Air Force shifts policy on Interfet's plane restriction<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Air Force operational commander for Eastern
\nIndonesia Rear Marshall Ian Santoso overturned his earlier
\nstatement on Thursday, and suggested that International Force for
\nEast Timor (Interfet) air force pilots submit their flight
\nschedule before they fly over the skies of the troubled
\nterritory, Antara reported from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
\"If the Interfet pilots fail to submit their flight schedule,
\nthey will not be granted any flying permits,\" Ian told the media,
\nafter installing a new chief of Banjarmasin air force base.<\/p>\n
Ian said the issuance of flying authorization for Interfet
\npilots was based on a consideration that the Indonesian Air Force
\nwas ready to face any possible threats or conflicts.<\/p>\n
\"Interfet's Air Force Commander (chief Commodore McLennan)
\nsaid he had agreed to give their flying schedule,\" Ian said.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Wednesday, the Indonesian rear marshal had a brief
\nmeeting with McLennan, in which he rejected a request from
\nInterfet to let its pilots fly over East Timor, following the
\nfatal shooting of an Indonesian police officer on Sunday in the
\nEast Timorese border town of Montael in East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Ian also warned Interfet pilots not to persist in making
\nattempts to fly over the disputed territory.<\/p>\n
The news agency also reported on Thursday that East Timorese
\nindependence leader Jose Alexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao will return
\nhome next week for the first time in seven years.<\/p>\n
Xanana, who has not set foot in East Timor since his arrest by
\nthe Indonesian government in November, 1992, will return with the
\ntask of rebuilding the shattered territory.<\/p>\n
\"I am planning to go (to East Timor) next week,\" he told
\nreporters on Thursday, after meeting with Australian Prime
\nMinister John Howard. But he did not announce an actual date.<\/p>\n
Xanana is expected to become the first leader of an
\nindependent East Timor. He has spent nearly six and a half years
\nin a Jakarta jail after leading a guerrilla war against
\nIndonesian rule.<\/p>\n
He was granted house arrest in February this year and was
\nfinally granted freedom on Sept. 7, just over a week after East
\nTimor voted overwhelmingly to cut ties with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Xanana also said on Thursday he was about to discuss plans for
\nthe UN administration of East Timor with UN Mission in East Timor
\n(UNAMET) chief Ian Martin. The talks are expected to start in the
\nnorthern Australian city of Darwin on Friday.<\/p>\n
In a related development, more than 200,000 East Timorese
\nrefugees sheltering in camps in West Timor are now in a critical
\ncondition and need greater and faster support from the government
\nand from non-governmental institutions.<\/p>\n
\"Many refugees, especially those living in small camps far
\naway from district capitals, have received no assistance at all
\nand are now in a critical condition. They seriously need external
\nsupport,\" James L. Tumbuan, director of humanitarian aid agency
\nWorld Vision Indonesia, said in a statement, of which copies were
\nmade available to the press.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
\nhas established a tracing office in Dili. It aims to provide
\ntelecommunication channels for hundreds of separated East
\nTimorese family members desperate to reestablish contact with
\ntheir loved ones, an ICRC statement said on Thursday. (edt\/imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/air-force-shifts-policy-on-interfets-plane-restriction-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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