Rights Commission team holds interviews with Timorese
Rights Commission team holds interviews with Timorese
LIQUISA, East Timor (JP): A delegation of the National
Commission on Human Rights interviewed eyewitnesses in this
regency capital over the weekend but refused to disclose the
results of the meeting.
The delegation, which arrived in Liquisa by helicopter at
10.30 a.m., was on a mission to investigate the recent killings
of six local people, whom the military believed were armed
members of Fretilin. It arrived in Dili, the province's capital,
on Thursday.
The delegation, which consists of Muladi, Marzuki Darusman,
Joko Sugianto and Clemento Dos Reis Amaral, an indigenous East
Timorese, interviewed two witnesses at the local military
headquarters whom the local authorities said were members of the
separatist group.
Afterwards, the delegation conducted five hours of talks with
eight other witnesses at the regent's residence. Liquisa Regent
Leneto Martins did not attend the meeting.
Earlier in the day the delegation flew to Gariana village, 10
kilometers from Liquisa and not far from the site of the
incident, which occurred on Jan. 12.
The locals, about 50 of them, looked tense before the
delegation arrived at the residence of the village chief. Only
after Amaral greeted them "good morning" in their local dialect
did they smile and shake hands with the delegates.
Amaral told The Jakarta Post that the delegates were satisfied
with the talks. He said that the Commission will announce the
results of the investigation in Jakarta later.
However, unlike the original schedule, the delegation did not
proceed to Fatufo village, where four people were reportedly
buried after the incident.
The commander of the local military command, Col. Kiki Syakri,
has repeatedly insisted that the victims of the incident were
members of Fretilin seeking an independent state for the former
Portuguese colony.
The colonel also said that troops confiscated documents which
suggest they were rebels.
Amaral said that after arriving in Jakarta, the delegation
will soon return to this province to collect more information
about the mysterious gang of "ninjas" who have been terrorizing
Dili and about other events in Baucau and Viqueque regencies.
"There are so many things the Commission is not well-informed
about in East Timor," he said.
Meanwhile Regent Leonato Martins told the Post on Saturday
that he was concerned over the fact that many people in Liquisa
were still under the influence of the separatist group.
He said that his regency of 50,000 people is still suffering
from many shortages. "There is a severe shortage of drinking
water here," he said.
Leonato said that the nearest source of clean water is 10
kilometers away. He said he would soon discuss the problem with
the provincial Development Planning Agency in Dili.
The regent said he would also discuss the possibility of
developing the infrastructure between Liquisa, Gariana and Loes,
which could be good suppliers of agricultural products for his
regency.
Asked why Liquisa, his birth place, has become a trouble spot
after 18 years of calm, Leonato said: "I have no idea, myself."
(yac/tis)