VZCZCXRO3112
PP RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #0678 0950240
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 040240Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8554
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 0942
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2262
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 2981
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 3742
RUEHPT/AMCONSUL PERTH 0679
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJPI/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS JAKARTA 000678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/ANP 
NSC FOR EPHU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINS ID TT
SUBJECT: TENSIONS IN WEST TIMOR 
 
REF: SURABAYA 0039 
 
¶1.  (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate General 
Surabaya and is Sensitive but Unclassified. 
 
¶2.   (SBU) SUMMARY:  Thousands of former refugees all but 
brought the West Timor border city of Atambua to a halt by 
occupying government offices on April 1.  The protesters--who 
are demanding assistance from Jakarta--are former East 
Timorese who moved to Indonesia in the wake of the conflict 
over Timor-Leste's independence in 1999.  The protests have 
been going on off-and-on for some time and have a bit of a 
violent edge.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.   (U) PROTESTS IN WEST TIMOR:  Thousands of former East 
Timorese refugees descended on the local council and social 
welfare offices in Atambua, Belu regency (district area), 
hard by the border with Timor-Leste on the morning of April 
¶1.  The demonstrators were former East Timorese refugees who 
became Indonesian citizens after Timor-Leste's 1999 
separation from Indonesia. 
 
¶4.   (SBU) According to Mission contacts, demonstrators 
demanded that the government disburse compensation funds in 
the amount of Rp 4 million (about USD 444) to each family. 
According to press reports, Matheus BC Guedes, head of the 
Indonesian Citizens and Victims of a Political Choice 
Humanitarian Forum, claimed that families only received a 
fraction--Rp 503,000 (or about USD 60)--of what had been 
promised by the GOI.  The head of the East Nusa Tenggara 
Social Services Office said several of those demanding 
compensation were ineligible because they had not registered 
with government authorities. 
 
¶5.   (U) Demonstrators demanded an immediate response from 
the central government.  They said they would occupy the Belu 
legislative council's building "until the government responds 
as to when the assistance for the former refugees will be 
disbursed," according to the press.  In a text message Guedes 
sent to journalists, he said demonstrations would continue 
until May 2.  Guedes explained "We came to Belu not at our 
own request, but as political victims." 
 
¶6.   (U) TENSIONS HIGH:  The protests had a bit of a violent 
edge.  According to press reports, demonstrators threw stones 
at the government social welfare office, smashing glass 
windows.  According to Mission contacts, demonstrators 
briefly detained the deputy regent (district head) of Belu 
and the deputy speaker of the local assembly.  One contact 
told us her staff saw some of the demonstrators "hit the 
deputy house speaker and another person."  Via text message, 
Guedes told Mission contacts that the demonstrators might 
attempt to detain government officials and/or international 
NGO workers in order to press for a central government 
response.  A local official acknowledged in front of 
protesters that "it is not easy to call the President in 
Jakarta directly." 
 
¶7.  (SBU) INTEGRATION FRUSTRATION:  Local contacts say the 
situation in Atambua is now calm.  Local police are still 
visibly guarding the city.  However, these types of tensions 
bubble up now and then in West Timor.  A similar situation 
arose in 2005 regarding reintegration funds.  Contacts assert 
that corruption within the provincial or local government 
could be wreaking havoc with the disbursements.  Relations 
between former East Timorese refugees and local communities 
have shown some recent signs of friction in other parts of 
West Timor, per reftel. 
 
HUME