BBC Summary of World Broadcasts Leader clamps down on unruly Falintil elements

RDP Antena 1 radio, Lisbon, in Portuguese 1400 gmt 22 Jan 00

Text of report by Portuguese radio on 22nd January

In Timor Xanana Gusmao has admitted to cases of indiscipline in the ranks of the Falintil [guerrillas] and this morning he ordered the arrest of three members of the Falintil, youths who were involved in disturbances over the past week.

Xanana Gusmao said that it could take just a few instances of such behaviour to discredit the entire military organization.

[Gusmao] We shall do our utmost to ensure that due punishment is meted out to unruly members of the Falintil, because the truth is that the conduct of certain commanders and other elements has been eroding the credibility of the Falintil.

We aim to prevent any possibility of disturbances being caused, or allegedly caused, by the Falintil, and to start paying greater attention to those other disturbances provoked by groups mindlessly seeking to destabilize the difficult situation we are going through.

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