Jon Lamb
Fearing renewed violence, tens of thousands of East Timorese have fled Dili to outlying villages and districts. The situation remains extremely tense in the capital following the police crackdown on an angry demonstration of former Falintil independence fighters and disaffected youth on April 28.
Police open-fired with live ammunition and tear gas after protesters refused to disperse and started throwing stones at buildings and setting vehicles alight. Gunfire continued as protesters, sympathisers and bystanders dispersed to the western parts of Dili and nearby hills. The East Timor Defence Force (FDTL) and police sealed off the area around Taci Tolu.
Official estimates put the number of people killed on April 28 at five, with more than 30 injured, but according to Tomas Freitas, a member of the activist group Aluta Hamutuk, "Some people claim 10 or maybe 20 were killed in the gunfights and many more injured".
There have been reports that the FDTL and police used excessive force. In one incident, 26 year-old student Liandro de Jesus was shot up to 19 times as he ran from his home for the safely of the hills at 2am on April 29.
Thousands of Dili residents have fled to outlying areas or the grounds of foreign embassies and churches. Freitas believes that the figure could be as high as 200,000 people — over 80% of the city's population.
The April 28 rally followed two rowdy demonstrations in Dili the previous week, which were also instigated by the former Falintil combatants — part of a group of nearly 600 soldiers sacked from the FDTL in March. The sackings followed the soldiers' refusal to return to their barracks in protest over conditions and alleged favouritism towards other former Falintil fighters from the eastern part of East Timor.
While the combatants have petitioned the government over their grievances, their demands also included the dissolution of the government and parliament. Both government and opposition figures, along with analysts, claim that the protests represent much more than the grievances of the former combatants.
A government communique released on the afternoon of April 28 blamed the violence upon "young opportunists linked to Ososio Leki", the head of a group called Colimau 2000, which is comprised of former combatants and disgruntled villagers. It is believed that Colimau 2000 is seeking to become a legal political party.
There is much speculation over the motivation and manipulation of the former combatants and their demands. There has been growing frustration within East Timor over the failure of the Fretilin-led government to alleviate many social problems and meet popular expectations on what the government should have achieved since the nation attained independence.
"There are many claims of conspiracies and moves against the government", Freitas told Green Left Weekly. "I believe that there is an element of truth in these rumours ... the protests reflect deep tensions within the political elite. As an activist, I'm concerned about how this will be resolved." Freitas also said that the confusion and panic has been slightly reduced after the heavily armed FDTL were ordered to return to their barracks and police were directed to resume control.
Freitas is concerned that further violence may lead to an appeal for, or attempt to bring in, foreign forces to restore calm. "We don't want outside interference ... let the East Timorese people work it out. How we resolve this problem is part of the development of our nation", he said.
From Green Left Weekly, May 10, 2006.
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