Doctors demand protection

DILI, East Timor: The East Timor branch of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) has called on the provincial government and security authorities to guarantee the safety of doctors posted across the province.

"We have been forced to call for help because doctors stationed in the province can no longer stand the kind of abuse they frequently receive. They are often assaulted, terrorized and intimidated by local residents," I Wayan Winarta, the association's branch chief here, said yesterday.

One hundred and twenty doctors are stationed in the province, most of whom are not native to the area.

Antara reported that in a petition filed with East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, the association urged the Minister of Health to review the policy of sending recent graduates and other inexperienced medical staff to the province if their security could not be guaranteed.

Governor Soares acknowledged that doctors were frequently subjected to abuse and offered them an apology.

He urged security authorities and regents to pay more attention to the issue and promised to discuss the matter with local religious and community leaders.

"I apologize to doctors for the way they have been treated, (but) we should be patient because unfortunately teachers and other government employees also often receive the same kind of treatment," he remarked apologetically.