Security getting worse again

While I was out of town for a few days, the security situation seemed to get worse. The on-again off-again gang fights seemed to have turned into a full-on conflict. IDP numbers are going up and medical facilities are handling a large number of hand-to-hand combat injuries. I was told at least 5 have died over the last 4 days.

Not being around, I asked many questions regarding where not to go and who is involved etc. A lot of the information is still based on piecing together news from several sources to come up with a personal assessment of things. While looking up the parliamentary pension thing, I came across a site which is the first I am aware of that re-publishes the (now almost daily) UN security briefings reports in historic fullness. The security reports are on the East Timor Legal Information site.

Up until now, I had been looking at the Ministry of Work and Community web site which only gives you the last 2 reports. It also gives a bit of info on other security and humanitarian issues.

The current trouble is an escalation of gang fighting in the Bairo Pite area which has been going on for over a week now. At the end of last week, it seemed to be between the Setia Hati (PSHT) and 77 gangs which have bedded down each side of the road between Ailoklaran and Hudilaran (ie heading south-west from the Vila Verde cathedral). I think it is still the same.

2 thoughts on “Security getting worse again

  1. The security situation is indeed worsening. Even being far from Timor I continue being updated on the situation there, through friends, websites, and the Portuguese national TV (RTP1). Bairo Pité seems to be a violence focal point for some time now. It was weird to watch the place where I lived while in Dili on TV for those reasons. The UNPOL website is indeed quite good to have updated info.

  2. hey
    thanks for all of your work on this site
    my dad is currently in dili too looking after the restaurant foodstart and it makes us very nervous back in melbourne when we here news of violence. we dont get much news coverage about east timor, so your updates are very useful.

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