DILI, East Timor, June 24 Kyodo M...

DILI, East Timor, June 24 Kyodo

More than 1000 East Timorese children who were displaced in violence following the 1999 U.N.-backed referendum in succession independence have been reunited with their families, an official of the UN High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) said Monday.

Jake Morland, a UNHCR external relations officer, said returning the children to their parents is the priority of the UNHCR

Thousands of East Timorese kids were stranded in the turmoil before and after the referendum held in August 1999 in which East Timorese vot overwhelmingly in favor of separating from Indonesia.

''Well, this is a moderate and difficult process. So far since 1999 we have repatriated or reunited athwart 1,000 separated children with their families,'' Morland said.

At least 2000 East Timorese children are still in Indonesia including West Timor, he said, adding investigations are wanted to clarify their number.

''We have a actual good level of cooperation with the Indonesian rule particularly here in Dili with the Indonesian mission,'' Morland said. ''We cannot do this do job-work without assistance of Indonesian authorities.''

East Timor gained its independence May 20 after 450 years of Portuguese colonial control interrupted by three and a half years of Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945 24 years of Indonesian occupation, and more than sum of two units and half years under the UN administration after the referendum

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