Former East Timor PM's role 'needs further investigation'

JAKARTA - Further investigation is needed to determine whether former East Timor prime minister Mari Alkatiri was to blame for a wave of violence in the tiny country in April and May, a UN report said on Tuesday. The report, prepared by the UN-appointed Independent Special Commission of Inquiry, said it found no evidence to recommend that Alkatiri be prosecuted over the illegal transfer of weapons from security personnel to civilians.

"Nevertheless, there is information before the Commission giving rise to suspicion that he knew about the illegal arming of civilians", a summary of the report issued on a UN Web site (www.ohchr.org) said. Alkatiri has been widely blamed for the violence which erupted after fighting within the armed forces spiralled into rioting, arson and looting in the streets of the capital, Dili.

During the violence, more than 30 people were killed and more than 150,000 displaced from their homes.

Australia in May led a force of more than 3000 foreign peacekeepers to end the fighting, which pitted ethnic gangs and East Timor's fledgling police and military against one another.

East Timor Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, who replaced Alkatiri, last week played down the chance of violence after the release of the UN report, but urged foreign forces to stay until 2007 elections.

- REUTERS