Confusion over citizenship status

Confusion over citizenship status

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: The Atambua District Court is planning to ask the government to clarify the citizenship status of former East Timorese refugees in the regency.

Court head Julius Viktor Rahardjo said Sunday that it would ask the regent of Belu and the foreign ministry to determine the refugee's citizenship status.

He said confusion about citizenship could lead to difficulties in court rulings.

"If someone claims they are a citizen of East Timor after committing a crime, it would be hard to process as we have no any extradition agreement with East Timor yet," he said.

Viktor also said that it would also be unfair to sentence a person without knowing their citizenship status.

Viktor said he believed that refugees from East Timor who refused to return home should be given Indonesian citizenship.

The refugee status lapsed on Dec. 31, 2002. Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said earlier that the refugees would automatically become Indonesians if they chose to stay in Indonesia after the deadline lapsed. -- Antara