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)