Scared citizens asked not to flee troubled E. Timor
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)