Tension and fear prevail in Dili

DILI, East Timor (JP): Tension reigned on Thursday amid fears of further violence ahead of next week's announcement of the results of Monday's ballot on East Timor's future.

Dozens of people and a number of journalists were seen leaving the territory aboard a military aircraft, as two companies of the National Police's elite Mobile Brigade arrived in the provincial capital of Dili.

Witnesses said those wishing to leave East Timor by land must secure a permit from the prointegration militias, who have erected roadblocks in the western part of the province. The militias have said political leaders should be prevented from leaving the people during the postballot period of uncertainty.

East Timor Military Commander Col. Muhammad Noer Muis said on Wednesday the military was ready to assist the police in maintaining security.

Another 200 officers of the police Mobile Brigade unit were flown to Dili, via the Halim airport in East Jakarta Thursday with another 100 members from East Java expected Saturday. Another 100 Brimob officers will be flown to Dili from Denpasar on Sunday.

This brings the number of police officers in Dili to 8,250, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar Sianipar said in Jakarta.

He said National Police posts will be set up in Kupang to help handle refugees, expected up to 200,000 people.

Muis' statement came as the United Nations condemned the violence outside the office of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) here on Wednesday.

UNAMET said at least two people were killed in the incident. Police and the Motael clinic here have only confirmed one death, Jorges Francisco Bonaparte, 19, who died of a gunshot wound.

Dili Police spokesman Capt. Widodo said no arrests had been made in connection with the murder. "We are still questioning witnesses."

UNAMET chief Ian Martin said at a media conference on Thursday that the UN called on the Indonesian police to arrest those responsible for the violence and to take firm action to control armed groups.

The UN also reminded the Indonesian authorities of their responsibility to protect international and local UNAMET staff members. Under the New York agreement signed in May, which laid the groundwork for the direct ballot, the Indonesian police are solely responsible for maintaining law and order in the territory.

"They do have to act in ways they have not yet acted to deal with those who are carrying and using arms," Martin said, adding that UNAMET has received an "inadequate response from the security forces on the ground".

The violence erupted on Wednesday following allegations by prointegration supporters that local UNAMET staff members had not been impartial during the ballot on Monday.

Capt. Widodo said the violence began when proindependence supporters threw stones at prointegration backers. A brawl ensued and shots were heard. Indonesian Military commander Gen. Wiranto said: "It was not an attack against UNAMET."

UNAMET said earlier it had employed about 4,000 locals, many of whom had received death threats.

At least one local UNAMET staff member was killed by prointegration militia outside a polling station in Atsabe, Ermera regency, on Monday.

"My main concern now is the safety of our local staff ... the authorities should recognize their responsibility for the security of UN personnel extends to our local staff as much as it does to our international staff," Martin said.

The prointegration United Front for East Timor Autonomy (UNIF) filed a bias complaint with the Independent Electoral Commission on Thursday. Other observers have also alleged that UN staff urged East Timorese to vote against autonomy.

UNIF said on Wednesday the current process under UNAMET was "no more than camouflage to cover the shame of the international community, which has been deceived by proindependence supporters into believing the war in East Timor is between the East Timorese and Indonesians, and not between the East Timorese and East Timorese".

Martin, however, denied the allegations of bias. He said he believed allegations of bias would be found "to be largely ill founded".

The ballot "was conducted under the closest scrutiny of a very large number of observers and the media, and in particular the procedures also contain proper processes for investigating any allegations that it was not properly conducted", Martin said. (byg/amd/06/ylt)