Asylum seekers weighing options

Asylum seekers weighing options

JAKARTA (JP): Nine East Timorese who have been camped out at the Australian Embassy for the past nine days continued to ponder their future yesterday after Canberra rejected their bids for asylum.

Embassy spokesperson Joanne Eyre told The Jakarta Post that the Timorese were now weighing their options after being told that their request had been denied.

She explained that the seven men and two women "provided no basis" for consideration for asylum, thus leaving themselves open to the possibilities of either going to Portugal, applying for an Australian visa, or leaving the embassy.

The East Timorese entered the embassy compound by scaling the fences on Feb. 7 and requested asylum in Australia.

Their move extends the number of East Timorese "fence jumpers" who have been seeking political asylum at various embassies.

In the past six months, some 68 East Timorese, by lodging themselves in various embassies in Jakarta, have received passage to Portugal after having their initial requests for asylum rejected by the embassies' respective governments.

Eyre said the nine East Timorese in the Australian Embassy were aware of the possibility of seeking shelter to Portugal, but they had made no decision yet.

"It could take a long time before they do come to a decision," she added.

She nevertheless refuted rumors suggesting the East Timorese planned to stay in the embassy until the Australian elections scheduled for March 2 to make their point to Australian voters.

"It (the suggestion) is not based on fact," she said.

She added that the embassy was in contact with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) officials who were overseeing their welfare.

While recognizing the 1976 integration of the former Portuguese colony as Indonesia's 27th province, Australia remains one of the strongest critics of Jakarta's policies in East Timor.

Australia continues to be a popular refuge for East Timorese dissidents leaving the country. (mds)