Megawati meets E. Timorese refugees<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Holding back tears after receiving an emotional
\nwelcome, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri talked with East
\nTimor refugees in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara, to get firsthand
\ninformation on their plight.<\/p>\n
Hordes of refugees surrounded the vice president when she
\narrived at a camp in the small border town in Belu district. Many
\nnot only shook her hand but readily kissed it as a sign of
\nrespect.<\/p>\n
Megawati arrived in Atambua on Wednesday for a brief visit to
\nreview the refugee situation.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by an entourage, which included Coordinating
\nMinister for Political Affairs and Security Gen. Wiranto,
\nCoordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty
\nEradication Hamzah Haz, Minister of Education Yahya Muhaimin and
\nMinister of Settlement and Territorial Development Erna Witoelar,
\nshe arrived on her one-day visit after a stopover in the
\nprovincial capital of Kupang where she was briefed by Governor
\nPiet Tallo.<\/p>\n
Tallo told the vice president that despite the limited
\nresources of the province, everyone was doing their best to
\nwelcome and help the refugees.<\/p>\n
"Although 52.59 percent of 3.5 million people in East Nusa
\nTenggara are still living below the poverty line, we are still
\nable to help them," he said.<\/p>\n
According to Tallo, the number of refugees in the province had
\nsteadily declined from 270,000 to 197,000.<\/p>\n
About 145,000 of them are sheltered in Belu district, Antara
\nreported from Kupang.<\/p>\n
He revealed that some 60 percent of the pledged Rp 32 billion
\nin donations for refugees had been received by the province.
\n(mds)<\/p>",
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