The need to recognize Timor refugees' wishes

The need to recognize Timor refugees' wishes

The following articles by freelancer Rani R. Moediarta are on
a volunteer helping refugees in Kupang, capital of East Nusa
Tenggara. Interviews were conducted in Kupang, and through email
and telephone from Jakarta.

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): The withdrawal of
international aid workers following the killing of three of their
colleagues in Atambua in September 2000 meant that most remaining
refugees had to endure even poorer living conditions, scarcer
supplies and health care.

East Nusa Tenggara, or West Timor, being the poorest province
of Indonesia, is not sufficiently resourced to enable local
authorities to adequately assist the 129,000 refugees. Local
organizations, such as Womintra, are only able to assist about
1,800 people, spending approximately Rp 10 million per month. Far
from enough.

In many camps where supplies are in shortage, symptoms of
malnutrition, anemia, malaria, infections and diarrhea are
spreading. The mobile clinics of Womintra can be found in some
camps, where barely clothed school-aged children roam outside
their damp tents. Mothers feed their children with whatever
morsels found in the surroundings, including sweet potatoes from
the local groves.

Contrary to what has been widely reported, many of the
refugees in West Timor will welcome repatriation or relocation,
anything to end their crisis.

"The existing conflicts so far have been triggered not only by
intimidation or provocation by the pro-Jakarta militia, as has
always been reported, but also due to inadequate programs being
conducted by unsympathetic aid workers," Susy Katipana, the
Womintra director, revealed.

She underlined the need to implement comprehensive programs
with a humanistic approach, pointing out why earlier repatriation
programs have failed.

"We failed because we 'forced' them to accept our designed
programs and provided no alternatives. This way, when we treated
them as mere numbers instead of human beings, even registration
(by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees) failed," she
said.

"We claimed that they all wanted to return home (to East
Timor), but we only helped halfheartedly," Susy added.

"We have been impatient to send them back home without making
sure their homes are safe and that the people there will welcome
them.

"Surely they would become mere guests on their own land. We
built houses for them to move into, but we failed to prepare the
local neighbors to welcome those who went home."

"We will help to encourage repatriation for those who want to
return home, but we cannot force (repatriation) on those who
choose to stay," Susy said, adding that registration for
repatriation and relocation will soon take place.

She has spoken with some 250 informal leaders of refugees
scattered in 10 regencies and presented them with alternative
destinations if they wished to remain in Indonesia.

She showed pictures taken from her first expedition to the
Wetar islands south of Timor.

"I heard protests as usual, but I also had many supporters
who were interested in seeing the new homeland."

With support from local authorities, she said those interested
joined her on an eight-day expedition.

She claimed the expedition to the four islands was successful
despite protests by some locals on two of the islands. On Wetar
Island, Susy recalled, the group was given a warm welcome by the
local authorities.

Susy said the refugees will be relocated to West Timor, Sumba,
Bajawa (Flores), Alor and islands in South Timor (Romang, Wetar,
Moa, and Alor).

Three villages in the northern part of central Timor and 10 in
the southern part have been selected for the program so far.