ABRI denies East Timorese claim of rights violations
ABRI denies East Timorese claim of rights violations
JAKARTA (JP): A group of East Timorese demonstrated outside
the National Commission on Human Rights yesterday alleging human
rights abuses by the military.
The Armed Forces immediately denied the accusation by the
Association of Iliomar Students and Youths that the military had
forcibly isolated residents of Iliomar district in Lautem
regency.
"It's not true that the security authorities isolated or
placed the residents in quarantine," Armed Forces (ABRI)
spokesman Brig. Gen. Wahab Mokodongan was quoted by Antara as
saying. However, he said he would order an investigation into the
report.
"We will check whether any policies being applied there are
not suitable."
The news agency did not explain the purpose of the alleged
isolation, saying only that 20 East Timorese students rallied
outside the rights commission's office waving banners with
slogans such as Stop Military Operations in East Timor.
The youths also urged the government to free political
prisoners.
They were received by commission members B.N. Marbun and
Soegiri.
East Timor integrated into Indonesia in 1976, but the United
Nations does not recognize the move and considers Lisbon the
administering power over the former Portuguese colony.
Reuters quoted East Timor Governor Abilio Soares as
acknowledging that the residents were suffering the effects of a
prolonged dry season but claims made by separatist leaders that
the residents were facing "mass starvation" were false.
"While acknowledging that food shortages exist in selected
areas, the provincial government wishes to make it known that
rumors of 'mass starvation' are completely untrue and bear no
semblance whatsoever to the situation on the ground," Soares
said.
Like much of the eastern area of the Indonesian archipelago,
East Timor is suffering a drought compounded by the impact of the
El Nino weather phenomenon, Soares said.
"The government is treating this problem with the seriousness
it deserves... Despite lower crop yields, it has not come close
to what has been described as mass starvation."
The government has provided food assistance to those worst hit
as well as agricultural equipment and seeds. And communities have
been encouraged to make use of alternative resources such as
fishery.
Antara also reported yesterday that Canada had expressed its
readiness to help resolve the food shortage in East Kalimantan,
which was struggling with drought, forest fires and the economic
crisis.
The Jakarta chapter of the Rio Tinto welfare organization is
still lobbying several foreign missions including the Scottish
and Dutch embassies and international welfare institutions in
Jakarta to help inhabitants in the province, its chairman John
Van de Linden said here Monday.
As of April 2, about 180,000 hectares of forest in East
Kalimantan have been burned while 15,000 ha of agricultural land
were barren, causing a total loss of Rp 3.133 trillion.
About 149,234 inhabitants in Kutai district are facing a food
crisis due to the natural catastrophe, Linden said after handing
over 100 tons of rice to East Kalimantan's Kutai district
authorities for residents.
Three large lakes -- namely Jempang (15,000 ha), Semayang
(13,000 ha) and Malintang (11,000 ha) have also dried up.
Humanitarian assistance from foreign bodies has been flown to
East Kalimantan. And Australian Ambassador John McCarthy, during
his visit to Balikpapan last March, extended US$8 million in aid.
(swe)