As sporadic violence continues in Timor-Leste, UN warns of crackdown on criminal acts

With sporadic fighting, rock throwing and tyre burning breaking out in Timor-Leste after the announcement of a new government, the top United Nations envoy in the small South-East Asian country warned today that any political party supporters engaging in acts of violence would be treated as criminals and swiftly dealt with.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative Atul Khare met with the Secretary-General of the former ruling party Fretilin, Mari Alkatiri and, as in his meetings with other political leaders throughout the entire electoral process, requested his support in keeping the situation calm.

“Mr. Alkatiri told me he had received delegations of people over the past day and had reminded those people that burning buildings and throwing rocks is unacceptable,” Mr. Khare said.

The UN enhanced its peacekeeping and policing roles in the country, which it helped to shepherd to independence from Indonesia in 2002, after violence attributed to differences between eastern and western regions broke out in April and May last year, killing at least 37 people and forcing 155,000 others, 15 per cent of the population, to flee their homes.

UN police officers (UNPol) along with the National Police of Timor-Leste and the International Security Forces have been working to contain the latest violence, which is mostly comprised of rock throwing, road blocks and some arson.

UNPol said that over the past 24 hours the situation in Dili, the capital, and eastwards to Baucau and Viqueque remained tense, with 32 incidents reported, mostly involving rock throwing, the burning of tyres, and fighting between different groups. At least 15 UN vehicles have been damaged by rock throwing.

UNPol and its partners used tear gas and other non-lethal force to contain the incidents. At least six people were arrested. The customs house at Seaport was set on fire but firefighters brought the blaze under control.

Yesterday Mr. Khare welcomed the announcement of the new Government led by former president Xanana Gusmão after the 30 June legislative elections failed to produce a single outright winner.