20 JAN 99 - 22:03 East Timor: Anarchy Reigns, Indonesian Military Absent But Arming Civilian Groups Sydney, Jan. 20 (Lusa) - The situation in East Timor is one of total anarchy, with armed civilian groups spreading panic in various districts, various sources in the Indonesian-occupied territory told Lusa Wednesday by telephone. "There is no sign of authority, not even the usual military and police presence", said a Catholic church source in Dili, the territorial capital. Leandro Isaac, the Dili representative of the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT), said the Indonesian army was arming civilian groups in order to cause chaos throughout the territory. The groups reportedly will cause a civil war if any attempt is made to organize a referendum or local vote on self-determination for East Timor. Local populations have begun self-defence preparations, Isaac said. ............................ This is very ominous and an attempt to prove that a referendum in East Timor would cause a civil war. This is from the Portuguese press, we haven;t seen much coverage of it in Australia. Helen Hill
