By Max Lane Nine East Timorese, seven men and two women, have entered the Australian embassy in Jakarta to present demands for a change in Australian policy on East Timor and to seek political asylum in Australia. The nine are Ermenegildo Lopes, Cejar Diaz Quintas, Florenciao Amaral, Paula Fonseka, Delta Guterres, Aires Aparacio Guterres, Faustino, Amorin Dieria and Fidel. As in the case of three East Timorese women who entered the embassy to seek asylum in January, the Labor government has adopted an approach of hostility and suppression of information about what is happening in the embassy. Feigning ignorance of the repressive policies being implemented in East Timor, the Department of Foreign Affairs is claiming that the East Timorese have no grounds for asylum. "No individual member of the nine has presented evidence that would warrant consideration of their application for asylum", a spokesperson from the department told me over the telephone. Meanwhile, the International Red Cross in Jakarta has confirmed that the embassy said that the East Timorese are welcome to apply for normal visas. It is extremely unlikely that these nine would have much chance of getting visas under the points system that relies on job skills, English language and similar requirements. Family reunion visas are the other faint hope offered by the government. Otherwise, says the embassy, they should apply to go to Portugal. However, the East Timorese are still refusing to go to Portugal. It is quite possible that, unless the embassy ejects them, the nine may reside in the embassy for some time. The Australian section of the International Commission of Jurists has sent a statement to Foreign Minister Gareth Evans contradicting the unsubstantiated government assertions that the East Timorese have no grounds for fearing persecution. "The ASICJ asks the Minister to recall that there are very strong grounds for assuming these persons have a genuine fear of persecution and the evidence suggests a strong prima facie case in that respect." The ASICJ went on to ask Evans to permit an Australian lawyer to assist the East Timorese and advise them on their rights. It asked for an assurance that the embassy would not prevent the East Timorese from pursuing their rights "and to establish confidence in that regard, allow access to friends, associates and the media, by telephone or other practical means". According to Rodney Lewis, convener of the Indonesia subcommittee of the ASICJ, there has so far been no answer from Evans. All attempts by journalists or friends to contact the East Timorese inside the embassy have been blocked by officials. When I rang the Department of Foreign Affairs to seek further information about the situation, I was told it was official policy that such access was denied. "I understand that they made some political demands." "That is correct", said Paul Molloy, of the department. "Can you tell me what they were?" "No, I can't." "What is the reason?" "It is not our role to convey that information." "Don't you think Australian citizens have the right to be informed of the political demands made by these East Timorese? Is it the role of government officials to suppress such information?" "We are not suppressing information,. We are just not repeating it. That is different from suppressing information. The East Timorese are very welcome to speak directly to the press." "So I can ring the embassy and speak to them?" "No. If they want to speak to the press, they can go outside the embassy." Where, of course, they are likely to be arrested. In Portugal, the newspaper
Lusa has reported that the National Resistance of East Timorese Students, based in Portugal, is appealing to the Portuguese government to pressure Australia to grant asylum to the nine. Meanwhile, Gareth Evans has also taken pleasure in a recent decision of the Refugee Review Tribunal which determined that many of the East Timorese seeking refugee status in Australia can claim Portuguese as well as Indonesian citizenship. The decision stated that Portuguese law gives citizenship to anyone born in a territory that was Portuguese at the time or whose father was Portuguese. Evans is now claiming that therefore Australia is legally not able to consider their applications for refugee status. Unfortunately for Evans, the Timorese do not want to claim either Portuguese or Indonesian citizenship. They want to be East Timorese citizens. Some feel the need to seek refuge in Australia from the ongoing repression in East Timor.