Four named suspects over Atambua clash

Thu, 03/27/2008 11:52 AM

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The Belu Police have named four suspects of a mass brawl on Sunday between residents of Atambua city and former East Timorese refugees, where one former refugee was killed and tens of others injured, an official said Wednesday.

At the clash, seven houses were burnt down and 20 others damaged and vandalized by the mob, chief of Belu Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Mulyadi Kaharni said.

Mulyadi said the police had questioned 12 witnesses. "Four of them were declared suspects and are now detained," he said.

The police chief said the number of suspects could possibly rise as the investigation process was still being conducted. "The site's condition has been restored and local people are going about their day there," he said.

The Atambua city, the capital of Belu regency, was tense after the clash, where Paul do Santos, 19, was killed.

At present, there are about 10,000 former East Timorese refugees living in makeshift tents. They do not want to return to Timor Leste and hope to become Indonesian citizens.

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