15 killed on eve of poll in East Timor

DILI, East Timor (JP): Two police officers, nine civilians and four separatist rebels were killed on the eve of yesterday's general election in clashes in East Timor, police said.

East Timor Police Chief Col. Jusuf Mucharam blamed the incidents on the Fretilin armed separatist movement, which he said was bent on disrupting the election.

Six Fretilin rebels had been arrested since the clashes, Jusuf said, adding that several polling stations in the regency towns of Baucau and Ermera had been damaged or razed.

Despite the violence, voting proceeded in most of East Timor, which has 455,950 registered voters. This is the fourth time that the former Portuguese colony has taken part in the general election since Indonesia integrated it in 1976.

The province is represented by four legislators in the House of Representatives. In 1992, Golkar won three seats and the Indonesian Democratic Party won the other.

East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares described the violence before voting as "small incidents," Antara reported yesterday.

"Fretilin was testing the strength of East Timorese's intention to remain part of Indonesia," he said.

Col. Jusuf said two police officers had been killed Tuesday in an ambush while on a patrol to Nunari village, Baucau.

Fretilin had killed two civilians in Baucau and seven others in Lautem on Wednesday, he said.

On Wednesday night, 13 Fretilin rebels had attacked a Police Mobile Brigade guard post in Bairopite village, East Dili district, he said. Police had shot dead four of the rebels, but four police officers had been stabbed and were recovering in hospital.

Col. Jusuf said Fretilin had made other attempts Wednesday to attack military posts and civilians. Rebels tried to attack a post of the 312nd infantry battalion in Bukoli village, Baucau. The other attacks occurred in Lospalos and in Vonilala, Ermera district.

Abilio appealed yesterday to the public to vote and ignore the incidents.

"These are the acts of a small group of irresponsible people," he said. (33/emb)