Kefa a comfortable and safe place to take refuge<\/p>\n
By Jupriadi<\/p>\n
KEFA, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): This small town in the North
\nCentral Timor regency of East Nusa Tenggara is the third biggest
\nrefugee center after Atambua and Kupang.<\/p>\n
Official figures show that as of Sept. 23, the number of
\nrefugees flocking to this town, located some 196 km north of
\nKupang, stood at 6,517 families or 28,460 people, greater in
\nnumber than its own population of 27,891 people.<\/p>\n
It is expected that the number could swell if security in the
\nrefugee camps along the border area of Atambua, now a shooting
\nvenue for both proindependence and prointegration militias,
\nworsens.<\/p>\n
Why is Kefa so \"popular\"? Firstly, it only takes two hours of
\nan overland trip and secondly, it is home to the Naen refugee
\ncamp, which is now the best refugee camp in East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
The 20 hectare Naen camp, located in the Kefamenani
\nsubdistrict some 6 km east of Kefa, now accommodates some 8,000
\nrefugees. It is better equipped than other camps in the Kupang
\nmunicipality, those of Noelbaki, Baubau, Naibonat, Soe and even
\nAtambua.<\/p>\n
The Naen camp, located near a river with flowing pristine
\nwater, is provided with medical and semipermanent residential
\nfacilities. 11 doctors from the Association of Medical Doctors of
\nAsia-Indonesia (AMDA-Indonesia), made up of various medical
\nspecialists from Hasanuddin University in Ujungpandang, South
\nSulawesi, are on duty 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n
Within the first five days of their assignment at this refugee
\ncamp, these medical specialists made a lot of progress as they
\ncould cut by 30 percent some 150 cases of illnesses found in the
\ncamp, such as malaria, diarrhea and infections of the respiratory
\ntract.<\/p>\n
Apart from a well-equipped medical team, the Naen refugee camp
\nhas also received aid from various domestic and foreign non-
\ngovernmental organizations such as Unicef, Care and MSFB in the
\nform of clean water facilities, supplies of daily necessities,
\ntents and mats.<\/p>\n
According to Dr. Valens Parera, head of the health service of
\nNorth Central Timor, this camp has been specially designed as a
\nmodel refugee camp.<\/p>\n
Jointly managed by various government agencies like the social
\naffairs ministry, the health ministry, the public works ministry
\nand the North Central Timor regency administration, this camp is
\ndesigned such that it, hopefully, will not create envy among the
\nlocal inhabitants.<\/p>\n
\"The design began when the influx of refugees got bigger and
\nbigger,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Therefore, Naen has become a favorite destination among
\nrefugees. Da Silva, 27, for example, said that he had moved from
\nthe refugee camp set up at Haliwen mini stadium n Atambua because
\nNaen offered better facilities, especially in terms of health and
\nfood.<\/p>\n
As a greater number of refugees have moved to Naen, Kefa has
\nnow become the most densely populated town in the North Central
\nTimor regency. This town, otherwise quiet and lonely, has become
\ncrowded and noisy.<\/p>\n
Traffic in the town, whose population density is recorded at
\n353 people\/square km, has become unusually busy with buses and
\nmotorized vehicles carrying refugees from Dili and also with
\nconvoys of military troops.<\/p>\n
\"We never thought that refugees would be coming to Naen in
\nsuch great numbers,\" said North Central Timor regent, Anton
\nAmaunut. He said that the regency administration had found it
\ndifficult to cope with all the refugees.<\/p>\n
Apart from a limited fund, the regency administration has
\nfound it difficult to make available at least 15,000 blankets,
\ntents and household utensils.<\/p>\n
With the presence of the refugees, Kefa is now no longer as
\ncomfortable and safe as it was. As some of the refugees are
\nmilitiamen, they often create disorder and disturbances in the
\ntown.<\/p>\n
Some refugees tout crude guns and sharp weapons, causing fear
\nand apprehension among the locals.<\/p>\n
\"Since the arrival of the refugees, locals are now afraid to
\nleave town,\" Imelda Berek, 24, an employee at the Kefa branch
\noffice of state telecommunications company Telkom said.<\/p>\n
Town residents have been gripped by rumors that the
\nproindependence militias had left their hideouts in the
\nmountains, entered the border area and had waged terror.<\/p>\n
Kefa is also a transit town for the families of members of the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) and the Indonesian Police Force from
\nOekusi, East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"We have heard that (East Timorese proindependence militia)
\nFalintil will enter the town and kidnap families of TNI and the
\npolice. We hope that they will not kidnap the wrong people,\" said
\nRamil, a peddler selling sundries at Pasar Lama market in Kefa.<\/p>\n
On Sept. 19, a group of angry youths of Kefa went to the local
\npolice and lodged a strong protest because the police had let the
\nmilitias and refugees fire their guns in the air. The sound of
\ngunshots caused panic among the town residents.<\/p>\n
Tension continued as the next day a Kefa resident, Dom Rubi,
\n25, died from a stab wound. The townspeople grew angry. They
\nbarricaded roads and checked on every passerby.<\/p>\n
Responding to persisting rumors about impending attacks on the
\nrefugees, the North Central Timor regent called on Kefa residents
\nto confine themselves to their homes from 6.00 p.m.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kefa-a-comfortable-and-safe-place-to-take-refuge-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}