8,000 East Timor families opt to stay
8,000 East Timor families opt to stay
Yemris Fointuna
The Jakarta Post
Kupang
At least 8,000 East Timorese families seeking refuge in West
Timor had decided to stay in Indonesia, a local military
commander said Thursday.
The government was now preparing a transmigration scheme and
developing housing complexes for them, Kupang military chief Col.
Moeswarno Moesanip said.
The housing complexes are located on several islands,
including Sumba, Flores, Timor and Alor.
"Once the construction of the houses is completed the refugees
will be asked to move to their new locations."
He called on the families to register for either resettlement
or transmigration programs immediately.
Moeswarno warned the refugees that facilities such as water,
electricity and health services would end on Dec. 31 due to
financial constraints.
He said there were currently around 10,000 East Timorese
families in Indonesia's West Timor.
Moeswarno said that of the 8,000 families opting to stay in
Indonesia, 6,000 were military, police and civil servant
families, while the remaining 2,000 families were former members
of pro-Jakarta militias.
"At least 8,000 families have opted to be Indonesian citizens
and they will not return to East Timor."
Meanwhile, hundreds of refugees went to the office of East
Nusa Tenggara Governor Piet Tallo on Thursday to urge the
provincial administration to relocate them soon.
Separately, the former chief of the pro-Jakarta Makiki
militia, Lavaek, said all civilian refugees and ex-militiamen
were ready to join resettlement programs.
He said the ex-militiamen from Viqueque district had opted to
move to Sumba island.
Most of the refugees are currently living in the regencies of
Belu, Kupang and North Timor Tengah.
In a related development, Moeswarno said Indonesian security
officers and the United Peace Keeping Force (UNPKF) had agreed to
improve border security after learning that hundreds of East
Timorese had entered Indonesia illegally.
"Since there is an increase of intruders, both sides agreed to
improve monitoring."
The military chief also denied accusations by East Timorese
Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta that the deadly riot in Dili
last week was provoked by former pro-Jakarta militia members.
He said the Indonesian military had received an explanation
from UNPKF officials who said the riot was accidental and would
not expand to other locations.
"That accusation is baseless," Moeswarno added.