Fighting breaks out at E Timor refugee camp

Gulf Times Newspaper
Published: Sunday, 10 September, 2006, 09:41 AM Doha Time

DILI: Dozens of youths yesterday attacked a refugee camp here in the latest episode of unrest to hit the tiny state of East Timor, eye-witnesses and the United Nations said.
The gang, armed with slingshots and stones, attacked the camp opposite the UN headquarters around 12 (0300 GMT).

“The attack happened ... with tens of youths. They threw stones and used catapults, and then the refugees fought back,” Americo Marcal, a guard at the Obrigado Barracks camp, said.

The UN police chief said the gang lobbed at least one canister of tear gas into the camp.

“Witnesses said .. they were attacked with tear gas by some unidentified people,” Acting Police Commissioner Antero Lopes said after touring the refugee camp.

He said police restored calm quickly.

“The UN police, international police forces immediately went to the camp to control the situation and right now the population in the camp are safe and they are being secured by a mobile patrol around the camp,” Lopes said.

A community organiser at the barracks said he suspected East Timorese police and a group of deserting soldiers — known as petitioners — were involved in the attack.

“In the opinion of refugees, several rogue police and soldiers from the group of petitioners were amongst those that attacked us this afternoon,” Liberio dos Santos said.

Nobody was seriously injured in the brawl but several refugees suffered breathing difficulties after inhaling tear gas, dos Santos said.

Yesterday’s violence followed an attack on Friday night in which seven camp inhabitants were injured after some youths fired rocks from catapaults, dos Santos said.

A Portuguese policeman, who refused to give his name, said police had yet to arrest anyone for the unrest.

East Timor has been plagued by sporadic violence since May, when 600 soldiers deserted sparking civil unrest that left 21 people dead and forced thousands to flee their homes.

Some 3,200 Australian-led peacekeepers were subsequently deployed in the East Timorese capital, Dili. The United Nations has agreed to send more than 1,600 international police to the impoverished country.

An East Timorese rebel leader who escaped from jail last month says the presence of international peacekeepers in the strife-torn country shows the government is incapable of ruling.

Major Alfredo Reinado was one of the key players behind a revolt that plunged East Timor into chaos in May, prompting Australia to lead an international peacekeeping force to restore order.
International troops and police have been searching for him since his escape from prison, along with about 50 others, which has raised fresh concerns about fragile security in the former Portuguese colony.

“I think when you need the international force to interfere (in) the internal problem that means your government doesn’t have (the) capability to rule this country,” Reinado said from his hideout.

“If the government doesn’t have any credibility any more then people have a right to ask them to step down.”

Reinado denied responsibility for the violence in the tiny nation. “Why are they (international forces) looking for me? I am not the troublemaker, I didn’t do any criminal act or anything.”

The United Nations has agreed on a new mission to East Timor, comprising some 1,600 police, despite a dispute over whether Australian-led troops already there should remain independent or be part of a UN force.

-Agencies

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