Workers need safety to help refugees<\/p>\n
The government must uphold the Geneva Convention on victims of
\narmed conflict by guaranteeing the safety of humanitarian
\nworkers, enabling them to help hundreds of thousands of refugees
\nin East Timor, says sociologist and secretary-general of the
\nofficial National Commission on Violence Against Women Kamala
\nChandrakirana in an interview with The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Question: What is the latest estimate of the number of
\nrefugees in East Timor?<\/p>\n
Answer: Inside East Timor, we have no way of knowing, but we
\nestimate it is in the hundreds of thousands. I would say that all
\npeople who are not militia members should be considered refugees
\nbecause they are all in hiding. They have left their homes and
\nsettlements to seek protection in the hills. There is no access
\nto food, clean water, medical aid or shelter.<\/p>\n
The biggest problem is that no humanitarian or social
\norganizations have access to East Timor, and this is partly the
\nconsequence of a military state of emergency being declared in
\nEast Timor.<\/p>\n
Both physical and communication access have been denied.<\/p>\n
Outside East Timor, the official estimate was 150,696
\ndisplaced persons as of Sept. 15, half in Atambua (on the East
\nNusa Tenggara side of the border with East Timor).<\/p>\n
Q: How secure are the refugees?<\/p>\n
A: Many camps are controlled by armed militias. There is a sense
\nof fear, and we have seen no effort to disarm (these militias).<\/p>\n
In East Timor, security is still a very big problem. There
\ncontinues to be a situation of war... Even though people are
\nsheltering close to (armed proindependence group) Falintil, this
\nis no guarantee. They will either die from bullets, machetes or
\nstarvation.<\/p>\n
The few humanitarian workers based in Atambua and Kupang (East
\nNusa Tenggara) work under duress and intimidation. The militias
\nand the military, by allowing the militias to roam, are
\nrestricting their access to refugees.<\/p>\n
Internally displaced people are basically victims of war. In
\nany war, based on the (1949) Geneva Convention, there is a code
\nof conduct and a code of ethics on the treatment of innocent
\nvictims; they have the fundamental right to continue living, and
\nin that sense to be given food, safety and shelter.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, this is a situation of war and these rights have
\nnot been fulfilled.<\/p>\n
Q: The authorities have announced a program to resettle the
\nrefugees.<\/p>\n
A: They are not transmigrants, moving by choice. They were forced
\nto leave. We are worried that the government's efforts are
\ndirected toward transmigration. In Buton Island (Southeast
\nSulawesi), the local government thought transmigration would
\nresolve the issue of displaced persons from Ambon. If officials
\nhad asked the people, they would have found that they were not
\nall farmers. Some were teachers, others were traders.<\/p>\n
The idea of applying the concept of transmigration for
\ninternally displaced persons, who are victims of violence looking
\nfor protection, is totally wrong.<\/p>\n
Most refugees don't want to stay outside of East Timor. They
\njust went through the process of voting, and they left because
\notherwise they would have died.<\/p>\n
(Enabling them to return) is our responsibility. The popular
\nconsultation was held with the full support of the government,
\nand we have the responsibility to ensure the result of their
\nvotes becomes reality. Right now we are doing everything but
\nthat.<\/p>\n
We respect the efforts of the local government of East Nusa
\nTenggara (to help the refugees), and they should be given more
\nsupport by the central government. There is still a big problem
\nin coordinating (relief efforts); this is something new for all
\nof us. We suddenly have more than 150,000 people in fear of
\nroaming armed militias. Locals in East Nusa Tenggara are also
\nscared and wondering why their community is suddenly becoming a
\nplace of terror.<\/p>\n
Q: Has your commission requested help from the United Nations
\nHigh Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)?<\/p>\n
A: The UNHCR has indicated it wants to help, but (in a
\npreliminary visit to East Nusa Tenggara) they were attacked. As
\nthey don't have a security guarantee, we cannot expect their
\npeople to work there. The ball is in the court of the government
\nand military to allow this to happen. They have to guarantee
\nhumanitarian workers access to refugees to begin saving lives.<\/p>\n
Q: Would it be better to send food aid by land or air?<\/p>\n
A: With air drops, refugees would not feel secure that they would
\nnot be killed if they went to pick up the aid.<\/p>\n
Q: Why is the National Commission on Violence Against Women
\ntaking up the issue of refugees?<\/p>\n
A: It is based on our assessment that we should take a position
\nin situations of conflict, such as in Aceh, Ambon and Kalimantan.
\nIn armed conflicts we focus on the victims, the majority of whom
\nwho are consistently women and children. Those returning from
\nEast Timor have confirmed it has been babies who have died first
\nof starvation. It is the dry season now, they have no food; there
\nis also little that is edible in the forests (of East Timor).<\/p>\n
While people are debating peacekeeping forces, every single
\nday there is no decision regarding humanitarian workers in East
\nTimor, so many people are dying. Babies, children and pregnant
\nwomen are among the most vulnerable.<\/p>\n
Q: Are you optimistic the arrival of peacekeeping forces will
\nrestore peace and order to the territory?<\/p>\n
A: We are not optimistic, but it is our only hope.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/workers-need-safety-to-help-refugees-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }