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DATE=10/12/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=TIMOR REPATRIATION (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-254908
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The United Nations Refugee Agency, U-N-H-
C-R, says its airlift of East Timorese refugees 
from West Timor to the East Timor capital, Dili, 
is gathering speed.  Lisa Schlein in Geneva 
reports the agency has returned nearly a thousand 
refugees since Friday, when the airlift began.
TEXT:  The U-N Refugee Agency transported 280 
people on three flights from Kupang in West Timor 
to Dili in East Timor on Tuesday.  The Agency 
calls this a good beginning but says it expects 
the number and pace of the repatriation to 
increase rapidly as word of the returns spreads 
in the camps.
U-N-H-C-R Spokesman Kris Janowski says many 
people are already approaching aid workers on 
their own, asking to be taken home.
            ///JANOWSKI ACT///
      People are actually coming now to the 
      Assumption Church in Kupang from various 
      other places, saying they want to be taken 
      back to Dili, including people who get on 
      buses in Atambua at the border (to) go by 
      bus to Kupang, which is a seven hour bus 
      ride and board a plane and fly to Dili. 
            ///END ACT///
The U-N Refugee Agency plans to charter another 
plane so it can increase the number of daily 
flights to Dili.  It is also considering sending 
the East Timorese home by boat and, when the 
security situation improves, by land.
Mr. Janowski says the Indonesian authorities are 
becoming more cooperative on the airlift.  But, 
he says access to the refugees remains a problem.
            ///2ND JANOWSKI ACT///
      But our access, especially in the camps in 
      Atambua, is quite sporadic still.  The 
      evacuation by air is a breakthrough and we 
      did describe it as a breakthrough when it 
      started on Friday.  Otherwise, on access, 
      we're doing our best.  But it's still 
      difficult here and there. 
            ///END ACT///
More than one quarter million East Timorese have 
either fled or been forcibly deported to West 
Timor.  The U-N Refugee Agency says it will take 
many months to repatriate all the people who want 
to go home.  In the meantime, it says militias 
continue to intimidate the refugees who are 
living in squalid, overcrowded camps. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/KL
12-Oct-1999 08:53 AM EDT (12-Oct-1999 1253 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.