Scared citizens asked not to flee troubled E. Timor

JAKARTA (JP): Amid the exodus of thousands of migrants leaving East Timor, Governor Abilio Jose Osoario Soares called for calm yesterday and urged people not to panic on hearing rumors of riots in the province.

"I am appealing to all people from other provinces who have, for a long time, resettled in Dili to wisely assess the situation," he said in the provincial capital Dili.

"I ask you to report to the authorities whoever is spreading rumors of riots and demonstrations," he added.

Abilio apologized to those who had fled the province in fear and called on indigenous Timorese to respect the rights of all.

Thousands, almost all migrants who had settled in East Timor, have reportedly fled in the last two weeks and the exodus appears to be continuing as many fear wider unrest coinciding with the coming anniversary of East Timor's integration on July 17 1976.

Hundreds of refugees boarded buses and ships while many others flew to towns in neighboring East Nusa Tenggara province.

All ships and passenger buses plying the route from Dili to towns in East Nusa Tenggara have been fully loaded by refugees in the last two weeks, Antara reported yesterday.

Most of those who fled then usually took a ship to return to their home province.

East Timor Police chief Col. Timbul Silaen, however, yesterday denied reports that the province, especially Dili, was no longer safe to settle.

South Sulawesi Governor Z.B. Palaguna said yesterday he had no plans to launch an evacuation of people from his province who had resettled in East Timor, adding that he had received assurances from East Timor officials that the situation was under control.

He acknowledged that many had returned home to South Sulawesi but pointed out that this could also be due to the long holiday season and the unfounded rumors of unrest in the country's youngest province.

Around 1,500 people who left East Timor last week have arrived in their home villages in South Sulawesi.

They said they returned after being intimidated by unidentified men.

"Besides being threatened with death, we were forced to hand over our house keys and to return home," Zaenal, who resettled to Dili eight years ago, said in his village of Pattalasang, about 75 kilometers north of Ujungpandang.

Ambo, another refugee, said many people originally from his village of Maros, 60 kilometers north of Ujungpandang, could not leave Dili because they could not get tickets to board a ship out of the province. (rms/37/yac)