UN-backed police academy opens in East Timor
28 March -- The number of people crossing the border from West to East Timor has steadily increased following Indonesia's announcement that it will stop aid to refugees at month's end, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said today.
Briefing the press in Geneva, UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski said the rate of return had increased to 400 per day, after a slowdown in repatriation in late December and early January. He added that more than 500 East Timorese had crossed the border on Monday, while another 500 sailed today from Kupang in West Timor to East Timor's capital, Dili.
Referring to Indonesia's decision to cut off aid to the refugees, the spokesman said UNHCR was still discussing the issue with Indonesian officials.
"The Indonesian government has lived up to its responsibilities in helping the refugees," Mr. Janowski said. "UNHCR hopes this will continue. While UNHCR is committed to helping provide assistance to refugees, it does not have the resources the Indonesian government has in dealing with the problem."
According to the spokesman, the returnees have integrated into their home communities in East Timor without too many problems, although "worrying"security incidents have been reported. Last Saturday in Dili, a group of men attacked two returnees suspected to be ex-militia. During the beating, a UN civilian police who had come to the rescue was also struck, marking the first assault on a UN police officer in East Timor.
Meanwhile, the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) reported today that it was seeking a "flexible arrangement" on the issue of Indonesia's cut-off date for aid to refugees on its territory, noting that tens of thousands of the refugees would like to repatriate. The UN mission expects a new influx of returnees once the rainy season ends sometime next month.
To date, more than 156,000 refugees have returned to East Timor since repatriation began last October.
