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PP RUEHCHI RUEHNH RUEHPB
DE RUEHDT #0147/01 0890337
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 300337Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DILI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2367
INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHHMHAA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0386
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 0313
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0172
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0325
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0257
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0195
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 1687

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DILI 000147 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS 
NSC FOR HOLLY MORROW 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR TT
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER BRIEFS DIPLOMATIC CORPS ON LOCAL TENSIONS 
 
REF: Dili 135 
 
DILI 00000147  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On 29 March, Foreign Minister Jose Ramos 
Horta briefed the diplomatic corps on recent events in Dili, 
emphasizing that press reports of riots and military strife are 
exaggerated and that recent disturbances have been neither 
politically or ethnically motivated nor fatal.  Rather, he 
suggested, vandals and petty criminals are taking advantage of 
elevated tensions and police are effectively controlling the 
situation.  Police Chief Paulo Martins summarized recent 
incidents in the Dili area.  Ramos Horta also opined that 
serious re-thinking of the armed forces' (F-FDTL) structure and 
mission is in order, as the Government considers its response to 
President Xanana Gusmao's concerns about 591 soldiers recently 
dismissed from service.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On 29 March, Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta convoked 
the diplomatic corps to brief us on recent events related to 
striking F-FDTL members.  Ramos Horta chided the local and 
international press for exaggerated and inaccurate reporting 
suggesting rioting or military strife is occurring in East 
Timor.  Since President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao's 23 March speech 
criticizing the dismissal of 591 striking soldiers, there have 
been several minor incidents in Dili involving martial arts 
group (i.e., gang) members and others individuals engaged in 
vandalism, harassment, and other disturbances.  The Foreign 
Minister said there have been no deaths in these incidents, only 
two members of the 591 strikers have been implicated in these 
incidents, political parties have behaved well and remained 
uninvolved, all the incidents were controlled or dissipated when 
police arrived, and ethnic differences were not a factor.  Ramos 
Horta compared the situation to a recent tsunami scare in which 
a small group of looters started rumors of trouble so locals 
would abandon their houses and quickly sell their property for 
less than its value.  Responding to concerns raised by the 
diplomats present, the Minister asked Police Chief Paulo Fatima 
Martins, also present, to begin daily press briefings to provide 
the public and diplomatic community with current, accurate 
updates and rumor control in verbal and written form. 
 
¶3. (U) Police Chief Martins summarized events following the 
President's 23 March speech: 
 
-- 24 March.  2330 hours.  A group attacked a vendor, stealing a 
table, a chair, and a tin roof. 
 
-- 25 March.  2200 hours.  In Taci Tolu, two groups armed with 
knives fought, four were arrested, and doors and windows of five 
houses were damaged.  One of those arrested was a former F-FDTL 
soldier.  2230 hours.  In Bairo Pite four people were caught 
robbing a house and windows and doors were damaged.  In 
Mandiwana, a family was attacked in their house.  16 houses were 
vandalized. 
 
-- 26 March.  2230 hours.  In Mandiwana, community members were 
fighting.  The police fired four shots in the air and the groups 
dispersed. 
 
-- 27 March.  Four houses were vandalized including one 
belonging to the deputy director of the police academy.  A 
minibus was also attacked. 
 
-- 28 March.  1700 hours.  Julio Guterres attacked Anita Ximenes 
in what was possibly a domestic dispute.  Ximenes sought police 
assistance.  When the officer arrived, he fired a shot and 
either missed or had fired just as a warning.  Guterres knifed 
the officer four times in the abdomen, took the officer's 
pistol, and fled.  The officer is now in the hospital.  2300 
hours.  In Taci Tolu several people burned tires and rubbish. 
Police put out the fires.  As the crowd dispersed and police 
were leaving, someone threw a homemade incendiary.  There were 
no injuries. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Ramos Horta said on 30 March he would meet with the 
President and Prime Minister to discuss the situation and 
perhaps suggest solutions for the 591 strikers and the F-FDTL. 
The Foreign Minister also said on 31 March he would be in Baucau 
(East Timor's second major city) to consult with Bishop 
Nascimento and the F-FDTL.  Ramos Horta shared his current 
 
DILI 00000147  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
thinking regarding F-FDTL force structure and mission.  He said 
the current two battalions, designed primarily to provide 
employment and buy time for international relief following a 
hypothetical and highly unlikely invasion, might need serious 
revision.  He suggested a first battalion should be 
English-speaking, well educated (with secondary school 
completion required for entry and eventually a college degree 
required), and focused primarily on contributing to 
international peacekeeping operations (PKO).  A second 
battalion, Ramos Horta said, would be trained for civil-military 
affairs including engineering rural roads, schools, housing 
projects, and health facilities, and providing disaster relief. 
REES