15 killed on eve of poll in East Timor
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)