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DATE=6/27/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=UNHCR / ERITREA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-263798
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  The U-N Refugee Agency says Eritrean refugees 
are slowly returning to their homes from camps in 
Sudan, despite a difficult humanitarian situation in 
Western Eritrea.  Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva.
TEXT:  The U-N refugee agency says staff members who 
monitor crossing points in Sudan report that Eritrean 
refugees going back say they have heard the Ethiopians 
are gone and that it is now safe to return.  An 
estimated 94-thousand refugees fled into Sudan during 
the height of the latest Ethiopia-Eritrean conflict.
U-N-H-C-R spokesman, Kris Janowski, says it is 
difficult to determine how many Eritreans have gone 
back since the truce was announced more than one-week 
ago.  He says many of the people going back use 
unofficial crossing points.  He says estimates vary 
from several hundred to several thousand Eritreans 
returning over the past few days.
            /// JANOWSKI ACT ///
      At the same time, there are still people 
      trickling out, primarily in search of food and 
      water.  The situation within Eritrean (in) 
      humanitarian terms is very difficult.  
      Basically, there is nothing there and that is 
      why a lot of people are reluctant to go back 
      because they fear for their food security and 
      also there are still people coming out of there.
            /// END ACT ///
Mr. Janowski says people returning to Tesseney and 
Talatashar in Eritrea are believed to be mainly shop 
owners and farmers.  He says both towns are reported 
to have running water and electricity again.
Meanwhile, Mr. Janowski says rains have started to 
fall in the border region.  He says the roads are 
gradually turning into mud and this is complicating 
the relief operation.
On Monday, the U-N Refugee Agency handed over 11 heavy 
trucks to the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission 
to help them deliver emergency relief aid to displaced 
people and returning refugees.   (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/GE/ENE/RAE
27-Jun-2000 11:04 AM EDT (27-Jun-2000 1504 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.