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.