Malnutrition Of Lusitania Expresso Ship: When Indonesia Kisses Political Gelagat In East Timor Sea

Lusitania Expresso ship passengers waved at KRI Yos Sudarso. (ANTARA/Facebook page Priyono Bitles Combat)

JAKARTA - The Santa Cruz tragedy made Indonesia's face bad in the eyes of the world. The massacre incident was used by East Timor fighters to harvest international support. The result many criticized Indonesia. Those who want East Timor to be independent are piled up.

A series of activists then played populist tactics: humanitarian missions. They took international journalists sailing from Portugal to Dili on the Lusitania Expresso ship. They want a pilgrimage to sow flowers. However, Indonesia smelled political behavior.

East Timor was once the 27th province of Indonesia. However, this integration did not get the blessing of pro-independence activists. They do not want East Timor to unite with Indonesia. This desire was in response to the emergence of an armed resistance movement.

Bloody resistance conflict arose. The Indonesian military tries to secure the situation. However, the large-scale military presence actually created resistance everywhere. The peak is Trgaedi Santa Cruz or what is often called the Santa Cruz Massacre.

The incident began with a mass event for pro-independence activist Sebastiao Gomez who died because he was killed by the Indonesian military. His Mass was attended by East Timorese freedom fighters at the Moteal Church on November 12, 1991.

The parade to take Gomes' body to Santa Cruz's funeral did not escape the political agenda. Those who delivered voiced the resistance and desire of East Timor to be independent. The provocation to the Indonesian military was carried out. As a result, the provocation resulted in disaster.

The military opened fire on the protesters. The casualties fell. In fact, to reach 200 people. The massacre was recorded by foreign journalists. Violent footage from the military made the world condemn Indonesia.

Indonesia's position is getting more difficult. Gelora support demands that East Timor's independence from international activists emerge. Recently, activists 73 activists from 21 countries and 59 international journalists' agreed to carry out humanitarian missions to Dili.

They also plan to board the Lusitania Expresso ship. They want to process the sowing of flowers in Dili as a form of condolences for the Santa Cruz Tragedy. However, the mission was judged by Indonesia only as a mere dictionary. An invitation for the world to condemn Indonesia.

Going to Dili is just a hoax target. Their real target is to attract international attention, so that the events of November 12, 1991 in Dili can continue to get attention. For them, if they make it to Dili, this is just a big bonus to be grateful for.

If this assumption is used, the statements of the Indonesian government that are tough actually help them achieve their goals. Also preparations for us who use warships and other military equipment to confront them have accidentally helped the Portuguese demonstrators campaign. All of this is a delicious food for the international press," said Arief Budiman in a Tempo magazine report entitled Lusitania: Who Won? (1992).

The briefing and travel plans from Portugal to Dili are ripe. International activists and journalists were already at Vasco da Gama Port, Portugal on January 23, 1992. The Lusitania Expresso ship, commanded by Captain Luis dos Santos, departed.

The long journey tried to be conquered. They arrived in Darwin, Australia on March 8, 1992. The plan is that tomorrow they will immediately depart for Dili on March 9, 1992. However, it is not easy to penetrate the strict security of the Indonesian military to Dili.

The Indonesian military is like kissing the dictionary of the humanitarian mission carried throughout the Lusitania Expresso ship. The Lusitania ship was immediately intercepted by three Indonesian warships: KRI Yos Soedarso 353, KRI Telut Banten 561, and KRI Ki Hajar Dewantara 364.

The Indonesian side strictly prohibits the Portuguese-flagged ship. At first, activists planned to force Gili into whatever happened. They had asked the UN for help so they could sail to Dili. However, it didn't work.

This condition made Captain Santos not dare to take risks. Lusitania Expresso has entered the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This means that the Indonesian military can take firm action: sink the ship. The Lusitania Expresso ship was warned to stay away from the Indonesian EEZ. Like it or not, the Lusitania Expresso ship returned to Darwin.

Many activists on board were disappointed. This condition makes the threat of war information related to the patrol of the ship surfaced. However, the Indonesian side immediately compensated and was free from provocation.

The Lusitania Expresso mission became an anticlimactic. However, after that incident the Indonesian government tried to be more vigilant with other populist steps taken by East Timor's pro-independence activists. This is because populist steps may be an example for Indonesia's image to fall in the eyes of the world.

Untung, drama Lusitania berakhir dengan anticlimaks. la ngeloyor keluar pentas dari perairan Timor Timur sebelum mendapat mendapatkan capasan. Dan Indonesia boleh patong dada karena misi provosi itu bisa dikempempiskan, tak sempat menyerong perhatian dunia yang bermungkat. War informasi, yang kebetulan kami menyaksikan di kedua pihak, berakhir pekan pekan lalu.

Who is the winner, I hope it can be judged. However, the information war certainly doesn't just stop at Lusitania. Maybe there will be new moves from both parties," said A. Margana as written in Tempo magazine entitled Akhir Lusi Mission: Report from Expresso Ship (1992).