UNHCR supports repatriation of East Timorese refugees

Yemris Fointuna The Jakarta Post Kupang

The United Nations High Commission for refugees (UNHCR) has adopted a neutral stance on the fate of 123 East Timorese who have been refugees for three years in East Nusa Tenggara province.

It would give its support if the refugees voluntarily choose to go back to their homeland in East Timor or if they choose to stay in Indonesia and join the local resettlement program.

Robert White, UNHCR representative in Indonesia, stated this during a meeting with local officials to discuss the government's plan to repatriate the refugees.

Also attending the meeting were East Nusa Tenggara Governor Piet A. Tallo, Deputy Governor Johanes Pake Pani, Husein Pancratius, chief of the local social affairs office, Budi Achmadi Adiputra, a deputy of the coordinating minister for people's welfare, and local military and police officials.

The meeting was held two weeks after the government terminated its humanitarian assistance for the refugees on Jan. 1, 2002, and set Jan. 31, 2002 as the deadline for choosing whether they would go home or stay in Indonesia.

Robert hinted that the government should consider all obstacles and problems the refugees would be facing if they chose to leave the province for their homeland.

He said the government should use the upcoming Easter and East Timor's planned independence as two major events for persuading the refugees to join the repatriation program.

"We will provide our support if the local administration starts publicizing these two important events so as to persuade the refugees to go back home," he said.

Of the around 290,000 refugees who came to the province after the 1999 ballot in East Timor, tens of thousands have already returned home and a small part has joined the resettlement program in other provinces. Meanwhile, more than 123,000 are still languishing in camps in several regencies in the province.

Budi Achmadi said the government hoped that 90 percent of the remaining refugees would choose to return to their homeland.