EAST TIMOR: DILI: ACTIVISTS BURN BUILDINGS

(23 Sep 1999) English/Nat

The destruction in East Timor continued on Thursday as activists from both pro- and anti-independence groups laid waste to buildings in the capital of the troubled territory.

An Indonesian army barracks was set ablaze by soldiers pulling out of the province, while pro-independence East Timorese set fire to a government building in Dili.

The leader of the international force deployed in East Timor to bring the situation under control said that despite their remit, his men had limited powers to stop the arson.

The Indonesian army is continuing its withdrawal from East Timor, leaving burning barracks and destroyed buildings.

In the capital Dili, this army base was the latest to be destroyed.

The army is thought to be destroying bases so that INTERFET, the International Force in East Timor, cannot use them.

The military has been accused of collaboration with the pro-Jakarta militias who have been waging a campaign of violence since a referendum on the territory's future on August 30th.

In that vote an overwhelming majority of East Timorese pushed to break free from Indonesian rule.

But as well as acts of violence by pro-Jakarta factions, Thursday saw revenge arson attacks by those favouring independence for East Timor.

A government building in Dili was destroyed by fire after being set alight by East Timorese angered by the Jakarta's handling of the situation in the province.

The leader of INTERFET, Major General Peter Cosgrove told journalists on Thursday that there was little his men could do about the fire-raising.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There is still much lawlessness on the part of criminal elements and these elements if they are not baring arms do not fall within our mandate. A box of matches is not an illegal instrument in Dili at the moment."
SUPER CAPTION: Major General Peter Cosgrove, INTERFET commanding officer

He added that it had more deaths had only been avoided by luck.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"When people are running around shooting weapons in the air or near other people the temperature goes right up. The temperature could have so easily have led to deaths both on the part of civilians who are minding their own business, and soldiers who are trying to bring security into an area where there has been none."
SUPER CAPTION: Major General Peter Cosgrove, INTERFET commanding officer

He said that tension in the province was gradually rising to a point where his men would be forced to return fire.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I really would want the militia people to understand that there is a boundary beyond which they cannot go. If they carry those weapons openly, if they point them at any other East Timorese or at my soldiers, then we will use lethal force against them.That time is possibly not far away."
SUPER CAPTION: Major General Peter Cosgrove, INTERFET commanding officer

As the government building continued to burn, independence supporters ripped down the Indonesian flag setting it alight to cheers.

Cosgrove has said he does not have enough soldiers to protect all of the residential areas in East Timor's ravaged capital and it seems that the challenges his men face are becoming more difficult by the day.

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