Two dead in Baucau riot, regent says

Two dead in Baucau riot, regent says

BAUCAU, East Timor (JP): Two persons were killed in last
Sunday's ethnic riot here, according to the first full official
account of the latest conflict in East Timor.

Baucau Regent Virgilio Diaz Marcel told visiting reporters on
Tuesday that the killing of an East Timorese by a migrant from
South Sulawesi triggered the riot on Sunday.

Earlier unconfirmed reports had suggested a higher casualty
figure.

Ninety five shops and kiosks in the city's new and old
markets, mostly belonging to South Sulawesi traders, were burned
down, according to Virgilio.

The protesters also vented their anger at security officers
who came to quell the demonstration. The main police precinct was
ransacked and a battalion commander was knocked unconscious, he
said. Two transit vans and a car belonging to a representative of
East Timor's governor were also damaged.

Virgilio said another person was killed and five others were
injured when someone opened fire during the riot. He added firmly
that he did not think the shooting came from members of the Armed
Forces.

There was no political motive behind the incident, the regent
said, pointing out that the killing of the East Timorese man was
started by a small misunderstanding with his Sulawesi neighbor,
that later developed into a fight.

Calm had been restored in the city although it remained tense,
according to visitors to Baucau. Many local people have also
become paranoid, querying and intimidating non-East Timorese
aboard buses, the visitors said.

Top military commanders have visited the area to check on
things. Maj. Gen. Adang Ruchiatna, the chief of the Udayana
Military Command, flew in from his headquarters in Bali. Col.
Kiki Syahnakri, the chief of the East Timor Military Command and
Col. Andreas Sugianto, the chief of East Timor Police, were also
in town on Tuesday.

Virgilio said the incident is a big setback for the
development of the regency. "It's like having to rebuild from
ashes all over again -- and this requires a lot of time, effort
and money," he said.

He appealed to residents to keep vigilant and not be easily
influenced by rumors, promising that justice would be upheld.

He said the incident was started when two South Sulawesi
youths, apparently intoxicated, were caught urinating in the open
by an East Timorese woman. Feeling offended, she scorned the two
young men.

However, one of them, identified as Rusli, became aggressive
and started arguing with the woman and a friend of hers, 17-year
old Armando Ximenes. The row then turned into a fight, in which
Armando got stabbed. He was immediately rushed to the hospital
but died on the way. Rusli himself suffered from severe injuries.

News of Armando's death spread quickly in the town at a time
when most people were celebrating the New Year. Many started to
gather on Sunday night and marched towards the new market where
they ransacked and set fire to shops belonging to South Sulawesi
traders. They then marched towards the old market and burned more
shops there.

The demonstrators also clashed with security officers who were
sent to quell the riot, Virgilio said.

The second person killed on the night was identified as Dodo
Muhamad alias Domingos.(yac,emb)