Thousands of refugees return home to East Timor ahead of election

Thousands of refugees return home to East Timor ahead of election

Associated Press, Dili, East Timor

Thousands of East Timorese refugees are returning home ahead of next month's election to choose the soon-to-be-independent nation's first president, a UN official claimed on Friday.

Almost 4,000 refugees have crossed over from Indonesia's neighboring province of East Nusa Tenggara in the last month, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Jake Morland, describing the influx as the "biggest return" since March 2000.

Around 260,000 East Timorese fled into Indonesia in late 1999. About 70,000 remain in camps throughout the province.

Morland attributed the recent rise in returns to a long-term reconciliation program that includes "go and see" visits by refugees to East Timor. Visits by East Timorese leaders have also helped, he said.

Last November, Xanana Gusmao, the overwhelming favorite to win the April 14 presidential election, toured West Timor.

"Many refugees see Xanana as a key to the future stability of East Timor and the only figure who can bring together both sides of the divide," said Morland.

The returnees will be able to take part in the presidential poll, election officials say. East Timor is scheduled to become fully independent on May 20.

Gusmao is due to travel to West Timor again next week to meet with refugee leaders.