Provinces offer a place to call home for refugees<\/p>\n
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Five provinces outside of
\nEast Nusa Tenggara have offered places for East Timor refugees
\nwho have chosen to stay in Indonesia, an official said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Head of the province's Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration
\noffice, Yoseph Setyohadi, identified the provinces as South
\nKalimantan, East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Irian Jaya and
\nMaluku.<\/p>\n
"The East Nusa Tenggara government will follow up the offer as
\nsoon as possible and send the refugees to the new settlement
\nareas," Yoseph said.<\/p>\n
He gave no details about when the refugees would depart for
\ntheir new homes and how many people each province could
\naccommodate.<\/p>\n
Separately, former pro-Jakarta East Timor leader Eurico
\nGuterres demanded that the government act consistently in
\nhandling the refugees.<\/p>\n
He was commenting on certain government officials who
\nexpressed doubts over Jakarta's capability to host all of the
\nEast Timorese who had opted to remain in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Over 98 percent of the 105,800 registrants voted for
\nIndonesian citizenship last month. Of some 250,000 refugees who
\nflocked to West Timor following a rampage of violence in 1999,
\nonly adults were eligible for registration.<\/p>\n
Eurico insisted that the central government immediately
\nproceed with the resettlement program and repatriate those who
\nwished to return to East Timor.<\/p>\n
"Nobody should suspect political maneuvers had a hand in the
\nresults of the registration. None of the refugees were
\nintimidated or forced to stay with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"A lot of funds have been disbursed by both the government and
\ninternational organizations to cope with the refugee problem. But
\nthe matter has worsened now, indicating the presence of dishonest
\npeople who work under the guise of humanitarian causes.<\/p>\n
During his visit to Kupang last week, Coordinating Minister
\nfor Social, Political and Security Affairs Agum Gumelar said the
\ngovernment was determined to take immediate steps toward settling
\nthe issue of East Timorese refugees in West Timor.<\/p>\n
"Their living conditions are very unfavorable. The government
\nwill adopt better measures to relieve their suffering," said Agum
\nafter inspecting refugee camps in Haliwen-Atambua, Belu regency.
\n(30)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/provinces-offer-a-place-to-call-home-for-refugees-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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