Governor Abilio urged to send newcomers home<\/p>\n
DILI (JP): A group of demonstrators demanded yesterday that
\nEast Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares return newcomers,
\nespecially those from South Sulawesi, to their hometowns.<\/p>\n
The demand was made following an incident at the Becora Inpres
\nmarket in Dili on Saturday which led to the death of Mario
\nVicente, a local trader.<\/p>\n
Reports compiled by the local administration state that the
\nincident was sparked by a misunderstanding between Mario and
\nMokhamad Sakir, another trader at the market, who hails from
\nSouth Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
Sakir was reportedly envious of the prosperous business run by
\nMario, whose stall is more strategically placed than his. This
\njealousy led to a quarrel, which ended with Sakir stabbing Mario
\nto death.<\/p>\n
Sakir, who feared the killing would be avenged, immediately
\ntook refuge at the nearest police station.<\/p>\n
Syarwan Hamid, spokesman for the Armed Forces, said on Monday
\nthat the incident enraged area residents. Some of them reportedly
\nburned a number of kiosks, houses, shops and vehicles.<\/p>\n
Syarwan said that others even demonstrated against the
\nprovince's integration into Indonesia in 1976.<\/p>\n
The demonstrations continued yesterday, when a group of
\nprotesters, displaying anti-integration posters, damaged another
\ntwo cars near the complex of the University of East Timor.<\/p>\n
They apparently did this to distract attention from the
\nactivities of the heads of state attending the Asia-Pacific
\nEconomic Cooperation (APEC) forum's conference in Bogor, West
\nJava. The event was being covered by a large number of foreign
\njournalists, yesterday.<\/p>\n
Chief of the East Timor Provincial Legislative Council Antonio
\nFreitas Parada asked the local police to take stern action
\nagainst anyone not heeding the government's call for calm
\nfollowing what he termed the \"trivial incident\" at the Becora
\nInpres market in Dili.<\/p>\n
\"As our country has its own laws, all problems taking place in
\nthe province must be processed in line with existing
\nregulations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The police officers have to be strict. Don't let
\ndemonstrators go on disturbing the peacefulness of other
\nresidents,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Antonio said that demonstrations can no longer be tolerated
\nbecause their actions have disturbed the people's tranquility.<\/p>\n
Greater say<\/p>\n
In a related development, U.S. President Bill Clinton told a
\npress conference in Jakarta yesterday that the people of East
\nTimor should have a greater say over their own affairs.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the APEC meeting, he said that he will discuss
\nthe issue with Indonesian President Soeharto during his one-day
\nstate visit today.<\/p>\n
Clinton said he had long believed \"the people of East Timor
\nshould have more say over their own affairs\".<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Senator Gareth Evens
\ntold parliament on Monday in Canberra that Indonesia will start
\npulling troops out of East Timor next year.<\/p>\n
Evans was quoted by UPI as saying that he received assurances
\nto this effect from his Indonesian counterpart Ali Alatas during
\ntalks the two ministers held in Jakarta in advance of the APEC
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia will start pulling out troops from East Timor next
\nyear,\" Evans told the Australian parliament.<\/p>\n
\"It looks like it is going to flow through next year,\" he
\nsaid. \"We had all hoped that it might be rather sooner than
\nthat.\"<\/p>\n
He said the Indonesian government recognized the validity of
\narguments for political autonomy for East Timor.<\/p>\n
\"The Indonesian government realizes that the problem is an
\nintractable one.<\/p>\n
\"It is not going to go away unless some efforts of
\nreconciliation of this kind have occurred,\" Evans said.<\/p>\n
Evans comments came as around 50 East Timorese protesters
\nscuffled with police when they attempted to storm the Indonesian
\nconsulate on Monday in Sydney.<\/p>\n
The protests at the Consulate in Sydney coincided with the
\nAPEC meeting.<\/p>\n
The activists tried to prevent cars from leaving the consulate
\nand threw dozens of eggs at the building.<\/p>\n
They tried to scale the fence into the consulate grounds and
\none man climbed onto the roof of the building before being coaxed
\ndown.<\/p>\n
There were no arrests. (yac\/hhr)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/governor-abilio-urged-to-send-newcomers-home-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }