UN refugee agency delays refugee registration in East Timor
11 July -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has delayed for at least 24 hours the registration of East Timorese refugees in four border districts of West Timor to review procedures mainly arising out of security concerns, a UNHCR spokesperson said today in Geneva. Delphine Marie told the press that while reaction to registration among the refugee population had been positive, there were those who opposed it. In Betun, drivers this morning refused to move out of the UNHCR compound after they received threats from refugee elements opposing registration, Ms. Marie said. In two encampments in Atambua, refugees refused to allow UNHCR staff to prepare for the registration. An angry crowd surrounded the staff, who required police to escort them out unharmed.
"We regret the delay but again we would like to stress, as we have done repeatedly throughout this emergency, that without security guarantees from the Indonesian authorities there is very little that we can do to solve the refugee problems in West Timor," the spokesperson said.
In other developments, the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) today reported that the territory's main decision-making body - the National Consultative Council (NCC) - agreed at a public hearing in Dili to consider three amendments to the draft regulation establishing a National Legislative Council (NLC).
UNTAET said that the NCC's acting chairperson, Mari Alkatari, had agreed to look into suggestions that an advisory committee comprised of professionals be established to give advice on regulations presented to the NLC. The two other proposals called for the establishment of a complaints committee to hear the public, and a membership that included more representatives from professional, youth and women's groups.
According to the draft regulation presented at the hearing, the NLC will consist of 33 East Timorese from political, religious and private spheres. The current 15-member NCC, "a quasi-cabinet and quasi-legislative body," will be dissolved at the first session of the NLC, UNTAET said.
