The civilian police adviser "has been shot in the abdomen. He is being medivac-ed. He's lost a lot of blood," a UN official said. Liquica is about 30km west of the capital Dili. The shooting follows mounting violence by pro-Jakarta militias after results of a UN-organised vote were released showing resounding support to break away from Indonesian rule. Calls for calm went unheeded as clashes erupted just hours after UN secretary-general Kofi Annan announced the results and called for "all East Timorese to begin to forge together a common future." Indonesian President BJ Habibie also called forcalm so the transition to independence could proceed "well, orderly and peacefully." He ordered the Indonesian military and police "to take firm action" to prevent violence in East Timor.

However, events in the streets seemed to echo the glum statement that East Timorese resistance leader Xanana Gusmao issued upon hearing of the vote results. "We foresee chaos. We foresee a new genocide in East Timor," the 53-year-old former guerrilla leader warned from the bungalow where he has been detained for the last seven months.

Gusmao, due for release from a 20-year term in less than two weeks, has been moved to a safe house pending his return to East Timor.

Few people dared celebrate on the streets of the capital, Dili, fearing a backlash from anti-independence militias who have spread terror since Monday's historic referendum on the future of this former Portuguese colony Indonesia invaded in 1975. Sporadic bursts of automatic weapons fire could be heard in the outskirts of Dili, where most people holed up intheir homes after days of killings and burnings.

An additional 1,400 troops arrived to restore order, but a sense of confidence was difficult to restore. The troops lifted some impromptu militia roadblocks and formed a security cordon around a hotel where journalists and hundreds of citizens were hunkered down. Outside the capital, UN officials described the situation as "deteriorating."

UN staff were evacuated from two East Timorese towns on Saturday when pro-Jakarta militias went on a rampage after the vote announcement. UN local and foreign staff were brought to Dili from the towns of Los Palos and Same, where militias were roaming through the streets firing weapons, UN sources said.

There were also reports of unrest in the town of Maliana, on the border with Indonesia's West Timor. There were no details but a UN official said: "Certainly there has been a lot of killing."