RI, UNTAET hit impasse over asset problem
RI, UNTAET hit impasse over asset problem
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Dili
The Indonesian government and the United Nations Temporary
Administration at East Timor (UNTAET) have yet to find an
appropriate way of solving the problem of Indonesian assets in
the soon-to-be independent nation -- even though, until now, they
have held six rounds of discussions.
The Indonesian Representatives Chief in East Timor, Chalief
Akbar, told reporters last week that, during discussions on the
assets, they encountered a number of problems which interfered
with their ability to reach an agreement.
The problems concern differences on regulations regarding
land, certificates, citizenship, and the absence of a legal
framework.
"We're facing a very complex situation. We could not take a
clear stance, as East Timor does not have a legal base. We may
have to temporarily cancel our meetings," Chalief said.
"But we hope that, after East Timor formally has its own
government and legal system on May 20th, we can re-start the
process again," he added.
The other problem, he said, related to the fact that many East
Timorese who live in East Timor still use Indonesian passports,
which technically make them Indonesian citizens.
"Thousands of people in East Timor still use Indonesian
passports as identification. Based on the East Timor's
constitution, people have East Timorese citizenship only when
they are natives of East Timor, or it is given to them," he said.
On the another point, UNTAET's regulation No. 27, 2000 has
strictly ruled out the possibility that non-natives of East Timor
can transfer their assets to other people, despite the fact that
many of them have returned to the country, and claimed their
assets.
The secretary-general of East Timor's Socialist Party, Avelino
M.C. da Silva said in Dili recently that only natives of East
Timor may hold their own assets in the country.
"Migrants from outside have no rights to own the assets in
East Timor. They can only have the rights to use or manage them,"
he noted.
The Jakarta Post found that many assets which are owned by the
Indonesian government, state and private firms, as well as other
Indonesian people in the regencies of Dili, Baucau, Viqueque,
Lautem, Mantuto and Ermera, have been used as office buildings
for UNTAET, non-governmental organizations, and other
international agencies.
Most of the buildings were built with foreign loans.
Chalief noted that there was no exact data available on the
Indonesian assets in East Timor. But he said that their value
exceeded Rp 1 trillion.
The assets were left by Indonesian owners soon after
Indonesia's former 27th province voted to break away from the
archipelago in 1999 in a UN-sponsored referendum.
In May, East Timor will hold an election to choose a new
president who will, in turn, form a new government.