U.S. congressman endorses humanitarian aid for RI

U.S. congressman endorses humanitarian aid for RI

JAKARTA (JP): American congressman Tony P. Hall said on
Saturday that he fully endorsed U.S. humanitarian programs in
Indonesia, in spite of Jakarta's failure to punish the
perpetrators of violence in East Timor two years ago.

Completing his tour of Indonesia and East Timor, the
Democratic representative from Ohio gave a thumbs down to the
present Indonesian legal system in delivering fair and good
justice, which he described as a main pillar of democracy.

Hall, who has championed the cause of East Timor's
independence through the U.S. House of Representatives for more
than 20 years, ruled out linking U.S. humanitarian aid programs
to Jakarta's ability to try those responsible for the mayhem
before and after East Timor became independent in 1999.

"When it comes to humanitarian aid, there must be no strings
attached," he said during a media conference at the conclusion of
his three-day visit to Indonesia.

Hall has long been active in humanitarian and hunger-related
work, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998, 1999
and 2001.

Hall said that upon returning home, he would recommend
Washington continue supporting humanitarian programs in Indonesia
through such organizations as the World Vision and the World Food
Program (WFP), and various local non-governmental organizations.

"These are very good projects," he said of the humanitarian
programs in Indonesia which received U.S. government funding.

Hall visited on Saturday one of the 800 food distribution
centers run by the WFP, which are scattered throughout Jakarta's
poor districts.

The United States is financing about half of this year's US$68
million budget for the WFP's 800 food distribution centers in
Jakarta and another 400 outside the capital.

Hall also met with President Abdurrahman Wahid on Friday,
during which he was briefed about Indonesia's struggling
transition to democracy.

The congressman said that at the talks he underlined the need
for Indonesia to build a fair and good legal system.

When asked if he was confident the present legal system was
capable of delivering justice to the perpetrators of violence in
East Timor, Hall said: "No. But hopeful, yes. I'm hopeful for the
future of East Timor. For Indonesia, I don't know."

Asked about the likelihood of Washington resuming some
military aid programs for Indonesia, which were terminated in the
wake of the East Timor mayhem, Hall insisted that there first
should be a fair legal system in place.

Washington has insisted that those responsible for the
violence in East Timor must be punished before these military
cooperation programs can be resumed.

Hall said there should be justice in both West Timor, where
there are more than 100,000 East Timorese refugees, and in East
Timor itself.

He said that based on his talks with leaders in East Timor, he
believed that between 30,000 and 40,000 East Timorese refugees in
West Timor wanted to return home, but most held back largely for
fear that they would have no place to go when they returned.

With the United Nations peacekeeping force in East Timor,
there should be no concern about security, he said. "There is
nothing to fear. There's a lot of protection back there."

Hall called on the United States and the international
community to continue supporting East Timor after a new
administration is set up in Dili following next month's election.

"The challenges of rebuilding not just physical but human
infrastructure are great, and the fact that East Timor has passed
its early test with flying colors does not mean it can complete
this work alone. In fact, it cannot," he said. (emb)