600 migrants take refuge

600 migrants take refuge

DILI, East Timor: About 600 migrants have fled to Atambua in
the neighboring West Timor province since ethnic and religious
violence broke out here more than week ago, the governor said
Saturday.

Abilio Joe Osorio Soares said the migrants, mostly traders,
fled Maliana and Dili after the rioters had burned down markets
and harassed them.

Abilio apologized to the public for the violence sparked by a
Meliana prison official who allegedly insulted Catholicism, the
main religion in the former Portuguese territory.

The rioting ended up in dozens of burned shops, vehicles and
places of worships while migrants were harassed and more than 10
were arrested.

Abilio said the local government is seeking funds to rebuild
markets in Meliana, Dili, and the surrounding areas affected by
the incidents.

The governor said he supported Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximenes
Belo's proposal for open talks between the government and the
local people to seek ways to end violence in East Timor. (yac)