East Timorese refugee deadline looms amid West Timor concerns

Thousands of refugees live in makeshift camps in West Timor

June 8, 2000
Web posted at: 7:19 a.m. HKT (2319 GMT)

By Correspondent Carolyn Robinson

KUPANG, Indonesia (CNN) -- About 250,000 people were forced from their homes in East Timor last year after militias supporting Indonesia reacted violently to the vote for independence on August 30. Nine months later, about 100,000 of those who fled remain in West Timor -- living in more than 200 squalid, disease-ridden camps scattered across the countryside.

Some of the camps are little more than a tiny cluster of huts, covered by blue or orange tarpaulins; others are semi-permanent towns holding as many as 12,000 people. West Timor is now tense and unstable as pro-Indonesia militias become increasingly restless and the local population becomes more resentful of the refugees.

In some places, especially near the border, refugees outnumber the local population, creating a significant economic burden on this already-poor province of Indonesia.

Militias roam free in West Timor camps

Militia members also live in the camps, among the same civilians they terrorized at home in East Timor. Many had nowhere else to go after fleeing into the Indonesian western half of the island when multinational peacekeepers took control of East Timor in the wake of the post-election violence in September.

VIDEO Reporter Carolyn Robinson looks at the refugee situation in West Timor. Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     QUIZ Who were the former rulers of West Timor? A. The Chinese B. The Dutch C. The Japanese     QUICK VOTE Should the international community be pressuring Indonesia to do more for the repatriation of East Timorese? Yes No View Results   RESOURCES Why refugees haven't returned New deadline to close camps Difficult camp conditions

Many wish to return home -- but militia chiefs want their security to be guaranteed before they return -- something East Timorese leaders say they cannot do for those who have committed serious crimes.

The governor of West Timor, Piet Tallo, and local Indonesian army commander Alex Logi both told CNN there were no militias in the camps -- despite dozens of reports from international agencies, Indonesian activists and the United Nations to the contrary.

The military commander for West Timor, Col. Jurefar, also told CNN no meetings were allowed in the camps as a security measure, and that if he heard of any, it would be his duty to stop them.

He said the army respected the results of last year's referendum which put East Timor on the road to nationhood, and it was now his duty to prevent West Timor from becoming a base for extremists.

But not more than a few hundred meters away from a "look-see" helicopter tour arranged recently by his Indonesian army troops was a refugee camp where about 100 militia members were holding a meeting.

Militia leader wants to return to East Timor

The leader was Cancio Lopes de Carvalho, head of the Mahidi, one of the most notorious militia groups involved in the East Timor violence. East Timorese and international human rights activists say Carvalho is suspected of involvement in several murders, rapes and thefts.

He has also been accused of forcing youths to join the militias. Carvalho said all militia members wanted to return because they missed East Timor and the conditions in the camps were a "human tragedy."

He said more than 11,000 militia members lived near the border with East Timor, and had made repeated requests to East Timorese leaders for permission to return and create an enclave of their own.

Carvalho said they were prepared to continue their struggle if necessary, and that meant they might need weapons. He made the threat as he insisted he was seeking reconciliation and peace, and would guarantee there would be no violence if they returned.

Carvalho

"One day we shall come back to East Timor but how about our security? Before we return, we must make a good reconciliation with Falintil [the pro-independence guerrilla army] and CNRT (the East Timorese leadership)," said Carvalho, calling for a meeting between militia and East Timorese leaders. "And the United Nations must assist with the reconciliation."

A local priest said the militia meeting took place not more than a few yards from a weapons cache -- and Carvalho admitted some militia members still had weapons, even though he said he had instructed them to turn them in. Col. Jurefar, said his troops had confiscated 300 modern weapons, up to 20,000 rounds of ammunition, 60 grenades, and 100 traditional weapons -- all, he said, turned in voluntarily by militia.

No militia arrests yet in Indonesia

East Timorese activist Aniceto Neves said Carvalho was free to return -- as long as he was handed over to local legal authorities while allegations against him were investigated.

He added the militias are allowed access to Indonesia because everything they did in East Timor came at the direction of the Indonesian military.

"We believe that right up to this moment, the militias are being coordinated by Indonesian military authorities. We believe this because the militias still have caches of weapons, and they still live and eat together with high military authorities," Neves said.

The Mahidi was one of the most notorious militia groups involved in the East Timor violence

Hilmar Farid, of the Indonesian human rights organization ELSAM, said militias were making public threats calling on the Indonesian army to continue supporting them -- or they would consider providing evidence to authorities on what they knew about the army's role in East Timor's destruction last year.

So far, no militia leader has been arrested or charged in Indonesia in connection with any crimes stemming from the post-referendum violence. Carvalho said he was willing to stand trial -- but only before an international tribunal, not an Indonesian one -- something East Timorese leader Xanana Gusmao also advocates, if the Indonesian judicial process does not live up to international standards.

Refugee returns slow down

The refugee return rate must pick up dramatically if Indonesia hopes to clear the camps by June 30 -- the second deadline the government has set to end the refugee crisis.

By that date, officials say refugees must decide to return to East Timor, or to relocate permanently to Indonesia. In recent weeks, several hundred people have returned from the refugee camps to East Timor -- but several thousand per week must go back for the latest ultimatum to succeed.

Many refugees said one major reason they had not returned to East Timor nine months after the vote in East Timor was due to militia intimidation in the camps.

Alberto Carceres lived in the Tuapukan refugee camp for six months before deciding to return. "We only recently received clear information from our relatives in East Timor telling us our family would be safe if we returned," he said as they waited for their ship at a transit center -- the only place among four West Timor camps visited by journalists recently where refugees were allowed to speak to international news organizations.

Aid agencies are struggling to bring relief to refugees in the scattered camps

Many refugees have heard rumors they will be attacked or killed if they go back -- misinformation spread by the militias who still hold influence over the camps.

The United Nations has been trying to counter this with a publicity campaign of its own -- including distributing videotapes from families in East Timor, setting up family reunion weekends at the border, and arranging visits to East Timor for some militia leaders. Carceres, a 25-year-old farmer from Manatutu, said he's very happy to go back, even though he's lost everything.

"I accept East Timor's independence with open arms," he said.

Breaking the militias' influence

The United Nations and international aid agencies say the refugees are human bargaining chips in the militias' struggle to retain power and control now that Indonesian army support for their activities has weakened. But the United Nations and local activists say the army still coordinates some militia activity.

Many officials, including U.S. ambassador to Indonesia Robert Gelbard, are now calling for the militias in the camps to be separated from the rest of the refugee population -- a measure that could reduce the risk of further political destabilization in West Timor.

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