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Anti-Gusmao protest outside British mission

JAKARTA, Sept 15 (AFP) - Some 30 pro-Indonesian East Timorese staged a noisy 
protest outside the British embassy here Wednesday, demanding that it stop 
protecting East Timor independence leader Xanana Gusmao.

The group burned the flag of the Resistance Council for East Timor (CNRT), 
headed by Gusmao, who has been holed up in the mission since his release from 
jail last week.

"Britain do not protect Gusmao," said Gomez, an East Timorese demonstrator as 
other protestors carryied placards reading: "Xanana (Gusmao) get out. East 
Timorese are waiting for you."

"We are not supported by the government. We are not being supported by any 
group," Gomez said, as the demonstrators, including women, tacked an 
Indonesian flag to the embassy walls.

Others shouted slogans against the United Nations which conducted the August 
30 vote in which East Timorese voted overwhelmingly for independence.

Another of the demonstrators, Fernando Soares, said the group had "no 
problems with the British embassy. We only have problems with Gusmao."

About 50 security personnel who stood guard to prevent any violence made no 
move to remove the demonstrators, whose protest ended in a melee when they, 
journalists and police raced down the street chasing three suspected 
>provocateurs in the crowd.

One of the three, who identified himself as Amerco Luis, was caught and 
marched off for questioning.

Demonstrations outside the Australian and US embassies and the United Nations 
headquarters here have become daily occurrences since the announcement of the 
result of the vote in East Timor.

In the vote an 78.5 percent of East Timorese rejected Indonesia's proposal 
for wide-ranging autonomy and opted instead for independence.

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