Rival E. Timor groups reconcile in Kupang

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Former East Timorese warring groups -- the proindependence National Council for East Timor Resistance (CNRT) and the Prointegration Fighters (PPI) -- met here on Tuesday, admitted their past mistakes and pledged to disarm themselves in order to jointly develop East Timor.

"We have agreed to admit our past mistakes and vow to develop East Timor, although some prointegration leaders will continue to live in Indonesia," said Nomencio Lopes de Carvalho, a PPI commander.

However in the meeting, CNRT also rejected the request for an amnesty made by PPI, saying they were not eligible to grant such pardons.

"East Timor is in a transitional situation so CNRT can't talk about amnesty matters," Francisco Guterres, an executive from CNRT, said.

He added that his group was not a political party, but merely an organization to accommodate the East Timorese struggle against Indonesia's integration.

Francisco even announced that CNRT would be dissolved on June 9 after its 24-year existence.

He pointed out the group was an umbrella organization which accommodated all political parties in the territory.

Francisco said that at present the territory was still under the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).

The prointegration leaders asked for pardons for past human rights abuses and other violence committed during the 1999 ballot.

Tuesday's meeting marked the reunion of the warring faction leaders.

Meanwhile in the border town of Atambua, grenades exploded at around 8:30 a.m.

The explosions killed at least three people and injured several others on Tuesday.

Commander of the border security task force Lt. Col. Magna Candra confirmed the incident but could not give further details as an examination into the incident was still underway.

He said contact with United Nation's Peacekeeping Forces would be made soon to verify the incident.

He said there were two blasts in an interval of less than five minutes.

The explosions, caused panic among residents of Maumetan Raihon hamlet in East Timor and the nearby villages in East Nusa Tenggara.

According to Magna, personnel of the Indonesian Military (TNI) saw three East Timorese killed in the blasts who were then rushed by locals to territory within East Timor.

Officials at the local Atambua General Hospital said that at least three Indonesians were injured in the incident, including an army sergeant who was a member of the local subdistrict military command. (30/emf)