Joanna Jolly – An organised campaign of misinformation regarding the situation in East Timor is preventing many refugees from returning home, say international aid workers in the Indonesian province of West Timor.

Pro-autonomy supporters still operating in West Timor are responsible for publishing newsletters for the refugees which carry reports of forced repatriation by United Nations agencies and warn that Portugal is trying to re-colonise the newly independent country.

"Tens of thousands of refugees were dragged forcefully into East Timor, and so far, nothing is known of their fate. Methods such as this breach human rights. Be aware," reads a bulletin distributed to East Timorese in refugee camps this month.

These reports are backed up by stories in the West Timorese press which warn refugees of the danger of returning home. "We have seen a resurgence under the pro-autonomy Untas [the Association of Timorese with Dignity]," said Craig Sanders, head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kupang. "They are feeding misinformation about the situation in East Timor. It is absolutely clear this is out of desperation."

Last week, Indonesian papers carried a report that about 10,000 East Timorese had returned to West Timor because of food shortages and economic problems in East Timor. The UNHCR says the reports came about because of a discrepancy in numbers between two censuses carried out by the Indonesian Government.

The latest census, which was completed recently, showed an increase in the number of refugees. However, the UNHCR disputes it. "This report had no basis in fact. We checked with the provincial authorities and followed it to the source," claimed Mr Sanders.