Marker airlifted from Dili amid protest
DILI (JP): UN Special Envoy for East Timor Jamsheed Marker was hurriedly airlifted by helicopter from this provincial capital on Sunday after hundreds of proindependence demonstrators stored the airport demanding to speak with him.
His dramatic evacuation to nearby Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara came at the end of a two-day visit to the province.
About 500 people, mostly students, broke through two security cordons at the airport as Marker waited to board a commercial flight to Bali.
They demanded Marker hold a dialog with them.
Earlier, Marker had separately met with influential Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and Baucau Bishop Basiliodo Nascimento to receive latest reports on the situation in East Timor.
He also met representatives of the CNRT group.
The protesters were supporters of the Falintil group. They cried "Viva Xanana Gusmao" -- referring to jailed East Timorese rebel leader Alexandre Jose "Xanana" Gusmao -- as Marker was in the meetings.
Demonstrators in the thousands formed a convoy of motorbikes, trucks and buses, chanting denunciations of the government and the Armed Forces (ABRI).
Marker's meeting with the bishops was held at his accommodation at RT Pang, the residence of the East Timor Military Chief, Col. Tono Suratman, in West Dili.
Marker was accompanied during the visit by one of his staff, Francis Vandrel, Col. Tono, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff member, Dino Patti Djalal, and a representative from ABRI headquarters.
Protesters had rallied at the residence of Bishop Belo in Lecidere in East Dili, intending to meet Marker.
They continued to Komoro Airport after the plan failed.
A cordon of mobile brigade police and troops halted them about 700 meters from the airport.
"Shoot me" some of the protesters taunted the security personnel as others yelled "Viva Xanana" and "Viva Timor Leste" (Long Live East Timor).
Traffic came to a standstill.
Protesters eventually forced their way through the security cordon and rushed to the airport, smashing some of the building's windows.
Marker -- who was driven to the airport on an alternative road -- was finally airlifted to Kupang after his scheduled commercial flight was unable to land due to the commotion.
After Marker left, the protesters were persuaded to disperse.
Col. Tono, who was at the airport to see the UN envoy off, tried to calm the crowd. "Marker has already met with various sides in East Timor and their respective aspirations have been heard". The situation returned to normal by 3 p.m.
Marker, who was greeted by some 1,000 proindependence supporters when he arrived here Saturday, met with military and government leaders in East Timor as well as representatives of various factions.
He arrived in the country last Tuesday for a nine-day visit and spent the first three days meeting with top Indonesian generals and Xanana, serving a 20-year prison sentence in a Jakarta jail. (imn/aan/33)