Preparations for ballot continue despite violence<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): Preparations will continue for the
\ndirect ballot which will determine East Timor's future despite
\nThursday's violence, a representative of the United Nations said
\non Friday.<\/p>\n
United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) chief Ian Martin
\nsaid the ballot would go ahead as planned on Monday.<\/p>\n
"We continue to make all the preparations necessary to open
\npolling stations throughout East Timor on Monday," Martin said,
\nadding, however, that security concerns remained in the
\nterritory's western districts of Bobonaro, Covalima Ainaro and
\nManufahi.<\/p>\n
The western districts of East Timor are known to be
\nstrongholds of prointegration militias.<\/p>\n
More than 451,000 people have registered to participate in the
\nballot to decide whether the territory will remain a part of
\nIndonesia with wide-ranging autonomy or become an independent
\nstate.<\/p>\n
UNAMET said earlier it would open some 850 polling stations
\nlocated in 200 polling centers throughout the province on Monday.<\/p>\n
Proindependence leader Leandro Isaac of the National Council
\nof Timorese Resistance (CNRT) said on Friday the violence on
\nThursday was instigated by prointegration militias, and was "a
\nclear testimony that the authorities are not willing to fulfill
\ntheir responsibility in accordance to the New York agreement
\nsigned in May".<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, the Indonesian police are responsible for
\nmaintaining security in the province during the direct ballot.<\/p>\n
The CNRT claimed at least four people were killed and nine
\nmore wounded during Thursday's violence.<\/p>\n
Prointegration leader Lopez da Cruz, however, said the
\nviolence, which erupted during a proautonomy rally, was triggered
\nby proindependence supporters.<\/p>\n
"Proindependence supporters pelted stones and fired shots at a
\nprointegration convoy in Bidau, East Dili, at 3:30 p.m.," Lopez
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the incident triggered a counterattack by the Aitarak
\nmilitia on the CNRT office in downtown Audian.<\/p>\n
Lopez said two prointegration supporters, Virgilio Martins and
\nApolinario Pinto, and two proindependence supporters were killed
\nin the violence. Six prointegration supporters were also injured
\nin the incident, he added.<\/p>\n
As families buried their dead, more than 400 people from the
\nareas of Quintal Boot, Matadouro and Bemora in Audian fled to
\nSanto Yoseph high school in Balide, East Dili, on early Friday,
\nfearing further violence.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, witnesses said at least two people were killed and
\nnine houses set on fire in an attack by a prointegration militia
\nin Tapomemo village in Maliana, some 60 kilometers southwest of
\nDili, on Friday morning.<\/p>\n
A witness said dozens of Tapomemo villagers fled to the nearby
\nvillage of Pitgalag. However, authorities could not be
\nimmediately contacted to confirm the report.<\/p>\n
Separately, Reuters reported from Lisbon that a photographer
\nfrom United States-based Time magazine said on Friday he saw
\nIndonesian police shoot dead a 25-year-old unarmed protester
\nduring Thursday's clashes.<\/p>\n
The American photographer told Portugal's TSF radio that he
\nphotographed the killing in the East Timor capital of Dili on
\nThursday. He said the picture would be published by Time on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
"The police shot him and turned around and walked away," said
\nthe photographer, who requested anonymity.<\/p>\n
"The police were chasing a presumed supporter of independence
\nwho wore an emblem in support of (East Timorese independence
\nleader) Xanana (Gusmao) on his hat. He (the youth) had obviously
\nbeen involved in the clashes.<\/p>\n
"They (police) ran up right close to him, maybe within two
\nmeters, and shot him in the back of the head. He died
\nimmediately," the photographer said.<\/p>\n
Martin said UNAMET could not confirm any police shootings on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
From Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, it was reported that the
\nlast day of campaigning by prointegration supporters went
\nsmoothly.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, more complaints against UNAMET were raised.<\/p>\n
A student from Gadjah Mada University, Zito Pinto Soares, 26,
\nsaid the UN body and the International Organization for Migration
\ndid not allow more than 100 East Timorese from Yogyakarta and
\nCentral Java to register for the direct ballot.<\/p>\n
He said the Muslim East Timorese were not allowed to register
\nbecause they lacked church documents. "Doesn't UNAMET know there
\nare many Muslim East Timorese?" (33\/byg\/bay\/amd\/27\/23)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/preparations-for-ballot-continue-despite-violence-1447893297",
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