Megawati meets E. Timorese refugees

JAKARTA (JP): Holding back tears after receiving an emotional welcome, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri talked with East Timor refugees in Atambua, East Nusa Tenggara, to get firsthand information on their plight.

Hordes of refugees surrounded the vice president when she arrived at a camp in the small border town in Belu district. Many not only shook her hand but readily kissed it as a sign of respect.

Megawati arrived in Atambua on Wednesday for a brief visit to review the refugee situation.

Accompanied by an entourage, which included Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen. Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Hamzah Haz, Minister of Education Yahya Muhaimin and Minister of Settlement and Territorial Development Erna Witoelar, she arrived on her one-day visit after a stopover in the provincial capital of Kupang where she was briefed by Governor Piet Tallo.

Tallo told the vice president that despite the limited resources of the province, everyone was doing their best to welcome and help the refugees.

"Although 52.59 percent of 3.5 million people in East Nusa Tenggara are still living below the poverty line, we are still able to help them," he said.

According to Tallo, the number of refugees in the province had steadily declined from 270,000 to 197,000.

About 145,000 of them are sheltered in Belu district, Antara reported from Kupang.

He revealed that some 60 percent of the pledged Rp 32 billion in donations for refugees had been received by the province. (mds)