RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN ANCHOR: Tens of thousands of refugees from East Timor say they're still afraid to return home. Most of them supported Indonesia when the territory voted for independence last August, and they're afraid they'll be attacked by independence supporters. But Indonesia says increasing turmoil in other parts of the country means it no longer has the resources to care for East Timorese refugees. Indonesia's RCTI takes us to the refugee camps in West Timor.</s>RCTI REPORTER (voice-over): The long shadow of East Timor remains unfinished business for the Wahid administration. Minister for Human Rights Hasballah M. Saad toured the U.N. refugee camps in the western half of Timor island, promising the government is doing its best. Around 140,000 East Timorese remain in refugee camps, relying on handouts from the government and international agencies. The government is set to cut off assistance and is urging refugees to return to East Timor or apply for Indonesian citizenship and be resettled. After months of pressuring Jakarta to repatriate the refugees, the United Nations is now asking that East Timorese be allowed to stay a little longer and pressuring Indonesia to ease its deadline. But the government is remaining firm, saying that its hands are already tied with an estimated 400,000 refugees fleeing trouble spots in Aceh, Maluku and other Indonesian provinces. The U.N. security chief in East Timor, Lieutenant General Jamie del los Santos, is downplaying any suggestions of twisting Jakarta's arm over such issues. But trust is also difficult outside official circles. Many pro- Indonesian East Timorese say they fear reprisal in their homeland. They say they have little trust for the independence leaders or their security guarantees. But like their trust, the humanitarian aid used to fulfill their daily needs is in short supply. The government and international handouts will not last forever. This is RCTI Jakarta for the CNN WORLD REPORT.
Pro-Indonesia Refugees From East Timor Afraid to Return Home