Closure of refugee camps in Kupang delayed

Closure of refugee camps in Kupang delayed

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

The central government has relented a little in its approach
toward East Timorese refugees by postponing the planned closure
of refugee camps in East Nusa Tenggara province until December
this year.

But the government has made it clear that there will not be
any repatriation of refugees to the newly established Democratic
Republic of East Timor after August.

Bowing to demands by the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR), the Indonesian government has agreed that
refugees in Kupang will continue to receive aid until the new
deadline passes.

"By Jan. 1, 2003 there will be no more refugees in the
province," East Nusa Tenggara Deputy Governor Johanis Pake Pani
told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

The government decided early this year to close down all
refugee camps in West Timor in August. However, as the deadline
nears and the refugees continue to depend on the government for
financial aid, the government has backed down.

However, Kupang social affairs office chief Stanis Tefa said
on Tuesday that the extended deadline on the closure of the
refugee camps did not mean that the government was extending the
deadline for repatriation or monetary compensation for those
opting to return to East Timor.

"We will tolerate those who want to stay as Indonesian
citizens to use the camps until December, but in September the
government will no longer repatriate people or pay compensation
to the refugees," Stanis said.

Currently, the number of refugees in Kupang is about 54,000
people, from the approximately 250,000 who fled East Timor after
its populace voted for independence in August 1999.

The Indonesian government, with the help of international
donors, has provided refugees with daily financial support from
the state budget since 1999.

The government has asked the refugees to decide whether to
stay as Indonesian citizens or repatriate to East Timor.

East Timor became an independent state on May 20 this year and
East Timorese leaders have been calling on refugees to return to
their hometowns.

Stanis said that from September to December, it would be the
responsibility of UNHCR and the International Organization on
Migration (IOM) to facilitate the return of the refugees.

Kupang military regional commander Col. Moeswarno Moesanip
revealed that the two international organizations would limit
their assistance in providing transportation means to cross the
border.

"The transportation services provided by the two organizations
will only last until December," Moeswarno said.