Abilio undergoes surgery in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): East Timor Governor Abilio Soares, who sustained a fractured leg in a car accident on Saturday, underwent surgery yesterday at Gatot Subroto Army hospital here.

Abilio was flown to Jakarta on Sunday on orders from the general hospital in Dili, capital of East Timor.

Gatot Subroto hospital doctors said he was strong enough to undergo the surgery yesterday, the Antara news agency said quoting Petrus, a staff member at the East Timor representative office here yesterday.

The governor suffered fractured bones in his right leg and other injuries.

"He is not to be disturbed," Petrus said when an Antara reporter arrived to photograph the governor at the hospital.

"The governor usually likes to be photographed, but this time he has asked to be spared, at least until he has recovered."

Meanwhile from Dili, East Timor Police Chief Lt. Col. Sugianto Andreas stressed that there was no political motive behind the accident on Saturday night.

"It was unintentional," Andreas said.

Abilio was driving his black Toyota Corolla home from a reception at a hotel when his car was struck by a Kijang van driven by a youth on Jl. Americo Thomas last Saturday night.

The driver of the van, a third grader at a local senior high school, also sustained slight injuries and is now being treated at Dili general hospital. (emb/yac)