Students, refugees protest corruption report in Kupang
Students, refugees protest corruption report in Kupang
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara
Hundreds of students and East Timorese refugees continued their
demonstrations on Tuesday at the East Nusa Tenggara legislative
council following the reported misuse of funds intended for the
refugees.
The report, released recently by the Development Finance
Comptroller (BPKP), revealed indications of corruption involving
billions of rupiah from assistance funds for East Timorese
refugees in the province.
The protesters demanded that the provincial administration and
the National Coordinating Agency for the Handling of Natural
Disasters and Refugees come clean about the use of the funds,
including around Rp 53 billion (US$6.2 million) provided by Japan
for the resettlement of the East Timorese refugees and the
provision of healthcare facilities.
A total of Rp 120 billion in emergency funds and Rp 47 billion
for the evacuation of refugees had also been misused, they said.
Protest coordinator Sipriano Soares Babo said an independent
team should be established to investigate the alleged graft.
The protesters also rejected the government's move to relocate
the East Timorese refugees from camps in West Timor to new
resettlement areas, which they said were uninhabitable.
"Our brothers who were resettled there are now returning to
their original camps because the houses given to them were not
fit for human beings," said Antonio de Araujo, a refugee from
Noelbaki who joined the protest.
"Aside from that, there is no clean water or economic
resources," he added.
The demonstrating refugees also opposed efforts to repatriate
them to East Timor and reconcile them with pro-independence East
Timorese, saying they had decided to remain Indonesian citizens.
They threatened to occupy the council building and stay there
until the government responded to their demands.
Early last week, dozens of students staged a rally at the same
building to protest against the alleged corruption. They remained
camped out in its grounds for two days.