East Timor refugees to join transmigration program<\/p>\n
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Most of the remaining East
\nTimor refugees taking shelter here have chosen to join the local
\ntransmigration program as Indonesian citizens, an official said.<\/p>\n
Vice Governor Johanes Pake Pani told reporters recently an
\nestimated 75,000 refugees would join the resettlement program,
\nwith some already relocated to two transmigration sites in the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
\"These people wish to stay in Indonesia and so far the
\ngovernment has prepared 1,350 houses in Sulamu area in South
\nCentral Timor regency,\" Pani said, adding that the government has
\nplans to build another 7,600 houses.<\/p>\n
Of some 260,000 East Timorese fleeing their violence-ravaged
\nhome soil in September last year, 100,000 are still camping in
\nthe province.<\/p>\n
The government has set a March 31 deadline for the remaining
\nrefugees to choose whether to be repatriated or remain part of
\nIndonesia. The self-determination census, conducted in
\ncooperation with Cendana University, finished on Monday and the
\nresults will be announced next week.<\/p>\n
Pani said the provincial government would ask the United
\nNations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide funds
\nto finance the construction of the houses.<\/p>\n
In the weekly coordination meeting between the local
\ngovernment and the international agencies on Tuesday, Pani asked
\nrepresentatives of the UNHCR to transport 236 families from two
\ncamps here to resettlement areas in Sulamu.<\/p>\n
The UNHCR has yet to respond to the requests, but asserted
\nthat it would help the local government implement the
\nresettlement program. The international body is responsible only
\nfor repatriation of East Timorese.<\/p>\n
Head of the local social services office Yohanes Payong Beda
\nsaid other resettlement areas had been built in Temun in North
\nCentral Timor regency, Ponu in South Central Timor regency and
\nCentral Malaka in Belu regency.<\/p>\n
\"There are 200 houses in Ponu and another 300 in Central
\nMalaka available for the refugees,\" Beda said. He added that over
\nthe past month, the local government had moved almost 1,000
\nrefugees to these areas.<\/p>\n
Recent polls conducted by 30 local reporters revealed that
\nonly 12.24 percent of the refugees wish to return to East Timor,
\n48.55 percent pledge to stay in Indonesia and the rest remain
\nundecided.<\/p>\n
According to the study, nationalism and safety are the reasons
\nfor East Timorese to remain part of Indonesia. Those who have not
\ndecided say they are waiting for surety in East Timor.<\/p>\n
The landmark plebiscite in East Timor last August resulted in
\noverwhelming rejection of Indonesia's autonomy offer, ending 23
\nyears of Indonesian rule over the former Portuguese colony. (dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/east-timor-refugees-to-join-transmigration-program-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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