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E Timor Prime Minister denies new 'hit squad' claims

Saturday, 10 June , 2006 08:00:00

Reporter: Anne Barker

ELIZABETH JACKSON: There are disturbing new allegations today against East Timor's embattled Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri.

Political opponents allege that two days ago a group of armed civilians, recruited by the Prime Minister, shot or bashed four people who were organising a peaceful protest calling for his resignation.

The claims follow allegations by the leader of a group of rebel soldiers that forces loyal to the Prime Minister carried out a massacre of 60 unarmed protesters in April, and dumped their bodies in a mass grave.

Both incidents appear consistent with accusations this week that Mr Alkatiri had recruited a hit squad with specific orders to eliminate his political opponents.

But as Anne Barker reports, the Prime Minister of East Timor has denied that any such hit squad exists.

ANNE BARKER: Angela Freitas is vice president of Trabalhista, one of the smaller opposition parties in East Timor.

Two nights ago she says members of several opposition groups met to organise a mass demonstration against the Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri, with plans to bring thousands of protesters to Dili some time next week.

But she says when four members of the organising committee arrived at a house in the suburb of Delta Comoro, a large group of men with guns and machetes burst in and launched a vicious attack.

ANGELA FREITAS: When they come into the house the 17 people coming into the house straight away attack and bash by machetes and shoot by the gun.

ANNE BARKER: So who were these people?

ANGELA FREITAS: These people, I believe, is from the people, some of the ones that has been organised by Mari Alkatiri and Rogerio Lobato, Minister of the Interior administration.

ANNE BARKER: Do you know them?

ANGELA FREITAS: Yeah, I just identified them, these people. It's very easy to identify these people because East Timor is very small, the people the ones that has been paid off by Mari Alkatiri, we know that.

ANNE BARKER: How do you know that?

ANGELA FREITAS: We know, because this has already been … the people involved, they get the money and get the car and they told us about it.

ANNE BARKER: They told you?

ANGELA FREITAS: Yes, yes.

ANNE BARKER: What did they tell you?

ANGELA FREITAS: What they told, they'd been paid off by Mari Alkatiri and also distributed gun and ammunition to eliminate opposition and the people they want to (inaudible).

ANNE BARKER: A doctor at Dili's national hospital has confirmed two men attacked in Delta Comoro were admitted on Thursday evening - one with serious head wounds who's now in intensive care.

Angela Freitas says she visited the men in hospital and both confirmed the details of the attack. She says she has no doubt the men's attackers were part of an alleged hit squad recruited on instructions from the Prime Minister to intimidate anyone who stands against him.

(to Angela Freitas) So they told you they'd been recruited by Mari Alkatiri under Rogerio Lobato?

ANGELA FREITAS: Yes.

ANNE BARKER: And given guns?

ANGELA FREITAS: Yes.

ANNE BARKER: To do what?

ANGELA FREITAS: To kill the people, to eliminate the people anti-Mari Alkatiri.

ANNE BARKER: Did you believe them?

ANGELA FREITAS: I believe that, yeah. I have evidence myself, but for my own safety and others I have to be protected, until an investigation could be done.

ANNE BARKER: These latest claims coincide with even more disturbing allegations that the similar men loyal to the Prime Minister massacred around 60 unarmed civilians at a mass protest in Dili on April the 28th, before dumping their bodies in a secret grave.

Rebel Lieutenant, Gastao Salsinha, who with 600 soldiers deserted the army three months ago, says he has witnesses to back his claim that the weapons used in that attack were also supplied by Rogerio Lobato to prime ministerial supporters in the Fretilin Party.

Mari Alkatiri has repeatedly protested his innocence, denying any such security squad exists.

This was his statement to the ABC on Thursday.

MARI ALKATIRI: There is no Fretilin security for sure. People are now looking to really, to demonise my image.

ANNE BARKER: Angela Freitas says her opposition colleagues won't be intimidated by anyone.

But she fears more lives will be lost before there's peace in East Timor. And she's vowed next week's demonstration will still go ahead.

ANGELA FREITAS: Yes, definitely, this demonstration is still going ahead. We call this people power.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: Trabalhista Vice President, Angela Freitas, speaking there with our reporter Anne Barker in Dili.


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