[Kabar-indonesia] Clashes break out in E. Timor as troops hunt for escaped inmates

[Joyo at aol.com]

Associated Press 
September 1, 2006

Clashes break out in E. Timor as troops hunt for escaped inmates

DILI (AP): Gangs armed with stones and machetes clashed in the East Timorese 
capital Friday, raising fresh security concerns following the recent escape 
from prison of a rebel leader and scores of other violent inmates.

Hospital officials said at least eight people were wounded in the unrest 
which broke out after a gang attacked a refugee camp in downtown Dili hotel with 
stones, witnesses said. International security forces arrived soon after to 
restore order.

East Timor descended into chaos in May amid fighting between factions in the 
newly independent country's security forces. Tens of thousands of people still 
live in temporary camps.

International peacekeepers have largely restored order and a new government 
has been installed, but sporadic gang fights have continued, mostly based on 
regional divisions exacerbated by the conflict.

Local and foreign security forces were searching for 57 inmates who escaped 
from a Dill prison on Wednesday, including renegade military leader Alfredo 
Reinado, blamed for some of the worst violence in May, and several of his 
followers.

Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta partly blamed the UN and neighboring 
Australia for the breakout, which has raised tensions in East Timor.

Australian forces currently head the peacekeeping force in East Timor.

In a telephone interview with Australia Broadcasting Corp. radio, he said the 
prison was under the control of East Timorese forces, but that Australian 
peacekeepers must accept some of theblame because they refused to boost security 
outside.

"I am personally just puzzled why, in spite of our repeated requests for 
static forces to be outside the prison, this was not done," Ramos-Horta said. "I 
presume the Australian forces, the UN, as experts in security, they thought it 
was not necessary."

"Had there been strong security outside, this could have been prevented," 
Ramos-Horta said.

Ramos-Horta also said it appeared the escaped inmates had accomplices inside 
the prison.

"Obviously there was a failure of the internal security but the internal 
security is not armed and obviously there has to be some complicity inside," he 
said.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard rejected Ramos-Horta's suggestion 
Australian troops were partly responsible for the escape.

"I am very concerned that these people escaped but I am quite certain the 
Australian Defense Force has done the right thing," Howard told reporters in 
Sydney.

Reinado was a leading member of the campaign to oust former Prime Minister 
Mari Alkatiri.

A prison guard said Reinado told him before the breakout he would return to 
jail if Alkatiri was also imprisoned. Alkatiri is currently under investigation 
for allegations he provided guns to a hit squad tasked with killing his 
political opponents.

"Before Major Alfredo left the prison he told me that he would return when 
Alkatiri was in prison," prison guard Helio Watumisa Monteiro told The 
Associated Press. "We are the victims ofan unfair tribunal."

Authorities waited more than a month to arrest Reinado following the May 
violence even though he made no effort to hide and East Timor's President Xanana 
Gusmao has always refused to criticize his actions, leading some to question 
whether his rebellion was part of wider moves to get rid of Alkatiri.

Both Gusmao and Ramos-Horta also demanded Alkatiri step down.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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