Belo threatens to cancel dialog

Belo threatens to cancel dialog

DILI, East Timor (JP): Following controversy over the death
toll in the violence in Liquica, Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe
Ximenes Belo threatened on Saturday to cancel the planned
reconciliation dialog between prointegration groups and
proindependence groups in East Timor.

Belo said his stance was a response to the chief of the
provincial legislature, Armindo Soareas Marino, who insisted that
only five people were killed in an attack on a proindependence
group last Monday. The attack allegedly was carried out by the
military-backed prointegration militia. Belo said at least 25
were killed, while Armindo's figure was the same as that quoted
by the Armed Forces.

"The planned reconciliation dialog will be deferred until the
East Timor legislature gives a detailed report on the true number
of East Timorese killed in the incident," Belo said from his
residence here on Saturday.

The dialog is scheduled to take place in the East Timor town
of Dare this week.

The 1996 Nobel Peace prize co-laureate visited Liquica a day
after the incident. On Saturday, he revealed he had the names of
24 victims.

"I stand by my earlier statement that 25 were killed in the
incident. The reconciliation talks will be deferred until no gun
fire is heard," he said.

However, he conceded no bodies had been recovered from the
incident. He said he obtained the names of those who died from
relatives.

He also said the pro-Indonesia United Forum for Democracy and
Justice led by Dominggos Maria das Soares should be held
responsible for the violence in East Timor, including the Liquica
tragedy.

Asked to comment on the Armed Forces' recent refusal of the
presence of a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force in the
province, the bishop said the military should guarantee security
and order in East Timor.

On Sunday, Belo and his entourage, which included local and
foreign journalists, reportedly were attacked by a prointegration
group on their way back from Liquica to Dili. A taxi driver was
injured while two cars were badly damaged.

Belo visited the riot-torn regency, 40 kilometers west of
here, to help ease tension and lead a Mass.

The attack was launched by a number of armed members of the
local Besi Merah Putih (Red and White Iron) group, which is
affiliated with the East Timor civilian militia. At the time of
the attack, Belo and his entourage were leaving the Liquica
Police station en route to Dili.

The armed youths pelted the passing cars with stones. They
halted some cars, searching for journalists whom they accused of
discrediting their group.

The April 20 UN-sponsored tripartite talks between Indonesia
and Portugal is expected to work out the details of a wide-
ranging autonomy proposal for the province. The direct vote by
the East Timorese on whether they wish to accept the offered
autonomy or separate from Indonesia is to be conducted in July.

Tension

The situation in Liquica was tense on Sunday and armed
proindependence members were on guard at all strategic sites in
the city.

Locals stayed home for fear of fresh clashes between the
prointegration and proindependence forces. Only about 1,000
people, mostly women, children and the elderly, turned up for
Mass, many of them bursting into tears as soon as they saw Belo
waiting for them in front of the church.

"This was the first time I came into a church and found no one
inside," Belo said.

Belo urged the people and the government to resume their daily
activities.

"Local people, including civil servants, should resume their
daily activities. Children should go to school and teachers
should not fear being terrorized and security personnel should do
their duty and restore order and security in the regency," he
said.

He called for patience and faith, especially among those who
lost members of their families in the violence.

Separately, at least two separatist activists were injured and
two cars and a number of magazines were confiscated when the
military launched a raid on the Xanana Gusmao-led Falintil
Separatist Movement (CNRT) in Hertitu village, Ermera regency.

Lt. Col. Mudjiono, deputy chief of the East Timor military
district, said the injured victims were taken by their fellow
rebels into the forest.

He said the military operation was launched hours after the
shooting of Antoni Lima, a member of the Ermera regency
legislature, by the rebels on Saturday.

Antara news agency reported that hundreds of prointegration
supporters in East Timor on Sunday were attacked by CNRT rebels
as they were on their way to Zulamai subdistrict, 202 kilometers
south of Dili, to attend a mass gathering. (33/rms)