Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Dec 1999

Vol. 512 No. 2

Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

15 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the funds, if any, provided to date for humanitarian relief in East Timor; the number of persons still displaced; the additional steps, if any, planned to alleviate suffering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25501/99]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews)

The Government is following the situation in East and West Timor closely. I am pleased to be able to report that the situation is stabilising and conditions are improving. Almost all the country has now been rendered secure by INTERFET with only the border areas remaining on high alert, particularly the south-west where the Irish Defence Forces contingent is operational.

The deployment of INTERFET created the security conditions needed to allow the return to their homes of East Timorese displaced in West Timor and other parts of Indonesia, and within East Timor itself. While it is still proving difficult to get accurate figures on the numbers of displaced people, latest reports suggest that approximately 150,000 people are being accommodated in camps in West Timor. There is a steady flow of returns from the camps in West Timor and other parts of Indonesia and the UN reports that there has been a total of 107,700 returns to date. In addition those who had taken refuge in the territory's mountains and forests are now returning to their towns and villages.

East Timor remains very much in the immediate post-emergency phase of the crisis and at present international efforts are focused on meeting basic needs. The main priority is shelter with the monsoon season about to start and 85,000 homes damaged or destroyed. The arrival of the monsoon season has also increased health risks and efforts are being made to rehabilitate hospitals and health centres throughout the region. The rains have also signalled the arrival of the planting season, which creates an urgent need for seeds. In the longer term, structures will have to be put in place in order to ensure as smooth a transition to the reconstruction phase as soon as possible.

The Government is committed to assisting in the humanitarian relief operation in both East and West Timor. We have approved a grant package of £1 million pounds to meet the humanitarian and rehabilitation needs of the hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced people. The assistance will meet immediate humanitarian needs such as food, water and medical supplies and will help with initial reconstruction. All assistance is being co-ordinated with other donors to ensure an efficient and effective response to those most in need. An initial allocation of £400,000 was made to UN agencies currently on the ground in the region. A further £250,000 was allocated last week in response to the UN consolidated appeal.

An assessment team from the Department of Foreign Affairs and APSO, has just returned from the region and further funding will be considered based on their report. Areas identified as needing support include education and human resource development, including capacity building, the justice sector and help in developing a regulatory framework.

Ireland is also contributing to the relief effort through our membership of the EU. The European community humanitarian office has disbursed three million euros in response to the crisis. This is in addition to two million euros disbursed prior to the conflict. A further ten million euros is in the process of being allocated for food and medicines for the Timorese people. Commissioner Nielson is currently heading a mission to the region to assess the situation with regard to providing further assistance for reconstruction.

The long-term aim of international assistance to the people of East Timor is to help them in setting up the administrative structures to allow them to prepare for full independence. The departure of the Indonesian officials and military, who governed the region for decades, resulted in the collapse of the administrative structures. Although the multinational forces have been deployed in East Timor to provide security in the region, Government organs, such as administrative offices, police and a judiciary system are not yet in place.

An international donors conference focusing on aiding recovery in East Timor is scheduled to take place on 17 December in Tokyo.