Tension and fear prevail in Dili<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): Tension reigned on Thursday amid fears
\nof further violence ahead of next week's announcement of the
\nresults of Monday's ballot on East Timor's future.<\/p>\n
Dozens of people and a number of journalists were seen leaving
\nthe territory aboard a military aircraft, as two companies of the
\nNational Police's elite Mobile Brigade arrived in the provincial
\ncapital of Dili.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said those wishing to leave East Timor by land must
\nsecure a permit from the prointegration militias, who have
\nerected roadblocks in the western part of the province. The
\nmilitias have said political leaders should be prevented from
\nleaving the people during the postballot period of uncertainty.<\/p>\n
East Timor Military Commander Col. Muhammad Noer Muis said on
\nWednesday the military was ready to assist the police in
\nmaintaining security.<\/p>\n
Another 200 officers of the police Mobile Brigade unit were
\nflown to Dili, via the Halim airport in East Jakarta Thursday
\nwith another 100 members from East Java expected Saturday.
\nAnother 100 Brimob officers will be flown to Dili from Denpasar
\non Sunday.<\/p>\n
This brings the number of police officers in Dili to 8,250,
\nNational Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar Sianipar said in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
He said National Police posts will be set up in Kupang to help
\nhandle refugees, expected up to 200,000 people.<\/p>\n
Muis' statement came as the United Nations condemned the
\nviolence outside the office of the United Nations Mission in East
\nTimor (UNAMET) here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
UNAMET said at least two people were killed in the incident.
\nPolice and the Motael clinic here have only confirmed one death,
\nJorges Francisco Bonaparte, 19, who died of a gunshot wound.<\/p>\n
Dili Police spokesman Capt. Widodo said no arrests had been
\nmade in connection with the murder. \"We are still questioning
\nwitnesses.\"<\/p>\n
UNAMET chief Ian Martin said at a media conference on Thursday
\nthat the UN called on the Indonesian police to arrest those
\nresponsible for the violence and to take firm action to control
\narmed groups.<\/p>\n
The UN also reminded the Indonesian authorities of their
\nresponsibility to protect international and local UNAMET staff
\nmembers. Under the New York agreement signed in May, which laid
\nthe groundwork for the direct ballot, the Indonesian police are
\nsolely responsible for maintaining law and order in the
\nterritory.<\/p>\n
\"They do have to act in ways they have not yet acted to deal
\nwith those who are carrying and using arms,\" Martin said, adding
\nthat UNAMET has received an \"inadequate response from the
\nsecurity forces on the ground\".<\/p>\n
The violence erupted on Wednesday following allegations by
\nprointegration supporters that local UNAMET staff members had not
\nbeen impartial during the ballot on Monday.<\/p>\n
Capt. Widodo said the violence began when proindependence
\nsupporters threw stones at prointegration backers. A brawl ensued
\nand shots were heard. Indonesian Military commander Gen. Wiranto
\nsaid: \"It was not an attack against UNAMET.\"<\/p>\n
UNAMET said earlier it had employed about 4,000 locals, many
\nof whom had received death threats.<\/p>\n
At least one local UNAMET staff member was killed by
\nprointegration militia outside a polling station in Atsabe,
\nErmera regency, on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"My main concern now is the safety of our local staff ... the
\nauthorities should recognize their responsibility for the
\nsecurity of UN personnel extends to our local staff as much as it
\ndoes to our international staff,\" Martin said.<\/p>\n
The prointegration United Front for East Timor Autonomy (UNIF)
\nfiled a bias complaint with the Independent Electoral Commission
\non Thursday. Other observers have also alleged that UN staff
\nurged East Timorese to vote against autonomy.<\/p>\n
UNIF said on Wednesday the current process under UNAMET was
\n\"no more than camouflage to cover the shame of the international
\ncommunity, which has been deceived by proindependence supporters
\ninto believing the war in East Timor is between the East Timorese
\nand Indonesians, and not between the East Timorese and East
\nTimorese\".<\/p>\n
Martin, however, denied the allegations of bias. He said he
\nbelieved allegations of bias would be found \"to be largely ill
\nfounded\".<\/p>\n
The ballot \"was conducted under the closest scrutiny of a very
\nlarge number of observers and the media, and in particular the
\nprocedures also contain proper processes for investigating any
\nallegations that it was not properly conducted\", Martin said.
\n(byg\/amd\/06\/ylt)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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