Refugees face starvation in West Timor<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang<\/p>\n
Some 1,480 East Timorese families taking refuge in Noelbaki, a
\nremote village in Kupang regency, face the possibility of
\nstarvation after their farmland was damaged by a flood that hit
\nthe village recently and several charitable foundations stopped
\ngiving aid to the refugees.<\/p>\n
Many women and under-age refugees have moved to Kupang, the
\nEast Nusa Tenggara provincial capital, to beg in housing
\ncomplexes, markets and government offices to survive the economic
\nhardship.<\/p>\n
The increasing number of East Timorese beggars in the city has
\ncaused problems for the local administration and the city's
\nresidents, especially since many of them have become involved in
\ntheft and extortion, and majority of them sleep on verandas of
\nshops and of government offices at night.<\/p>\n
The displaced East Timorese are shocked at the government's
\ndecision to stop humanitarian aid, in the form of money and rice,
\nas of Jan. 1, 2002.<\/p>\n
\"We have no hope. Our world looks feels a prison in which we
\ncan't do anything to control our own lives. We are now waiting
\nfor God's help to save us from the threat of starvation,\" Zeka
\nMudjiano Lay, coordinator of the refugees in the village, said in
\nan interview with The Jakarta Post recently.<\/p>\n
Zeka, a resident of Lospalos in East Timor, said the refugees
\ncould not survive on Rp 45,000 and 12 kilograms of rice per
\nperson per month and their living conditions would worsen if the
\ngovernment went ahead with its decision to stop aid to East
\nTimorese refugees in the province.<\/p>\n
\"The refugees sold their livestock such as chickens, goats and
\npigs to cover their daily needs and to celebrate Christmas.
\nAfterward, we don't know what we'll to do and, I think, the
\nrefugees will be a serious problem for the local community and
\nthe administration,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Previously, the refugees enjoyed free health services provided
\nby the foundations, but these have since been terminated for
\nunclear reasons.<\/p>\n
\"We are refugees, but we are also human beings who need a
\ndecent life,\" said Zeka, who looked distressed.<\/p>\n
Zeka's disappointment is justified. Since the Office of the
\nUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stopped its
\naid in October 2000, all forms of health services previously
\nrendered by the foundations and the local administration have
\nbeen terminated.<\/p>\n
As a result, there are no doctors or nurses at the public
\nhealth center. If a refugee needs medical attention, he or she
\nhas to go to private clinics to beg for medical service.<\/p>\n
\"We find it hard to get something to eat, let alone enjoy
\nhealth care. We, therefore, deeply regret that humanitarian
\ninstitutions and the government no longer provide us with health
\nservices,\" Zeka said.<\/p>\n
Simon Sersan, 37, said most refugees wanted to return to East
\nTimor but would not so for fear of being killed or tortured upon
\narrival because there were no security guarantees, either from
\nEast Timor leaders or from UN Transition Administration in East
\nTimor (UNTAET).<\/p>\n
\"Refugees do not believe in East Timor leader (Jose Alexandre)
\nXanana (Gusmao), who visited us recently, because of the lack of
\nreconciliation efforts among warring factions.<\/p>\n
\"Xanana came here recently to reconcile with former leaders of
\nformer pro-Jakarta militias who are taking refuge with us in the
\nprovince. The refugees will follow suit if our leaders return
\nhome,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Simon, who lived in Oekusi in East Timor, said that to resolve
\nthe East Timor issue permanently, religious leaders and UNTAET
\nshould mediate a reconciliation between the two warring factions.<\/p>\n
According to him, the absence of other East Timorese leaders
\n-- such as Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and the East
\nTimor Constitutional Assembly chairman -- in Xanana's entourage
\nshows a lack of political will to resolve the issue permanently
\nand has discouraged refugees to return home.<\/p>\n
Of the 295,000 East Timorese refugees in the province, some
\n140,000 have returned home, thousands have joined the government-
\nsponsored resettlement program and the remaining 143,000 have yet
\nto decide whether they will go back to East Timor or stay in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
The government's decision to stop the humanitarian aid as of
\nJan. 1, 2002 is a bid to speed up the repatriation program.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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