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USIS Washington File

30 September 1999

Text: Assistant Secretary Taft Sept. 30 Remarks on East Timor

(Security of refugees and workers must be guaranteed)  (1880)
The Indonesian Government must ensure that the international
humanitarian community has full and secure access to refugees and
displaced people, according to Assistant Secretary of State for
Population, Refugees, and Migration Julia Taft.
"Access to (refugee) camps by international organizations and NGOs is
essential to convince local authorities of the seriousness with which
the international community takes the welfare of these people and our
willingness to provide urgently needed assistance," Taft told
lawmakers from the House International Relations Subcommittee on
International Operations and Human Rights September 30.
Taft, who organized a Multinational Humanitarian Mission to East and
West Timor last week, said that the mission was shocked to see "the
damage wrought by weeks of wanton destruction" in East Timor,
particularly to homes, commercial facilities, and public buildings in
Dili, the capital.
Taft added that "subsequent UN assessment missions have found
widespread damage throughout East Timor -- Manatuto, which was
previously home to 16,000 people is completely destroyed and
depopulated; estimates are that 60-70% of the houses in the western
region of East Timor are destroyed; the port of Suay was reported to
be 95% destroyed."
In West Timor "we face different humanitarian challenges," the State
Department official said.
Taft said that there are as many as 230,000 displaced people who were
forced to move by pro-Indonesia militias. The security situation as
well as the health of the displaced people are primary concerns, she
said.
While praising the Government of Indonesia for "making the right
commitment" in trying to provide for refugees from East Timor, Taft
urged Indonesia to ensure the safety of both relief workers and
refugees in refugee camps.
"The camps must be off-limits to armed militias of any and all
political persuasions," she said. "The refugee population in the camps
represents no threat to outside forces but organized groups within the
camps do present a danger to fellow refugees."
Taft said that the return of refugees to East Timor under the auspices
of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees must be
facilitated. "Failure to succeed in the next few weeks will force
people to remain in uncertain and insecure areas, at the mercy of the
militias," she warned. "We must not fail."
Following is the text of Taft's testimony, as prepared for delivery:
(begin text)
Testimony of
Assistant Secretary Julia V. Taft
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
U.S. Department of State
September 30, 1999
House International Relations Committee
Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights
Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, I am particularly honored
and pleased to be able to appear before you today to discuss the
situation in Timor and the role the U.S. Government should play in
responding to the humanitarian crisis there.
Last week, I organized a Multinational Humanitarian Mission to East
and West Timor comprising senior humanitarian officials from the U.K.,
Japan, Sweden and Thailand. On Friday, we released our key findings.
East Timor
The mission was shocked at the level of widespread physical
destruction of homes, commercial facilities, and public buildings in
Dili. Seeing the damage wrought by weeks of wanton destruction is a
compelling and sad commentary on the price that many people are forced
to pay for their vote of independence. We were unable to move beyond
Dili because of the security situation. However, subsequent UN
assessment missions have found widespread damage throughout East Timor
-- Manatuto, which was previously home to 16,000 people is completely
destroyed and depopulated; estimates are that 60-70% of the houses in
the western region of East Timor are destroyed; the port of Suay was
reported to be 95% destroyed. Much of the damage was by fire,
consistent with a "slash and bum" approach to the area.
With the deployment of the International Force for East Timor
(INTERFET) under the able command of Australian Major General Cosgrove
and the withdrawal of Indonesian troops, the security situation is
slowly but progressively improving. Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) who sought refuge in the hills of East Timor are now returning
to Dili and elsewhere where security permits. UN agencies,
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and INTERFET are working
together under very difficult circumstances in Dili to provide for
immediate needs and anticipate future ones. And, slowly, relief
efforts are beginning to extend beyond Dili.
Thousands of displaced persons, however, remain beyond relief. While
we do not have evidence of starvation, these individuals clearly are
in a vulnerable situation. WFP has been conducting food drops, with
USG support. However, food drops can only reach a small proportion of
these individuals. Relief agencies now plan to begin moving assistance
by helicopter and truck to areas where security permits.
West Timor
We face different humanitarian challenges in West Timor. While the
numbers are not precise, there may be as many as 230,000 displaced
persons in camps located in West Timor as well as in churches,
community facilities and host families. These innocent people sought
refuge -- or were forced to leave East Timor -- as a result of a
brutal anti-independence campaign of intimidation and a scorched earth
policy perpetrated by militia gangs which the Government of Indonesia
did not or could not contain. In fact, there are credible reports that
in many instances the militias were acting in concert with Indonesian
Army forces.
Conditions in these makeshift camps in West Timor are very difficult.
Civilian authorities are making efforts to provide food and there is
little evidence of serious material needs. However, requirements for
water, sanitation and health services will intensify with the onset of
the rainy season.
Most pressing, however, is the security situation of the displaced
persons in West Timor. Human rights activists with whom we met in West
Timor told us harrowing stories of militia running rampant in the
camps at night; of Indonesian army and police forces standing by while
armed thugs in the camps forcibly recruited young men, kidnapping
others, and even murdering with impunity. While we could not verify
these stories, it is reported that up to 230,000 people have been
forced to live in such conditions in West Timor.
In every humanitarian crisis, host governments have the key role in
providing for the security and safety of their citizens, or those who
seek refuge in their country. The Indonesian Government is aware of
its obligations and the civilian side appears to be trying to care for
and provide for camp residents. We were accompanied on our trip to
Timor by Minister of Social Welfare Justika Baharsjah, who is working
hard to ensure that water, sanitation, food and shelter are provided
to those in need. In other respects, the Government is also making the
right commitments. They assured us, for example, that they would not
resettle camp residents immediately in West Timor or to other islands,
as some had suggested they would. They also told us (and repeated this
on Jakarta television) that the Government would permit and facilitate
returns to East Timor for all who wished to return. Coordinating
Minister Haryono told us that the Government would begin -- this week
-- a public information campaign explaining to all who fled from East
Timor what their options would be: to resettle permanently in
Indonesia, to return to East Timor, or to stay temporarily in West
Timor and return at some later date. Last week, President Habibie
committed to allow the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
access to West Timor and to set up field offices in Atambua and
Kupang. A UNHCR advance team arrived in Kupang yesterday to begin
setting up the office and UNHCR has traveled to Atambua. These are
encouraging first steps, but the Government must continue to provide
effective cooperation.
In addition, we believe that the Government should allow the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in West Timor to
exercise fully its mandate and assume responsibility to initiate
tracing procedures for reuniting families torn apart during the
conflict.
Only time will tell whether the Government can or will deliver on
these commitments. In the meantime, conditions in the camps remain
tenuous. The international humanitarian community should have full
access to the camps and the Government and Indonesian Army should
ensure not only safe access by relief workers but also safety for the
refugees. We have called upon the Government to ensure the civilian
character of the camps. Access to the camps by international
organizations and NGOs is essential to convince local authorities of
the seriousness with which the international community takes the
welfare of these people and our willingness to provide urgently needed
assistance. We also stand firm on ensuring that those who would
violate the fundamental rights of camp residents know they cannot act
in secret and with impunity.
As I expressed directly to my Indonesian hosts, and as Secretary
Albright, Secretary Cohen, and our Ambassador in Jakarta have stressed
repeatedly, the camps must be off-limits to armed militias of any and
all political persuasions. The refugee population in the camps
represents no threat to outside forces but organized groups within the
camps do present a danger to fellow refugees.
We must also be prepared to facilitate the return of refugees to the
East under the auspices of UNHCR. At present, it is not possible to
determine how many may want to repatriate. We are hopeful that the
Indonesian Government effort to encourage repatriation will be
coordinated with UNHCR and we will assist in funding safe passage back
for those who wish to return. And we will make every effort to help
returnees reestablish their livelihoods with time to plant in advance
of the rainy season. Failure to succeed in the next few weeks will
force people to remain in uncertain and insecure areas, at the mercy
of the militias or in a state of complete dependence on international
humanitarian aid for another year or more. We must not fail. For those
desiring to stay in West Timor rather than repatriate to East Timor,
we will assist their resettlement through NGOs.
In closing, let me say that our attention is clearly focused on the
humanitarian needs of the displaced and affected populations in East
and West Timor. We are participating in the multi-national force,
which is the international community's best hope for ending the
humanitarian crisis, restoring security and ensuring that the will of
the East Timorese people prevails. We have already provided $10
million, primarily through USAID, to support humanitarian needs.
Yesterday, the State Department announced a contribution from my
Bureau of $5.1 million to support the humanitarian operations of
UNHCR, ICRC, the World Food Program, and the U.N. Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. We are making sure that other
countries, including Asian nations, are actively engaged in pushing on
access issues and providing assistance, as evidenced by the
multi-donor mission that we spearheaded. And, in concert with other
donors, international and multilateral organizations, and NGOs, we
expect to provide substantially more to address humanitarian needs in
the future.
Thank you very much for the Committee's interest in the region and
support for U.S. Government humanitarian action. I would be happy to
answer any of your questions.
(end text)



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