Two people arrested for attack on Journalist
Two people arrested for attack on Journalist
DILI, East Timor (JP): Police have arrested two of the eight
people suspected of beating up a journalist from Jakarta-based
Tiras weekly and Dili Suara Timor Timur on Sunday night.
Chief of Dili police precinct Lt. Col. Beno Kalipong said the
authorities hope the arrests would pave the way for a solution to
the assault case.
The suspects were arrested after a tip-off from a witness who
claimed to recognize three of the attackers. The eyewitness who
declined to be named told police he had tried to stop the eight
from assaulting the journalist but they wouldn't listen.
Previous reports said Gaudensius Mau, 30, was on his way to a
shop when he was beaten unconscious by eight men who mistook him
for an intelligence officer.
The reporter, who sustained injuries all over his body, said
his attackers would not listen when he told them he was a
journalist not an intelligence officer.
Beno said it was possible the attack was related to the
journalist's reports on the controversy over Bishop Carlos Felipe
Ximenes Belo's remarks critical of the government's policy in the
territory.
The bishop's comments angered central government officials in
Jakarta but received strong support in East Timor.
Beno said the police have established a special team of nine
officers to handle investigation into the attack on the
journalist.
Gaudensius's condition at Dili General Hospital improved
yesterday although he has to spend more days there to recover.
Head of East Timor chapter of the National Commission for
Human Rights Alex Refialy said the attack was in blatant
violation of human rights.
He demanded law enforcers deal sternly with the incident if
they do not want to see it happen again.
In a related development, Tiras's chief editor Marah Sakti
Siregar urged police to investigate the incident thoroughly and
arrest all suspects, Antara reported.
He said the violence was only the latest in attacks on
journalists. This shows that reporters need better legal
protection, he said.
The assault occurred after calm had returned to the streets of
Dili after last week's rallies by students and youths in support
of Bishop Belo. Belo is in trouble for allegedly accusing the
government of treating the East Timorese like "scabby dogs" and
"slaves". (33/ste)