Posted on 05/26/2006 8:28:57 PM PDT by naturalman1975
HUNDREDS of terrified East Timorese gathered outside the Australian embassy and other foreign diplomatic missions as gang fights raged in Dili.
Outside the high walls of the Australian mission a squad of Australian Federal Police set up roadblocks and tried to keep control of a growing crowd of terrified civilians.
A similar scene was unfolding on Dili's waterfront outside the US Embassy and other foreign diplomatic compounds.
Several Australian troops were trying to maintain order.
Among the crowd near the American compound, one man complained there were not enough Australian troops on the streets.
"Where are the Australians?" asked the man, who identified himself only as Constantine. "They promised to save us."
Hundreds of people also fled to a group of churches at the edge of Dili's harbour.
At Dili's international airport, more than 1000 locals have sort refuge with Australian troops.
Jaime Goncalvaes' policeman brother, Santiago, was shot and killed during a massacre of unarmed police at Dili headquarters by government troops two days ago.
Along with his wife Maria Christina Verdial and their four children, home for now is the white-tile floor inside an abandoned shed near the arrivals terminal.
Nearby dozens of Australian soldiers slept in two-man tents set up under shade trees.
It was a tranquil scene compared with the violent chaos that erupted today, in Dili itself about 10km away.
"It is near to the Australians here," Jaime, a worker for an Indonesian-owned bank, said. "The security is guaranteed."
The family decided to move after death threats were made against them in a mobile phone call at their house in the central Dili suburb of Audian.
"We were told that if we don't leave they would burn the house," Jaime said, blaming the threats on pro-government FDTL troops who have waged running gun battles with renegade police forces which have spilled over to affect families on both sides.
After mobs torched another house, killing a mother and five children, the family moved yesterday morning, joining another 30 families in the shed.
Their only belongings were the clothes they had on, some blankets, water bottles and a bag of rice.
Outside RAAF guards – Nik Morcus, 27 and Karl Sykora, 24, both from Brisbane – patrolled the airport perimeter, stopping briefly to smile and high-five local children playing in the backs of parked lorries and in wet-season puddles.
"We're not worried about them here," Morcus said.
In a small storm water drain, the family of Martha Alves, 31, washed dishes as Martha nursed her 10-month-old baby boy Malvino, slept in an Adidas blanket.
"We are afraid, but here if there is a problem the soldiers can help us get out (of here)," she said. "It is close to the Australian troops."
She said the family had come 25km from their home in Batpite, where there had been threats of attacks on civilians by people she did not want to identify.
A local policewoman said more than a thousand people were sleeping in or near the airport, with more arriving every day in the shadow of arriving RAAF, New Zealand and Malaysian Hercules troop transports.
As chaos engulted the capital the UN ordered non-essential staff to evacuate from East Timor today, a UN spokeswoman said.
Earlier, a group of heavily armed Australian soldiers responded to an outbreak of repeated gunfire near the UN compound in Dili.
Fighting has also been reported in various districts of the East Timor capital, Dili.
"I heard shooting at 7am or 7.20am, and at 8am they began burning houses. People are fighting between themselves: I don't know who," local resident Jocelino Alves said.
"They were running and shooting. I just got in my car and went. People are very scared. Please call the Australian peacekeepers," she said, after reaching safety at the International Organisation of Migrations.
The HMAS Kanimbla, carrying Australian troops and armoured vehicles, was this morning stationed off the coast within sight of the missile frigate HMAS Adelaide.
Around 600 Australian troops are already on the ground – almost half the expected 1300 soldiers who will be in place by sunset today.
In the Dili suburb of Taibesi, sporadic shooting could be heard throughout the night.
Near the presidential palace in Audian, near the main Dili market, people fled in terror amid rumours that rebel troops were planning to attack the area in anger at Australian soldiers backing government forces.
"The rumour is the rebels are afraid the the F-FDTL (government troops) are getting stronger because of help from the Australians," Audian local man Fernando do Rosario said.
On the city streets there was little visible Australian or other international troop presence, although that is expected to change throughout the day as troops on the Kanimbla and soon to arrive Manoora disembark.
These folks are lucky to have Australian troops ride to their rescue.
Very fortunate indeed! God bless our Aussie allies.
Knew a guy who was on the island in WWII and they were allies with headhunters against the nips (can I say that? I am speaking historically). The enemy was damn close to Australia. What is the distance?
I thought that East Timor wanted to be an independant nation, free from Indonesia; with all the rights and responsibilities therein.
So...
Where is the East Timorese military/police to provide security?
If the East Timorese couldn't manage governing their own nation... they should have simply negotiated a treaty with Australia as to become an Australian territory.
(To be honest, it's looking like East Timor is going to be Australia's version of Haiti.)
Are you soliciting responses,or is that a rhetorical question?I believe as long as your using the word "nips"in a historical context,it's ok.However,i'm not an authority.Just my opinion.
Which side is the muslims?
East Timor is just another example of a nation that wants to be independant without having the ability to stand on its own legs.
The Indonesians must be having a good laugh now.
The other side. Yjey have periodically massacred Christians in East Timor..
Both actually.
FWIW, both warships mentioned in the article are US-built. HMAS Kanimbla is the former USS Saginaw (an LST) and HMAS Adelaide is a Perry-class missile frigate, purpose-built for the Aussies. Both ships have been extensively modified by the Australians since delivery, especially the Kanimbla.
Both sides are formally Roman Catholics. For centuries, East Timor was a Portugese colony, and the population is overwhelmingly Catholic.
I say "formally", because the Portugese did not strictly enforce orthodoxy, and allowed pagan and animist beliefs to continue, and they are still evident in rural areas.
There was always a very small Muslim population in East Timor, who were descendants of Arab traders. There was also a small Chinese Buddhist community. They were treated fairly during the colonial era.
The current Prime Minister of East Timor is a Muslim of Arab ethnicity, and he has challenged the Church's power over education in territory. But that, it seems, is not the cause of the current violence. All the other Govt ministers are Catholics.
During the Indonesian era, a small number of Timorese converted to Islam. Since independence, a small number have also converted to Protestant evangelical groups who have been active.
However, generally speaking, Timorese means Catholic. The Portugese were loved - everyone else seems not to be able to get on there. The Japanese occupied the island during WW2 and found it hot to hold. Australia is sailing into stormy waters with this involvement.
The ROP at it again.
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