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)