NAIROBI, May 23 (Reuters) - Kenya must stop forcibly returning internal refugees displaced by post-election violence that saw hundreds of thousands flee their homes, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Friday.

More than 1,200 people were killed and 300,000 left their homes after ethnic clashes hit swathes of east Africa's largest economy following a disputed election in December.

President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga reached a power-sharing deal in late February to end the crisis. Agreeing that the return of refugees would be a priority for their coalition, they began a "Return Home" operation earlier this month despite complaints by aid groups that many displaced people do not have the resources or are still too afraid.

"Forcefully returning displaced persons is not only a violation of the rights of those who had already been forced to flee their homes, but it also risks fuelling further conflict in an already volatile environment," HRW said in a statement.

The U.S.-based group said it had reports Kenyan security forces used threats to make people leave camps in the west, and that some returnees were attacked after going back to their villages.

"The government should keep the camps open until such time as the internally displaced persons feel safe to return."

Around half those originally displaced have returned home without government help. Kenya said earlier in May that the remaining refugees should be home within a month.

HRW said more than 100,000 people were still in displaced persons camps as of May 8. "Many people fear that their home areas remain unsafe and that adequate reconciliation between hostile communities has not taken place," it said. (Reporting by Jack Kimball, editing by Mark Trevelyan) (For full Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: http://africa.reuters.com/) (nairobi.newsroom@reuters.com; +254 20 2224 717)

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