UNTAET SRSG: COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST
POLICE, HAVE TO FIGHT VIOLENCE

SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello stressed today in Viqueque district that the communities – their leaders, families and church – have the fundamental responsibility to keep the people together without resorting to violence.“ The United Nations Civilian Police, Peacekeeping Force and Rapid Response Unit are here to keep law and order and security, but without the help of the communities we will not be able to keep a durable peace in East Timor,” said Sergio Vieira de Mello today. “The United Nations cannot do it alone. The enemies of independence want violence and destabilization. Violence is our common enemy. To attain independence we must work together,” he added. The SRSG was accompanied by CNRT/National Council President Xanana Gusmão and East Timor Defence Force Commander Brigadier-General Taur Matan Ruak, who will stay overnight for further meetings with community leaders from Makadiki and Boromatan, the villages involved in the violence of this weekend.

On Monday, 12 March a teenager from Makadiki died after a fight between youth groups. A subsequent riot resulted in the death of one person and the burning of almost 40 houses and the dislocation of 600 people. Force Commander Major-General Boonsrang Niumpradit, UNTAET Chief of Staff N. Parameswaran, UN Civilian Police Commissioner José Luís da Costa e Sousa and Baucau Bishop Basílio do Nacimento were also part of the delegation.The UN Civilian Police will deploy ten more police officers very soon and a new Rapid Response Unit team of 30 Portuguese officers has been deployed today to reinforce the Jordanian unit sent from Baucau district on Monday. Before Viqueque, SRSG visited Baucau district, where on 7 March a series of violent incidents occurred, including the burning of the local mosque and an attack against the District Administrator and other UN staff, resulting in the burning of their vehicle. The SRSG said that UNTAET will fund the reconstruction of the mosque and stressed that the attack was not a majority-against-minority type of violence. “The Transitional Administration will do its best to fight any efforts, regardless of where they are coming from, to destabilize the democratic process,” SRSG said. The recent incidents in both districts were a reminder that “violence doesn’t belong to the past, it is part of the present,” SRSG also said, adding that UNTAET is looking into them as “lessons learned” in terms of coordination and rapid response.