Australia says fleeing convoy safe in West Timor

Australia says fleeing convoy safe in West Timor

SYDNEY (Reuters): A convoy of Australians who fled the East
Timor capital of Dili overnight fearing further violence in the
troubled province arrived safely in Kupang, West Timor on
Saturday, the Australian Foreign Affairs Ministry said.

"Our information is that they have arrived safely in Kupang,"
a ministry spokesman said.

He estimated between 10 and 14 Australians fled the capital
overland with an Indonesian armed escort while an unspecified
number of Australians left Dili on a later scheduled airline
flight.

Two pro-Indonesia paramilitary groups on Friday threatened to
"sacrifice" an Australian diplomat or journalist to punish
Australia for its policy switch on East Timor.

Six Australian citizens -- two journalists, a priest and three
political activists -- have elected to stay in Dili despite an
upgraded Australian consular warning, the Sydney Morning Herald
newspaper reported on Saturday.

The death threats come after Australia received permission to
reopen a consulate in the East Timor capital, Dili, which has
been closed since 1971.

Two Portuguese journalists have been threatened and beaten in
the disputed territory and several Australians challenged.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was told of the
threats while in Jakarta to meet Indonesian President B.J.
Habibie and jailed resistance leader Jose Xanana Gusmao. They
discussed the future of the province invaded by Indonesia in 1975
and formerly annexed the following year.

Australia, one of the few countries to recognize Indonesian
rule over East Timor, changed its stance on the territory last
month and said that East Timorese had a right to self-
determination.