Jakarta – Twenty five families or 67 people of Indonesian citizens from East Timor who had lived in East Nusa Tenggara for 11 years had left for Timor Leste under the repatriation program.

"They returned to their hometown on their own will without any force," said head of the Tilomar district, Kovalima, Timor Leste, John Amaral, on Tuesday in Atambua, Tuesday, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

He said that Timor Leste would warmly welcome any Indonesian citizen from East Timor who would return to Timor Leste.

Many ex-East Timor residents had moved to East Nusa Tenggara since 1999, following the referendum that led to the independence of East Timor, now Timor Leste.

Their return to Timor Leste was facilitated by the Women and Children Care Forum (FPPA) Atambua and Center for Internally Displaced Person Service (CIS) Timor Atambua, who accompanied them until the West Crossing Gate of Motamasin, Kobalima Timur district, Belu regency.

Seventy one people were listed for the repatriation process, but only 67 who actually joined it. Four of them canceled their participation because they changed their mind or had been sick or dead.