Subject: 'austraLasia' #237

TIMOR; MORE NEWS VIA THE SISTERS

Julian Fox

The Salesian Sisters in Dili (In touch with their regional Superior who then

communciates to Rome for dissemination via the Sisters' Newsletter) continue

to provide information that gives us an idea of how things are presently

there. Sr. Paola indicates that UNAMET peronnel have retunred and visited

them, but find it difficult to know where to stay since their quearters were

burnt. Some burning and looting continues in Dili (yesterday some banks

were set on fire).

At Comoro, the Sister's school there has suffered some damage - the

gatekeeper's (guardiano?) hosue was set fire to, along with the staff room

and office, but classrooms were left untouched. The Sisters are considering

opening up these classrooms for refugees.

The Sisters with help from the army continue to visit Dare nearby to help

with food and medicine distribution. They estimate there to be around 30,000

refugees there, mostly hungry, thirsty and sick.

The soldiers (assume Indonesian) who had looked after the Sisters - guarded

their house and kept them inside, really! - have left, but before doing so

they shot up the whole area, terrifying the Sisters and refugees with them.

The Sisters have now turned for help to the Australian soldiers who have

promised to protect them, especially during the evenings.

Thousands of people have begun to return to Dili from the nearby mountains,

but as they are hungry, their simple recourse has been to ransack the

supplies of food that they can find anywhere: shops etc.

Finally - re TAIWAN the Sisters there also report no damage, or loss of life

or limb.

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