Subject: 'austraLasia' #249

A SALESIAN OFFERS EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT IN LOS PALOS

Julian Fox

LOS PALOS: 6th October - Fr. Jose VP, at times very emotional, but

nonetheless elated at the turn of events now in the region he has worked in

for so many years (Los Palos, Fuiloro)has spoken about the events that saw

him return to Los Palos from Dili at the height of the destructive aftermath

to the Independence vote. In a phone call yesterday to his brother, Fr.

Jose explained that on arriving in Dili with Fr. Jojo, he found himself in a

situation where the army was forcing him, along with others, to go to

Kupang. He managed to escape and, although his own car had been taken at

that stage, he managed to rescue the Provincial's car and set off back to

Los Palos!

To the question 'How did you manage to get through all that territory

unscathed?' he answered simply that he knew the militias in that area or

they knew him and in each case he was allowed to pass unharmed. He felt it

was his duty to get back to the people in Los Palos and warn them, or they

would be killed. On arrival in Los Palos he advised the local people to

flee from the town into the mountains. He said he was expecting trouble as

at that time they (Salesian community) were still able to follow

developments on TV. The villagers instead had no concept of what was

happening further West. Fr. Jose believes his actions contributed to the

safety of some 4000 people around the Los Palos area.

The UN have now made their eastern headquarters at the Salesian residence in

Los Palos. The commander of these forces is a New Zealander and it was he

who allowed Jose to make several phone calls. According to Jose the Kiwis

(NZers, for the uninitiated!)have managed to clear up many of the militias

in the region but he estimates at least 20 groups still at large in that

region.

Jose estimated that there are some 10,000 people still in the mountains

there, but that the Salesians and Sisters are all safe and back in Los Palos

with him. He commented that the Sisters Convent had been completely

destroyed. This is new information, since we had understood that the

destrcution had only taken place in Dili.

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