For almost a week, thousands of East Timorese youths have taken to the streets of Dili, East Timor in a series of violent clashes with Indonesian security forces. Although exact figures are unclear, reports from various sources suggest that several people have been killed, at least 15 hospitalised and scores of others suffered minor injuries. On October 13, after a massive deployment of security forces and the arrest of 120 people, that military announced that it finally had the situation "under control".
Riots have swept through several cities in East Timor since January. The latest outbreak began on October 10 and, according to Jakarta-appointed governor, Abilio Soares, started after fighting broke out between two gangs of youths, one led by Bobby Xavier, who he referred to as a well-known "anti-Indonesian activist", and the other led by Alexio Cobra, who was named earlier this year as the person responsible for organising the notorious death squads popularly referred to as the "Ninja gangs". A number of eyewitness sources in Dili, however, told Green Left on October 13 that the incident was precipitated by a house search by security forces for people allegedly involved in last month's "rioting". Trouble began around 3pm after police detained Xavier during a search of the Matadouro neighbourhood, a suburb known for its pro-independence sympathies. Xavier was convicted and sentenced in 1991 in connection with the Motael Church killing two weeks before the Santa Cruz massacre. He was released from Kupang prison about a year ago. Manuel Carrascalao too, a member of the regional assembly, asserts the violence erupted when Xavier resisted arrest because police failed to produce a warrant. When police took Xavier away, groups of youths retaliated by going to a kampung inhabited by Sulawesi migrants and pro-Indonesian East Timorese and taking three police officers hostage. The confrontation quickly escalated into a street battle with police firing tear-gas into the crowd. Two people were killed by stab wounds and slashings with machetes. Within a few hours, demonstrators calling for Xavier's release gathered in front of the Indonesian secret service headquarters in the suburb of Colmera. Students from a local university rallied in the city centre protesting the increased military presence in the territory. In an unprecedented move, the authorities released Xavier in exchange for the hostages. Unrest continued the next day, with confrontations between security forces and local residents breaking out across Dili. It was during these clashes that military intelligence operatives kidnapped and killed 19 year-old Fransico (Chico) Seltorio. During the clashes, young people rampaged through streets in the suburbs of Matadouro, Vila Verde, Audian and Kaikoli, setting tires alight and destroying cars, including an anti-riot police vehicle. Police admitted that six people were arrested and 12 badly injured, including two police officers. Protesters erected barricades around the suburbs of Matadouro, Kaikoli, Villa Verde and Audian to prevent security forces from entering and arresting those involved in the earlier protests. By late afternoon on October 11 the security forces had broken though barricades in all of the neighbourhoods except Matadouro. At least 50 people were reported to have been injured during the operation. At a press conference held that day, Soares, flanked by military and police commanders, said "I appeal to the security apparatus to immediately restore order to Dili and take legal action against whoever is involved". Police chief Andreas Sugianto told the conference that those involved would be arrested if they did not turn themselves in. "We know where all the offenders live and only need to summon them and if they don't answer we will come for them", he said. Later that day, the British human rights organisation, TAPOL, reported that shots had been fired in different parts of the city. Witnesses told Green Left that shootings had taken place in the neighbourhoods of Audian, Vila Verde and Bairro Pite and that residents were not able to leave their houses because of the huge presence of troops, with many houses being searched. On this day, 15 people were seriously wounded and three killed. Several sources have confirmed that the dead youths are Franciso Suares, Domingos Ameu and Amilcar Goncalues. On the morning of October 12, five others were arrested and that night Xavier's brother, Francisco, was run down by a military vehicle. On October 13, commander of the Udayana military command which covers East Timor, Major-General Abdul Rivai, announced that security forces had finally regained control of the city and had detained a total of 120 people during the unrest. The identities and whereabouts of those arrested have not been released. Amnesty International has expressed grave concerns over the arrests saying that the torture of political detainees there is routine. The Indonesian government has said the events resulted from ethnic and religious differences, and portrayed the Indonesian military as the defenders of law and order. But East Timor's Bishop Carlos Belo has rejected this saying that religion and the independence cause have become intertwined. "We have been patient for too long, the Timorese people are treated like chickens or ducks, shoo them here, shoo them there. Policies must be changed" he said. Other observers have remarked that the spontaneous and widespread nature of the violence reflects a general anger which is becoming increasingly difficult to contain. Many residents believe the security forces and Indonesia's extensive intelligence network provoked the trouble last week to justify another crackdown on the resistance. One source in Dili told Green Left that it was a prelude to a new offensive against resistance forces in the mountains, planned for late October and November. Resistance sources have reported that 10 tanks had already disembarked and that groups of masked "Ninjas" had re-emerged in the territory, intimidating people suspected of pro-independence activities. With the large number of anniversaries coming up — the killing of Sebastiao Gomes on October 28, the November 12 Santa Cruz massacre and the 20th anniversary of the Indonesian invasion on December 7 — Jakarta may want to ensure that they have as many troops as possible in Dili over the next few months.