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SITUATION REVIEW – APRIL 2015
Issues to watch
 Highest incident total in a single month since
establishment of EWER system in early 2009
 Increase attributable to spikes in incidents involving
defense and security forces, land disputes and fighting
between groups of youth
Highest incident total in a single month since establishment
of EWER system in early 2009
In April, the Early Warning, Early Response (EWER) system
recorded 122 violent incidents, which is the highest monthly
incident total recorded since the system was established.
There were 48 incidents recorded in Dili District, which is
more than twice the 13-month average of 19.2 incidents per
month. The system also recorded notably higher than
average incident totals in:
Baucau, with 12 incidents (monthly average: 7)
Oekusi, with 11 incidents (monthly average: 8.4)
Likisá, with 9 incidents (monthly average: 7.1)
Lautein, with 6 incidents (monthly average: 3.9)
Manatuto, with 5 incidents (monthly average: 2.8)
The higher number of incidents in April can be attributed to
increases in three particular types of incidents:
Total number of
violent incidents by
district in April 2015
District
Incidents
Aileu
3
Ainaro
6
Baucau
12
Bobonaro
2
Covalima
3
Dili
48
Ermera
4
Lautem
6
Likisá
9
Manatuto
5
Manufahi
5
Oekusi
11
Vikeké
8
Total
122
Incidents involving defense and security forces: The EWER system recorded 15 violent
incidents that involved the F-FDTL (5 incidents) and the PNTL (10 incidents). This is a
significant deviation from the norm – in an average month, there are approximately 4
incidents involving the military and police. Seven of these incidents occurred in Baucau
District and were directly related to an ongoing Joint PNTL-F-FDTL operation (Operation
HANITA), which was initiated by the Council of Ministers in March to respond to violent
confrontations between the Police and suspected KRM members in January and early
March. The incidents related to HANITA fell into two categories – those in which
community members became targets of HANITA for failing to comply with the curfew and
other limitations in effect in the east of the country, and confrontations during attempts by
HANITA to capture suspected KRM members. In at least two incidents, members of
Operation HANITA fired at and injured suspects, after warning shots reportedly failed to
prevent the suspects from fleeing. In another series of incidents in Buruma Suku (village),
confrontations between community members with machetes and the PNTL ended with
warning shots being fired into the air, after the PNTL captured some youth suspected of
being involved with KRM. In another incident in Soba Suku, a man died while fleeing from
the F-FDTL when he fell down a ravine.
PNTL personnel were also involved in 8 other incidents that were unrelated to Operation
HANITA. In 2 separate incidents in Bairo Pite, Dili, PNTL personnel physically assaulted
journalists while on duty. In one case, the journalist was photographing a PNTL member
who had punched a young person and in the other case a journalist started audio recording
a PNTL member who was using bad language at a roadside checkpoint. In both cases, the
PNTL members assaulted the journalists and accused them of bias against the PNTL. In
another incident in Becora Suku, a married couple called the PNTL after their son started
attacking them and breaking things in their home. When the PNTL member arrived, he beat
the son with his baton until he was seriously injured. In another incident in Caraubalo Suku,
Vikeké District, an ununiformed PNTL member punched and kicked an old man at a
cockfight. The man had previously brought a case against the PNTL member, after he had
impregnated the man’s daughter, which had led to the PNTL member’s transfer.
Land-related incidents: Nineteen land-related incidents were recorded in April – nearly
double the normal monthly average. At least 7 occurred during a land surveying exercise
currently being undertaken by the Government’s National Cadastral System (SNC). These
incidents, which resulted from disputes among family members and neighbors, occurred as
members of the SNC team were attempting to survey disputed land.
Fighting between groups of young people: The EWER system recorded 42 incidents that
involved young people or groups of young people fighting or throwing stones, which is
more than double the monthly average of 19 youth-related incidents. Unsurprisingly, Dili
recorded the highest number of incidents (23) – 17 of which involved intoxicated groups of
young people throwing stones and fighting. Other incidents included confrontations
between Martial Arts Groups and young people acting out land disputes on behalf of family
members.
INCIDENT CHARACTERISTICS
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The Early Warning, Early Response (EWER) System is implemented by NGO Belun with generous support from the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)‐funded Civil Society
Monitoring of Security Sector Development (CSM-SSD) Program and from the Peace Fund, a project of the GIZ, on behalf of German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Timorese State Secretariat for Youth and
Sports. The contents and opinions expressed herein are the responsibility of NGO Belun and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of USAID, the Government of the United States of America, GIZ or the Secretary of State for
Youth and Sports. For more information on the EWER program or to view additional publications please visit: http://www.belun.tl
CONFLICT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED
By the Early Warning, Early Response (EWER) team:
 On 13 April, the team met with the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport (SEJD),
Mr. Leovigildo Hornay, to share information about the EWER system and incident
data related to youth and community sporting events supported by SEJD.
 On 24 April, the team met with the Maubisse Sub-district Conflict Prevention and
Response Network and other partners to plan a Tara Bandu ceremony, which will
regulate the cost of traditional payments relating to birth, death and marriage, the
high cost of which have led to conflict in the Sub-district in the past.
 On 30 April, the team met with the Dili focal points of the Ministry of the Interior’s
National Department for Community Conflict Prevention to reinforce cooperation
between the Focal Points and EWER monitors in preventing conflict in the future.
By the Land Mediation and Dispute Resolution (LMDR) team:
 On 29 April, the team worked with District Director of the Office of Land and
Property to facilitate a mediation session between family members in Suku Holsa,
Maliana Sub-District. The mediation was successful and will now proceed to a
second phase, during which community elders will certify the agreement over how
the disputed land will be shared.
 On 30 April, the team met disputants in Suku Tapo Memo, Maliana Sub-district to
discuss a 2010 agreement that had not been carried in practice. The agreement
will be revisited in a second phase of mediation in May, with local leaders and
elders in attendance.
ABOUT THIS SITUATION REVIEW
This situation review reports on violent incidents and trends in Timor-Leste that were
identified by Belun’s Early Warning, Early Response (EWER) monitoring system in 43 of
Timor-Leste’s 65 Sub-Districts in April 2015. Descriptions of all incidents recorded by the
EWER system can be found at: www.belun.crowdmap.com.
Belun strives to share up-to-date and verified information. Considering that situations
change rapidly, we appreciate receiving information to clarify or update our EWER
monitoring data.
For more information or to report an incident, please contact:
Marilia O. da Costa, EWER Program Manager: bylah.belun@gmail.com
Laurensius Lein, Conflict Prevention and Policy Specialist: laurensius.belun@gmail.com
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The Early Warning, Early Response (EWER) System is implemented by NGO Belun with generous support from the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)‐funded Civil Society
Monitoring of Security Sector Development (CSM-SSD) Program and from the Peace Fund, a project of the GIZ, on behalf of German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Timorese State Secretariat for Youth and
Sports. The contents and opinions expressed herein are the responsibility of NGO Belun and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of USAID, the Government of the United States of America, GIZ or the Secretary of State for
Youth and Sports. For more information on the EWER program or to view additional publications please visit: http://www.belun.tl