Dili life slowly returns to normal after rioting<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): Life in the East Timor capital slowly
\nreturned to normal yesterday with people reporting for work and
\nshops opening after three days of tension and rioting.<\/p>\n
East Timor Police Chief Col. Andreas Sugianto yesterday
\npromised that a South Sulawesi man who killed an East Timorese on
\nSaturday night at the Becora market will be brought to trial next
\nweek.<\/p>\n
The killing sparked rioting on Saturday which immediately
\nspread to the rest of Dili. The demonstration shifted to an issue
\nof anti-integration with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung said East
\nTimor authorities have detained 27 people who took part in the
\ninter-ethnic brawling.<\/p>\n
\"The fighting was caused by narrow ethnic egotism,\" Gen.
\nFeisal was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying yesterday.<\/p>\n
Those detained will be dealt with in accordance with the law,
\nhe said, adding that the rioting was fanned by people who opposed
\nEast Timor's integration with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The incident has soured ethnic relations in the city, pitting
\nEast Timorese on one hand and non-East Timorese on the other. The
\nBugis people from South Sulawesi who came as traders are
\nparticularly being singled out.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, a group of East Timorese demanded the authorities
\nsend away all Bugis migrants.<\/p>\n
Col. Andreas yesterday again appealed to the Dili people for
\ncalm and not to take the law into their own hands.<\/p>\n
He said the police have apprehended the murderer, identified
\nas Muhamad Sakir, and he will be tried in accordance with the
\nlaw. The trial will begin next week, he added.<\/p>\n
\"Let the law enforcers do their job. They will be fair,\" he
\ngave his assurances.<\/p>\n
Offices and schools were reopened yesterday but most people
\nstill appeared edgy.<\/p>\n
There was also a heavy presence of security officers on the
\ncity's major roads.<\/p>\n
As the city resumed some sense of normalcy, many shopkeepers,
\nrestaurant owners and public transport operators were counting
\ntheir losses from the three-days of frenzy.<\/p>\n
Siti, who owns a restaurant in Dili, said she lost Rp 150,000
\nin earnings while Ratna said her losses amounted to Rp 250,000.<\/p>\n
Yosef, a taxi driver who hails from nearby Flores island, said
\nhe now faces a big cut in his salary this month because he was
\nidle for three days. Andy, a transit van driver, also bemoaned
\nthe losses in earnings caused by the riots.<\/p>\n
Col. Andreas said total material and financial losses are not
\nyet known but it is bound to be huge. (yac\/emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dili-life-slowly-returns-to-normal-after-rioting-1447893297",
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