Subject: SCMP: Plea to airlift fresh food, drug
supplies to E.Timor
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 09:17:28 -0500
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>Received from Joyo:
Tuesday March 16 1999
East Timor Plea to airlift fresh food, drug supplies
JENNY GRANT in Dili
The international community should prepare to fly urgently needed fresh food and
medical aid to the region, a visiting Portuguese diplomat said yesterday.
Ana Gomes, the first Portuguese diplomat to visit East Timor since 1975, said supplies
- including urgently needed drugs - could be flown in from neighbouring countries such as
Australia.
"There is a fantastic air base in Baucau for that purpose, only 45 minutes' flight
from Darwin," said Ms Gomes, who heads the Portuguese diplomatic interest section in
Jakarta.
Once used to land 747s carrying holiday-makers from Portugal, Macau and Australia, the
airfield is now closed to commercial flights.
Ms Gomes told members of the National Commission on Human Rights in Dili there was an
urgent need for international medical groups such as Medecins Sans Frontieres to be
allowed to work in East Timor.
"The fact there are no surgeons operating here and the hospital closes at two
o'clock is unacceptable," she said.
The Portuguese-based International Medical Association has applied to set up operations
in East Timor after dozens of migrant doctors returned to Java, fearing further violence.
Jakarta is stalling on granting permission for a Red Cross surgical team to work at the
Dili General Hospital.
Ms Gomes, who will report her findings to the Portuguese President in Macau this week,
said the crisis in the territory's schools was also critical.
More than 2,500 teachers have asked to be transferred from the territory, moves that
have disrupted classes and left students at a loose end.
The military's information centre in Jakarta says it is preparing 1,000 army teachers
and doctors to take up essential positions in the territory.
But Ms Gomes said: "From what I've seen the people do not trust the military, even
if their intentions are good."
The diplomat said there was a strong need for an unarmed international peacekeeping
force in East Timor to cool tensions and give residents confidence the forthcoming
self-determination process would be fair.
"This is the only way people will feel confident to vote freely," she said.
Back to March Menu
Human Rights Violations in East Timor
Main Postings Menu
June '98 through February '99 |
