Subject: AN: Local Govt, Int'l Organisations Agree
On Mechanism To Help Refugee
Date: Sat, 17 Jul 1999 09:27:28 -0400
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>E. TIMOR : LOCAL GOVT, INT'L
ORGANISATIONS AGREE ON MECHANISM TO HELP REFUGEES s
07/14/1999 Antara - The Indonesian National News Agency
Dili, E. Timor , July 14 (ANTARA) - The provincial administration and various
international humanitarian organizations here have agreed to apply a certain mechanism in
the extension of aid to refugees in East Timor , a local government official said.
Soedarto, chairman of the Provincial Development Planning Board (Bappeda), told a press
conference here Wednesday, the mechanism was necessary to prevent different political
interests from interfering in the humanitarian efforts.
The mechanism was not different from that already used by Non-governmental
Organizations (NGOs) which had been cooperating with the local administration. These
included CARE International and UNICEF, Soedarto said.
He further said the provincial administration, the P3TT, UNAMET, ICRC (Red Cross),
UNHCR and UNICEF had also agreed to appoint three international institutions to serve as
"bridges" in the distribution of assistance from NGOs which had not established
cooperation with the local administration.
The three international institutions are UNHCR, UNICEF and ICRC. The NGOs can choose
one of the three international institutions. "The three institutions are responsible
for the activities of the NGOs in East Timor ," he said.
The Bappeda, as the provincial coordinator, would inform the district-level
administrations concerned when any of the NGOs was intending to provide assistance to
refugees in their respective regions.
"Requests for security escort for the assistance can be submitted to the police.
If no escort is needed, the donor will sign a special letter in which case, if something
happens, the police cannot be blamed," he said.
The agreement was reached to avoid misunderstanding both by the pro-integration and
anti-integration groups about the intention of NGOs to provide assistance to refugees in
East Timor . Such misunderstanding had happened in the recent Liquica incident.
Assistance may be provided through the three international institutions or directly by
NGOs.
Data available at the local administration indicated that until July 10, 1999 there
were 23,938 people or 5,028 families who were refugees in six districts, namely Dili,
Manufahi, Bobonaro, Liquica, Ermera and Covalima, at 41 locations such as villages,
subdistrict capitals and churches.
However, no data were available about the number of East Timorese who had fled to
outside East Timor .
Meile, the UNHCR had put the number of refugees at 36,778. The data from UNHCR mention
districts as places for refugees, while the data from the local administration also
mentioned villages.
Vice chairman of the Indonesian government's Task Force for the Implementation of the
Direct Ballot (P3TT) Yuwana said efforts were being made to enable the refugees return to
their homes and steads so that they could take part in the direct ballot scheduled to be
held late next August.
"However, as long as they have not returned, they should be provided with
humanitarian assistance without certain political interests," Yuwana said.
It was incumbent on all parties concerned to support the creation of a situation that
was safe and conducive for the ballot so that local people, including the refugees, can
participate in the ballot, Yuwana said.
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