Marker airlifted from Dili amid protest

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)