EAST TIMOR: DILI: GUSMAO TRIES TO CALM FEARS OF VIOLENCE

Описание: (20 Jan 2000) Natural Sound

East Timorese leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao has toured an area of Dili said to have been ransacked by youths belonging to the Falintil movement.

Gusmao visited the area on Wednesday in an effort to calm residents.

They are worried of a repeat of the violence that nearly destroyed their territory.

'Xanana" Gusmao, widely seen as a leading candidate to head the new country of East Timor, listened to the fears of these Dili residents.

In recent days, they have been living in fear.

It seems that the spirit of solidarity between those who struggled for East Timor's independence from Indonesia has gone.

Gangs of youths, said to belong to the Falintil have been fighting amongst themselves.

The situation is then said to have gotten worse...with looting occurring in Dili.

Meanwhile residents are angry that the international intervention forces have done so little to stop the fighting.

Gusmao had to appeal for the residents to be patient.

Senior Falintil commanders were alongside Gusmao, and it is hoped that their appeals for order will improve the situation.

Also on Wednesday, British minister of state John Battle arrived for talks with senior East Timorese leaders.

Bishop Belo, East Timor's Catholic leader told Battle about the recent events in East Timor, and described the challenges ahead.

The Bishop spoke to Battle of the one problem that has been on everyone's minds in Dili.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The main challenge is now is the law and order in the towns and in the cities, mainly to maintain the common life. We need immediately order law and police. And secondly we need reconstruction of the offices, schools and hospitals."
SUPER CAPTION: Bishop Carlos Belo

The British foreign minister will also report back to his boss, British Foreign secretary Robin Cook, on his meeting with Ramos Horta, the Nobel prizewinner tipped to be East Timor's first foreign minister.

Mr. Horta drew hope from his view that the current unrest in Dili was not of the same type that had previously racked East Timor prior to and after the August 1999 referendum on independence.

People, he thinks, are glad that the pro and anti- independence gangs are no longer fighting.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"People are still overwhelming majority are still euphoric, happy around the country. We might see social problems in Dili with a lot of demonstrations or violence between different groups, but none of it is politically motivated. It is youth groups who get drunk, fight each other. So far there has not been one scene of political violence."
SUPER CAPTION: Ramos Horta

Battle went on to meet Major General Cosgrove, commander of the INTERFET forces.

The people of Dili are hoping he passed on their call for INTERFET to do more to restore order in the city.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...