Dili Still Burning, Houses on Fire Everywhere
Monday, 05 June, 2006 | 17:32 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: Dili, the capital city of Timor Leste, is still burning.

Between midnight on Saturday until Sunday midday, many unknown people joined up in groups to set fire to houses in the Comoro and Bidau districts.

This all happened when the more than 2,000 foreign troops were not to be seen anywehere in these areas.

Looting continued in the city, with many young people seen breaking into a government building on Sunday afternoon and stealing the contents.

So far, there has been no definite response by foreign troops from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Portugal to prevent these criminal activities.

Many people chose to stay in their home while in the city all normal activities ceased entirely.

Some citizens, especially young people decided to guard their houses while women, children, and the elderly took refuge in Catholic monasteries and other evacuation camps.

No transportation services in the city or its suburbs are yet operating and the only vehicles to be seen for those of foreign agencies and the press.

The Audian, Delta, Comoro, and Bidau shopping centers were empty and the few traders on the street were using wheelcarts.

The decision of Timor Leste President Xanana Gusmau to take over security control of the country has not apparently yet proven successful.

Xanana’s call to his citizens to stop the violence has not been heeded.

“There is only one way to reach peace and stop the violence from spreading. This is through dialogues and total reconciliation,” shouted one citizen.

Foreign investors have demanded the government provide a guarantee of security.

“Our investment in Dili is enormous. We can't work well if security is no good. Foreign investors will leave if houses are still burnt and there’s looting everyday,” said S. Hadi, the director of a foreign company when Tempo met him at Nicolau Lobato international airport.

Hadi chose to leave Dili on Sunday (4/6) for Indonesia and when the situation improves, he will return.

It is strongly suspected that acts of violence in Timor Leste will reach a climax this week.

Thousands of people from 13 districts have planned to carry out a huge demonstration in front of Prime Minister Alkatiri's office, on Monday morning.

They are demanding that Alkatiri retire.

During the last two weeks, more than 8,000 foreign citizens have left Dili by using commercial flights.

Jems de Fortuna and Jose Sarito Amaral