DATE=10/21/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=TIMOR / SEA RETURNS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255327
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A first group of East Timorese refugees is
returning home from West Timor by ship (Thursday).
Lisa Schlein reports the Geneva-based International
Organization for Migration says it will take 16-
hundred people from Kupang in West Timor to Dili, East
Timor.
TEXT: The International Organization for Migration
calls this a big step forward in efforts to repatriate
the East Timorese. Spokesman, Jean-Philippe Chauzy
says the trip by boat from Kupang to Dili takes 12-
hours. And, sending people home by sea will greatly
speed up the return process.
/// CHAUZY ACT ///
This ship can carry up to two-thousand
passengers. It is a very modern ship. It was
built in 1997 in Germany. It has on board
hospital facilities. People will be taken to
Dili in East Timor. Now, for their own
security, we will have a full medical team on
board the "K-M Lambelu" to make sure that people
arrive safely in East Timor.
/// END ACT ///
More than one-half-million people have been displaced
by the recent crisis in East Timor. An estimated 230-
thousand refugees are living in squalid camps in West
Timor. During the past two weeks, nearly four-
thousand people have been flown to East Timor from
West Timor.
Mr. Chauzy says the chartered ship will make eight
more trips during the coming two-weeks. He says up to
16-thousand people are expected to be transported
home.
/// CHAUZY ACT ///
When they arrive in Dili, we have an
infrastructure with U-N-H-C-R (refugee agency).
These people will be taken care of. I believe
the World Food Program is also present to hand
out food and reintegration kits. We also are
looking at chartering a fleet of mini-buses to
make sure that these people can be taken from
the harbor in Dili to their villages inside East
Timor.
/// END ACT ///
The International Organization for Migration has also
organized the first return flight with more than 300
passengers from Surabaya in Java to Baucau, East
Timor. More flights are planned in the coming days.
And, Mr. Chauzy says preparations are underway to
organize flights from Bali to Baucau, East Timor.
(SIGNED)
NEB/LS/GE/RAE
21-Oct-1999 12:03 PM EDT (21-Oct-1999 1603 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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