UN team assesses situation in E. Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): The United Nations Security
\nCoordination (UNSCOOR) team began on Sunday its assessment of the
\nsecurity condition in East Nusa Tenggara province.<\/p>\n
The results of the evaluation will determine whether
\ninternational humanitarian groups will be willing to resume their
\nwork to help the government cope with East Timor refugees there,
\nafter a lapse following the killing of three UN aid workers last
\nSeptember.<\/p>\n
UNSCOOR chief Richard Manlove said, during a meeting with the
\nlocal authorities, that the results of the week-long work would
\nserve as a reference for the UN to assess the current security
\nstatus of the province.<\/p>\n
The UN increased the security alert status in the province to
\nlevel five after three of its staff engaged in humanitarian work
\ndied in an arson attack on their office here by a group of angry
\nEast Timor refugees.<\/p>\n
The world body withdrew all of its humanitarian workers from
\nthe province afterwards and declared the province as a dangerous
\nplace for UN workers.<\/p>\n
Members of the UNSCOOR team, who represent UN Secretary-
\nGeneral Kofi Annan, have declined special protection from the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI).<\/p>\n
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director for International
\nOrganization Marty Natalegawa, expressed hopes that the UN envoys
\nwould recommend that the alert level would be revoked and
\nreturned to "normal" status.<\/p>\n
"It is hoped that the UN secretary-general will decide to
\nallow aid workers to return to the province," Marty said.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has flexed its muscles to restore
\nsecurity to the province and asked the UN to return there, as it
\nis difficult for Indonesia to take care of some 150,000 refugees
\ncurrently taking shelter in camps across the province.<\/p>\n
In the registration last month, almost 90 percent of the
\nrefugees chose to remain, as Indonesian citizens.<\/p>\n
Provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Jacki Uli and chief of
\nUdayana Military Command overseeing Bali and Nusa Tenggara Maj.
\nGen. Willem da Costa told the UN team during their meeting that
\nthe security situation in the province, especially around the
\nrefugee camps, had been much improved.<\/p>\n
Willem asserted that TNI troops had conducted searches on the
\ndisbanded prointegration fighters and confiscated 49 firearms,
\nhundreds of homemade weapons, 117 live grenades and hundreds of
\nbullets.<\/p>\n
"There are no more firearms in the possession of the refugees.
\nAll have been collected by the security officers. Security and
\norder in the West Timor have been so far under control, with no
\nextraordinary incidents taking place," Willem said in the
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
He told the UN delegates that the Indonesian government had
\ndisbanded the prointegration fighter groups and the members had
\nbeen living as civilians, along with the rest of the refugees.<\/p>\n
Willem also said that the presence of a total of 1,773
\nreinforcement troops would be maintained in the province and the
\nborder area with East Timor.<\/p>\n
Separately, Governor Piet Tallo expressed hopes that the UN
\nteam could work in an objective manner. He added that the UN-
\nsanctioned security status had frightened investors and played
\nhavoc with economic life in the province. (30\/dja)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/un-team-assesses-situation-in-e-nusa-tenggara-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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