EAST TIMOR: Government reaction over violence in Baucau and Dili

The situation in Dili and Baucau has been calm over the past few days, officials said. The situation in Dili and Baucau remain calm after violence erupted across a new tiny little country. Violence erupted across Timor when President Jose Ramos-Horta appointed a coalition last week led by independence hero Xanana Gusmao to govern after no single party won a majority in parliamentary elections more than a month ago. Ramos-Horta's decision sparked violent protests by supporters of the former ruling party, Fretilin, which claims the right to govern after winning most votes in the June 30 polls. It has branded the president's move as unconstitutional and pledged to boycott the new government, which was installed on Wednesday with Gusmao appointed as prime minister. "We've planned the operation for investigation and to identify the people who are is [sic] of these criminal activities, like we have done the same way in other cases, in Dili for throwing stones, attacks, for some other offences like burning houses affecting civilian people. We have done investigations, we have launched police operations, and we have been able to identify and arrest the people who is [sic] responsible for those activities. In this case, we are planning to do the same thing. We will enforce the personnel in Baucau and we are going to start investigations to find the people who are responsible of those criminal attacks and we will identify them and arrest them," UN Acting Police Commissioner said. Factional bloodshed broke out in the impoverished country of about 1 million people last year, forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. "In Viqueque area we have about ten thousand IDPs, Internally Displaced Persons, that are now in the mountains. And we have a few thousands in Watulari area also. And we have also new information about IDPs in Valal (sp) area. The government together with the United Nation agencies we have send this morning helicopters with emergency aid to the region of Viqueque and we hope by tomorrow, 9 o'clock, we might start sending a convoy of trucks bringing food supplies to the region of Baucau and Viqueque." The mayhem, during which 37 people were killed, was triggered by the previous government's decision to sack 600 soldiers. About 3,000 international police and troops are currently in East Timor to restore order. The United Mission in East Timor said police had arrested 13 people in connection with an attack on a UN convoy on Friday (August 10). UN mission chief Atul Khare said the attacks were carried out by people carrying Fretilin flags.

ITN Source | August 13, 2007

Tags:. .carried. .violent. .violence. .august. .burning