DATE=7/7/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNHCR / TIMOR (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264161
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Refugee Agency, U-N-H-C-R,
says tensions are rising between East Timorese
refugees and local residents in West Timor. Lisa
Schlein in Geneva reports the agency is making
contingency plans to move the refugees out of West
Timor quickly if the situation gets worse.
TEXT: The U-N Refugee Agency says tensions are so
high that aid workers, once again, have been forced to
stay away from the East Timorese refugee camps in West
Timor. The Agency resumed its aid activities at three
major camps on Monday after a two-week suspension
because of security concerns.
Despite promises of greater protection from Indonesian
authorities, U-N-H-C-R spokesman Kris Janowski says
clashes between the local residents and refugees are
making it impossible for aid workers to provide
assistance.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
Yesterday, two refugees were injured in a clash
outside one of the camps where local residents
armed with spears and machetes have set up a
road barricade for an entire week. The blockade
was mounted following the burning of a school
outside Tuapukan. As a result of this and
previous security incidents, residents demanded
that the refugees be sent back to East Timor.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Janowski says the U-N-H-C-R has met with the top
military commander in the area, requesting that swift
measures be taken to dismantle the roadblocks.
Meanwhile, the International Organization for
Migration, or I-O-M, says it has been unable to
register East Timorese refugees scheduled to go home
this week because of fighting between the refugees and
local people. The migration organization is
responsible for transporting the refugees. Niurka
Pineiro of the I-O-M says the agency is preparing
contingency plans to move out large numbers of East
Timorese refugees if the situation deteriorates
further.
/// PINEIRO ACT ///
I-O-M is in contact with the owners of the ship,
"The Patricia Anne Hotung," requesting the ship
be docked in Kupang instead of Dili to be ready
to move out people immediately. I-O-M is also
making contact with airlines to have an aircraft
on standby should we need to move people out.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. Pineiro says tensions between the local community
and East Timorese refugees have been on the rise for
the past few weeks. She says the local population
resents the refugees because they receive free food
and other supplies from the international community.
She says both groups also are struggling to gain
control of moneymaking gambling and other illicit
activities in the area. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/JP
07-Jul-2000 07:33 AM EDT (07-Jul-2000 1133 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
