Various sources have confirmed to the U.S. Embassy that Mauk Moruk (Paulino Gama), the leader of the Maubere Revolutionary Council (KRM) was killed today (August 8). There is a large presence of police and people on the streets. At the time of this message, there have been no reports of violence and the situation remains calm.
U.S. citizens should avoid areas of demonstrations, and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations.
Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence with little or no warning. Please review your personal security plans; remain aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitor local news stations for updates. Maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Timor-Leste’s Country Specific Information for Timor-Leste.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Timor-Leste, located at Av. de Portugal – Praia dos Coqueiros, at +670-332-4684, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +670-7723-1328.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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