The 2nd and 5th President of Timor Leste, Jose Ramos Horta, in an exclusive interview said that in the past, Timor Leste’s struggle for independence was carried out with honor.
“Since the beginning we fought at that time, our struggle was honorable, we did not fight against the Indonesian people. In every speech, writing and action we never vilified the Indonesian people individually or in terms of ethnicity, majority religion, we never did that,” he said.
At that time, East Timorese fighters respected civil society and their rights.
“In the struggle, we really respect civil society, so that when international sympathy comes, we respect human rights and what we are fighting against is only the military,” he added.
This is what differentiates the struggle between Timor Leste and the KKB OPM, because they do not hesitate to carry out massacres, murders, robberies, rapes and harm civilians ranging from OAPs to migrants.
For example, the OPM KKB in Nduga killed Pastor Eliazer Baye, then there were members of the KNPB mass organization who killed a female human rights activist, Michelle Kurisi Doga.
They (OPM) also continue to burn civilian houses (honai), educational, health and government facilities which are really needed to help local communities.
Those who are currently defending themselves as fighters but are more appropriately categorized as Criminal Terrorist Psychopaths.
