Central govt urged to help refugees

Central govt urged to help refugees

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor
Piet Tallo expressed concern on Wednesday over the plight of East
Timor refugees currently living in various areas in NTT province.

According to Tallo, thousands of East Timor refugees are
currently suffering from lack of clean water and food due to
prolonged drought. The provincial government would help the
refugees ease their problems, but actually the central government
bears more responsibility over the plight of the refugees, said
Tallo.

Tens of thousands of East Timor refugees flocked to NTT and
other Indonesian territories in 1999 after Dili, the capital of
East Timor, which was burned down by Indonesian soldiers
following a referendum in the tiny country, that marked the
separation of East Timor from Indonesia. -- JP