Governor Abilio urged to send newcomers home

Governor Abilio urged to send newcomers home

DILI (JP): A group of demonstrators demanded yesterday that
East Timor Governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares return newcomers,
especially those from South Sulawesi, to their hometowns.

The demand was made following an incident at the Becora Inpres
market in Dili on Saturday which led to the death of Mario
Vicente, a local trader.

Reports compiled by the local administration state that the
incident was sparked by a misunderstanding between Mario and
Mokhamad Sakir, another trader at the market, who hails from
South Sulawesi.

Sakir was reportedly envious of the prosperous business run by
Mario, whose stall is more strategically placed than his. This
jealousy led to a quarrel, which ended with Sakir stabbing Mario
to death.

Sakir, who feared the killing would be avenged, immediately
took refuge at the nearest police station.

Syarwan Hamid, spokesman for the Armed Forces, said on Monday
that the incident enraged area residents. Some of them reportedly
burned a number of kiosks, houses, shops and vehicles.

Syarwan said that others even demonstrated against the
province's integration into Indonesia in 1976.

The demonstrations continued yesterday, when a group of
protesters, displaying anti-integration posters, damaged another
two cars near the complex of the University of East Timor.

They apparently did this to distract attention from the
activities of the heads of state attending the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's conference in Bogor, West
Java. The event was being covered by a large number of foreign
journalists, yesterday.

Chief of the East Timor Provincial Legislative Council Antonio
Freitas Parada asked the local police to take stern action
against anyone not heeding the government's call for calm
following what he termed the "trivial incident" at the Becora
Inpres market in Dili.

"As our country has its own laws, all problems taking place in
the province must be processed in line with existing
regulations," he said.

"The police officers have to be strict. Don't let
demonstrators go on disturbing the peacefulness of other
residents," he said.

Antonio said that demonstrations can no longer be tolerated
because their actions have disturbed the people's tranquility.

Greater say

In a related development, U.S. President Bill Clinton told a
press conference in Jakarta yesterday that the people of East
Timor should have a greater say over their own affairs.

Speaking after the APEC meeting, he said that he will discuss
the issue with Indonesian President Soeharto during his one-day
state visit today.

Clinton said he had long believed "the people of East Timor
should have more say over their own affairs".

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Senator Gareth Evens
told parliament on Monday in Canberra that Indonesia will start
pulling troops out of East Timor next year.

Evans was quoted by UPI as saying that he received assurances
to this effect from his Indonesian counterpart Ali Alatas during
talks the two ministers held in Jakarta in advance of the APEC
meeting.

"Indonesia will start pulling out troops from East Timor next
year," Evans told the Australian parliament.

"It looks like it is going to flow through next year," he
said. "We had all hoped that it might be rather sooner than
that."

He said the Indonesian government recognized the validity of
arguments for political autonomy for East Timor.

"The Indonesian government realizes that the problem is an
intractable one.

"It is not going to go away unless some efforts of
reconciliation of this kind have occurred," Evans said.

Evans comments came as around 50 East Timorese protesters
scuffled with police when they attempted to storm the Indonesian
consulate on Monday in Sydney.

The protests at the Consulate in Sydney coincided with the
APEC meeting.

The activists tried to prevent cars from leaving the consulate
and threw dozens of eggs at the building.

They tried to scale the fence into the consulate grounds and
one man climbed onto the roof of the building before being coaxed
down.

There were no arrests. (yac/hhr)