Resettling E. Timor refugees to take years
Resettling E. Timor refugees to take years
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): The resettlement of East
Timorese refugees who opted to remain in Indonesia represents
major homework for the government, and it would take at least two
years for the government to complete it, an official said here on
Saturday.
"More refugees chose to stay. This is not an easy job. That's
why the time consuming resettlement program must be carried out
in stages," said Usman Abubakar, coordinator for the media center
managed by the registration organizing committee.
The latest tally available at the media center at 6 p.m. local
time on Saturday showed that 97.82 percent or 103,537 out of
105,843 voters wanted to stay in Indonesia.
Only 1,485 of the voters chose to return to East Timor and
only 811 did not vote.
The registration, organized by the government of Indonesia, is
intended to be an initial step toward monitoring the country's
population and demographics.
Eligible voters are those over 17 years old, including former
members of Indonesian Military and Police force.
According to Usman, before the organizing committee finishes
the registration, the refugees still have time to change their
mind.
"The consequence of the registration results is that the
government must provide very large resettlement sites across the
archipelago to house those who want to stay. We need
international help for the huge task," Usman was quoted by Antara
as saying.
East Nusa Tenggara deputy governor Pake Rani said that
European countries had promised to provide 6 million euro in aid.
In a separate interview, spokesman for Uni Timor Aswain
(Untas) Mario Florentina Viera, said that the number of refugees
who wanted to stay in Indonesia was not that big.
Untas is an non-governmental umbrella organization for the
refugees.
"Some 30,000 elderly refugees who wanted to return to East
Timor had to stay following Udayana Military Command chief's
ultimatum that those trying to sabotage the registration
proceedings would be shot."
"The elderly people were afraid to leave. They thought they
would be shot if they left for East Timor," said Mario.
Meanwhile, in Canberra, Australia's defense force chief
Admiral Chris Barrie said on Saturday that East Timor would need
Australian military help for a long time due to continuing
threats by militias operating from West Timor.
"For the East Timorese now to take what was once Falantil, a
resistance force, a guerrilla force and turn it into a military
force is actually a big task," Barrie told ABC radio as reported
by AFP.
"There is going to be a requirement for border security. Now,
that's inevitable."
His comments came as Australian Army chief General Peter
Cosgrove and Veterans Affairs Minister Bruce Scott prepared to
depart on Sunday for Dili, East Timor's capital.
About 1,500 Australians are currently based in East Timor as
part of the UN Transitional Authority East Timor (UNTAET).
(30/sur)