Indonesia okays plan to close East Timor refugee camps
Indonesia okays plan to close East Timor refugee camps
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid has approved a plan
to close shelters for East Timorese refugees in East Nusa
Tenggara amid growing allegations that anti-independence
activists were using the camps as a base to sneak into the former
Indonesian province.
After meeting with the President at Bina Graha presidential
office, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab said on Monday
that if necessary the government would take harsh measures to
accelerate the resettlement of refugees to other provinces or
send them back home.
Alwi said he believed the international community would fully
support the closure of refugee camps as it was in line with their
demands on Indonesia.
"Until now we have used a persuasive approach. But if (new
settlement areas) are ready, we will continue to be persuasive
but also add some pressure," said Alwi.
Alwi did not elaborate when the camps, which shelter about
140,000 refugees, would be shut, saying the Cabinet would soon
discuss the issue.
The minister added that he would also discuss the plan with
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Aug. 19.
Alwi's explanation, however, contradicted a statement made by
State Minister of Human Rights Hasballah M. Saad who said it was
futile to send home refugees if there was no guarantee of the
most basic rights, such as the right to food and security, or
their life.
"It means that we just let them die from starvation,"
Hasballah said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia's permanent representative at the United
Nations, Mohammad Kamal Yan Yahaya, said last week that the
situation at refugee camps continued to worsen.
"We are especially disappointed because some small groups of
bandits have launched campaigns to spread fear in the camps
without any actions (being taken against them)," Antara quoted
the diplomat as saying.
From Dili, AP reported the United Nations Transitional
Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) chief Sergio Vieira de
Mello had issued an arrest warrant for a gang accused of killing
peacekeeper New Zealand army Pvt. Leonard William Manning last
week.
De Mello said he handed the names of 10 suspects to Udayana
Military chief Maj. Gen. Kiki Syahnakri. (prb)