East Timor teachers alloted Rp 5m each

JAKARTA (JP): The government has allocated Rp 5 million (US$610) for each teacher who has fled East Timor, Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono said on Wednesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar on informal education, Juwono said his ministry was listing those who deserve the fund.

He anticipated, however, that the long process to complete the list would arouse public suspicion of a misuse of funds.

"We have to resort to making a list so we won't be accused of wasting money," he said.

More than 11,000 teachers from the troubled province were evacuated to East Nusa Tenggara, including 7,500 primary school teachers, according to East Timor's education and culture office.

They were among thousands of refugees who fled the violence in East Timor following the announcement of the Aug. 30 referendum, in which the majority rejected the government's offer of wide- ranging autonomy.

Many of the teachers are still out of work.

Juwono acknowledged that the ministry is short of funds. It has about Rp 10 billion, or a shortage of at least Rp 53 billion to cover all the costs.

For teachers stranded in the western half of Timor island, the government is planning to set up emergency schools and provide funds for operation as well as transfer some teachers to existing schools.

"We will treat proindependent and proautonomy teachers as Indonesian citizens until the status of East Timor is decided on in the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

In regard to the worsening relations between Indonesia and Australia, he said he received complaints from some Indonesian students studying abroad who have suffered intimidation and terror from Australians following the referendum in East Timor.

Speaking in Yogyakarta on Tuesday, he said he asked the Australian minister of education to guarantee the security of Indonesian students in Australia.

"I asked the Australian government to do their best to ensure their safety, especially in public places," he said.

There are about 6,000 Indonesian students in Australia now, which is down from 8,000 before the crisis.

Juwono said East Timorese students who are continuing studies in Indonesia have the opportunity to finish their studies, and for those whose activities were suspended and forced to leave, they would be given shelter.

All three universities in East Timor have stopped running. (06/44)