[Kabar-indonesia] RI strengthens border security as Dili hit by fresh violence

[Joyo at aol.com]

Jakarta Post [website] 
June 28, 2006

RI strengthens border security as Dili hit by fresh violence

JAKARTA (Agencies): The Indonesian military began strengthening security in 
the border areas between Indonesia and Timor Leste as fresh violence hit Dili 
Wednesday, following the step down of Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.

"The situation in border areas is still conducive, but our soldiers have 
begun strengthening security there to prevent any East Timorese from entering our 
territory," said East Nusa Tenggara military chief Col. Inf. Noch Bola in the 
provincial capital of Kupang on Wednesday.

Gangs hurled rocks at a camp housing refugees and torched buildings in Dili 
Wednesday, as fresh violence erupted between supporters and opponents of 
recently ousted Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.

Australian peacekeepers repulsed the attack by 100 young men on the camp, 
which houses tens of thousands of people who fled clashes last month, an 
Associated Press reporter at the scene said.

Sporadic shots were heard and 20 houses and at least four shops were torched 
elsewhere in the city. Alkatiri appeared on national television Tuesday, one 
day after he resigned under pressure from street protesters and the country's 
popular president, urging 2,000 supporters who gathered on Dili'soutskirts to 
descend on the city in coming days.

Noch stressed that the Indonesian military was only tasked to secure border 
areas between the two countries in East Nusa Tenggara province, therefore 
Indonesian soldiers would never be involved in any conflict in the country.

"It (the conflict) is a domestic affair of Timor Leste. We will only act if 
they (East Timorese across the borderline," Noch was quoted by Antara news 
agency as saying.

Alkatiri, who will be summoned Friday on allegations he formed political hit 
squads, accused his opponents of being behind two months of unrest that has 
left at least 30 people dead and sentnearly 150,000 people fleeing their homes.

"They destroyed Dili town, burned, looted and killed our people, and then 
they accuse me of being a terrorist, communist and a killer," he said in his 
first public comments since stepping down.

Alkatiri was expected to appear before the prosecutor-general on Friday to 
address allegations that he hired hit squads to silence his political opponents 
- a move that was expected to further incense his supporters.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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