Fed: Govt accused of forcing refugees back to East Timor

AAP General News (Australia)
12-06-1999
Fed: Govt accused of forcing refugees back to East Timor

By Debra Way

CANBERRA, Dec 6 AAP - The federal government was today accused of pressuring East Timorese
refugees to return home to a country with little shelter, poor food supply and a looming
monsoon season.

But Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said the 500 refugees who were returned home
over the past couple of days went voluntarily.

He said safe haven sites at Leeuwin in Western Australia and Puckapunyal in Victoria
would now be closed and those refugees who remained would be moved to East Hills barracks
in Sydney.

Australia took in 1,500 East Timorese refugees in the wake of post independence vote
violence, some of whom have already returned home.

The government tried to encourage the remaining 600 to return home by Wednesday when
their visas expired by offering a bag of rice, a blanket and a plastic tarpaulin.

"Last night we arranged for the return of some 503 East Timorese to East Timor," Mr
Ruddock told reporters.

The arrangements had been made in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration, he said.

But the opposition called on the government to allow the remaining East Timorese refugees
to stay until after the wet season.

Opposition immigration spokesman Con Sciacca accused the government of coercing the
refugees into leaving.

"We're not talking about illegal immigrants, we are talking about people that were
plucked out of the living hell of the UNAMET compound in September," Mr Sciacca said.

Australian Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett said the government was returning unwilling
East Timorese refugees before it was safe for them to go home.

"Clearly some of the East Timorese are being returned against their will," Senator Bartlett said.

"This is not only inhumane, it makes a lie of the immigration minister's claims they
would only be returned voluntarily.

"While the UNHCR has said it is safe for refugees to return to East Timor, water and
food supplies, shelter and access to medical and education services are still clearly
inadequate and we are approaching the monsoon season."

Mr Ruddock said nobody was forced to go back.

"All of the arrangements were voluntary, nobody has been removed from Australia, and
there's been a good deal of discussion and consultation," he said.

But this morning, more than 100 East Timorese refugees refused to leave Perth for East Hills.

It is understood they did not want to be separated from another group of about 45 who
were staying behind because they were too sick to travel.

Mr Ruddock said calls for the refugees to be allowed to stay in Australia or remain
in the closed safe havens were not helpful, and were confusing for the people involved.

It was up to the government to decide where the refugees could be best accommodated.

Those remaining refugees who refused to go to East Hills would not receive the government's
special living allowance or other benefits.

"Let me make it very clear, the government's expectation is that when people are well
enough to go home with their families they should do so.

"Our effort was to provide a safe and secure environment for people to be able to start
rebuilding their lives."

Mr Ruddock said East Timorese leaders Jose Ramos Horta and Xanana Gusmao had both called
for refugees to return to East Timor as soon as possible.

AAP daw/mfh/rcg/de

KEYWORD: TIMOR REFUGEES NIGHTLEAD

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