Gusmao tells refugees they are safe in homeland

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang

Visiting East Timor President Jose Alexandre Xanana Gusmao called on the remaining East Timorese refugees to return home and assured them that they would be treated humanely upon their arrival home.

"On the eve of my departure, many relatives of yours asked me to bring their messages to you that they want you to go back home. 'Please, tell them to return home,'" he said before around 1,500 refugees living in Kupang regency, in Oepoi sports stadium here on Saturday.

Gusmao, however, told the refugees that it was their right to decide whether to return home or to stay in Indonesia and they were expected to make their own decision before the repatriation program ended by the end of December, 2002.

"Neither the East Timor government nor Indonesia will force you to go back home or drive you out of the country. The decision to go back home is in your own heart. I come here as a brother to persuade you to come back home with me after being separated for a long time due to a difference in ideology," he said.

The meeting turned into a reunion with many refugees airing their aspirations and presenting gifts out of respect for the East Timor President.

Many refugees questioned the East Timor government's action to bring to court those involved in the 1999 violence, whereas it failed to take similar actions against human rights violations in 1959 and 1975.

"The East Timor government could be accused of being discriminative since it has failed to take actions against East Timorese people who were involved in major human rights abuses in the past before East Timor was annexed by Indonesia," he said.

Many others said they would postpone their return until they entered the mandatory retirement age because of their status as public servants.

They said they would be unemployed if they went back now as it would affect their children's education.

Responding to the complaints and objections, Gusmao said East Timor had a Constitution guaranteeing all citizens' human rights and it had vast farmland to plant corn and cassava.

"All refugees will be given equal treatment; there is no classification of citizens. And, anyway, we are accustomed to consuming corn and cassava," he said.

Many refugees remembered their home villages and their relatives in East Timor when a vocal group sang traditional East Timorese songs calling them to return to develop their home country.

Gusmao and entourage also visited the refuge camp in Naibonat, some 35 kilometers east of the city, and received a warm welcome from refugees there.

He did not hold a dialog with refugees but presented T-shirts to dozens of refugees and their children.

Gusmao was scheduled to visit Belu to meet with local officials, former militia commanders and refugees.