East Timorese to decide status by December
East Timorese to decide status by December
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang
Along with government aid for the 290,000 East Timorese
remaining in Indonesia being discontinued at the end of December,
the refugee status for people now living in West Timor will also
be canceled.
"This means that on Jan. 1, 2002, the 290,000 East Timor
refugees will have been registered as Indonesian citizens who
abide by Indonesian laws," East Nusa Tenggara deputy governor
Yohanis Pake Pani said on Monday.
"However, the option is still open for those who want to
return to East Timor at a later time to do so. The government of
Indonesia will help them in such a way that they will be exempted
from immigration requirements, such as passports," Pake Pani
said.
According to Pake Pani, the cancellation of their refugee
status would help the Indonesian government arrange resettlement
programs for the people, who have been living in refugee camps in
West Timor and depending on both UN High Commission of Refugees
(UNHCR) and government aid for almost two years.
When violence erupted after the United Nations-backed East
Timor referendum in 1999, at least 500,000 East Timorese fled
into West Timor.
The government of Indonesia conducted a registration program
in June, giving the refugees the choice of either keeping their
Indonesian citizenship and staying in Indonesia, or returning to
East Timor.
The result was that only 1,250 people opted to return to East
Timor.
Records kept by the East Timorese Refugee Resettlement Office
in Kupang indicate that at least 8,000 people have returned to
East Timor, or 6,750 more than previously registered.
"The number is expected to increase. Many of them want to
celebrate Christmas and New Year with their families now living
in East Timor. This may encourage them to go to East Timor for
good and join their relatives there," an official at the refugee
resettlement office, Arifin Arto, said.
"All of the 8,000 people have returned to East Timor by land
transportation, via Motaain and Sahlele districts in the regency
of Belu, East Nusa Tenggara.
"Another 2,000 people from the regency of Ainaro, including
former Mahidi (a military-backed militia) commander Nomencio
Lopes de Carvalho, will leave for East Timor soon," Arifin said.