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DATE=11/12/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EAST TIMOR REFUGEES
NUMBER=2-256087
BYLINE=GORDON MARTIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The U-N refugee agency (U-N-H-C-R) says it 
still is facing problems in organizing the return of 
thousands of East Timorese refugees. Gordon Martin 
reports from Geneva.
TEXT:  The U-N refugee agency says many of the 
problems are caused by the same people who caused East 
Timor residents to flee to West Timor: militia groups 
angered by the East Timor vote to break away from 
Indonesia.
U-N-H-C-R says the militias control camps in West 
Timor where the refugees are living.  The agency says 
it is worried about the plight of the refugees -- and 
the safety of its own staff -- because of repeated 
incidents of harassment and intimidation.
U-N-H-C-R spokesman Ron Redmond says, that in the past 
two weeks, there have been at least 19 incidents of 
harassment of U-N staff, aid workers, and refugees in 
West Timor's Atambua area -- where most of the 
refugees are living in about 40 camps.
///  OPT  /// On Friday, a U-N-H-C-R team went to a 
camp in Atambua, but was prevented from escorting 50 
refugees who said they wanted to return to East Timor.  
The U-N workers were stopped by a crowd of women and 
children who blocked the camp entrance. /// END OPT  
///
But Mr. Redmond says there are some indications that 
tensions may be easing.
            /// REDMOND ACT ///
      There have been some encouraging signs of 
      (Indonesian) army cooperation in the Kupang 
      area.  Military officials today told the U-N-H-
      C-R that they will deploy some troops at 
      Noelbaki camp to allow U-N-H-C-R staff to begin 
      repatriation of some seven-thousand refugees who 
      are there.  We've been having trouble in 
      Noelbaki camp since the beginning of the refugee 
      crisis in West Timor.  And in early September, 
      U-N-H-C-R officials visiting the camp were 
      attacked and two of them sustained injuries.  So 
      this is a good development with military 
      presence now arriving.
            /// END ACT ///
Mr. Redmond says more than 56-thousand refugees have 
gone home to East Timor since the repatriation program 
began five weeks ago.  (Signed)
NEB/GM/JWH/JO
12-Nov-1999 10:19 AM EDT (12-Nov-1999 1519 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.