BBC Summary of World Broadcasts October 19, 2000, Thursday

Clashes between East Timor refugees, locals continue ' Kompas' web site, Jakarta, in Indonesian 17 Oct 00

'Tempo' web site, Jakarta, in Indonesian 17 Oct 00

'Jawa Pos' web site, Surabaya, in Indonesian 17 Oct 00

Several Indonesia-language Internet news sources monitored on 17th October reported developments in the ongoing tension between East Timorese refugees and locals in the area of refugee camps located in West Timor/ NTT [East Nusa Tenggara].

The Jakarta-based daily 'Kompas', reported a meeting between the East Timor Refugee Settlement team (PMP) and reporters in Kupang on Monday (16th October). The meeting was convened by Izack A. Luitnan, head of the NTT National Coordination and Information Agency (BKIN). The PMP team, of 45 members assigned by Coordinating Minister for Politics, Society and Security Soesilo Bambang Yudhoyono, was led by Basyiruddin Yusuf.

The PMP team heard that refugees, especially former pro-integration militia figures, were subject to frequent intimidation. Last Friday in Kupang, former militia leader Cansio Lopez de Carvalho complained that his followers were being terrorized by people dressed as ninjas. He suspected that they were members of the security forces. However, NTT Police Chief Brig-Gen Pastika rejected these allegations, saying that perhaps certain "hard-line" ex-militia members were being pursued by the authorities for involvement in criminal activity.

The Jakarta-based news portal 'Tempo Interaktif', in a report by Ronald Amapiran dated 16th October, reported that police chief Pastika said that his men would be disarming locals (as well as East Timorese militia members) in subsequent raids. The use of weapons, particularly home-made rifles, was spreading in NTT. Many such weapons were being made in the Rote area of Kupang District.

Meanwhile, the Surabaya-based daily 'Jawa Pos', 17th October edition, reported that three traditional customary Timorese leaders (raja) had met with NTT Governor Piet Tallo. They were the rajas of Insana, Amanuban, and Kupang. They offered to grant some land for the resettlement of some of the refugees.

The meeting was attended by former East Timor Governor Abilio Soares, UNTAS (Timorese Warriors Union) Secretary General Filomeno de Jesus Hornay, former Los Palos District head Edmundo, and pro-integration figure Mesakh Amalo. The report described UNTAS as "the umbrella organization for East Timorese refugees" -implying representation of all such refugees, not just those favouring integration with Indonesia.

The Raja of Insana offered land in North Central Timor District for 66 families. The governor welcomed this gesture, and former governor Soares asserted that it would be unforgivable if the offer were to be rejected. He said that Timorese would not want to be "dumped" on another island -a reference to a plan already mooted to relocate refugees on Wetar Island, off the northeast tip of Timor Island.

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