Ten people arrested for torching market in Dili

DILI, East Timor (JP): Police announced yesterday that they have arrested 10 people believed to be the main culprits behind the arson that razed the Komoro market last Saturday.

East Timor Police Chief Col. Andreas Sugianto told reporters that the 10 were the "brains" behind the fire that destroyed more than 200 kiosks and their entire contents.

The market, on a two-hectare site, was set on fire in the early hours on Saturday. Not a single structure was left standing, only debris from the buildings and their contents remained, witnesses said.

Sugianto said police are now questioning the suspects and are searching for others who may have taken part in the arson. "We are resolved to catch every person who took part in the brutal riot that caused misery to the people."

He declined to give details of the suspects already detained, other than saying that they were known as "trouble makers" although they had never previously been convicted.

The Komoro market fire was the result of one of a series of riots that rocked the capital of East Timor during the weekend. There were no casualties but scores, including security officers, were injured, with some needing hospital treatment.

The government confirmed the riots had ethnical and religious connotations with most of the victims being non-East Timorese who have settled in the territory.

The riots began after word got out that a local justice ministry official working in a correctional facility had made remarks that denigrated Roman Catholicism, the main religion of the East Timorese.

The Komoro market was dominated mainly by migrants from South Sulawesi, as are most markets in East Timor.

The markets in Oponaro in the Maliana regency, Same in Manufahi regency and in Viqueque were also razed to the ground by arsonists on Saturday. In Bobonaro, two junior high school buildings were set on fire, according to Antara.

Migrants complained of harassment when they ventured out of their homes during the weekend. Cars were overturned and set on fire and buildings and houses were also pelted during the riots.

Sugianto did not have estimates of the total material losses resulting from the fires and the riots.

He said the losses include nine motorcycles and four cars -- two belonging to the administration and two to the police, were either set on fire or badly damaged.

The list of those seriously injured include eight members of the East Timor police, three troopers from the Dili military district and five civilians -- all Komoro market traders. Everyone was still under intensive care at the Dili general hospital yesterday.

Sugianto appealed to all East Timorese to cooperate with the police to restore calm and order.

"The public must stay alert against possible attempts to provoke," he said, adding that the provocateurs usually distribute leaflets exploiting ethnical and religious issues. (emb)