22 houses destroyed in Kasa Village in Ainaro District

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Televizaun Timor-Leste, April 13, 2011 language source: Tetun

The recent clash of martial art clubs of PSHT and KORKA in Kassa Village of Ainaro District has left 22 houses belonging to innocent local residents destroyed, according to TVTL.

Victims, Francisco Martins and Lucio Lopes, said the incident took place suddenly and therefore it caused approximately 30 households to escape in to the jungle, due to they were afraid of the clash, adding that a mother had to give birth to her baby at the place where she hide was hiding.

Ainaro District Police Commander, Orlando Gomes and the Timorese Operational Police Commander, Superintendent Eugenio Pereira said the case is now in investigation process.

"The conflict took place due to provocation involving martial art clubs, but the police took the necessary action to respond to the incident and calm down the situation, but when a large number of KORKA followers arrived at the scene then the conflict started again and the police could not respond to it due to the large number of people who were engaged in the attacks. It has left approximately 22 houses destroyed in the area of Lias in Kassa Vilage," Gomes said.

"The police had taken the necessary action to respond to the situation as it has been explained by the Ainaro District Police Commander and we will continue processing this case legally. They will also deploy police officers in certain areas in order to prevent undesirable things from happening in the future," Superintendent Pereira said.

The incident also left four people injured and they are now receiving medical treatment in the hospital.

MP Agusto "Tara" de Jesus, from the Social Democratic Party (PSD) said it is important for the police to detain those people who were accused of engaging in the clash, so that they can be responsible for their immoral actions that they committed by destroying people's houses and goods.

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