NTT can only accept 6,000 Timorese families
NTT can only accept 6,000 Timorese families
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): The province of East Nusa
Tenggara (NTT) is able to accommodate only one eighth of the East
Timorese families who have opted to stay in Indonesia, Governor
Piet Tallo said on Monday.
Tallo said it was the government's duty to find other places
for the refugees, who have been sheltering in West Timor since
they fled their ravaged homeland following a popular consultation
process in August 1999 that resulted in an overwhelming vote for
independence.
"They have chosen to remain in Indonesia, therefore they
should be prepared to be resettled anywhere in the country,"
Tallo said, adding that his province had "a lot of limitations"
in hosting the refugees.
There were 268,407 East Timorese grouped in 48,000 families
registered prior to the poll to determine whether they would stay
in Indonesia, and therefore remain Indonesian citizens, or be
repatriated. Only adults were eligible to participate in the
selection which took place last week.
As of Monday, 105,450 people had chosen to retain their
Indonesian nationality, with only 1,175 expressing a wish to
return to East Timor, and 947 abstaining.
The final tallies will be processed by the Bureau of
Statistics prior to their announcement, spokesman for the
provincial administration J.B. Kosapilawan said on Monday.
Tallo said that not all the regencies under his jurisdiction
were prepared to receive the estimated 6,000 East Timorese
families that made up the one eighth of the total number of
refugee families that the province was capable of hosting.
"We will consult local regents as well as community and
religious figures so as to ascertain for sure which regencies are
ready to accept the refugees," he said.
Udayana Military District Commander Maj. Gen. Willem T. da
Costa shared Tallo's view on the government's resettlement
policy.
"Once they opt to become Indonesian citizens, they must abide
by Indonesian law as the other 210 million Indonesians do. They
have been a part of the country for only 24 years," Willem said.
He was apparently responding to the objections by some East
Timorese to relocation to areas outside Timor island.
"I chose Indonesia. But I want to be resettled in (West)
Timor. I'd rather move to a border area than be resettled outside
the island so that I can return to East Timor when it's safe
there," said Antonio Soares, 37, a Dili refugee.
Manuel da Silva, 47, of Lospalos voiced the same objection. He
said his choice of Indonesia should not entail resettlement to
areas outside of Timor as he wished to go back to his homeland
when the situation there became more favorable.
"Should East Timor's first polls in August 1999 proceed
smoothly, I'd like to go back home," added Manuel, an ex-
serviceman who lives in Naibonat, East Kupang. (30)