DATE=4/12/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247929
TITLE=EAST TIMOR/ SECURITY
BYLINE=JENNY GRANT
DATELINE=DILI, EAST TIMOR
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE GOVERNOR OF EAST TIMOR SAYS HE FEARS ANARCHY ACROSS
THE TROUBLED TERRITORY AS MILITIAS WHO FAVOR CONTINUED TIES WITH
JAKARTA BEGIN THEIR CAMPAIGN TO CONTROL THE CAPITAL OF EAST
TIMOR, DILI. JENNY GRANT REPORTS FROM DILI THAT RESIDENTS SAY
THEY FEAR AN ATTACK BY THESE PARAMILITARY GROUPS.
TEXT: GOVERNOR ABILIO SOARES SAYS THE SECURITY SITUATION HAS
DETERIORATED BECAUSE THE MILITARY IS SCARED OF PRO-INDONESIA
MILITIAS AND THE PEOPLE NO LONGER TRUST LOCAL GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS.
// ACT SOARES / INDONESIAN / FADE UNDER //
THROWING HIS HANDS UP INTO THE AIR, THE GOVERNOR SAYS ANARCHY IS
SPREADING ACROSS EAST TIMOR.
A MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS BY MILITIAS LEFT AT LEAST 25 PEOPLE DEAD
LAST WEEK. THEY WERE SHOT INSIDE THE HOUSE OF A PRIEST WHO GAVE
THEM ASYLUM.
THERE WERE MORE MURDERS OVER THE WEEKEND IN THE REGENCY OF
ERMERA, FORTY KILOMETERS SOUTHWEST OF DILI. AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE
WERE SHOT IN SEPARATE ATTACKS.
OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OVERLOOKING DILI BAY, 400 MEMBERS
OF THE PRO-JAKARTA AITARAK MILITIA RALLIED IN A SHOW OF FORCE.
// ACT -- MILITIAS FILING IN //
AITARAK CHIEF EURICO GUTERRES TOLD MILITIA MEMBERS THEY SHOULD
READY THEMSELVES FOR AN ATTACK BY PRO-INDEPENDENCE GUERRILLAS IN
THE CAPITAL.
HE SAYS IF THE INDEPENDENCE SIDE WANTS WAR THE MILITIAS ARE ALSO
READY FOR WAR.
SOME MILITIA MEMBERS SAY THEY ARE COFFEE FARMERS WHO HAVE BEEN
TRUCKED INTO DILI FROM THE TOWN OF ERMERA FOR THE EVENT. OTHERS
ARE LOCAL YOUTHS.
MR GUTERRES AUTHORIZED HIS MILITIA TO TAKE WEAPONS FROM THEIR
"WAREHOUSES" IF PRO-INDEPENDENCE GUERRILLAS ATTACK THE TOWN.
HE SAYS MILITIAS SHOULD SWEEP THE TOWN TO GET RID OF
PRO-INDEPENDENCE LEADERS. SOURCES SAY THE MILITIAS HAVE A LIST OF
PEOPLE THEY WANT TO KILL
DILI'S TERRIFIED RESIDENTS SAY THE MILITIAS ARE USING THE
GUERRILLAS AS AN EXCUSE TO LAUNCH THEIR CAMPAIGN.
A CIVIL SERVANT LEANING OUT OF THE WINDOW OF THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE SAID EVERYONE IS AFRAID. SHE SAYS SOME PEOPLE ARE
SLEEPING WITH WEAPONS AND BEGINNING TO STOCKPILE FOOD.
THE GATES OF COUNCIL FOR NATIONAL TIMORESE RESISTANCE WERE
PADLOCKED MONDAY. MEMBERS OF THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE COUNCIL HAVE
GONE UNDERGROUND AND ARE STAYING AT SAFE HOUSES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JG/KL
12-Apr-99 7:56 AM EDT (1156 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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