Dili, East Timor, May 28, 2006 / 22:00 pm
Church people and refugees in East Timor are hoping foreign troops will be able to end the violence that has seen thousands of residence take refuge in church and NGO-run centers, reported UCA News.
Trouble flared in East Timor in April after the government fired more than one-third of its 1,400-member army. Close to 600 soldiers were dismissed after they went on strike claiming discrimination and a lack of promotion.
The violence the erupted in and around Dili has pitted government forces against dismissed army soldiers and their supporters. Several people have been killed and the sound of gunfire echoed through streets. As a result, the capital has emptied and its residents have fled for safe haven, many to church-related centers, such as the Don Bosco Center, 10 kilometers to the west.