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)