Refugee repatriation delayed
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang
The more than 140,000 East Timorese refugees living in West Timor can not return home till March 20 at the earliest due to transportation problems.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization of Migrants (IOM) based in East Timor's capital Dili can not provide transport as all its vehicles are being used for the presidential elections and for the planned transfer of authority from UNTAET to the new East Timor government.
However, the refugees are expected to return to East Timor after the transfer of power is completed and the former Indonesian territory declares its independence on May 20.
East Timor held its presidential elections on Sunday with Xanana Gusmao expected to easily win the race to lead the new country for the next five years.
Col. Moesanip, chief of the East Nusa Tenggara Military District, regretted the delay in repatriating the refugees, saying both the UNHCR and IOM had not discussed the issue with the Indonesian government.
"I was surprised over the weekend when I received a report that UNHCR and IOM representative in Dili had turned down thousands of refugees, who have registered their repatriation, attempts to go back home," he told The Jakarta Post in the West Timor capital of Kupang on Monday.
He added he had asked both the UNHCR and IOM to submit their applications for the Indonesian government to provide transportation for the refugees if they could not do so.
Moesanip said he was optimistic that the majority of the around 143,000 East Timorese refugees in the province would return home soon after May 20.
"Only refugees who are servicemen and former leaders of pro- Jakarta militia groups will stay in the province and their number will be around 10,000," he said.
Asked on the situation in refugee camps, Moesanip said there were several camps which were prone to conflicts because they were housing more than 1,500 servicemen who were deployed in East Timor.
"Military barracks in the province could not accommodate the servicemen refugees who are East Timorese descents, and we have no funds to build special barracks for them," he said, saying they would be reassigned and stationed outside the province.
"Despite their race, the servicemen must comply with the military oath that they must be ready to be assigned to any tasks both at home and overseas."
Moesanip said the East Timorese refugees who had left the military were traitors who had betrayed their military oath and had no right to receive any payments from the government.
More than 800 refugees who have joined the military in East Timor will continue to be paid pension funds from the Indonesian government until East Timor's independence is declared.