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DATE=11/5/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNHCR / TIMOR (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255854
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The United Nations Refugee Agency, U-N-H-C-R, 
is expressing alarm at what it says is the continued 
harassment by militiamen in West Timor of U-N staff 
and East Timorese refugees.  Lisa Schlein in Geneva 
reports the Agency says the militiamen are trying to 
prevent the refugees from going home.
TEXT:  The United Nations Refugee Agency says 
incidents of intimidation are happening on an almost 
daily basis in West Timor.  In one instance (on 
Friday), the Agency says a group of militiamen stoned 
a convoy of six trucks which was going to pick up 123 
refugees.  They wanted to go back to East Timor from a 
camp in the border town of Atambua.  The Agency says 
the windshield of one truck was smashed and glass 
splinters injured a local U-N-H-C-R worker.  U-N-H-C-R 
spokesman, Kris Janowski, says there have been 
incidents of militiamen trying to disrupt refugee 
returns by firing guns in the air.
                /// JANOWSKI ACT ///
      It is extremely alarming.  We have raised our 
      concern with the authorities in Jakarta and also 
      with the authorities on the ground.  The 
      authorities on the ground are trying to help.  
      They are giving us escorts.  They are trying to 
      escort those convoys and protect those convoys.  
      The main problem, however, the large problem 
      remains the presence of the militias in the 
      camps, intimidating the people.  And it is now 
      up to the Indonesian government to get rid of 
      the militias.  We believe that they are in a 
      position to do so.
                  /// END ACT ///
Mr. Janowski says he believes the militias are angry 
with the international community for having come to 
the rescue of the East Timorese.  Therefore, he says, 
the militias are venting their anger at United Nations 
aid workers and refugees.
// OPT //  The U-N refugee spokesman says his agency 
has received reports from religious sources in Atambua 
that four refugees were killed by militiamen in a camp 
near the border.  He says there is no independent 
confirmation of these reports.  // END OPT //
Despite the ongoing incidents of harassment, the U-N 
Refugee Agency says the repatriation operation is 
going well.  To date, more than 42-thousand-500 
refugees have returned to East Timor.  An estimated 
219-thousand refugees remain in West Timor.   (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/WTW
05-Nov-1999 10:50 AM EDT (05-Nov-1999 1550 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.