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)