16 December United Nations Civilian Police in East Timor are investigating a shooting incident last night involving two alleged militia members, a UN spokesman said today in New York.
Spokesman Fred Eckhard told the press at UN Headquarters that last night two alleged militia members had been handed over to UN Civilian Police by the FALINTIL (East Timor National Liberation Armed Force) after four shots had been fired earlier in the evening in Aileu. The spokesman said that UN Civilian Police were investigating the incident and maintaining a regular presence at the FALINTIL cantonment in Aileu.
In another development yesterday, a mass grave was located in Passabe, in the Oecussi enclave in the western part of the island. According to INTERFET, the international security force, the mass grave contains 54 bodies. INTERFET will continue its investigation on Friday.
Meanwhile, the donors meeting for East Timor in Tokyo, Japan, got under way today with a dinner for the heads of delegations. More than 100 officials from 29 countries are expected to attend the meeting, which is co-hosted by the United Nations and the World Bank.
Sergio Vieira de Mello, head of the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), will deliver a statement on behalf of the UN delegation at the opening session Friday morning. Also speaking as part of the UN/East Timor delegation will be independence leader Xanana Gusmao.
