DATE=9/1/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=EAST TIMOR / VIOLENCE (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253328
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=DILI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Violence rocked the United Nations
headquarters in the East Timorese capital, Dili, on
Wednesday with a clash between armed militia men and
supporters of independence. The violence comes days
after the United Nations-supervised referendum on the
territory's political future. The referendum was
intended to bring about peace between East Timor's
pro-independence and pro-integration factions.
Patricia Nunan reports from Dili.
TEXT: Witnesses say militia members began burning
down houses near the United Nations headquarters just
before dusk. That action brought rival independence
supporters into the streets.
At first the two groups threw stones at one another,
but then militia men, armed with automatic rifles,
home-made guns, Molotov cocktails, and machetes began
retaliating in earnest. Independece supporters fled
into the hills behind the U-N compound while some 300
local residents ran into the compound to escape the
violence.
It is the worst outbreak of violence to rock the East
Timorese capital in the weeks surrounding the U-N
autonomy referendum on the territory's political
future.
One U-N worker was killed by militia members on voting
day (Monday). On Tuesday, militias set up roadblocks
and temporarily prevented U-N convoys from returning
to Dili after the ballot.
East Timor's armed militia groups are fighting to keep
the territory a part of Indonesia. The U-N supervised
referendum was intended to let the East Timorese
people vote on whether the territory should remain
part of Indonesia or push for full independence after
24 years of civil war.
U-N officials in East Timor have consistently called
for the Indonesian authorities to fulfill their pledge
to insure security in the territory by clamping down
on the militia groups. But, so far, the United
Nations says, little effective action has been taken.
Indonesian government officials promise they will
respect the results of the autonomy referendum, but
local militia leaders have promised to fight to the
death to keep East Timor from separating.
In contrast to events after the vote, polling day
itself was largely successful. The United Nations
says almost 99 percent of registered voters cast their
ballots. The U-N says vote results will be released
within a week. But human rights officials want U-N
peacekeepers to be deployed to East Timor before the
announcement is made. (Signed)
NEB/PN/KL
01-Sep-1999 10:36 AM EDT (01-Sep-1999 1436 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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