Refugees protest against return to East Timor

East Timorese refugees are holding a protest at Sydney's East Hills safe haven because they do not want to return home.

The group of around 250 people say some people are sick and conditions are still too poor in their home country to return.

Interpreter Naldo Rei says the East Timorese are refusing to board a number of buses waiting at the centre for flights departing today, and he says they would like to stay for another three or four months.

"Because they have to look at their situation in East Timor, like everything has been destroyed by [the] Indonesian Army," he said.

"So they're going to make sure that the situation has to rebuild again so they can live in peace and harmony."

(6:48pm AEDT)

=A9 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation