Rights body begins investigation in Dili

Rights body begins investigation in Dili

DILI, East Timor (JP): The National Commission on Human Rights
has launched an investigation into the racial and religious riots
that hit Dili and other cities in East Timor this month.

Commission's Secretary General Baharuddin Lopa, who heads the
team, yesterday met with East Timor Governor Jose Abilio Osorio
Soares at the latter's residence.

Baharuddin said the team is here not solely to determine
whether there were any violations of human rights during the
riots, but also to find ways of resolving the problem in East
Timor.

There were no reported casualties in the spate of riots that
broke out early this month, but the main Komoro market in Dili
was razed to the ground and government buildings and people's
houses were damaged, and cars and tires set ablaze.

The government said the riots had racial and religious
characteristics because the targets were migrants, who are mostly
Moslems.

The riots were sparked by a remark allegedly made by a prison
official that denigrated Roman Catholicism, the main religion in
East Timor.

Police said they have arrested 20 people who were believed to
have started the riots. They will soon be brought to trial.

Baharuddin during his meeting with Governor Abilio discussed
the possibility of setting up an inter-religious council whereby
problems and differences between the various religious
communities in the province are resolved.

Not all problems should be brought to the government or the
Armed Forces, Baharuddin told reporters after the meeting.

Meanwhile, National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro
yesterday also visited Dili for a firsthand inspection.

Banurusman told reporters that as far as he was concerned, his
officers had acted correctly in handling the riots, including the
arrests of the perpetrators.

He denied the allegations that police had acted arbitrarily in
handling the riots. "They were all carried out in accordance with
the law," he said, adding that the perpetrators would be charged
with destruction to property, torture and arson.

Meanwhile, the authorities in Surabaya, East Java, have
finally agreed to lend assistance to some 81 "refugees" who fled
East Timor in the wake of violence.

The 81 people, who have been camping at the Tanjung Perak port
since their arrival because no one would accept them, have now
been given temporary shelter at the Sukolio haj dormitory, Antara
reported. (yac/emb)