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)