TNI troops ordered to shoot refugee criminals
TNI troops ordered to shoot refugee criminals
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang
Udayana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Wellem T. da Costa has
ordered soldiers to shoot East Timor refugees found committing
violence against Indonesians living near refugee camps in West
Timor.
"... I order all TNI members to shoot any criminal on the
spot. I am ready to be sued over this decision," Wellem said.
The shoot-on-sight order was issued on Thursday after
refugees, many struggling to survive since government aid was
stopped on January 1, started terrorizing residents in a search
for food.
The refugees, many armed with firearms, are also said to have
often extorted and blackmailed locals, in some cases stealing
animals and other belongings.
"I have instructed military personnel near Kupang and the West
Timor border areas to shoot on sight refugees found involved in
criminal acts," Wellem, who oversees security in the East Nusa
Tenggara and Bali provinces, told The Jakarta Post.
The Indonesian Military (TNI) would also tighten security at
refugee camps and surrounding villages to prevent the violence,
he said.
"In an effort to smooth security patrols in West Timor, the
TNI headquarters has provided 10 motorcycle units. Patrols will
be conducted around the clock by troops equipped with firearms
and live bullets," Wellem said.
He said he could understand the difficulties the estimated
128,000 refugees faced as they struggled to survive after aid was
stopped.
However, despite the scarcity of food it was not tolerable
they be allowed to freely terrorize, intimidate and rob local
villagers, he said.
Wellem said the cash-strapped government was sticking to its
earlier stance in dealing with the refugees. They had been
offered the choice of staying in Indonesia under a resettlement
program or returning home.
"At least 11,000 hectares of land in East Kalimantan has been
allocated for the East Timorese refugees. Please go there. If
they want to stay here, it is impossible because the space is so
limited," Wellem said.
The refugees have said they would not leave their camps until
after East Timor gains official independence in May 2002.
It remains unclear as to who will feed the refugees till May.
Elita Patipelohi, a priest at the Masehi church based at
Tuapukan village in Kupang, said many residents had complained of
high levels of crime in Tuapukan in recent weeks.
But they did not dare to fight with them because the robbers
were usually armed with firearms, handguns, machetes or other
sharp weapons, she said.
Since 1999, some of the 128,000 refugees have been housed at
camps in the villages of Tuapukan, Noelbaki and Naibonat in
Kupang. Many others are accommodated in North Central Timor,
South Central Timor and Atambua bordering East Timor.
About 250,000 East Timorese fled carnage carried out by
Indonesian Army-backed militias after East Timor voted to break
away from Indonesia in August 1999.
Many of the refugees that remain in West Timor are linked to
the former Indonesian regime and include ex militia soldiers.
They are reluctant to return home despite assurances from East
Timor leaders that they will be safe.