The Age, January 30, 2006
Asylum seekers 'forced' to attack Christians
A GROUP of West Timorese is seeking asylum in Australia from Indonesia claiming
they have been pressured into carrying out attacks against Christians in their village.
Mustafa Ridwan, 23, a Muslim from Alor in West Timor, said he and his brothers
Supardi, 39, and Mahmud, 30, and a nephew, 18, fled Indonesia because they did not
want to be enlisted in anti-Christian campaigns.
"Our situation was not safe so we came to Australia," he said from Christmas Island,
where the group has been held for almost three months.
He said the group bought a boat in Sulawesi and went back to West Timor, where
members picked up the wife and two children of one brother, and then sailed for
Australia.
They bring to 50 the number of people who have fled Indonesia to Australia in the past
three months, after 43 West Papuans arrived last week. All are detained on Christmas
Island.
Mr Ridwan said the seven arrived in Western Australia on November 3.
West Timor, under Indonesian rule since 1949, has one of the poorest populations in
Indonesia, Jason MacLeod, a spokesman for the Australian West Papua Association
said.
The Refugee Review Tribunal last week heard an appeal against the family's rejection.
ANDRA JACKSON
Copyright © 2004. The Age Company Ltd.
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