Most East Timor refugees wish to return

JAKARTA (JP): More than 58 percent of some 250,000 East Timor refugees sheltered in East Nusa Tenggara want to return to their homeland, the government and the United Nations' High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) says.

Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono Suyono said after a meeting with UNHCR senior humanitarian advisor Staffan Bedemar on Monday that the number reversed the government's previous assessment.

Haryono said the government had estimated that 90 percent of the refugees in Atambua and Kupang preferred to be resettled in other parts of Indonesia, especially in the province of East Nusa Tenggara.

"The government will fully cooperate with international agencies, including the UNHCR, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the international community in sending back the refugees," he said.

He said the government would make the return of refugees in Atambua and Kupang a top priority, and after that they would focus on those in Ujung Pandang, Surabaya, Denpasar and Jakarta.

Last week an Air Force Hercules airplane transported 114 of those displaced from Kupang to Dili. "On Friday at least 400 more people are expected to leave their refugee camps and return to East Timor," Haryono said.

The UNHRC said on Monday it would begin the return of tens of thousands of refugees to their homeland. It believes about 60 percent of the refugees want to return to East Timor.

Meanwhile, In Tokyo, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura announced on Monday that Japan would provide US$100 million, roughly half the total estimated cost, to support the multinational forces deployed in shattered East Timor.

"We believe the $100 million will be enough to allow developing nations to participate in the multinational forces," Komura said, as quoted by Reuters.

Under domestic law Japan is unable to send troops to participate in peace-keeping operations in areas where there is no cease-fire in effect.

Meanwhile, in Ujung Pandang, Minister of Health Farid Anfasa Moeloek strongly denied on Monday reports that East Timor refugees in neighboring East Nusa Tenggara were running out of medicines.

"That's not true. When I inspected the spot with members of the House of Representatives (DPR) ... there were enough medicines. Even the (drugs) supply from the ministry is enough for six to seven months," Farid said after speaking at a nutrition seminar at Hasanuddin University in Jakarta.

When probed why doctors in the two main hospitals of Atambua and Kefamenanu in East Nusa Tenggara complained about medicine and aid shortages, Farid simply retorted, "Probably because there is no transportation to transfer the medicines."

Farid said that the refugee's problems were not entirely the responsibility of his ministry.

"We all have to work together in handling this matter, from providing clean water, sanitation, food, resettlement and transmigration. The health ministry cannot do this alone," Farid explained.

He also said that the fund for support had been transferred to the office of East Nusa Tenggara Health Ministry.

"I'll re-check the data," he said, without elaborating the on the exact figures.

According to reports, the Timor Tengah Utara regency in the province only receive about Rp 4 billion from the total Rp 6.5 billion health fund allocated.

Separately, the commander of the International Forces in East Timor (Interfet) Maj. Gen. Peter Cosgrove said in Dili on Monday that he had asked the Indonesian Military (TNI) last week, to return four of its soldiers to the territory to assist the probe into the killing of Dutch Journalist Sander Thoenes on Sept. 21, in Dili.

Cosgrove refused to identify the soldiers and the allegation against 0them.

"They are wanted to assist in the line of inquiry," he said, as quoted by AFP.

The two-star general also disclosed that villages throughout the western district of East Timor have been systematically destroyed. He said he was concerned about the disappearance of civilian population.

"There has plainly been a concerted effort to burn and deny (shelter) in that area," the news agency quoted him as saying. (33/27/edt/prb)