Former E. Timor councilors want pay

Former E. Timor councilors want pay

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: As many as 19 former East Timor
councilors met with representatives from the East Nusa Tenggara
administration here on Monday to demand the government compensate
them for lost income.

They demanded compensation equivalent to the salary they would
have received for five years as councilors had it not been for
the self-determination referendum which took place in the
territory on Aug. 30.

They said they could not be officially installed due to the
government's decision to hold the referendum, which resulted in
independence for the territory.

"We are victims of a political game. The government never
consulted us about the polls," one of the councilors, Dominggus
da Costa, said during a meeting with East Nusa Tenggara
provincial secretary M. Hermanus and other officials.

As reported by Antara, Dominggus said the government should
reimburse the councilors for all the losses they had incurred as
a result of the ballot, including lost salaries and bonuses.
(jun)