DATE=1/11/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNHCR / TIMOR (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257955
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Refugee Agency, the U-
N-H-C-R, says the pace of its operation to
repatriate East Timorese refugees is increasing.
Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the agency says
hundreds of refugees in camps in West Timor are
registering to return home.
TEXT: The United Nations Refugee Agency says
there has been a significant change in the
attitudes of East Timorese refugees. U-N-H-C-R
spokesman Kris Janowski says many refugees are
leaving camps in the West Timorese capital,
Kupang, and registering to repatriate. He says
the increased interest is probably due to the
agency's information campaign aimed at countering
false rumors about conditions in East Timor and
to the weakening of militia power in the Kupang
camps.
/// JANOWSKI ACT ///
So, we've got again, hundreds of people
signing up to repatriate from West Timor to
East Timor after a real slowdown in
repatriation. A couple of weeks ago, we
were able to extract only a few people
every day from the camps. Now, it has been
picking up again.
/// END ACT ///
The agency reports more than 460 people returned
to the East Timorese capital, Dili, by ship on
Saturday. And, it says a similar number is
expected Wednesday when the ship completes its
second trip to Dili.
Mr. Janowski says visits by a Timorese returnee
to a refugee shelter in Sydney, Australia, have
persuaded a number of people there to return
home.
Over the last three months, the United Nations
estimates nearly 130-thousand refugees have
returned voluntarily in an organized or
spontaneous way to East Timor. The U-N believes
between 100 and 150-thousand refugees remain in
camps in West Timor. (Signed)
NEB/LS/GE/KL
11-Jan-2000 09:37 AM EDT (11-Jan-2000 1437 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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