DATE=10/5/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-N / TIMOR RETURNS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-254664
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-N Refugee Agency, U-N-H-C-R, says it is
delaying the start of its airlift of Timorese refugees
from squalid camps in West Timor to their homes in
East Timor. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the Agency
says it hopes to begin the repatriation operation
Friday.
TEXT: The U-N Refugee Agency says a first group of
about 100-Timorese will be airlifted back to East
Timor from several camps around Kupang, the provincial
capital of West Timor. U-N-H-C-R spokesman, Kris
Janowski, says the agency has chosen to begin the
repatriation at Kupang because it is somewhat less
volatile than the border town of Atambua. He says the
refugees are scattered in a number of encampments
around Kupang.
///JANOWSKI ACT///
It is not like one huge group of people in one
place. And, one of these places we have
identified to take people to the airport and
then to East Timor. We have, of course, been
working with the Indonesian security on the
transport, on giving us some escort and some
security from the camp to the airport.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Janowski would not identify the camp from which
the refugees would be taken.
Meanwhile, he says the agency has expressed concern to
the governor of West Timor over its registration of
the East Timorese refugees. The government began
handing out registration forms Monday. Mr. Janowski
says the refugees are being asked whether they want to
return to East Timor, stay where they are, or join the
government's transmigration program.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
We do not think that this kind of registration
will provide anybody with any clear answer on
what the people want to do. They are not going
under these circumstances when there are plenty
of militias around, either openly or essentially
in plain clothes and without visible arms and so
on and so forth. There is a lot of
intimidation.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Janowski says it is very unlikely that these
terrified people will come up with honest answers as
to what they want to do. Aid agencies believe most of
the estimated 230-thousand refugees in West Timor
would choose to go home if they were given the chance.
(SIGNED)
NEB/LS/GE/LTD/RAE
05-Oct-1999 11:32 AM LOC (05-Oct-1999 1532 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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