U.N. forces in E. Timor preempt Falintil attack

06/19/2000 Kyodo News

DILI, East Timor , June 19 --

U.N. police and peacekeeping forces in East Timor recently defused a "tense situation" involving an attempt by Falintil former independence fighters to avenge the beatings of two of their members, a U.N. spokeswoman said Monday.

Spokeswoman Barbara Reis told reporters several trucks carrying Falintil members, including five platoon commanders, left their base in Alieau on Friday to "seek revenge" after two Falintil members were beaten up by locals in an outlying district of Dili.

But they were stopped 7 kilometers from Dili by a roadblock set up by the police and peacekeeping forces.

"After tense negotiations, the Falintil members agreed to return to their Alieau cantonment," Reis said. She said the Falintil members were not armed, "which is a sign of discipline."

The former guerrillas are not allowed to carry weapons outside their Alieau base, about two hours' drive south of Dili. The only exception is a group of less than a dozen who work together with U.N. peacekeeping forces as liaison officers.

The Falintil is generally regarded as a well-trained and highly disciplined guerrilla force, though last January East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao admitted to cases of "unruliness" in its ranks, including youths involved in disturbances.

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