ABRI vows proper care of Dili riots
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) headquarters said yesterday that military authorities in East Timor are taking "strict but not excessive" measures to restore order in the riot- hit Dili.
ABRI spokesman Brig. Gen. Suwarno Adiwijoyo ensured that the military would not take "excessively repressive" actions to quell the rioting that broke out Monday.
East Timor authorities said the latest rioting, which has so far claimed two lives and caused injuries to 10 people, including police officers, involved anti and pro-government groups.
"Security authorities believe that the situation in Dili can be restored with normal legal procedures, without involving excessive security measures," Suwarno was quoted by Antara as saying.
The security authorities in Dili have been acting according to legal procedures to prevent the chaos from spreading to other areas, he said.
Meanwhile, Dili was still tense yesterday as security authorities escalated their operations to stop the bloody brawls. Many shops, schools and government offices are still closed.
Accounts of what caused the trouble have varied. Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares said on Wednesday that it was a war between anti-integration groups.
But legislator Manuel Carrascalao, who intervened in Monday's clash, said the rioting broke out after pro-separatist activists went on the rampage to vent their anger at the arrest of Boby Xavier, their leader.
They took three police officers hostage and released them only after the military and pro-government activists put pressure on Xavier's men.
Asked for his version, Suwarno only said that the brawls involved "anti-integration gang" fighting which developed into an inter-village war.
"We are doing our best to bring peace back to Dili so that the people's activities can resume," Suwarno said. "It's possible that the rioting was masterminded by a third party. We hope the people won't be fooled."
The military believes that the gangs were fighting over "operational funds" from their overseas sympathizers who want to destabilize East Timor.
"As the authorities were doing their investigation, fights flared and affected people not concerned about politics," he said.
In Dili, Chief of the Udayana Regional Military Command Maj. Gen. Abdul Rivai, who oversees security in Bali, Nusa Tenggara and East Timor, called once again for calm.
He said yesterday that the death toll remained at two and the number of injuries at 10. He also reported that a number of vehicles were vandalized in the incidents.
The incidents, he added, were sparked by anti-government elements operating in the civil service, businesses and clandestine groups. (yac/pan)