Blood-spattered bullet cases, boots and communication radios lay scattered on the street outside the justice ministry in Dili, East Timor on Thursday as the East Timorese capital descended into chaos.
In the latest violence of days of clashes, 20 rapid-reaction police came under attack by rampaging rebel soldiers early on Thursday. One of the police was killed and several others wounded, witnesses said.
”One of the police was shot and his brain burst into pieces. Several other police were wounded,” Sampras Soares told Agence France-Presse, pointing to the blood stain on the street outside the justice ministry in central Dili’s Caicoli area.
Another witness, who refused to give his name, said the police officers were unarmed when they were attacked.
”Soldiers shot at them indiscriminately. The police were not armed but they carried ammunition,” he said.
Doctor Augusto Gusmao at the Guido Valadares hospital emergency ward was treating five police officers wounded in the attack at Caicoli.
”All of them suffered gunshot wounds,” he said.
He did not say how many had been killed in Thursday’s fighting. Two deaths have been confirmed and reports have spoken of 20 injured police and ”many dead”.
Intermittent gunfire was still heard from the hills in the late afternoon as Asia’s poorest nation slipped closer towards anarchy.
A 27-year-old man, Rudy, arrived at hospital with a gaping gunshot wound to the chest.
”I was shot at the market. I don’t know who shot me,” he said.
At the Motael Catholic church in the centre of Dili, Sister Fatinha do Santos said around 1 000 residents were sheltering in the church grounds.
Taxi driver Augusto da Silva, his wife and three children fled their home in central Dili to stay at the church three days ago.
”I don’t feel safe, because there have been gunfights since yesterday [Wednesday] near my house,” he said.
Da Silva’s wife Celestina Barros said she welcomed the arrival of international peacekeepers.
”I prefer to see foreign troops here because the FDTL [East Timorese military] is in ongoing fights with the western districts’ soldiers,” she said.
”During the skirmish two days ago, I almost got hit by stray bullets,” she added.
Public mini-bus driver Joao da Costa, a father of six, said he thought foreign soldiers could restore calm.
”I think they will be able to solve this problem wherever they come from,” he said.
Da Costa said he blamed Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri for the weeks of unrest.
”He just orders troops to kill others. People in general do not like him,” he said.
The violence first erupted last month when 600 of East Timor’s 1 400 troops were dismissed after they deserted, complaining of alleged discrimination because they came from the western part of the country.
East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, was invaded in 1975 by Indonesia, which held the territory until 1999, when a vote for independence descended into brutal violence by Indonesia troops and pro-Jakarta militias.
Australia speeds up deployment
Australia late on Thursday sped up its deployment of 1 300 troops to East Timor, saying violence linked to a revolt by renegade troops was worsening.
About 130 Australian commandos flew to Dili airport on Thursday afternoon, along with a senior officer tasked with negotiating the rules of engagement for the larger force.
But Prime Minister John Howard said later the deployment of the full contingent had been fast-tracked because of a ”very chaotic” situation and a worsening of fighting between loyal troops and the renegade forces.
”Given the deteriorating situation we will go ahead without any conditionality with the full deployment and the 1 300 will be in place in very short order,” Howard said.
An Australian warship, HMAS Adelaide, was in Dili harbour awaiting orders to put its contingent of troops ashore.
”It’s quite clear the situation in Dili has deteriorated,” Howard said.
”I have little doubt that once all of our forces are there, there will be significant return of stability and normality.” — AFP
