E. Timorese seek political asylum

E. Timorese seek political asylum

JAKARTA (JP): Eight East Timorese youths forced their way into
the Dutch Embassy shortly after noon yesterday and asked that
they be given political asylum by the Netherlands.

Dutch Ambassador Paul Reitze Brower confirmed to The Jakarta
Post by phone last night that the eight youths have asked for
asylum, citing political persecution.

Ambassador Brower declined to disclose their names.

"We are now studying their applications," he said. "We will
give an answer as soon as possible."

Brower added that he had already contacted The Hague, which
will determine whether or not to grant the political asylum
status.

Reuter news agency reported yesterday that a minor scuffle
occurred at the embassy' gate when the eight East Timorese forced
their way into the embassy compound.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday quickly deplored the
asylum seekers' claim that they were being persecuted.

"They (asylum seekers) are using political reasons to have
their applications met. There are no reasons for them to seek
asylum because they have never been under pressure, tortured, or
wanted by the security authorities," Ghaffar Fadyl, the Director
for Foreign Information, told The Post by phone.

Ghaffar, who also declined to disclose the names of the
Timorese, said he believed the youths were simply having economic
difficulties.

This is the fourth time in the last two years that young East
Timorese have forced their way into a foreign embassy seeking
political asylum. In all three incidents, each eventually
received asylum from Portugal, the former colonial ruler in East
Timor.

Five of them went to Lisbon courtesy of the British embassy
last Sept. 29 after occupying the parking grounds of the American
embassy in November last year, and seven courtesy of the Swedish
and Finnish embassies in July 1993. (rms)