Belu people criticize E.Timor visa ruling<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
People in the East Timor regency of Belu expressed
\ndisappointment over the country's recent ruling to impose a US$25
\nvisa on visitors from Indonesia, which it borders.<\/p>\n
A number of local figures warned on Tuesday that the visa
\nruling, which took effect on April 19, would burden East Timor
\nmore than it would Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Belu resident and local figure Nikolaus Tnano estimated the
\nvisa ruling would have little impact on the life of people in
\nBelu.<\/p>\n
\"Don't think that by asking for a $25 visa it would hurt East
\nNusa Tenggara people living close to the border,\" said Nikolaus,
\nas quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
East Timorese, meanwhile, must pay around $30 to get a visa to
\nenter Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Nikolaus said that most people who traveled to East Timor did
\nso because they had family members in that country. There were
\nonly a few of them, he said.<\/p>\n
But he said that the visa ruling would hurt trading activities
\nbetween the two countries. \"People in East Timor will have
\ndifficulty in buying basic commodities.\"<\/p>\n
He explained that many traders from Indonesia sold their
\nproducts in East Timor. Villages along the borders of East Timor,
\nhe said, depended on food supplies from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Another local figure, David Manek, expressed his
\ndisappointment, with a similar warning to East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"The people and the government of East Timor shouldn't think
\nthat people in Belu have a keen interest in going to East Timor,
\nand so become anxious because of the visa ruling,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Belu resident Gregorius M. Fernandez said the visa ruling
\nwould affect East Timorese living close to the border.<\/p>\n
\"The government of East Timor may be seeking to get some extra
\nincome through the visitor visas, but this ruling is hurting the
\nmajority of small people in the villages,\" said Gregorius, who
\nworks for the UNICEF office in East Timor.<\/p>\n
East Timor broke away from Indonesia in 1999 when a UN-backed
\nreferendum resulted in the people overwhelmingly voting for
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
Four years later, the former province is struggling to raise
\nfunds as it still relies on development aid from international
\nagencies.<\/p>\n
Border security, meanwhile, remains slack. An immigration
\nofficial at the Indonesian border town of Atambua said people
\nfrom either country often crossed the border without bothering to
\nshow their passport. Many of these people, he said, did not even
\nhave a passport in which to stamp a visa.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/belu-people-criticize-etimor-visa-ruling-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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