East Timorese to decide status by December<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang<\/p>\n
Along with government aid for the 290,000 East Timorese
\nremaining in Indonesia being discontinued at the end of December,
\nthe refugee status for people now living in West Timor will also
\nbe canceled.<\/p>\n
\"This means that on Jan. 1, 2002, the 290,000 East Timor
\nrefugees will have been registered as Indonesian citizens who
\nabide by Indonesian laws,\" East Nusa Tenggara deputy governor
\nYohanis Pake Pani said on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"However, the option is still open for those who want to
\nreturn to East Timor at a later time to do so. The government of
\nIndonesia will help them in such a way that they will be exempted
\nfrom immigration requirements, such as passports,\" Pake Pani
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to Pake Pani, the cancellation of their refugee
\nstatus would help the Indonesian government arrange resettlement
\nprograms for the people, who have been living in refugee camps in
\nWest Timor and depending on both UN High Commission of Refugees
\n(UNHCR) and government aid for almost two years.<\/p>\n
When violence erupted after the United Nations-backed East
\nTimor referendum in 1999, at least 500,000 East Timorese fled
\ninto West Timor.<\/p>\n
The government of Indonesia conducted a registration program
\nin June, giving the refugees the choice of either keeping their
\nIndonesian citizenship and staying in Indonesia, or returning to
\nEast Timor.<\/p>\n
The result was that only 1,250 people opted to return to East
\nTimor.<\/p>\n
Records kept by the East Timorese Refugee Resettlement Office
\nin Kupang indicate that at least 8,000 people have returned to
\nEast Timor, or 6,750 more than previously registered.<\/p>\n
\"The number is expected to increase. Many of them want to
\ncelebrate Christmas and New Year with their families now living
\nin East Timor. This may encourage them to go to East Timor for
\ngood and join their relatives there,\" an official at the refugee
\nresettlement office, Arifin Arto, said.<\/p>\n
\"All of the 8,000 people have returned to East Timor by land
\ntransportation, via Motaain and Sahlele districts in the regency
\nof Belu, East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
\"Another 2,000 people from the regency of Ainaro, including
\nformer Mahidi (a military-backed militia) commander Nomencio
\nLopes de Carvalho, will leave for East Timor soon,\" Arifin said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/east-timorese-to-decide-status-by-december-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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