ABC News Online
Monday, September 11, 2006. 7:32am (AEST)
Two East Timorese refugees have been admitted to Royal Darwin Hospital just hours before they were due to return home to Dili.
Forty-two refugees have been living in Darwin and Melbourne on temporary protection visas for the past three months, but are due to return home today.
Yesterday, Louis Lobato was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital after threatening to kill himself.
Speaking on his behalf, Nabila Nadeem says Mr Lobato fears he will be targeted because he is related to the former interior minister, who is now under house arrest.
"Everyone knows we're going to come back on Monday, and people will be waiting for them for sure," he said.
"[It does] not matter if police are there, they're all going to fight."
Meanwhile, the Department of Immigration has confirmed another East Timorese man, Epifano Faculto has been admitted to the hospital's psychiatric ward.
The Immigration Department is awaiting medical advice to see if they are fit for travel.
But a former resident of East Timor says a recent flare up in violence at refugee camps in Dili means it is unsafe for a group of refugees to return home.
Dulcie Munn is originally from East Timor, but is now an Australian citizen.
She is a member of a support group for some of the Timorese living in Darwin.
Ms Munn says the Federal Government is being harsh by not letting the refugees stay longer.
"If you heard our Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer who's recently visited East Timor, he's publicly stated that he's very disturbed with the level of unrest," she said.
"So I think sending these refugees back home is not a good idea, and even if they do, they'll have nowhere to live.
"The refugee camps are now being targeted and attacked by groups of youth and these youth are armed with stones, molotov cocktails, slingshots and they also are stoning the cars during the day now and thousands of family are still living in refugee camps."
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segunda-feira, setembro 11, 2006
Two Timorese refugees hospitalised
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2 comentários:
If I were them I would also not want to come back....and they have grounds to fear political persecution, especially if they belong to Fretilin or are connected with anyone from either Fretilin or with the government of Timor-Leste. More to the point, if you are not pro-Gusmao. There is alot of persecution of anyone who is not por-Gusmao or who is pro Fretilin. There is no democracy in Timor-Leste anymore and noone can speak out on an anti-Gusmao way or pr-Fretilin way as it is immediately the subject of physical harrassment and even death threats. My country Timor-Leste is getting a bit like Nazi Germany or Pol Phots Cambodia, except subtler......but still the same in terms of stiffling the rights to express one's political views. Political persecution however is not as subtle....again any views except pro-Xanana views are immediate subject of political attacks, character assassination and death threats. There have even been some bashings for these things. What a sorry state we are in just when democracy was going so well here before. Yesterday a crowd in Manatuto of opposition supporters (another way of saying pro-Xanana) went to the administrators house to burn it down....because he was at a political meeting during his own time on Saturday. Lets all pray to God Alamighty for the return of Peace, Stability, but mostly freedom and democracy to our country.
Tradução:
Dois refugiados Timorenses hospitalizados
ABC News Online
Segunda-feira, Setembro 11, 2006. 7:32am (AEST)
Dois refugiados Timorenses foram admitidos no Royal Darwin Hospital a horas do regresso previsto para Dili.
Quarenta e dois refugiados têm estado a viver em Darwin e Melbourne com vistos de protecção temporária nos últimos três meses, mas estava previsto que regressassem hoje.
Ontem, Luís Lobato foi levado para o Royal Darwin Hospital depois de ameaçar matar-se.
Falando em nome dele, Nabila Nadeem diz que o Sr Lobato receia ser alvejado porque é da família do antigo ministro do interior, que está agora sob prisão domiciliária.
"Toda a gente sabe que vamos regressar na Segunda-feira, e haverá gente à espera deles, de certeza," disse.
"Não interessa se está lá a polícia, todos vão lutar."
Entretanto, o Departamento da Emigração confirmou que um outro Timorense, Epifano Faculto fo admitido na ala psiquiátrica do hospital.
O Departamento da Imigração espera conselho médico para saber se estão aptos para viajar.
Mas um antigo residente de Timor-Leste diz que uma vaga recente de violência nos campos de deslocados significa que é inseguro um grupo refugiados regressar a casa.
Dulcie Munn é de Timor-Leste, mas agora é uma cidadã Australiana.
È membro de um grupo de apoio para alguns dos Timorenses que vivem em Darwin.
Ms Munn diz que o Governo Federal está a ser desumano ao não deixar os refugiados ficarem mais tempo.
"Se ouviu o nosso Ministro dos Estrangeiros Alexander Downer que recentemente visitou Timor-Leste, ele declarou publicamente que está muito perturbado com o nível do desassossego," disse.
"Portanto penso que enviar estes refugiados de volta não é uma boa ideia, e mesmo se eles forem, não têm onde viver agora.
"Os campos de deslocados estão agora a ser alvejados e atacados por grupos de jovens e esses jovens estão armadas com pedras, cocktails molotov, projécteis e estão também a apedrejar carros durante o dia e milhares de famílias estão ainda a viver em campos de deslocados."
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