Violent Birth

By NISID HAJARI

On the streets of Dili, which is set to become Asia's newest capital city, days passed last week with a terrifying regularity. Mornings dawned in a foreboding calm. With the heat of midday, rumors flew--of thugs gathering, forming roadblocks, seeking those who support independence for the half-island of East Timor. By late afternoon shots were heard. At nightfall, streets were empty; most citizens stayed close to home.

Fear paralyzed much of East Timor during the week after its citizens voted to secede from Indonesia--a 99% turnout of those eligible. With nearly 80% casting ballots in favor of independence on Monday, the East Timorese could at last envision an end to the torturous era in which, since 1975, they have been an unwilling part of Indonesia. But as they waited for the votes to be counted, pro-Jakarta militias violently assumed control of much of the western part of the territory. At least four local United Nations employees were murdered, and six more may have died. Scores of citizens were hurt or killed.

Many East Timorese are looking to the outside world for help. But Western governments have yet to reach a consensus on deploying force. If the U.N. decides to send in armed peacekeepers, they are not likely to arrive until later this fall. That leaves the job of restraining the militias in the hands of Indonesian forces. They have shown little inclination to stop the killing. "I don't think it would be difficult for the police to disarm the militias, but their hearts aren't in it," says a Western official. "[The militias] were brought in by the military, and there are emotional attachments preventing [the police] from taking action." Those bonds are costing lives every day.

--By Nisid Hajari. Reported by Jason Tedjasukmana/Jakarta and Lisa Rose Weaver/Dili

With reporting by Jason Tedjasukmana/Jakarta and Lisa Rose Weaver/Dili