7. WEST TIMOR
General Situation
The Government organized a one-day registration of East Timorese refugees in West Timor on 6 June to obtain data about the refugees and find out whether they want to repatriate or settle in Indonesia. A total of 507 registration posts were set up and some 4,500 military and police personnel were deployed to safeguard the registration. Twelve international observers monitored the process. In some places the registration had to be extended for another day, or even a third, as the turnout was higher than foreseen. The process ran smoothly. Even though the final official count will only be ready on 20 June, preliminary figures indicate that an overwhelming majority of refugees have opted to stay in refugee camps instead of returning. As of Friday 8 June at 4pm, official figures showed that 94,962 heads of household had registered (representing some 165,000 refugees) and that 92,476 of them had opted to remain in Indonesia. While 4,269 families had been reported as wanting to return to East Timor on Thursday, this figure went down to 1,453 on Friday. This change was explained as resulting from a communication problem between Belu district and Kupang when reporting results.
UNTAET, UNHCR and the CNRT have just completed a two-month community-by-community survey in East Timor, which indicates that 84,707 persons are missing.
AFP reported Nobel Peace laureate Jose
Ramos-Horta as saying that the registration was a “sham,” and that the
refugees were too afraid of armed pro-Indonesian gangs to say they want
to go home.
Investigations conducted by the UN peacekeeping
force, the UN Civilian Police and the Indonesian military have revealed
that the market site where a grenade attack killed five people along the
West Timor/East Timor border on 29 May is a traditional trading point located
south of Balibo. The incident was the result of a private dispute between
a militia member and a gambling ring organizer operating at the market.
The militia member conducted a revenge attack with hand grenades the next
day. Most of the casualties were bystanders who were not involved in the
gambling.
See also:
Jun
8 RA: Horta calls registration a farce News added June
9
"Nobel Peace laureate Jose Ramos Horta
says an Indonesian poll this week to determine whether thousands of East
Timorese refugees in West Timor want to return to home, is a “sham”. Mr
Ramos-Horta says the refugees are too afraid of being kidnapped, murdered
and raped by pro-Indonesian gangs to say they want to go home." Radio Australia
Jun
8 UMNS: Refugees in West Timor face critical conditions
News added June 10
"Rondo
[Centre for Internally Displaced People’s Services in WTimor] believes
churches can make a difference in the crisis by advocating for action.
He and the East Timor Action Network, which
sponsored his U.S. speaking tour, are calling for:
· Pressure from the U.S. and international
community on the Indonesian government to disarm and disband the militias.
· Support for an international
tribunal on crimes against humanity committed in East Timor.
· Creation of a credible refugee
registration process with significant international participation and oversight.
· Adoption of a complete ban on
weapons sales, training and support for the Indonesian military by the
United States until these issues have been resolved." United Methodist
News Service
Jun
8 JRS: Timor alert Alert added June 9
"Preparation for the registration [of
refugees in WTimor] was a failure. The limited time, the lack of non-partisan
people to spell out the consequences of both choices to the refugees, the
lack of information material, all contributed to this. The only explanations
were given by the camp leaders or UNTAS
(militia-linked political organisation). Many people do not understand
what their decision means," Jesuit Refugee
Service (JRS) in West Timor.
Jun
7 SMH: Fears over returning East Timor refugees News added
June 9
"Their presence in the camps would be
terrifying. They have been trying to keep the refugees in the camps as
one of their main political objectives. ... If, after the census, those
who want to come back are not provided with the means, they will be more
vulnerable than ever and exposed to those who have power in the camps,
the militias." Mr Joaquim Fonseca, East
Timorese human rights foundation Yayasan-Hak
Jun
7 ETAN and CIS urge UN to reject sham refugee registration in West Timor
Petition added Jun 8
"the refugee registration process conducted
by Indonesia this week must be soundly rejected. The United Nations and
the international community have accepted Indonesia’s hollow promises and
dangerous charades too many times and left the East Timorese people to
bear the bloody consequences. This time, they must do better." ETAN &
CIS
[the Centre for Internally Displaced Peoples Service in West Timor]
BD: 'Refugees' & Missing Persons - A collection of recent information, reports, articles and news