Dili in turmoil
Only a week after I left, we are receiving alarming news about situation in Dili, Timor-Leste. I did know about the demonstrations planned for this week, which were motivated by the frustration of some 600 soldiers who were earlier dismissed from service, but Saturday last week was still perfectly calm and normal. The dismissal itself was due to the said soldiers absent from duty for several months because they were not happy with the conditions of service – or something else; the whole situation and especially the real reasons were somewhat unclear all the time. UNOTIL media monitoring is a good source for more detailed information, as always.
Now the international media has reported at least two deaths. I truly hope that the situation calms down and no further casualties will occur. According to my private sources, unlike the international media even in Finnish news today have reported, the aforementioned dismissed soldiers are not part of the violence, but some other groups have taken advantage of the demonstrations to spread instability. This sounds very much like the 4th December 2002, when the peaceful student demonstrations escalated to widespread destruction. The picture here is from 2002.
Now the international media has reported at least two deaths. I truly hope that the situation calms down and no further casualties will occur. According to my private sources, unlike the international media even in Finnish news today have reported, the aforementioned dismissed soldiers are not part of the violence, but some other groups have taken advantage of the demonstrations to spread instability. This sounds very much like the 4th December 2002, when the peaceful student demonstrations escalated to widespread destruction. The picture here is from 2002.Tags:
