Minister's helicopter makes emergency landing<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang<\/p>\n
The helicopter carrying Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar
\nChamsyah and his entourage developed mechanical trouble and was
\nforced to make an emergency landing in Soe, about 100 kilometers
\nfrom Kupang in western Timor on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The accident took place 30 minutes after the helicopter, which
\nwas supposed to take the minister and his entourage to visit East
\nTimorese refugees in Atambua, took off from El Tari air port in
\nKupang.<\/p>\n
Everybody was safe in the helicopter, however, the minister's
\nschedule to meet the thousands of East Timorese in Atambua, Belu
\nregency, East Nusa Tenggara was disrupted and later canceled.<\/p>\n
The minister's entourage included head of the Udayana Military
\nCommand, Maj.Gen. Willem T. da Costa and East Nusa Tenggara
\nGovernor Piet A. Tallo.<\/p>\n
Local military spokesman Maj. Longginus, told The Jakarta Post
\nin Kupang that the mechanical failure might have been due to
\nmetal fatigue (of the engine) or to bad weather.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the spokesman for East Nusa Tenggara province,
\nJohanis Kosapilawan, said that the minister was eager to inspect
\nthe refugees in Atambua and hold a dialog with them.<\/p>\n
\"But the plan was disrupted. The minister was terribly shocked
\nand decided to return to Jakarta\" said Kosapilawan the helicopter
\npilot.<\/p>\n
The pilot added that he had sent a message to the Search and
\nRescue team at 7:30 local time reporting the trouble.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Minister Bachtiar earlier denied Willem's recent
\nstatement that the government would extend the financial and rice
\naid for East Timorese refugees until January, 2002, saying there
\nwas no reason for the government to do so.<\/p>\n
\"The government will go ahead with its decision to stop the
\nfinancial and rice assistance for the refugees (this month)
\nbecause of the economic problems the nation is facing,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Quoting Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Yusuf
\nKalla, Willem said over the weekend that the government would
\nlikely extend the aid until January 2002 to give more time for
\nrefugees to decide whether they would stay in Indonesia or return
\nto their homeland in East Timor.<\/p>\n
Over the last two years, the government, with a large amount
\nof assistance from international agencies as well as the
\nAustralian government, has been distributing Rp 1,500 and 400
\ngrams of rice per person per day. So far, some 145,000 refugees
\nhave returned to their homeland while the remaining 140,000 are
\nstill living in numerous refugee camps throughout the region.<\/p>\n
East Timor leader Jose Alexandre Xanana Gusmao's recent visit
\nto the province has so far failed to encourage great numbers of
\nthe remaining refugees to go back home, which is due in large
\npart to the fact that a permanent reconciliation process has not
\nyet begun among rival groups.<\/p>\n
The refugees have been offered some Rp 775,000 and in-kind aid
\nper family for those who choose to return home but not many have
\nseemed willing to take the offer, as yet.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar said the government wanted all refugees to go back
\nhome \"but it will respect their right to stay in Indonesia
\nbecause they are still Indonesian.\"<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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