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TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2555
INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0428
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RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0280
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0351
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0152
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RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 1876

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DILI 000252 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS; USPACOM FOR JOC AND POLAD; JOINT STAFF FOR J5 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  5/24/2016 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV MARR PHUM CACS TT
SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR SITREP #1 FOR MAY 24, 2006 
 
 
DILI 00000252  001.4 OF 002 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Sean Stein, Charge de Affairs, Embassy Dili, 
State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary. 
- EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF COMMENCMENT OF HOSTILITIES BETWEEN FDTL 
AND DISSIDENTS 
- FDTL ACTIVITIES 
- OTHER VIOLENCE IN DILI 
- AIR TRAFFIC ISSUES 
- DISIDENT MILITARY GROUPS 
- OTHER POLICE ISSUES 
- IDP CAMPS OVERCROWDED 
- AMCIT PHOTO JOURNALIST COMES UNDER FIRE IN TASITOLU 
- AMCIT NURSE REMAINS IN TIBAR AREA 
- WARDEN UPDATE 
End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) A highly credible Embassy source provided a description 
of the outbreak of hostilities between the FDTL and the 
dissident military police led by Major Reinado.  The source was 
on the scene at the time, assisting an Australian journalist 
interview Reinado.  He provided the following description of the 
events: 
-- Shortly after the media interview was over, several regular 
FDTL appeared and approached Reinado and his men; 
-- Reinado warned them to turn back, stating that he had no 
issue with the regular FDTL, only with Colonel Lere; 
-- When the soldiers continued to approach, Reinado's men were 
ordered to fire on them. 
 
FDTL ACTIVITIES 
 
¶3. (SBU) Combat operations have reportedly ceased in the Fatuahi 
area to the southeast of Dili, but new clashes, this time 
between the FDTL and dissident police and civilians, have broken 
out to the west of Dili, a few kilometers past the airport. FDTL 
has established a roadblock on the main intersection to the 
south of the airport.  (Note: this does not disrupt traffic 
between Dili and the airport.) There are credible reports of 
FDTL patrols in Dili disarming police throughout the capital. 
Reports indicate that the FDTL may be preparing to resume 
patrols in order to secure the city.  FDTL has deployed a .50 
caliber machine gun -- the largest weapon in the FDTL arsenal, 
to Tasitolu. 
 
OTHER VIOLENCE IN DILI 
 
¶4. (U) There are several reports of clashes between civilian 
groups in Dili in both the Comoro and Becora areas. Gunshots 
have been heard in various places around Dili. 
 
AIR TRAFFIC ISSUES 
 
¶5. (SBU) According to USDR, sporadic gunfire and conflict in the 
Tibar and Tasitolu area could pose a threat to aircraft using 
the Comoro airport. 
 
DISIDENT MILITARY GROUPS 
 
¶6. (C) Major Reinado: According to FDTL reports, Maj. Reinado 
has been given refuge by a detachment from the Police Reserve 
Unit (PRU) in Aileu. The PRU is a special paramilitary arm of 
the police equipped with side arms and assault rifles. 
 
¶7. (C) Majors Tilman and Tara and the Petitioners: At the 
request of the Government, the Embassy has maintained contact 
with Tilman and Tara and with Salsinha to encourage them to keep 
their followers under control, refrain from undertaking any 
provocative activities, and reject the use of violence. As of 
yesterday evening, all three men stated that they and their 
followers are committed to dialogue and that they will not use 
violence except in self-defense or if the FDTL begins to conduct 
operations in their area.  That commitment may have broken down 
as Maj. Tilman is now reportedly leading the group fighting in 
 
DILI 00000252  002.4 OF 002 
 
 
Tibar and Tasitolu. 
 
OTHER POLICE ISSUES 
 
¶8. (SBU) The atmosphere at National Police Headquarters is 
reportedly very tense. Guards have been posted around the 
perimeter and on the roof, ostensibly to provide general 
security, but actually to deter FDTL units from entering the 
compound.  Early indications today confirm yesterday's reporting 
that the National Police Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) - the 
unit charged with responding to civil disturbances - has 
virtually ceased to exist as an organized unit. 
 
IDP CAMPS OVERCROWDED 
 
¶9. (SBU) Dili's IDP camps have become overcrowded as families 
have fled from the Becora and Tasitolu suburbs.  One IDP camp in 
Becora has been evacuated and the IDPs relocated to a camp in 
central Dili.  Youth have also attempted to enter one of the 
largest IDP camps with concealed weapons, but were expelled by 
security guards.  The World Health Organization has been asked 
to do a rapid assessment of the health and sanitation situation 
in the camps as recent torrential rains may lead to a health 
crisis. 
 
AMCIT PHOTO JOURNALIST COMES UNDER FIRE IN TASITOLU 
 
¶10. (SBU) At around 1015 this morning, Poloff was contacted by 
an American photo journalist who had entered the Tasitolu area 
to cover ongoing clashes there.  The Amcit reported that his 
vehicle was hit by gunfire near FDTL headquarters and that he 
had been pinned down by continued shooting.  Amcit requested 
Embassy assistance to convey him to safety.  This proved 
unnecessary as the Australian military representatives was 
nearby and was able to assist.  The Amcit he is now safe and 
does not know the identity of the shooters. 
 
AMCIT NURSE REMAINS IN TIBAR AREA 
 
¶11. (SBU) Poloff was also contacted around 2300 last night by an 
Amcit nurse who lives in the Tibar area.  She reported that the 
mob that Charge had seen earlier (see May 23 Sitrep cable) had 
grown and was becoming more beligerant.  Police had come to the 
clinic compound to warn them to evacuate as they expected the 
situation to deteriorate and that the compound may be targeted 
because some patients and staff are easterners.  Embassy offered 
to arrange to evacuate her to Dili, but she declined.  She and 
her colleagues have opted to remain in place, secure the 
compound as much as possible and try to maintain a very low 
profile.  The Embassy remains in contact with her. 
 
WARDEN UPDATE 
 
¶12. (SBU) The Embassy has sent an SMS warden message this 
morning advising US Citizens to avoid all areas where violence 
has been reported and to avoid non-essential movements.  The 
State Department's revised Travel Warning has been sent via 
email to the American community.STEIN