Government offers incentives for East Timorese refugees

Government offers incentives for East Timorese refugees

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

The government says it will offer East Timorese refugees formerly
employed by the Indonesian government in East Timor, up to Rp 15
million if they return home.

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Piet A. Tallo said refugee status
would be revoked by December 31. Those refusing to return home
after the deadline would automatically become Indonesian citizens
and would be obliged to obtain passports and visas if they wanted
to visit their former homeland.

"The decision is in line with the decree issued by the
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla in
October ... and is also to follow up the recent call by East
Timor President Xanana Gusmao during his recent visit here," Piet
told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

The government would give Rp 1.5 million to other East
Timorese refugees wanting to return home under the repatriation
program, he said.

Early this month, Xanana made a four-day visit to West Timor
to encourage the remaining 33,000 East Timorese refugees to
return home. He said they would be safe if they returned.

The refugees are a fraction of the 295,000 people who fled in
the wake of widespread violence following the 1999 ballot in
favor of the former Indonesian province's independence.

The country officially became independent on May 20, 2002.

There have been a number of deadlines for repatriation.
Earlier, the government extended its deadline for about 128,000
East Timorese to vacate refugee camps in West Timor until June
20, 2002, due to "humanitarian considerations".

Many have been reluctant to return home because of their links
to the Indonesian military, police or other government
departments during Indonesia's occupation.

The government has previously threatened to forcibly remove
the refugees from the camps, blaming financial constraints.

A local task unit dealing with the refugees said that
following Xanana's visit, more than 179 families had registered
to repatriate.

"We are optimistic that there will be more East Timorese
refugees registering with the program ... because UNHCR and IOM
will end their services in East and West Timor by the end of this
year, along with the Indonesian government," Piet said.