New Clashes in East Timor

East Timor is being confronted again with a new wave of violence, displayed by clashes between security forces and former soldiers, who were relived of their offices earlier this year, near the capital of East Timor, Dili, on Tuesday. Neighboring Australia and New Zealand offer to provide assistance in case the East Timor government is challenged by serious popular uproars.


Following discussion with his East Timorese counterpart, Jose Ramos Horta, Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer stated that:
" We've positioned some military assets in northern Australia including naval vessels, aircraft and even some troops to enable a rapid response and to assist with evacuation or some other form of assistance if it's required".

Australia sent a UN military force in East Timor in August 1999, in order to calm unrests that followed after East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia, which led to a 24 years brutal regime in the tiny country.

In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, a hospital official stated that at least two security forces were wounded in the shootout which occurred on the outskirts of Dili today. One of the soldiers is currently in a critical condition, while the other one is more stable, having been shot in the leg. A police representative, Maj. Domingos da Camara, stated that several people were arrested.

The attacks started early this morning from the hills where the former military men had established their headquarters. It seems that around 600 soldiers were relieved of their offices for conducting a strike in March in order to achieve better working conditions and the elimination of discrimination among army ranks. The soldiers, a third of the entire army, declared they would engage in guerilla warfare if the government would not give them their jobs back.

The on going rioting caused the killing of five people and the destruction of more than 100 houses last month in Dili, while thousands of people fled in order to escape the revolt.