| Subject: Australia sends
East Timorese refugees sent home The
Australian 8 November 99
Aliens sent home
By GRETA McMAHON
EAST Timorese refugees are already being sent back to their
war-ravaged homeland a month before their visas expire.
The decision has been branded premature and heartless by
authorities working with refugees at Puckapunyal army base.
One refugee yesterday told the Herald Sun she was worried
about going back to a country which lacked sanitary conditions, running water, housing and
adequate health care.
The woman, who was forced to flee East Timor after her home
was burned, said she wanted to stay at least until her health improved but had been told
she would have to leave soon.
Fifty East Timorese were due to leave Puckapunyal today,
and more will follow in similar numbers each day this week.
The refugees all received temporary safe haven visas
expiring on December 14.
Maureen McCarty, from the Mercy Private Hospital, said only
half the children aged under five had been properly examined and many were still suffering
from health problems.
Another refugee yesterday said while she wanted to go home,
she felt it was too early.
"I wanted to take this opportunity to get new skills
to go back with, but we have had such a short time here, I feel like I have missed my
chance," she said.
"I think the feeling among the refugees is 'what is
the real reason for wanting to hurry us up and send us back early?"'
Health authorities said plans to set up health education
programs had now been dashed.
The legal fraternity has also expressed concern at the
decision.
One Melbourne lawyer, who declined to have his name
published, said lawyers had not had the chance to get statements from refugees to be used
at an international war crimes tribunal.
He said lawyers had been unable to get access to the
refugees, and the chance was slipping away.
However, a spokeswoman from the Department of Immigration
and Multicultural Affairs yesterday said no refugee had been pressured to leave.
Jenny Hoskin said the department had been assured by the
United Nations the country was safe for people to return and many East Timorese already
had.
"People are volunteering to go back," she said.
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