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Photographer says saw police protester

Source
Reuters - August 27, 1999 (slightly abridged)

Lisbon – A photographer with US magazine Time said on Friday he had witnessed Indonesian police shoot dead a 25-year-old unarmed protester in the head during clashes in East Timor ahead of Monday's ballot on independence.

The American photographer told Portugal's TSF radio that he had photographed the killing in the East Timor capital Dili on Thursday. He said the picture would be published by Time on Monday.

"The police shot him and turned around and walked away," said the photographer, whom TSF said had asked that his name not be revealed for security reasons.

"The police were chasing a presumed supporter of independence who wore an emblem in support of [East Timor resistance leader] Xanana [Gusmao] on his hat. He [the youth] had obviously been involved in the clashes," he added.

"They [police] ran up right close to him, maybe within two metres, and shot him in the back of the head. He died immediately," the photographer said.

He said the police involved in the incident, between eight and 10, walked away immediately. The photographer said he did not know why the police had picked out this youth.

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