Dutch give E. Timorese speedy flight<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Four East Timorese left for Portugal via
\nAmsterdam only hours after they entered the Dutch embassy here on
\nMonday, the quickest asylum seekers to have left the country in
\nthe recent spate of break-ins since last September.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, another group of four East Timorese at the
\nAustralian embassy broke the record yesterday for the longest
\never hold-out when they began their second week in the compound.<\/p>\n
They are the survivors of a group which previously consisted
\nof nine people; the other five had left the embassy citing health
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
The East Timorese who left on Monday entered the Dutch Embassy
\ncompound on Jl. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, in the morning and
\nleft less than 10 hours later to board a KLM flight bound for
\nAmsterdam. This is the third time in six-months that East
\nTimorese asylum seekers have entered the Dutch embassy compound.<\/p>\n
It was the fastest departure in the recent wave of asylum
\nbids. The record was previously held by two Timorese who entered
\nthe French embassy on Feb. 9 and left the next day.<\/p>\n
With the departure they increased to 72 the number of East
\nTimorese who have left for Portugal since mid-September after
\ntheir initial requests for asylum to other countries were
\nrejected.<\/p>\n
The longest hold-out was previously made by 29 East Timorese
\nyouths who \"resided\" at the United States embassy for 13-days
\nduring the week of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit
\nhere in November 1994. Their demand for asylum to the U.S. was
\nrejected and they opted for Portugal instead.<\/p>\n
The East Timorese at the Australian embassy entered by scaling
\nthe mission's fences on Feb. 7.<\/p>\n
The embassy has rejected their demands saying that there was
\nno basis for asylum, and offered the option of either applying
\nfor a visa or going to Portugal.<\/p>\n
Five of them left the embassy on Sunday. Three of them had to
\nbe immediately admitted to hospital after undertaking a two-day
\nhunger strike, while the other two left the embassy in order to
\naccompany their friends.<\/p>\n
Informed sources say that at least three of them have been
\nquestioned by the police.<\/p>\n
While recognizing East Timor's integration as Indonesia's 27th
\nprovince, Australia has remained one of Jakarta's harshest
\ncritics on its policies in the former Portuguese colony and home
\nfor many anti-integration activists.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, AFP reported from Vatican City on Tuesday that a
\nsenior papal envoy was scheduled to visit Indonesia, including
\nEast Timor, and meet with President Soeharto and other civilian
\nand military officials.<\/p>\n
Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, who is head of the Pontifical
\nCouncil for Justice and Peace was due to arrive yesterday. He is
\nalso expected to meet East Timor Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes
\nBelo. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dutch-give-e-timorese-speedy-flight-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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