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East Timor police disperse crowd ahead of elections
A LITTLE TENSE:
Several convoys of the Fretilin party were stoned as they drove out of the capital Dili, as peacekeepers were sent to prevent clashes
AP, DILI
Friday, Jun 29, 2007, Page 5
Police fired warning shots and tear gas yesterday to disperse a crowd in East Timor ahead of parliamentary elections, a day after scuffles injured at least a dozen people, officials said.
Foreign peacekeepers were deployed on Wednesday night and yesterday morning to prevent clashes between supporters of rival political parties as the campaigning period for Saturday's vote officially ended, police said.
Campaigning for the polls -- seen as a key to restoring political stability to the country after a year of turmoil and bitter political rivalry -- has been largely peaceful, but two followers of independence hero Xanana Gusmao were shot dead after a rally early this month.
On Wednesday, several convoys of the rival Fretilin party were stoned as they drove out of the capital, Dili. A hospital official said 13 people were injured.
Regional Timorese police commander Pedro Belo said warning shots and tear gas were fired yesterday "because local people were blocking the road" as another convoy tried to pass.
"Nothing is very serious. Some rocks were thrown at the convoy and police deployed tear gas," said UN police spokeswoman Monica Rodrigues, referring to the incident near Manatuto, about 60km east of Dili.
Overall, "the situation is a little tense, but nothing more," she said.
Election workers prepared for the poll, which follows two rounds of voting for the largely ceremonial role of president earlier this year, and foreign monitors fanned out across the tiny nation.
East Timor's first government fell a year ago amid fighting between rival police and army factions. At least 37 people were killed and 155,000 driven from their homes.
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