(30 Oct 1999) English/Nat
In an extraordinary farewell gesture, East Timor's top rebel leader clasped hands and talked intently with Indonesian military leaders in a lounge at the Dili airfield on Saturday.
Indonesian forces started leaving East Timor after occupying the territory for 24 years.
In his effort to leave the past behind, Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao said goodbye to some of Indonesia's military officers, part of the same forces who had him arrested and imprisoned.
Top humanitarian, peacekeeping and U-N officials, including Ian Martin, head of U-N-A-M-E-T (United Nations Mission in East Timor) were at the farewell meeting, along with watchful Australian soldiers.
The 53-year-old guerrilla commander was looking toward the future.
He called the bloody battling over East Timor a mistake between two countries.
Indonesia has effectively relinquished its claim to East Timor, which was left ravaged by a wave of violence surrounding its independence referendum on August 30.
When asked if he was sad to go, an Indonesian soldier immediately didn't struggle with the answer.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I will see my family my girlfriend and the others."
(Reporter) "Are you sad to leave?"
"Not sad."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, Indonesian soldier
The departure of the Indonesian troops had been considered imminent since a United Nations transition team formally took control of East Timor earlier this week.
The U-N is to oversee the transition to independence for the territory, which will probably take two or three years.
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