Japan to assist in repatriating refugees

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The Japanese government promised on Tuesday that it would continue support for the handling and repatriation of East Timorese refugees still in exile in West Timor, East Nusa Tenggara province.

Japan's ambassador for East Timor Hideaki Asaki, said in Kupang that the Japanese government had provided a grant worth Rp 53 billion (US$6.3 million) to the Indonesian government for resettlement, repatriation and health programs for East Timorese refugees.

As of April this year, 86,600 East Timorese refugees had returned to their homeland. There are still a total of 15,699 refugees living in camps in East Nusa Tenggara province. -- JP