Thousands of East Timorese demand governor's resignation
Thousands of East Timorese demand governor's resignation
DILI, East Timor (JP): Thousands of people continued to demand
the resignation of Governor Jose Abilio Soares on Monday, holding
demonstrations at Dili's Comoro airport and in Baucau.
The demonstrations began on Sunday after Abilio commented that
civil servants opposed to the government's proposal to grant
special autonomy to the province should resign or be fired. The
protests passed off peacefully, but many of the province's
migrant residents took the precaution of staying at home.
Abilio was out of town on Sunday and was scheduled to return
home on Monday. Protesters carrying banners, pictures of jailed
resistance leader Xanana Gusmao and pro-independence flags waited
for the governor at Comoro airport until 11:30 a.m. When he did
not arrive, they proceeded into Dili.
The protesters alleged that Abilio was corrupt and had
nepotistically recruited a number of his family and friends into
the East Timor administration.
In Bacau, about 130 kilometers from Dili, thousands of people
including government employees and students rallied outside the
local legislative council.
They demanded the release of Xanana Gusmao and a military
withdrawal from East Timor, this latter demand being in reference
to distrust of the Armed Forces' claim that all combat troops
have been withdrawn from the province.
During a meeting with Mauricio Freitas, the leader of the
local legislature, representatives of the protesters demanded an
independent organization be set up to monitor efforts to reach a
peaceful solution to the problems dogging the province, including
a full withdrawal of the Armed Forces.
Schools and stores in Bacau were closed during the
demonstration and high school examinations were rescheduled.
Meanwhile, a riot reportedly broke out in Dili's Becora
prison, in which nearby residents reported shooting had taken
place. A prison official later denied these claims.
"There has been trouble in the prison, but there are no
casualties," the Becora prison official said as quoted by
Reuters. It was unclear what triggered the riot.
On Sunday, at least 30,000 people staged a demonstration in
Dili to demand Abilio step down.
The protesters, mainly civil servants, were from CNRT and
Forsarepetil, two groups supporting a referendum on self-
determination for the former Portuguese colony.
On Sunday, supporters of integration with Indonesia demanded a
gubernatorial election and proposed former governor Mario Viegas
Carrascalao as a candidate.
Meanwhile 400 East Timorese students studying in Kupang, East
Nusa Tenggara, met deputy provincial governor Johanes Suryo
Prabowo on Saturday to ask him to guarantee their safety and to
work to defuse clashes between youths hailing from the two
neighboring provinces.
An East Timorese student was stabbed on Thursday during an
attack on a dormitory in Kupang by unidentified people. The youth
is receiving treatment in the city's Wira Sakti Hospital.
Kupang Police chief Lt.Col. Yeremias Sooai told The Jakarta
Post that no arrests had been made in connection with the attack.
Students have said their assailants were not fellow students.
(33/01)