Jakarta regrets approval of visas for Timorese people

Jakarta regrets approval of visas for Timorese people

JAKARTA (JP): Senior government officials yesterday expressed
regret at Canberra's decision to grant visas to 18 East Timorese
boat people who fled to Australia after claiming they were being
prosecuted by Jakarta.

"We deeply regret the Australian government's position," said
Minister of Defense and Security Gen. (ret.) Edi Sudrajat after
opening a seminar on "Indonesia's role in United Nation's
Peacekeeping".

"It's just really regrettable," he added as quoted by Antara
when asked to elaborate further on his comment.

Canberra on Thursday reportedly released the 18 Timorese
boat people from a detention center in northwest Australia and
granted them visas which allow them to stay in Australia, pending
a review of their request for political asylum.

Using a small fishing boat, the East Timorese arrived on the
northern shores of Australia two months ago and claimed they were
victims of torture at the hands of Indonesia.

Being the closest neighbor, Australia is a popular refuge for
opponents of the 1976 integration of East Timor as Indonesia's
27th province.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time called
the landing a media ploy staged by the country's detractors
"designed to attract international attention and embarrass
Indonesia."

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, when queried on the
boat people's claim's recently, retorted that "these people are
not being persecuted."

Alatas added that Canberra would use the applicable laws in
deciding whether to grant asylum and warned that otherwise "we
are afraid it will cause trouble later for Australia itself."

Separately yesterday, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
denounced the conduct of the asylum seekers as an unaffectionate
act against their own people.

"Their mere departure to Australia shows they do not care for
their own nation," he remarked of the 18 East Timorese boat
people which includes a five-month-old toddler.

Canberra's decision to grant them visas came two weeks after
Indonesia withdrew the nomination of a senior military officer as
its next ambassador to Australia.

Jakarta withdrew the nomination of Lt. Gen. H.B.L. Mantiri as
the result of an Australian public outcry over comments he
reportedly made about the 1991 bloody incident in Dili, capital
of East Timor, which pitted demonstrators against security
forces.

Meanwhile, legislator Abu Hasan Sazili yesterday called on the
Australian government to carefully weigh the current low-ebb in
relations between Jakarta and Canberra when it ponders whether to
grant political asylum to the 18 East Timorese.

"That situation should be taken under consideration," said the
Golkar legislature who sits as vice-chairman of the House of
Representative's Commission I on foreign affairs and defense.

He argued that the East Timorese were neither really refugees
or political asylum seekers, but were there because of economic
factors.

He said the boat people were encouraged by certain elements
within Australia who wanted to fracture the good relations
between Indonesia and Australia.

East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares separately
yesterday noted that the East Timorese boat people were prompted
by certain groups to undertake their journey to Australia.

He added that the latest development would have no impact in
East Timor. (mds)