Lisbon - Portugal's Prime Minister, Mr Antonio Guterres, yesterday made an urgent appeal to the international community to persuade Indonesia to accept help to end the murderous rampages of the militias.
Warning of a looming tragedy in the former Portuguese colony, Mr Guterres said the killings and mayhem showed that Indonesia had completely lost control of the situation.
"It is absolutely intolerable. It is time for Indonesia itself and the international community to understand that Indonesia is no longer able to keep law and order," he said.
Mr Guterres said that a visit by senior Indonesian ministers to Dili yesterday, when they were unable to move out of the airport, was final proof that Jakarta was no longer in command. "Not only did the situation not improve after the visit, it worsened," Mr Guterres said.