28 September 1999
Byliner: Humanitarian Aid for the Timorese -- No Time to Lose
("The urgent plight of these people must concern us all.") (870)
by Julia Taft
Assistant Secretary of State for Population,
Refugees, and Migration
The humanitarian crisis in Timor has produced an outpouring of concern
worldwide for the well-being of Timorese, approximately 140,000 of
whom have taken refuge in West Timor. Another 200,000 are sheltering
in makeshift accommodations while others are in hiding in more remote
parts of East Timor. Irrespective of questions of politics, religion
or place of refuge, the urgent plight of these people must concern us
all.
The Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration
which I head, is the arm of the United States government which
advocates on behalf of the millions of refugees and victims of
conflict around the globe. We act as a voice for the uprooted and the
dispossessed wherever they are to be found -- in Kosovo, Bosnia,
Sierra Leone, or Afghanistan, the datelines for recent news reporting
about strife and suffering. They, the world's refugees are animists,
Roman Catholics, Muslim (sadly fully 80 percent of the world's
refugees are Muslim), Protestants, Orthodox, Christians and people who
profess no faith. In their ranks are numbered the poorest of the poor,
but also professionals, trade unionists, common laborers, mothers, and
their children and the elderly -- people in all stations of life whose
plans underwent fundamental change as a result of circumstances
occurring around them but beyond their control. Unlike the victims of
natural disasters we have been reading so much about lately, these are
victims of human acts that could have been prevented -- but since they
were not prevented, it is imperative that those with a common
humanitarian conviction work together on their behalf. Despite
differences in their previous circumstances, they share so often a
common fate as the ravages of lawlessness, persecution and violence
render them victims seeking refuge wherever human compassion provides
sanctuary.
As recent events in Timor unfolded, it became incumbent upon me to
travel to Indonesia this past week to see for myself the circumstances
of the recent victims of Timor's strife. I joined in a multinational
humanitarian mission with counterparts from Thailand, the United
Kingdom, Japan and Sweden to visit refugee sites in Kupang and
Atambua, in West Timor, as well as to Dili, in East Timor.
We were greatly assisted by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Minister
Justika Baharsjah, who accompanied us on our travels. Due to the
unstable security situation, we were unable to reach East Timorese in
remote highland sanctuaries. The plight of the refugees we were able
to visit is serious and will grow more dire with the passage of time
and the onset of the rainy season. While civilian efforts by the
Government of Indonesia (GOI), Ministry of Social Welfare and Governor
Piet Tallo of West Timor have quickly mobilized life saving
assistance, there is a critical need for additional humanitarian
supplies, as well as water and sanitation. The International
community, comprised of UN humanitarian agencies and relief NGO's, is
poised to assist the GOI. Their safe access to the refugees is
urgently needed. I welcome the recent agreement by the GOI to allow
the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide their
mandated protection and assistance services.
To do so, it is necessary to declare the camps off-limits to armed
militias of any and all political persuasions. The mandate of the
International Committee of the Red Cross in West Timor should be
expanded with the concurrence of the Indonesian government to allow
the ICRC to assume responsibility to initiate tracing procedures for
reuniting families torn apart during the post-referendum violence. One
of the greatest dangers to the current refugee population is the
threat of continued violence to those already victimized and
defenseless. The immobile refugee population, in all of its political
diversity, represents no threat to outside forces but organized groups
within the camp present a clear and present danger to fellow refugees
with differing political views. Therefore, it is incumbent for the
safety of all those located in refugee camps in Kupang and Atambua
that swift action be taken to allow UNHCR to identify those seeking
repatriation to East Timor from those wishing to remain in Indonesia
and to facilitate the early return of those seeking to return to East
Timor.
For a country such as Indonesia, which has never denied nationals the
freedom of internal travel, this should not present a difficulty. The
anticipated onset of seasonal rains provides a time constraint that
decision makers should respect in the opening of safe thoroughfares
for the peaceful and voluntary passage of East Timorese returning to
their homes or preferred places of resettlement. At the same time, it
is imperative that humanitarian relief be provided on behalf of those
who opt to remain in Indonesia, as is their right to choose. We will
remain involved to support the government, United Nations and NGO
efforts to assist the affected populations remaining in West Timor and
other areas of Indonesia, as well as those repatriated to East Timor.
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