Maltese man ambushed by tribesmen on jungle road

A Maltese man travelling to reclaim his 50-acre coffee plantation in tropical East Timor was ambushed by rebel militia and left stranded on a jungle road. “I was travelling across the tropical terrain in a UN vehicle when we came across what looked like a landslide. We got out of the car and a group of tribesmen came out of the bushes – it was an ambush,” said experienced traveller Paul Debono. Mr Debono believes the tribesmen were likely involved in an age-old territorial dispute which has left thousands dead across the exotic island. “They had guns made out of lead pipes, and machetes. They stripped the car in minutes and left us there with no supplies. Luckily we were found by a passing truck and taken back to a neighbouring village,” he said. Mr Debono made the 12,000km journey to East Timor last month in the hope of reclaiming his plantation from the tribesmen currently using it as a coffee farm. “The idea is to set up an agritourism resort on the land. People who like to rough it and want to experience paradise would love it there,” Mr Debono said. Located in southeast Asia, East Timor is a remnant of the Portuguese colonial empire. Known for its coffee farming, pristine...