I have been waiting to come and share with you all that happened during the day. It is abt 11 now and I have run out of all juice to type. I am going to take my chances and try and tell you all that happened. I woke up reluctantly from my bed at about 5:30 am to get my readings done. I finally got it done by 7:00 am and went for my shower. Lo and behold there was a queue and thus had to wait. I rushed into the shower and got a treat of cold water. I rushed for my breakfast, ate my usual stuff and got out to do more readings.
At 9:oo am our negotiations started. We were dealing with the East Timor case. The country was a colony of Indonesia and had proclaimed independence in 2002 with the international community. There were 135 refugees who were granted citizenship and kept back in Indonesia. The job was to repartriate them back to East Timor. We had the East Timor defence Ministry, The international donors, the UN, the Indonesian Military, the Minstry of external affairs and the Portuguese govt.
I was part of the Indonesian minstry of External Affairs. We were allowed to talk to the Indonesian military to reach an agreement to repartriate the refugees. They would not agree to the end because hey were afraid that the refugees may be witness to the atrocities of the army and would get the Army punished for their crimes. With this hidden agenda, the army was never keen to promote the repartiation. But they always said,"it is not safe for the refugees to return since the conditions in the country are not conducive to return. They said that the returning refugees were a threat to the national security and hence there was no question of return.
WE then had discussions with the UN, the Portuguese govt and other actors and came to an great conclusion that they would repartriated with international protection. But before that they will be screened. Those who do not pass the screening would become a question. The east Timor Government felt that they would not take in the ex combatants who failed the screening and the Indonesians did the same as well.
We finally agreed to send them to the care of the UN who will find a third country to resettle. While all this was happening. The army was clearly wanting to fight the battle of hierarchy and power with the Ministry of external affairs. This was manifested in the first round of meetings with the UN in which the army was trying to take a lead and sabotage the initiatives. the ministry was aware of this and tried and cornered them.
After a whole round of discussion we had to come up with some solutions. Now another meeting was called with the UN. This time the Military did not have a chance to lead. The partied almost came to an agreement when the Military took the country through a Coup. this was dramatic but did not work. Finally we announced that the army personnel who created this confusion were arrested.
Then the UN went ahead with a decision to repartriate the refugees on the agreed circumstances.
We learnt to deal with the needs interests and positions. Secondly, when one position was getting strong the other was acting out of desperation. With all that the session came to a mighty end.
For the evening I met with Nick van Hear and Catherine. We had met them in Sri Lanka and then in India. in 2003 May. we spoke about Chennai, Colombo, Puttalam, and the east. It was nice to share perspectives and learn about their work. We then went to a pub and had a drink met with some of his friends. For dinner I had Tapas and Nick had something called Madras Balti vegetable. I couldnt help laughing when i Saw it. It came in a Kadai and you had to eat outof it.
Now we spoke about life, literature and livelihoods. In fact I have been given the opportunity to review a book on Internal Displacement in India. as we drank and ate our meal we met Catherine's friend arrived to join us at the table. She, her partners and four children had driven from Norway. Now they were returning from the Stone Henge monument. They showed their souvenir. i really wanted to go there immediately but restrained myself and told myself that I will go there some day.
Plus i have an additional responsibility I will be cooking next week for Nick and his family. I already have a menu going and will tell you once i have cooked and tasted the food.
that it for now zzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzz
that means i am sleepy
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