The governments of Timor-Leste and Indonesia have temporarily closed off movement through the Naktuka Border Crossing, in the Subdistrict of Nitibe, District of Oecussi.

Movement by citizens of the two nations through the border crossing will not be allowed, as the Police track down those responsible for killing one Timorese man and the burning of a number of houses recently at the Naktuka border area.

Last month, a "Lia Nain" (Tetum for traditional "lore man") named Fisen Falo was killed in the border area in question whilst working in his field and a number of houses were also burnt by unidentified persons.

The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, Constancio Pinto said that the government still has no knowledge of who the killer of this Timorese man is.

"We do not know who it was who killed him, and this matter in still being investigated the police," Constancio told journalists is his office on 8 January last.

Constancio also appealed to the people of Naktuka to remain calm because the identity of the perpetrators of these crimes will only be found only through an investigation. Constancio said that currently the Border Patrol Unit and the TNI have closed the border area around Naktuka so as to avoid movement from one side to another by the population of both the NTT and TL sides of the border.

"It is to temporarily prevent dislocation from the other side (NNT) to our side (Naktuka) as well as from Naktuka to the other side (NTT)," said Constancio. Nor have the perpetrators of the arson of the homes of the Naktuka population been identified, Constancio added.

[Translation from Tetum.]