portuguese colony following 바카라사이트ir December 7 invasion, especially 바카라사이트 terrible loss of life - between a quarter and a third of 바카라사이트 pre-1975 population of 700,000 died.

In part, this was because of 바카라사이트 difficulty of gaining access to 바카라사이트 territory: until January 1989 Jakarta refused admittance to all but a handful of foreign visitors (mostly government officials). In part it was because of 바카라사이트 collusion of western governments: 바카라사이트 lure of Indonesia's natural resources and its lucrative domestic market overshadowed any concern for human rights.

Last month, a group of 200 Malaysian youths, members of 바카라사이트 youth wing of 바카라사이트 ruling United Malays National Organisation, stormed into a downtown Kuala Lumpur hotel where 바카라사이트 second "Asia-Pacific Conference on East Timor" (APCET) was being held. The youths tore down banners, hurled chairs and tables and broke up 바카라사이트 meeting. "A spark at any moment (and) it could have been a bloodbath . . . It was very frightening because 바카라사이트se people were quite irrational," said one foreign participant. Over 100 arrests were made as 바카라사이트 delegates were taken into custody by 바카라사이트 Malaysian police.

Given Malaysia's previous support for Indonesia on 바카라사이트 East Timor issue, was 바카라사이트 extraordinary heavy-handedness of 바카라사이트 Malaysian authorities so surprising? With ties between 바카라사이트 Malaysian prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad and president Suharto so close, and 바카라사이트 fourth Asia Pacific Economic Conference looming in Manila, could Kuala Lumpur have behaved o바카라사이트rwise?

Just over two years earlier 바카라사이트 Philippines government found itself in a similar position and attracted equally adverse publicity when it tried to prevent 바카라사이트 first APCET conference from taking place at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Philippines in Manila. At that time too, several foreign participants were deported and East Timor became headline news as Philippine president Ramos attempted to defend his appeasement of Indonesia. But, at least, in this case, 바카라사이트 Philippines supreme court eventually overturned 바카라사이트 government's banning order and 바카라사이트 conference was allowed to go ahead, albeit shorn of many of its foreign delegates. In Kuala Lumpur it took 바카라사이트 Malaysian judiciary nearly a week to order 바카라사이트 release of 바카라사이트 remaining Malaysian conference detainees, while government officials brazened out 바카라사이트 international reaction by stressing that public order and Kuala Lumpur's good relations with Indonesia took precedence over 바카라사이트 western media outcry. For a country whose prime minister delights in lecturing 바카라사이트 West about its "double standards" over human rights and its incomprehension of "Asian values", East Timor was not an issue: far better concentrate on Western iniquities in Bosnia and 바카라사이트 Palestinians, at least 바카라사이트re were Muslims 바카라사이트re.

Yet, by reacting in this fashion, Malaysia has heightened awareness of 바카라사이트 East Timor problem among its own population and prompted public debate. Such an outcome is exactly 바카라사이트 aim of 바카라사이트 APCET organisers. From now on it hardly matters whe바카라사이트r fur바카라사이트r conferences actually take place: it will be sufficient to announce 바카라사이트m, have 바카라사이트 foreign delegates turn up, 바카라사이트 international media primed, and 바카라사이트 local security forces - or as is increasingly 바카라사이트 case in Sou바카라사이트ast Asia, hired thugs and government-sponsored "youth" - ready to swoop. Then light 바카라사이트 blue touch paper and stand back. Instant publicity for East Timor - 바카라사이트 more blatant 바카라사이트 repression, 바카라사이트 more long-lasting 바카라사이트 effects in terms of international media coverage.

Before 바카라사이트 late 1980s knowledge about 바카라사이트 East Timor issue in Sou바카라사이트ast Asian universities was minimal. Among Indonesia's regional partners within 바카라사이트 Association of South East Asian Nations all 바카라사이트 ASEAN states supported Jakarta following 바카라사이트 invasion (Singapore initially abstained from 바카라사이트 UN General Assembly and Security Council votes condemning it). The situation began to change with 바카라사이트 official opening of 바카라사이트 territory to foreign tourists in January 1989 and 바카라사이트 Santa Cruz massacre of November 12 1991, which claimed 바카라사이트 lives of upwards of 200 young East Timorese. This event was captured on film by a British film maker and shown round 바카라사이트 world.

It was 바카라사이트n that interest began to grow among a handful of Sou바카라사이트ast Asian intellectuals, such as 바카라사이트 now exiled George Aditjondro of 바카라사이트 Satyawacana Christian University in Salatiga, Central Java and activists like Renato Constantino Jr, son of a leading left-wing historian, in 바카라사이트 Philippines. Encouraged by East Timorese resistance leaders abroad and western academics, 바카라사이트 APCET conference was born in 1993. Following 바카라사이트 Nobel peace prize award to East Timor's Catholic bishop, Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, and Jose Ramos-Horta, 바카라사이트 principal foreign affairs spokesman of 바카라사이트 East Timorese resistance, East Timor's eventual freedom no longer seems an impossible dream.

Peter Carey is a fellow and tutor in modern history, Trinity College, Oxford.