Refugees rally over Japanese humanitarian aid

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

Dozens of people claiming to represent thousands of East Timorese refugees sheltering in camps in West Timor rallied at the gubernatorial office in the regional capital of Kupang on Tuesday to demand a quick disbursement of US$5.38 in humanitarian aid from the Japanese government.

The group, calling themselves the Presidium of East Timor Refugees, urged the provincial government to pressure Jakarta to use the funds to feed the refugees, who they claimed were starving.

Coordinator of the demonstration, Hukman Reni, told The Jakarta Post the refugees did not intend to challenge Jakarta's policy, but they questioned the Indonesian government's slowness in addressing the refugee problems.

"Over the past week, refugees have been suffering from hunger. It is no longer a threat but a serious reality after two people who lived in refugee camps in Tuapukan and Noelbaki died," Hukman, an advisor of the refugees, said.

Indonesia has set an Aug. 31 deadline for some 50,000 East Timorese refugees who remain in shelters across the province to choose between repatriation and resettlement. Jakarta has stopped supplying humanitarian aid due to financial constraints.

About 250,000 East Timorese streamed into neighboring West Timor after violence ravaged their homes in the aftermath of the independence vote to split from Indonesia in 1999.

Social affairs assistant to the provincial secretary, Stanis Tefa, said the local government had forwarded the refugees' demands to the National Refugees Settlement Coordinating Body in Jakarta.

"We just execute Jakarta policies. It's up to the central government whether the Japanese aid will be disbursed to help the refugees," Stanis said.

A deputy to the coordinating body's chief, Budi Atmadi Adiputro, said in his letter to Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Yusuf Kalla, dated July 3, that the Japanese humanitarian aid would be used mainly to repatriate the refugees and to help them develop their resources.

The money has been placed in an account with state bank BNI in Harmoni, Central Jakarta, Budi said.

Following widespread concern about the use of the aid, Japanese government treasury official Yasuhiro Sugata will arrive in Indonesia on Wednesday to review the use of its use. His visit has been arranged by the Japanese Embassy in Indonesia.