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Situation in Dili delicate but stable as troops deployed

The head of the UN mission in East Timor said yesterday that the security situation in the country remained delicate despite the presence of international troops.

"I think it's still very fragile, although it has been stabilized compared to a few days ago," Sukehiro Hasegawa said in a media conference.

"The situation is fluid and we have to reinforce our security patrolling, and also we have to help [international] police forces to come as soon as possible," he said.

Hasegawa said he thought the presence of paramilitary police from Portugal would help improve the situation on the ground.

"They will be more action-oriented and also the international security forces will start arresting people," he said.

Portugal has delayed the departure of 120 paramilitary officers it had pledged to send to East Timor until Friday due to operational concerns at the airport, the Portuguese government said on Wednesday.

East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao has urged people to stay at home from 9pm to 6am, his spokesman Agio Pereira told reporters, denying the call amounted to a curfew.

"It's his urging so that people can better protect themselves," he said.

Hasegawa said 65,000 displaced people had sought refuge in 35 locations across Dili.

"I understand that they said they don't feel safe because there are people who are outside trying to come in," Pereira said. "I think the situation is under control. There are certain IDP [internally displaced people] camps which still need food but, as you know, the World Food Programme has started distributing food."

The unrest began last month when about 600 soldiers, or around 40 percent of the armed forces, were sacked after protesting over alleged discrimination against soldiers from the west of the country.

Sporadic attacks between the two sides descended into all-out street violence as rival gangs from the tiny nation's east and west battled each other with machetes, slingshots and bows and arrows.

The days of unrest have left at least 20 people dead, and dozens of houses and businesses were torched.

In related news, two ministers responsible for security in East Timor formally resigned late yesterday.

Interior minister Rogerio Lobato, who had responsibility for the police, said he accepted responsibility for rifts in the country's security forces which sparked violent unrest.

"As the minister of the interior, I have to take responsibility ... that's why I have presented my resignation to the prime min-ister," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The ABC reported that Defense Minister Roque Rodriguez had also resigned.

Embattled Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has resisted calls to also resign.

Lobato told ABC he was not a scapegoat and that Alkatiri should not have to step down.
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