ABRI vows proper care of Dili riots
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)