10 March 2012

Indonesia Prepares Evacuation of RI Citizens from East Timor

Friday, 09 March, 2012 | 15:23 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, KUPANG:The Indonesian Ambassador to East Timor, Eddy Setyabudi, says the government is preparing a strategy to evacuate 7,540 Indonesians in East Timor as the situation has worsened and a riot could break out before the presidential election on March 17.

"We've prepared pre-emptive measures if East Timor's presidential election becomes chaotic," he said following the Indonesian-East Timor Border Coordination meeting in Kupang yesterday. The meeting was attended by East Nusa Tenggara Deputy Governor Esthon Foenay and Wirasakti Military Command chief, Col. Edison Napitupulu.

A number of incidents have happened before the presidential election. The most recent was a Molotov bomb that was thrown at two election offices in February, namely the National Election Commission and the Technical Secretariat for the Administration of Elections in East Timor. Thirteen candidates will vie in the East Timorese presidential election, including the incumbent Ramos Horta.

YOHANES SEO | JOSE SARITO AMARAL

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