Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Dili (Agenzia Fides) - The crisis of returnee refugees in East Timor seems nowhere near a solution. “Some 30,000 displaced persons are living in 51 camps in the capital Dili and another 70,000 have moved to districts where they live in extended families or in small camps. Although the total number has been reduced the situation still weighs heavily on the infrastructures of the young nation ”, said director of JRS Jesuit Refugee Service Australia, Fr David Holdcroft SJ.
The situation degenerated in March 2006 when members of the armed forces were involved in episodes of violence endangering law and order. In May last year 2,000 Australian, New Zealand and Portuguese policemen and a contingent of peacekeepers were deployed in East Timor. They were eventually replaced by UN peacekeepers.
“With the political crisis solved it was hoped the displaced persons would return home. But now the government and NGOs realise that the causes of the exodus were more complex and profound: intergenerational land disputes, poverty and high unemployment rate ”, Fr Holdcroft added.
Many returning families have neither home nor land and they need to be resettled. Evacuation to outlying areas put enormous pressure on smaller communities and there is a danger of new conflict and exodus.
The Church in East Timor has urged the civil authorities to take adequate measures to solve the refugee crisis. Since 1999 JRS is very active in assisting the affected people together with Salesians and local NGOs. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 8/6/2006 righe 25 parole 258)
