Twelve asylum seekers spend 2nd night at Polish Embassy
Twelve asylum seekers spend 2nd night at Polish Embassy
JAKARTA (JP): Twelve East Timorese asylum seekers spent a
second night at the Polish Embassy yesterday as they waited to
hear if their request for sanctuary would be accepted or whether
they would follow those before them and go to Portugal instead.
A Polish diplomat told The Jakarta Post that the youths were
healthy and in good condition after spending the first night in
the reception area of the embassy.
"We have given them food, water and blankets," Jacek Grabowski
replied when asked on the youth's condition.
The 12 youths, averaging 17 to 18 years of age, scaled the
walls of the two-meter high embassy walls on Thursday and
requested asylum in Poland.
Their identities were not immediately known.
They also delivered a petition demanding the right of self-
government in East Timor.
The former Portuguese colony was integrated as part of
Indonesia in 1976. Nevertheless, the United Nations still refuses
to recognize Jakarta as East Timor's administrative power.
Grabowski would not say if the Polish government was in
contact with Lisbon over the possibility of the asylum seekers
departing for Portugal. Nor would he say if the question had been
discussed with the Timorese.
"It is too early to give comment," he remarked, adding only
that the embassy was in contact with the International Committee
of the Red Cross.
In a series of embassy brake-ins, in the past five months 50
East Timorese have entered the French, British, Japanese, Dutch
and New Zealand embassies demanding political asylum.
Their requests have all been rejected but all of them got
passage to Portugal after the Portuguese government intervened.
The last incident occurred less than two-weeks ago when five
Timorese left the New Zealand Embassy for Lisbon.
The Indonesian foreign ministry has maintained that these East
Timorese youths are misguided and questioned the motive behind
their actions.
Officials said that none of these East Timorese were being
persecuted as they claimed, and none of them were wanted by the
police. These East Timorese have always been free to leave the
country without having to create a fuss, they added. (mds)