Full-strength NZ force gets straight to work in Dili

Gang members give chase to rivals while feuding in the streets of the East Timor capital Dili. Picture / Reuters

DILI - The leader of the New Zealand troops who arrived in East Timor yesterday was straight into action in one of the most dangerous districts of Dili.

Major Eugene Whakahoehoe, who flew in with the main deployment, and Major Tony Robinson, the commander of the first platoon to arrive, drove to the Comoro district to assess the situation in advance of the first patrols today.

They found two groups of youths of about 40 each, staring at each other about 200m apart, each by a group of burning buildings.

The soldiers clambered down from their vehicles and faced the groups. Major Whakahoehoe and two of his soldiers walked towards the youths and asked for their weapons. Some carrying machetes made off, but others surrendered a collection of sharp implements.

One man was badly wounded in a machete attack when he was set on by rivals.

NZPA reporter Maggie Tait witnessed the aftermath. "I saw a man lying prone on the ground, bleeding from a machete wound to the head. Australian medics were looking after him."

The soldiers returned to the airport and, using one of the new Pinzgauer light operating vehicles, formed a stronger party to travel back through the city to the NZ embassy.

"It was a good chance to remind the men how volatile Dili is," Major Robinson said.

Meanwhile, suspicion is growing that at least some of the capital's mob violence had been orchestrated in the struggle for power between President Xanana Gusmao and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.


Yesterday the commander of the Australian-led international force assembled to restore order to the fledgling nation, Brigadier Mick Slater, supported earlier claims of Foreign Minister Dr Jose Ramos-Horta that gangs of street thugs had been deliberately manipulated.

Journalists have also noted that mobile telephones have been used to direct some of the violence that has killed at least 20 people, destroyed hundreds of homes, businesses, vehicles and Government buildings, and laid waste to markets.

"There are definitely different levels of activity, day to day," Brigadier Slater said.

"Aspects of it are opportunistic.Other aspects of it, I think, are reasonably well co-ordinated."

Neither Brigadier Slater nor Dr Ramos-Horta would name any suspects, but speculation has it that forces aligned with either Mr Gusmao or Mr Alkatiri may be using violence, destruction and intimidation as tactics in the struggle between the two.

Late on Tuesday night - after two days of talks aimed at ending the political crisis that has paralysed Government, disintegrated law and order and forced the intervention of foreign troops - Mr Gusmao announced that he had assumed full control of the Army and internal security.

He sacked Interior Minister Rogerio Lobarto and Defence Minister Rogue Rodriguez.

But yesterday Mr Alkatiri told ABC radio that he remained the head of Government, with responsibility for defence and security.

"If my party [the ruling Fretilin Party] decided to call for a rally, we would [see] 100,000 or more people in the streets," he said.

In the hills behind Dili, rebel Army Major Alfredo Reinado told Agence France Presse that Mr Gusmao had made a mistake when he assumed emergency control of the Army and police but failed to sack Mr Alkatiri.

"[Mr Alkatiri] is a criminal and should not be allowed to stay as Prime Minister," he said.

Major Reinado leads the group of soldiers sacked after a dispute over alleged discrimination within the ranks.

The situation was further confused by Brigadier Slater's insistence that Mr Gusmao and Mr Alkatiri share power, although the President was commander-in-chief of the military and had final authority.

"The President and the Prime Minister - I have spoken to both of them - are working together," he said. "It isn't one or the other."