Another E. Timor disaster<\/p>\n
The violent way with which Indonesia got rid of East Timor
\nlast year is likely to haunt the nation for many years to come.
\nAs Indonesia faces international demands for a war crime tribunal
\nto try its military leaders, another East Timor humanitarian
\ndisaster of horrendous proportion looms large again this week
\nwhich could prove to be a major embarrassment for the country.
\nIndonesia has announced that after Friday, it will no longer
\nprovide relief aid to around 100,000 East Timorese still
\nlanguishing in refugee camps in the western half of Timor island.<\/p>\n
Considering the extensive damage that Indonesia caused during
\nits 24 years of illegal occupation of the territory, one suspects
\nthat the East Timor issue will continue to dog Indonesia. The
\nrefugee problem, in all probability, will prove to be just the
\ntip of the iceberg as we pay the price of the mistakes past
\nregimes committed in East Timor.<\/p>\n
The East Timorese refugees have been told that they have until
\nMarch 31 to decide whether to return to their homeland or accept
\nthe offer of Indonesian citizenship and be resettled elsewhere in
\nthe archipelago. The termination of the government's relief
\noperation means the refugee camps will soon be closed down, and
\ntheir inhabitants moved out, one way or another.<\/p>\n
This is indeed a tough choice to make for the refugees. While
\nmost undoubtedly want to go back to their homeland, almost every
\none of them has nothing to go home to, or to look forward to. And
\nhaving voted for independence, it is inconceivable that they
\nwould want to take up Jakarta's offer of citizenship.<\/p>\n
East Timor was ravaged by violence which erupted after the
\nAug. 30 ballot that saw the majority opting for independence. The
\ndestruction, perpetrated by pro-Indonesia East Timorese but
\nallegedly with direct or indirect support of the Indonesian
\nMilitary, was so complete that there is virtually nothing left of
\nthe towns and villages in the new independent country. Not only
\ndo the East Timorese refugees have no jobs to go back to, they
\nalso have no roofs over their heads if they do decide to go back.<\/p>\n
Not surprisingly, many East Timorese have chosen to stay in
\nrefugee camps, even with all the discomforts, rather than face
\nthe uncertainty of returning to their homeland. Many who did
\nreturn have subsequently crossed the Indonesian border back, and
\nhave chosen to live, for the time being, in the refugee camps.<\/p>\n
The issue of the East Timor refugees, just as with all people
\ndisplaced by war, is an international problem. The solution, or
\nrather the burden, therefore, must be borne by the international
\ncommunity. Indeed, massive international aid has been pouring in
\nsince October. But East Timor is primarily the responsibility of
\nIndonesia, if only because the September violence could, and
\nshould, have been prevented by Indonesia. If Indonesia now finds
\nthat it has had to shoulder the larger share of the burden, then
\nit only has itself, or rather its past leaders, to blame.<\/p>\n
To Indonesia's credit, it has, until today, lived up to its
\nresponsibility in caring for the East Timor refugees. But there
\nis also a limit to its resources, especially when the country has
\nhundreds of thousands of other refugees displaced by violence in
\nAmbon, North Maluku, West Kalimantan and Aceh. The East Nusa
\nTenggara provincial administration, which oversees the western
\nhalf of Timor island, has now been told by the central
\nadministration in Jakarta that as of April 1 no more money will
\nforthcoming for the East Timor refugees. The provincial
\nadministration in turn gave the ultimatum to the refugees to make
\ntheir choice.<\/p>\n
With only three days before the deadline, we hope that the
\ngovernment, particularly the East Nusa Tenggara provincial
\nadministration, will show more wisdom and compassion in dealing
\nwith this sensitive issue. Carrying out its threat to forcefully
\nremove the refugees, or simply neglecting their needs, would turn
\nthe refugee problem into another major humanitarian disaster.<\/p>\n
He who sows the wind shall reap the whirlwind, so the saying
\ngoes. The East Timor refugee problem was largely Indonesia's
\ndoing. The failure of the government, or rather the military, to
\nlive up to its international responsibility after the ballot last
\nyear has wrought a very high price. It is just as well that the
\nEast Timorese are not asking for war reparations, which could
\nhave been well within their rights. But the refugee problem is
\none that Indonesia has to address. Considering the damage it
\ncaused, can Indonesia seriously claim today that it has done
\nenough for the East Timorese refugees, and stop further relief
\naid to them?<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/another-e-timor-disaster-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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