Violence shakes Dili once again<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): At least one person was killed and
\nthree others injured in the latest violence targeted at the
\nUnited Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
A volunteer at the Motael polyclinic, Lucia Chaves, told The
\nJakarta Post Jorges Francisco Bonaparte, 19, a resident of
\nManatuto, some 60 kilometers east of here, died of a gunshot
\nwound to his neck.<\/p>\n
The Philippine national said Bonaparte died shortly after
\nreaching the clinic. \"He was brought alive and medical staff
\ntried to resuscitate him, but unfortunately he died of blood
\nloss.\" Witnesses said people also hacked the victim.<\/p>\n
The three people injured in the violence are being treated at
\nthe polyclinic. It is still unknown who shot the four people.<\/p>\n
A UNAMET staff member who requested anonymity told the Post he
\nsaw a group of armed militia members firing into the perimeters
\nof the mission's headquarters.<\/p>\n
\"We do not know the origin of the violence, but we heard
\ngunfire and explosions. They were also throwing rocks but it
\nseems to have stopped,\" he said.<\/p>\n
About 400 people, including some 300 UNAMET staff members,
\nstudents and journalists sought refuge in the building.<\/p>\n
The UNAMET staff and journalists were evacuated hours later
\nunder police guard, UNAMET spokesman David Wimhurst said.<\/p>\n
He said at least two nearby buildings were set on fire during
\nthe afternoon violence, which marked the beginning of the vote
\ncount for Monday's direct ballot on the future of East Timor.<\/p>\n
Five trucks carrying members of the National Police's Mobile
\nBrigade were sent to Matadora subdistrict, the site of the
\nincident. They blocked off the street heading to UNAMET
\nheadquarters, keeping a throng of journalists at bay.<\/p>\n
\"It's at your own risk if you insist on entering the scene,\"
\none of the policemen said. After a gunshot was heard the
\njournalists were ordered to leave the area.<\/p>\n
A resident told the Post he saw a group of people dressed in
\nblack shirts beat a foreign journalist. \"There were around six
\nmen beating and threatening the journalist.\"<\/p>\n
It was also reported that Jonathan Head of BBC sustained a
\nbroken arm during the incident. Ten BBC crew members have been
\nmoved to Mahkota Hotel.<\/p>\n
Hera district, some 15 kilometers east of here, was also
\ntense. A group of proindependence supporters patrolled the
\nstreets with sharp weapons and rifles, and blocked some roads
\nwith wooden poles and stones.<\/p>\n
Hope<\/p>\n
Hundreds of members of the Aitarak proautonomy militia earlier
\nin the day attended a funeral for a militia member who was
\nstabbed to death in a clash on Sunday with proindependence
\nsupporters in Becora subdistrict, east of Dili.<\/p>\n
Aitarak commander Eurico Guterres presided over the funeral of
\nPlacido Menejes, 41, who was buried in a field near Komoro
\nAirport. An Aitarak member said the field would serve as a
\ngraveyard for proautonomy strugglers.<\/p>\n
Proautonomy figure and provincial legislative chief Armindo
\nSoares, a member of the proindependence Falintil, Mahudu, and
\npopular singer Renny Jayusman were among the mourners.<\/p>\n
The presence of Mahudu gave hope to reconciliation talks
\nbetween proindependence and pro-Jakarta factions. UNAMET unveiled
\non Wednesday the 25-member lineup of the Consultative Commission,
\nwhose task is to facilitate peace and reconciliation in the
\nterritory.<\/p>\n
The commission includes proindependence and prointegration
\nleaders and activists. Among the members are Jose Alexandre
\n\"Xanana\" Gusmao, Jose Ramos-Horta, Mari Alkatiri, Maria Domingas
\nAlves, Abilio Araujo, Basilio dias Araujo, Joao Carrascalao,
\nMario Carrascalao, Francisco de Carvalho, Francisco Lopez da
\nCruz, Herminio da Costa da Silva, Anicetto Guterres, Taur Matan
\nRuak, Joao Mariano Saldanha, Florentino Sarmento, Domingos
\nSoares, Salvador Ximenes Soares and Joao Tavares.<\/p>\n
Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and Baucau Bishop
\nBasilio do Nascimento have been named the commission's honorary
\nadvisers.<\/p>\n
UNAMET deputy spokesman Yasuhiro Ueki said only six of the
\ncommission members attended the first meeting on Tuesday. The
\nnext meeting is scheduled for next week.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar
\nSianipar said in anticipation of postballot violence, a Mobile
\nBrigade unit was deployed from Kupang to Atambua, bordering East
\nTimor and East Nusa Tenggara. If necessary five units will be
\nsent to the province, he said. (bay\/byg\/amd\/ylt)<\/p>",
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