Illegal ammunition seized by UN mission in East Timor
7 June -- Civilian police and customs officers from the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) have seized a shipment of illegal ammunition concealed aboard a cargo arriving from Australia.
In a statement issued today in Dili, the UN mission said that the ammunition - 200 rounds of soft-nose bullets - was hidden in a box with several curtains, in a container that also contained bags of sugar, flour and refrigerators. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, UNTAET said.
Meanwhile, tensions are rising between Protestants and Catholics in the territory's Aileu district, where three Protestant churches were burned last week and a Protestant pastor was physically assaulted. According to UNTAET, the incident was sparked off when Protestant youths jeered at a Catholic procession. The month of June in East Timor is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and nightly processions are a common occurrence.
The police in Aileu is investigating the incidents and has called on all parties to exercise religious tolerance. To reduce tensions, UNTAET's civilian staff in the area helped the chief of one of Aileu's sub-districts to organize a reconciliation meeting today.
