/** reg.easttimor: 1965.0 **/

** Topic: ABC: Thousands flee E Timor town fearing militia attack **
** Written 3:14 AM Aug 24, 1999 by Joyo@aol.com in cdp:reg.easttimor **
Subject: ABC: Thousands flee E Timor town fearing militia attack

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Australian Broadcasting Corp. Tuesday 24 August, 1999

Thousands flee E Timor town fearing militia attack

Up to 3,000 East Timorese people have fled their homes around the town of Maliana.

Independence supporters in the town are expecting to be attacked before Monday's historic vote on East Timor's future.

Today was meant to be a day of pro-independence campaigning in the town of Maliana.

Instead independence-supporting students stayed quiet within their empty office, which was the target of a militia attack six days ago.

At the town's church Father Adrana Xinenes says he knows of a plan by militia and the military to attack pro-independence people and the church in the next few days.

Father Xinenes says he has no way of defending himself. He can just sit and wait.

Schools have closed and few shops remain open in Maliana, a town in which everyone expects the worst.

(7:21pm AEST)

** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor **