Atambua – Communities on both sides, namely the people of Turiskain, Haekesak sub-district, Belu district, West Nusa Tenggara and the people of East Timor, have been asked to refrain from fighting, following a clash between the two neighbouring communities on Monday, around Turiskain Market, so that it does not happen again.

As a result of the fighting, the good relations between the communities in the border regions have been weakened. Moreover there is a mutual need for the two communities to have economic and continued cultural connections.

The request was made by the Deputy Chairman of Belu DPRD District Assembly , Blasius Manek, through Pos Kupang newspaper in Atambua on Wednesday (31 July). He said that the two groups needed to try to restrain themselves, as incidents such as this should not occur if both parties made an effort. Moreover, he said, the market on the border had been established in the interests of both sides.

Manek make the request when asked to comment on the fight which occurred on Monday between members of the East Timorese community and the people of Turiskain, which resulted in two people from Turiskain being injured and the market being closed for one week following the incident...

[Source: Kupang Pos web site, Kupang, in Indonesian August 2]