DILI SECURITY UPDATE: GANG DISTURBANCES BECOMING ENTRENCHED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DILI 000463

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EAP/MTS
PACOM FOR POLAD AND JOC
NSC FOR HOLLY MORROW
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPKO PHUM ASEC CASC PREF AU PO TT
SUBJECT: DILI SECURITY UPDATE: GANG DISTURBANCES BECOMING ENTRENCHED

REF: DILI 424

DILI 00000463 001.2 OF 003



1. (SBU) Summary: Following a spike in gang activity in early
August in the period immediately following the arrest of
dissident Major Alfredo Reinado, there was a reduction in such
incidents later in the month. However, gang incidents have
gradually escalated during the ensuing weeks, particularly in
certain neighborhoods. Loromonu versus Lorosa'e (West v East)
divisions remain a dominant theme, and much of the activity
appears to be aimed at terrorizing people into departing Dili
permanently for their home districts, but there also appears to
be an increase in robberies and other financially motivated
crimes. There has been a gradual ratcheting up of the response
by international forces, including increased use of non-lethal
means of force and the return of an overt Australian Defense
Force presence in the streets. However, it is becoming
increasingly clear that the effectiveness of the international
forces is limited and that most gangs continue to operate with
relative impunity. While private foreign citizens have
generally not been targeted in these incidents, some have been
caught in the crossfire. Embassy Dili has issued an updated
warden message regarding the ongoing security concerns. End
summary.


2. (U) Following a spike in gang activity in early August in the
period immediately following the arrest of dissident Major
Alfredo Reinado, there was a reduction in such incidents later
in the month, apparently resulting from a combination of
dialogue and reconciliation efforts and adjusted police tactics
(Reftel). However, the assessment that underlying factors
remained unchanged has been borne out over the ensuing weeks as
regular gang incidents have become entrenched and have gradually
escalated in Dili, especially in certain areas. There is now a
fairly regular rhythm of attacks and clashes in several areas of
the city. Among the sites that flare up with regularity are the
internally displaced persons (IDP) camps located at the airport,
the seaport, the hospital and the UN barracks. In addition, the
neighborhoods of Comoro and Delta, Bebonok, and Fatuhada each
see regular clashes.


3. (SBU) Rock throwing attacks are by far the most frequent
tactic used by street gangs and it has become fairly common in
Dili to see cars with smashed in windows. Other common weapons
are slingshots employing "rama ambon"(small metal arrows that
typically result only in injuries but can be lethal) and
machetes, which are also common household agricultural tools.
Typical incidents involve the gathering of a group of young men,
with alcohol consumption a frequent element, who then launch an
attack on the targeted IDP camp or neighborhood. However, there
is often a fair amount of organization involved, especially with
the use of cell phones for coordination and warning purposes.
There have been numerous reports of various behind the scenes
actors supporting the attacks, particularly through the
provision of money and alcohol, but establishing by whom is
difficult. Allegations range from dissident armed forces
members from the West, such as Major Marcos Tilman, to former
Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.

More sophisticated gang attacks
--------------


4. (SBU) In addition to the frequent rock-throwing and slingshot
incidents, there have been a few attacks involving more serious
weaponry as well as more sophisticated orchestration. On
September 1 there was an incident at the seaport IDP camp in
which the attackers, including two identified as members of the
national police (PNTL),employed a pistol and a rifle, both PNTL
issued, resulting in gunshot wounds to about a half dozen camp
residents. (This attack was atypical in several respects. It
was reportedly in retaliation for an attack the night before on
the PNTL members by young men residing in the IDP camp, and it
is not known whether the perpetrators of the retaliatory attack
had engaged in previous violence.) On September 8, an attack on
the IDP camp adjacent to the UN barracks employed riot gas
launched into the camp to drive people out. (Riot gas is also a

DILI 00000463 002.2 OF 003


PNTL-issued item, used normally only by the Rapid Intervention
Unit (UIR).) Attackers were then staged at the points of exit
to attack the panicked camp residents with stones and
slingshots. This demonstrated a greater level of orchestration
than previous IDP camp attacks.


5. (U) Although the causes of gang activity remain
multi-faceted, Loromonu versus Lorosa'e (West v East) divisions
remain a dominant theme, and much of the activity appears to be
aimed at terrorizing people into abandoning their homes or, in
the case of IDP camp residents, to depart Dili permanently for
their home districts. For example, the IDP camp at the UN
barracks is predominantly occupied by Lorosa'e residents and
most observers believe the attack described in paragraph 4 was
aimed at increasing the pressure on residents to depart. That
gang activity is primarily aimed at driving people out of the
targeted camps and neighborhoods through intimidation is
underscored by the fact that despite the high volume of
incidents, the rate of injuries and deaths resulting remains
relatively low. International police have not yet produced a
cumulative set of statistics, but an Australian Federal Police
(AFP) source was anecdotally able to recall only a handful of
murder cases over the last month. Despite the frequent political
and/or regional dimension to gang attacks, there has also been a
dramatic increase in reports of crime that appears to be
financially motivated, including robberies of taxi drivers and
protection rackets targeting stores and businesses.


6. (U) International police have gradually increased their
levels of force in response to the persistence of gang
disturbances. This has included increased use of non-lethal
means of force, such as riot gas and rubber pellets, by all
international forces. There has also been increased use of
warning shots, most frequently by the Portuguese Republican
National Guard (GNR). An overt Australian Defense Force (ADF)
presence has also returned to the streets of Dili. The ADF had
gradually withdrawn as police took on responsibility for
security, and they were mostly out of sight throughout August,
but foot patrols by ADF soldiers began to return in early
September and within the last week ADF armed personnel carriers
have resumed regular patrolling throughout the city. ADF has
deployed an additional infantry company to East Timor in
response to recent security developments.

Permanent police presence needed
--------------


7. (SBU) While international police and military have had some
success in limiting the occurrence and duration of incidents, it
is becoming increasingly clear that their effectiveness is
limited and that many gangs continue to operate with relative
impunity. The typical cycle is: 1) gang disturbance begins; 2)
police are notified; 3) police arrive with variable response
times depending on other incidents needing concurrent attention;
4) gangs disperse; 5) police depart; 6) gangs reassemble and
another incident occurs. Local residents often note this cycle
and complain that this allows the gangs to continue activities
with little deterrence and that this approach often fails to
facilitate the identification and arrest of key actors by the
police. Many Timorese argue that a more permanent police
presence in their neighborhoods is necessary both to provide a
more effective deterrent and to increase police understanding of
the dynamics and players at work. As it stands, international
police have no "beat" within the city, so any given officer
could be called on to respond to disturbances in any part of the
city, an arrangement that allows greater maneuverability to
respond to incidents as they occur, but that constrains the
development of area-specific knowledge.

Local perceptions of international police souring
-------------- --------------


8. (SBU) Beyond complaints of ineffectiveness, many local
residents are increasingly likely to perceive the international

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police as lacking impartiality in their response. This is
partially a result of the pattern of response described above.
The result is often that police arrive as an attacking group
disperses and encounter the angry members of a community that
has just been attacked and proceed to focus their law
enforcement efforts on that community. Emboffs recently visited
the Fatuhada neighborhood in Dili, which has been subject to
almost daily attacks from an adjacent neighborhood attempting to
drive its Lorosa'e population out. Residents there told Emboffs
the police consistently refuse to enter the attacking
neighborhood, instead focusing on the area where the incident
occurred and arresting members of the attacked community. They
view this not as a result of misunderstandings but rather as a
deliberate strategy on the part of the international police
forces. Perceptions of bias have been further exacerbated by
real and/or perceived problems with local translators.
Complaints that the translators working with the police skew
their interpretation in accordance with their own loyalties and
agendas have become widespread.


9. (SBU) The combination of frustration with limited police
effectiveness and perception of bias by the police has resulted
in some deterioration of police relations with many local
residents. There have been cases of police arriving at the
scene of an incident and then being subject to attacks by the
very people they are there to assist. Police operating in this
environment have expressed their own frustration and
demoralization to Emboffs and other internationals in response
both to lack of significant progress in reducing gang activity
and to the negative response they are getting from some
Timorese.


10. (U) Although international police have increasingly come
under fire, this has not spilled over into noticeable targeting
of other foreigners. That said, a few foreigners have been
caught in crossfire or in random attacks. There has also been a
notable change in how foreigners are treated since the initial
emergence of widespread gang activity in May and June.
Previously when foreign citizens encountered incidents in
progress, gangs would typically cease their activities and step
aside, even engaging in polite conversation. Now, such courtesy
is rarely extended and anyone attempting to intervene in
incidents runs the risk of having the attack turned on them.


11. (U) Taking these changed dynamics into account, Embassy Dili
has issued a new warden message to American citizens reminding
them of ongoing security issues and advising continued caution
in their movements in Dili.
REES