Andrew Perrin in The Australian, Northern Territory News, Reuters, and correspondents report that the economic disaster in Indonesia may translate into human disaster in East Timor, as the central government struggles to maintain itself, ignoring rapidly deteriorating conditions in East Timor. The Indonesian army presence in East Timor is estimated at U.S. $500 million/year, a large amount for the country's troubled economy while economically the area contributes less than 1% of Indonesia's GDP. Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos Horta has appealed for help from Australia and the international community.

Famine is already occurring at Atauro Island in its population of 7,000 and may occur in the next few months along the entire north cast of East Timor. The local population has already eaten their seed stock. Rice prices have risen 33%, above the level affordable to many inhabitants. --some details from Andrew McNaughton <etiscaus@dayworld.net.au>