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