Bahasa Indonesia Headlines ­ Tuesday 29 May 2001

1. Clash in Bairopite, one dead 
2. Bishop Belo greeted enthusiastically by refugees in Kupang 
3. GNR stops RDTL supporters 
4. UDC/PDC never made promises to pay candidates to contest

1. Clash in Bairopite, One Dead (Timor Post, Front Page headline)

Violence broke out again in Dili. On Monday, a violent clash occurred in the west Dili suburb of Bairopite resulting in one death.

The dead youth has been identified as Octavio alias Metan.

In the early hours of Monday, a large group of youths surrounded Octavio’s house and started throwing rocks ­ smashing windows and damaging the doors.

Octavio then came out and urged the youths to stop their action. The youths refused and continued with their rock-throwing.

An infuriated Octavio than chased the youths towards the Perumnas complex near the CIJ Clinic in Bairopite. But the youths managed to corner him. They then started beating him to death.

According to the Coordinator of the Anti-Violence Group, Florencio Amaral worked as a security guard at the NCBA coffee cooperative. Florencio said Octavio was also an Anti-Violence Group activist.

2. Bishop Basilio Greeted Enthusiastically By Refugees in Kupang (Timor Post, Front Page headline)

The leader of the Baucau Catholic Chruch Bishop Basilio Nascimento and his team were greeted enthusiastically, in Kupang, by East Timorese refugees in Indonesia-controlled West Timor.

About 1,500 East Timorese refugees were at El Tari Airport to meet Bishop Basilio and his delegation. They broke out in an applause when the UN plane carrying Bishop Basilio landed at 10:05 am.

When Bishop Basilio and his delegation were on the airport tarmac, they were greeted by East Timorese dancers and singers from the Vokalista Timor Kmanek group led by Elias Joka.

From the Kupang Airport, the delegation led by Bishop Basilio made its way to the office of Piet Tallo, the West Timor Governor.

Later in the afternoon, Bishop Basilio met with UNTAS leader Domingos Maria Das Dores. The meeting, however, was not open to journalists.

3. GNR Stops RDTL Supporters (Suara Timor Lorosae, Front Page second lead)

A group of GNR (Guarda Nacional Republicana) [a security arm of Civpol], on Monday, fired warning shots at a group of RDTL supporters and activists at the border of Metinaro and Manatuto.

Sixteen people were injured in clashes with the GNR and seven are receiving treatment at the Baucau General Hospital.

The General Coordinator of RDTL Antonio Aitahan Matak said the incident between the RDTL supporters and GNR occurred when his people were returning back to their villages after protesting in front of UNTAET.

Aitahan Matak said the GNR beat his supporters and also snatched their flag from a vehicle.

Aitahan claimed the GNR also used force against women supporters.

Aitahan Matak said he had written protest letters against the GNR and copied them to the Portuguese, American and Australian missions.

“The GNR came here a peace-keeping force. Why are they now resorting to violence?” he asked.

Meanwhile the Dili Commander of Civpol Yuril Kozlenko in an eight page report criticized the Foreign Minister in the Transitional Cabinet Jose Ramos-Horta for interfering in “police business” in connection with the incident.

“Ramos-Horta has criticized strongly GNR personnel at the location and his comments have encouraged RDTL activists to fight the GNR,” said the report.

The report also said Ramos-Horta’s intervention caused delays in Civpol taking action.

4. UDC/PDC Never Made Promises To Pay Candidates To Contest (Suara Timor Lorosae, Front Page third lead)

The political party UDC/PDC denied yesterday that it was offering US$1,500 for each candidate to contest in the 30 August election under its banner.

Legal advisor to the party Jose Pedro Camoen, at a press conference, said it was all malicious rumours.

“UDC/PDC has never offered a sum of US$1,500 to each candidate contesting under the party name. These are just rumours spread by irresponsible people who want to destroy democracy in the country,” said Jose Pedro.

The press conference was also attended by the party’s campaign managers from Ainaro and Liquisa.

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