Rights Commission team holds interviews with Timorese<\/p>\n
LIQUISA, East Timor (JP): A delegation of the National
\nCommission on Human Rights interviewed eyewitnesses in this
\nregency capital over the weekend but refused to disclose the
\nresults of the meeting.<\/p>\n
The delegation, which arrived in Liquisa by helicopter at
\n10.30 a.m., was on a mission to investigate the recent killings
\nof six local people, whom the military believed were armed
\nmembers of Fretilin. It arrived in Dili, the province's capital,
\non Thursday.<\/p>\n
The delegation, which consists of Muladi, Marzuki Darusman,
\nJoko Sugianto and Clemento Dos Reis Amaral, an indigenous East
\nTimorese, interviewed two witnesses at the local military
\nheadquarters whom the local authorities said were members of the
\nseparatist group.<\/p>\n
Afterwards, the delegation conducted five hours of talks with
\neight other witnesses at the regent's residence. Liquisa Regent
\nLeneto Martins did not attend the meeting.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day the delegation flew to Gariana village, 10
\nkilometers from Liquisa and not far from the site of the
\nincident, which occurred on Jan. 12.<\/p>\n
The locals, about 50 of them, looked tense before the
\ndelegation arrived at the residence of the village chief. Only
\nafter Amaral greeted them \"good morning\" in their local dialect
\ndid they smile and shake hands with the delegates.<\/p>\n
Amaral told The Jakarta Post that the delegates were satisfied
\nwith the talks. He said that the Commission will announce the
\nresults of the investigation in Jakarta later.<\/p>\n
However, unlike the original schedule, the delegation did not
\nproceed to Fatufo village, where four people were reportedly
\nburied after the incident.<\/p>\n
The commander of the local military command, Col. Kiki Syakri,
\nhas repeatedly insisted that the victims of the incident were
\nmembers of Fretilin seeking an independent state for the former
\nPortuguese colony.<\/p>\n
The colonel also said that troops confiscated documents which
\nsuggest they were rebels.<\/p>\n
Amaral said that after arriving in Jakarta, the delegation
\nwill soon return to this province to collect more information
\nabout the mysterious gang of \"ninjas\" who have been terrorizing
\nDili and about other events in Baucau and Viqueque regencies.<\/p>\n
\"There are so many things the Commission is not well-informed
\nabout in East Timor,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Regent Leonato Martins told the Post on Saturday
\nthat he was concerned over the fact that many people in Liquisa
\nwere still under the influence of the separatist group.<\/p>\n
He said that his regency of 50,000 people is still suffering
\nfrom many shortages. \"There is a severe shortage of drinking
\nwater here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Leonato said that the nearest source of clean water is 10
\nkilometers away. He said he would soon discuss the problem with
\nthe provincial Development Planning Agency in Dili.<\/p>\n
The regent said he would also discuss the possibility of
\ndeveloping the infrastructure between Liquisa, Gariana and Loes,
\nwhich could be good suppliers of agricultural products for his
\nregency.<\/p>\n
Asked why Liquisa, his birth place, has become a trouble spot
\nafter 18 years of calm, Leonato said: \"I have no idea, myself.\"
\n(yac\/tis)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-commission-team-holds-interviews-with-timorese-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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