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Over 500 Covalima refugees return from West Timor

UN News - October 18, 2001

Over 500 refugees crossed the border this morning in the second day of mass refugee returns from camps in Indonesian West Timor.

The refugees are from Covalima district and have been living in the Betun refugee camp since the bloody aftermath of the 1999 Popular Consultation. The return, which took place at Salele in Covalima district, was facilitated by independence leader Xanana Gusmao, UNTAET's Chief of Staff N. Parameswaran and former Covalima pro-autonomy leader Hilio Moniz Caetano, who came back to East Timor on 19 September along with more than 250 refugees.

The refugee movements, in which UNTAET, the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR played crucial roles, follow several border meeting between Gusmao, Covalima elders, and leaders of the Covalima refugees.

In addition, some 140 East Timorese serving with the Indonesian Police Force, POLRI, crossed the border into East Timor today to meet with Xanana Gusmao and the newly appointed Commissioner for the East Timor Police Service, Paulo Martins. The officers, currently serving with POLRI in the West Timor district of Belu, have expressed their desire to return to East Timor.

"I want to thank all of you who have provided support for this process of bringing back our East Timorese sisters and brothers to their homes," Xanana Gusmao said to the officers. "And the door is always open to all of those wanting to return to East Timor." UNTAET's Chief of Staff N. Parameswaran and Deputy Constituent Assembly speaker Arlindo Marcal were also present at today's event, along with other dignitaries.

More than 370 refugees returned to East Timor from West Timor yesterday, along with the former Deputy Commander of the Mahidi militia, Nemisio Lopes de Carvalho.

Parameswaran will be continuing discussions with political and militia/pro-autonomy/pro-integration leaders with a view to promoting reconciliation and negotiating further refugee returns. As in the past, the Chief of Staff is only conducting negotiations with those refugees not under indictment for serious crimes.