Notícias - 6 de Março 2007

Timor-Leste: Comando australiano recuperou corpo de outro elemento do grupo de Reinado

Díli, 06 Mar (Lusa) - O comando australiano recuperou hoje o corpo de um quinto elemento do grupo de Alfredo Reinado morto em combate no domingo, em Same, Timor-Leste, afirmou à
Agência Lusa fonte oficial das Forças de Estabilização Internacionais (ISF).

"O corpo deste elemento do grupo de Reinado só foi encontrado hoje porque estava numa área de difícil acesso" dentro do perímetro que estava cercado pelas tropas australianas, acrescentou.
A fonte do comando australiano declarou ainda à Lusa que "um dos homens de Alfredo Reinado foi ferido durante a operação e está a receber assistência médica sob detenção".
No entanto, a mesma fonte não revelou o local em que este ferido está a ser assistido.
Durante a noite, a situação esteve mais calma em Díli e em vários pontos da cidade elementos das FALINTIL-Forças de Defesa de Timor-Leste garantiram a segurança de edifícios públicos.
Na madrugada de domingo, tarde de sábado em Lisboa, tropas das ISF apoiadas por helicópteros lançaram o ataque contra as posições do grupo de Alfredo Reinado, usando reforços de tropas de elite chegadas da Austrália nas últimas 48 horas.
As ISF fizeram um número indeterminado de detenções.
Pouco depois, numa questão de minutos, vários incidentes estalaram em simultâneo em diferentes bairros de Díli, com estradas cortadas por pneus em fogo, pedras ou árvores abatidas, apedrejamento de viaturas, casas incendiadas e combates de rua entre grupos rivais.
O bairro de Vila Verde, em pleno centro da cidade, foi um dos mais afectados, com instalações do ministério da Educação (um auditório e o armazém) a serem consumidas pelas chamas até ao amanhecer, sem que ninguém acudisse.
Cerca das 05:00 (20:00 em Lisboa), Alfredo Reinado escapou do cerco de Same "depois de dividir os seus homens em três grupos e ter feito avançar dois deles, saindo pela retaguarda", contou à Lusa uma fonte que acompanhou a operação de captura.
PRM-Lusa/fim

Reuters - Tuesday, March 6, 2007
East Timor Capital Tense After Protests

DILI (Reuters) - The capital of tiny East Timor was quiet but tense on Tuesday, a day after thousands of supporters of rebel leader Alfredo Reinado burnt tyres and threw stones to protest a raid by international troops on the fugitive's hideout.

"The situation is getting normal. Government vehicles have cleared the locations (of roadblocks)," a Reuters witness in Dili said.
He said New Zealand troops, part of an international peacekeeping force in the country of one million since last year, were patrolling areas considered riot prone.
Australian troops continued to comb the southern part of East Timor for Reinado, who escaped the weekend raid that sparked Monday's protests. Four people died in the raid.
Reinado was involved in fighting last year when the sacking of some of the army and regional differences plunged the fledgling nation into chaos.
Britain issued a new travel advice on Monday for East Timor warning against all travel there and advising British nationals in the country to leave.
"The security situation in East Timor remains uncertain and could deteriorate at short notice," the advisory said.
Australia and the United States have issued similar warnings, and Australia has announced it would evacuate non-emergency staff and families from its Dili embassy.

WEAPONS STOLEN

On Monday Reinado's supporters gathered in the heart of Dili, shouting "Long Live Alfredo", and denouncing President Xanana Gusmao, who had ordered security forces to arrest Reinado following accusations the former army major led a raid on a police post last month and made off with 25 automatic weapons and ammunition.
The protest broke up in the afternoon and Gusmao called on East Timor's people not to do anything that could destroy the nation's unity.
"We have seen many demonstrations lately that are not conveying positive messages in solving the myriad problems this country faces and on the contrary have contributed in provoking divisions among the society when this country needs unity," he said in a speech broadcast on television and radio.
He asked international and East Timorese authorities to take all legal actions needed to enforce order, warning that if "normal measures reveal themselves to be in sufficient" stronger steps may be necessary, "such as the state of siege".
Reinado has been on the run since he escaped from jail in Dili in August along with 50 other inmates.
The standoff between Reinado and the troops has raised fears of violence ahead of East Timor's April presidential election.
East Timor voted in a 1999 referendum for independence from Indonesia, which had annexed it after Portugal ended its colonial rule in 1975. The country became fully independent in 2002 after a period of U.N. administration.

Canberra Times - Tuesday, 6 March 2007
Botched battle brings home mission's failings
Nicholas Stuart

Events in Timor at the weekend demonstrate why our strategic focus must immediately be brought back to the immediate region. Although it's nice to be allowed to play with the big boys the US and Britain in their Middle Eastern sandpit, we are not actually accomplishing anything over there.

It is the height of conceit to think that we could crystallise a vague dream of democracy into reality. This country just doesn't have the strategic weight to achieve anything lasting over there. And while Prime Minister John Howard becomes increasingly shrill and hectoring about events half a world away, our own region is disintegrating.
If there was any doubt that Timorese rebel Alfredo Reinado had spent time in Australia, it was put to rest when he taunted the Australian troops supposedly surrounding him. "Tell the Aussie troops to stick surrender up their arse" he said. "There will be a civil war if anything happens to me." Our troops moved in at 2am.
Unfortunately, Reinado had left an hour earlier. The early-morning attack resulted in the deaths of four rebels, Brigadier Malcolm Rerden describing the raid as a "success". As the original mission was to capture Reinado, Rerden is apparently making up his own way of defining the word's meaning. He's not the only one. President Xanana Gusmao pretends "the operation was only to try and force Reinado to surrender". As if you normally ask someone to surrender by staking out their base for a week and then using special forces in a pre-dawn assault with helicopters and armoured vehicles in support. Oh, and killing four armed men for "posing an unacceptable threat".
No, the problem was not that the attack occurred. The failures were, firstly, that an assault was required and secondly, with its execution. Somehow, Reinado escaped. The cordon around the rebel "base" was obviously porous. This was an operational deficiency. Only those on the ground know how it occurred, however stuff-ups like this give the politicians good cause to wonder if the military can be trusted any more.
Although the snatch raid failed miserably, soldiers can't be blamed for the disintegration of East Timor. Interference in the internal affairs of another country is not Australia's job. But things cannot be allowed to deteriorate so far that military action is required to resuscitate the legitimate government of one of our neighbours.
The tiny island nations that surround us urgently require real support with the central functions of government if they are to survive. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute recently put forward the excellent suggestion that we could host some sort of college of governance. This would be an immediate way of genuinely building institutions. This is far more worthwhile than waiting for the complete collapse of a state, and then sending in troops. We could even call it something like the Australian School of Pacific Administration (or ASOPA for short). Sorry, that's a joke of course, because we got rid of ASOPA in 1972.
That establishment obviously wasn't required any more, because it was designed to train patrol officers. But the dramatic and urgent need to build institutions in our own region is blindingly obvious. A program would be simple to start. It would only require two streams one to train Australians to work for and with our neighbours; the second to encourage people from the region to gain experience, knowledge and familiarity with Australia, and the way we do things. This is an urgent strategic necessity.
Through one lens, what's happening in Timor today can be seen as an extension of what happened there in 1975. A small country, where the main business is government, is being ripped apart as different groups fight to determine who will get to control the place. When Portugal pulled out, small bands of political activists used the language of global revolutionaries to legitimise their own petty aspirations. Then Indonesia moved in to "provide stability". Today, our diggers are in there "providing stability" in the run-up to next month's election.
Times like this always get a bit tense in small island countries, where the spoils are suddenly up for grabs. There's one other point about the force deployment. As our soldiers patrol the streets they are the butt of continued attacks from hooligans, the disaffected, and worse. The dirt roads are looking increasingly as the streets of Northern Ireland did in the midst of the "troubles".
Unless the political situation is sorted out fast, it is just a matter of time before more people are killed. The other lesson from this debacle has been obvious to some people for a long time. It probably represents a degree of naivete to even be bothered restating that Defence can't be trusted. Lindsay Murdoch, an experienced correspondent in Timor, reported on Friday what anyone could see at Dili airport that a rapid troop build-up was occurring. The story quickly ricocheted back to Australia, where the probability of military action against the rebels appeared imminent.
Defence then issued a statement denying the SAS had been sent to the island. How stupid. Every commander has something called a "deception plan". This is developed to fool the enemy, because if you can confuse them about your intentions, then chances are they won't be able to anticipate what you're going to do next. But after one particular tactic is used once, it can't be used again. And that's the problem with what Defence did at the weekend.
The public relations machine became part of the war, churning out spin and the occasional direct lie in an attempt to keep a lid on the operation.
The military prostituted whatever remained of its good name, as part of an effort to deny what anyone in Timor could see was obviously the truth. In one stunning blow, the entire edifice has become redundant. By replacing the unit with a simple recorded message "no comment" a considerable amount of money could be saved.
When our troops first deployed to Timor, ordinary Australians were proud of the way they behaved and the mission that was accomplished. Since that high point, the mood has changed. First to apathy and then to antagonism. The increasing politicisation of Defence has not, as yet, led to a resurgence of the sort of divisions that stalked the relationship at the time of the Vietnam War. It is unfortunate, however, that a trend in this direction can already be detected.
- Nicholas Stuart is a Canberra writer. nicstuart@hotmail.com

AP/ Hong Kong Standard -Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Timor teeters on brink
Guido Goulart

President Xanana Gusmao invoked emergency powers to quell unrest Monday as hundreds of young men blockaded roads in East Timor with burning tires in support of a fugitive rebel leader.

Australia will evacuate non-essential government personnel, and the United States issued a travel warning.
Security in the tiny Asian nation deteriorated after international troops backed by helicopters launched a pre- dawn raid Sunday on Alfredo Reinado's mountain hideout, killing four insurgents and sending others fleeing into the jungle.
Reinado, heavily armed and wanted on murder charges, was among those who escaped.
"The state will use all legal means, including force, to stop violence and prevent destruction of property and killing, and to restore law and order," said Gusmao in a national address, giving peacekeepers and police the right to carry out arrests and searches without warrants and to break up public gatherings.
East Timor, one of the world's youngest and poorest nations, is struggling to regain stability after factional fighting in May between armed forces killed at least 37 people and sent more than 150,000 fleeing from their homes.
Order was largely restored with the arrival of 2,700 Australian-led troops and the installation of a new government, but fighting between rival gangs has flared in recent weeks raising concerns that presidential elections next month could turn violent.
Australian soldiers last month shot dead two Timorese men, exasperating tensions, and rock-hurling protesters demanded Monday that international forces leave.

Rádio Renascença - 06-03-2007, 3:16
Major Tara apela ao fim das hostilidades

Quebrou-se o grupo de ex-militares que iniciaram a revolta há cerca de um ano em Timor-Leste. Um ex-revoltoso apela à entrega das armas.

Ouvido esta noite pela Renascença, o ex-major Augusto Tara, um dos militares que iniciaram a revolta nas forças armadas timorenses, afirma que se desligou do ex-tenente Gastão Salsinha e do ex-major Alfredo Reinado depois do recente assalto a esquadras da polícia.
Em declarações à agência EFE, Reinado afirma que vai manter a luta pela justiça, enquanto Salsinha ameaça usar o apoio da juventude para iniciar uma guerrilha.
Augusto Tara, por seu lado, apela aos antigos companheiros para que entreguem as armas e evitem mais mortes em Timor.

Transcrição da entrevista conduzida por Dora Pires/Rádio Renascença:

Rádio Renascença: [Pergunta não audível]
Augusto Tara: Exactamente. Estão a andar juntos. Há dois dias que eu telefonei a eles; antes daquela situação de Same, telefonei a eles, quando ouvi falar de que estão cercados [pelas] forças internacionais eu telefonei a eles para retirar imediatamente daquela situação e para não provocar conflitos entre as forças internacionais e o grupo do major Alfredo. Mas, depois disso me responderam, mas depois não saíram daquele sitio, não ... portanto, não querem sair daquele sítio, querem provocar uma situação que está a piorar e uma situação que confusa a população e uma situação que nunca podemos aceitar que vai dar mortos nesta actual situação. Porque não é tempo de dar as pessoas para morrerem. Isto é uma situação que nunca posso aceitar com a posição deles.

Público – Terça, 6 de Março de 2007
Rebelde fala em desencadear guerrilha em Timor-Leste
Adelino Gomes

Xanana ameaça com estado de sítio e Salsinha com guerrilha. Ramos-Horta, ao PÚBLICO, menoriza o apoio da juventude a Reinado

Dois dias depois da tentativa falhada de capturar Alfredo Reinado, em Same, seguida de manifestações de apoio ao major rebelde em Díli, o presidente timorense, Xanana Gusmão, ameaçou instaurar o estado de sítio "caso medidas normais não sejam suficientes para aliviar a pressão criminal actualmente existente".
Ao mesmo tempo que o governo australiano autorizava o pessoal diplomático não essencial a abandonar o país, o porta-voz dos ex-peticionários, tenente Gastão Salsinha, falou, pela primeira vez, na possibilidade de desencadear uma luta de guerrilhas "para combater a injustiça".
Salsinha, um dos líderes da luta dos 595 peticionários que abandonaram as FDTL (forças de defesa de Timor-Leste) há cerca de um ano, logrou também escapar ao cerco das forças internacionais que ontem continuavam a caça ao homem na zona sul do país.
"O que vamos fazer é tentar reagrupar-nos e estabelecer um novo plano de acção que seja apoiado pela juventude da selva e de Díli, para combater com guerrilhas a injustiça, as pessoas que tem o poder em Díli e que cometem coisas tão injustas como a expulsão de soldados e do comandante Alfredo Reinado ", disse Salsinha, num contacto telefónico com o correspondente da agência espanhola efe, Florentino Goulart.
Gastão Salsinha revelou que se encontrava próximo da posição do seu "aliado" Alfredo Reinado no momento em que forças australianas atacaram, "com quatro helicópteros Black Hawk e helicópteros de vigilância", mas conseguiu escapar com quatro seguranças "e alguns amigos de Same".
Num contacto telefónico separado com a mesma agência, Reinado disse, por seu turno, que luta pela justiça "junto ao povo". O seu "poder", acrescentou, "vem do povo e está com o povo", afirmou.

O aviso de Xanana

Numa declaração ao país, transmitida ontem pela rádio e televisão timorenses - a segunda em 24 horas -, Xanana Gusmão anunciou que "o Estado vai utilizar todos os mecanismos legais disponíveis, incluindo o uso da força, quando necessário, para pôr fim à violência, à destruição de bens e à perda de vidas e restabelecer rapidamente a ordem pública".
"O país está a assistir a uma certa anarquia e a uma falta de vontade de certos segmentos da sociedade em contribuir para a estabilização do país. (...) não se pode permitir que se continue a perder bens e vidas e que os cidadãos continuem a viver num clima de insegurança", disse o presidente da república.
A deterioração da situação de segurança "é um assunto de séria preocupação" para o governo da Austrália, considerou, por seu lado, o ministro dos negócios estrangeiros, Alexander Downer, ao anunciar que o pessoal não essencial da representação diplomática em Díli foi autorizado a abandonar Timor-Leste. "A situação é volátil" e os australianos podem ser "especialmente visados" por actos de violência, justificou.
O ministro australiano manifestou-se especialmente preocupado com a situação dos jornalistas do seu país que tentam atingir a região de Same, onde prosseguem as operações de busca de Alfredo Reinado.
Embora manifestando-se de acordo com as considerações do seu homólogo, o ministro Luís Amado disse ontem em Bruxelas não ver "nenhuma necessidade" de tomar medidas com vista à retirada de cidadãos portugueses do país (ver caixa nesta página).
A escola portuguesa de Díli esteve encerrada ontem e a embaixada manteve a recomendação para que os membros da comunidade efectuassem apenas as deslocações estritamente necessárias.
Apoiantes de reinado têm vindo a responder às operações contra o antigo comandante da polícia militar com apedrejamentos, barricadas, corte de ruas, queima de pneus e ataques a algumas residências e edifícios do governo, em Díli, especialmente nos bairros de Taibessi (onde no final da semana passada apareceram os primeiros cartazes de apoio ao major rebelde), Vila Verde, Colmera e bairro Pité.

100 dólares por Isaac

Além de Reinado e de Salsinha - os dois nomes mais conhecidos entre os militares em fuga -, ontem, a meio de madrugada (menos oito horas em Portugal), continuava igualmente "em parte incerta" o deputado independente Leandro Isaac, que se encontrou "por acaso" com Reinado em Same e passou a funcionar como uma espécie de seu porta-voz político.
Leandro Isaac garantiu à Lusa que não tem contacto neste momento nem com Alfredo Reinado nem com Gastão Salsinha. "Estou sozinho com a juventude", declarou lacónico sobre o seu paradeiro.
"Estou bem, na medida em que se pode estar bem nesta situação. Estou numa caverna, num buraco", acrescentou.
O deputado conseguiu escapar de Same porque os australianos não o reconheceram, segundo contou. "Eu vi soldados australianos oferecerem cem dólares à minha frente por informações sobre o meu paradeiro. Eles não conheciam a cara do Leandro Isaac e os jovens protegeram-me não dizendo quem eu era e levando-me com eles."
"Tenho muito pouco tempo", disse à agência noticiosa portuguesa, temendo ser denunciado pelo sinal do seu telemóvel.
Eleito deputado nas listas do PSD, de Mário Carrascalão, com quem entrou depois em dissidência, Leandro Isaac foi uma das vozes da Resistência para o exterior, durante a fase final da ocupação Indonésia de Timor.

Público – Terça, 6 de Março de 2007
Entrevista com José Ramos-Horta: Eleições não estão "necessariamente" em perigo
Adelino Gomes

À frente nas sondagens, Ramos-Horta desvaloriza as manifestações de apoio da juventude ao major rebelde Alfredo Reinado

O primeiro-ministro timorense, José Ramos-Horta, diz que as manifestações de apoio a Reinado não têm nada de político. "É mais entre elementos de artes marciais." Na bolsa de sondagens presidenciais, feita por um jornal de Díli, conta, vai em primeiro lugar e o candidato da Fretilin em último. Breve entrevista por e-mail.
PÚBLICO - Como foi possível tropas especiais deixarem escapar Reinado e o comandante australiano dizer que a operação foi "um sucesso"?
JOSÉ RAMOS-HORTA - A operação policial continua a decorrer na região de Same e redondezas.
PÚBLICO - O tempo joga a favor dele e contra o Governo e o Estado. Se ele não for capturado nos próximos dias, a campanha eleitoral não estará em perigo?
JOSÉ RAMOS-HORTA - Não necessariamente. Uma coisa é alguém estar confortavelmente instalado nalgum local sem ser incomodado, sem ser perseguido, outra é ter uma força especial atrás... Mas continuamos empenhados em fazer prevalecer a justiça pela via pacífica. As forças internacionais só reagem quando são atacadas. Foi o que aconteceu em Same.
PÚBLICO - Como se compreende que Reinado seja já um herói para jovens em Díli? Não significará isso que há realmente bastante desilusão por parte dos mais jovens em relação ao que a liderança que vem da Resistência fez nestes quatro anos?
JOSÉ RAMOS-HORTA - A pergunta peca logo pelo exagero quando fala nos "jovens" de Díli. Quem? Quais? A esmagadora maioria dos jovens é boa, pacífica, não está envolvida nos desacatos e não apoia quem usa a violência. O grupo a que está a referir-se é o mesmo que tem estado ao longo de meses envolvido em saques de armazéns, assaltos nos bairros, etc. Não tem nada de político. Primeiro foi a alegada divisão loromonu vs lorosae. Eu sempre disse que é um problema falso. O tempo veio a desmentir essa dita rivalidade entre gente do Oeste e do Leste. Nos últimos meses os problemas têm sido mais entre elementos de artes marciais rivais.
PÚBLICO - Estas manifestações não constituem, por outro lado, também, uma espécie de "moção de desconfiança" no actual governo e no seu chefe?
JOSÉ RAMOS-HORTA - Continuo a percorrer a cidade sem problemas. No sábado meti-me num minibus comercial, o famoso mikrolet, e percorri muitos locais, bairros. Almocei numa "tasca" numa das zonas quentes. Fui sempre recebido muito bem. A primeira sondagem à opinião pública feita telefonicamente pelo maior jornal diário de Díli deu-me 40 por cento de preferência dos eleitores; em segundo lugar ficou o candidato Xavier Amaral com 14 por cento; em terceiro lugar ficou Fernando Araújo, do Partido Democrático, com 12 por cento. O candidato da Fretilin ficou em quarto lugar com 11 por cento. Claro que é ainda muito cedo para termos uma apreciação correcta da preferência eleitoral. Matematicamente, o candidato da Fretilin deveria ganhar facilmente. Mas continuo a dizer: se o eleitorado, na sua maioria jovem - os tais jovens que diz estarem "desiludidos" com o meu governo -, votar por um dos outros seis candidatos, eu honrarei esse veredicto e até fico muito feliz pela escolha sábia do povo.

Público – Terça, 6 de Março de 2007
Crónica: Reinado é um Rambo louco?
Maria Ângela Carrascalão,

Há coisas que não consigo entender.
Reinado juntou-se aos autores ou é ele mesmo o obreiro da crise que eclodiu no país em Abril passado, resultante de outros tantos incidentes anteriores que nunca foram resolvidos?
Reinado, o desconhecido, metamorfoseou-se (ou metamorfosearam-no) em Reinado o herói: foi tratado como fugitivo de primeiríssima classe, foi recebido pelo presidente da república, dialogou com o primeiro-ministro, esteve guardado pelos militares australianos, passeou-se armado pelo país, assistiu à missa, falou para convidados sem que ninguém lhe deitasse a mão...
É certo que teve uma passagem fugaz pela prisão de Becora. Mas, também aí, Reinado encontrou a porta aberta, num tácito convite para o seu regresso à liberdade. e de passeio em passeio almoçou, riu, bebeu e juntou as armas de oferta de um posto da polícia de fronteira. Por causa de Reinado, o país está a ferro e fogo.
E o homem que ninguém conhecia soma agora seguidores por todo o país. Os jovens cortam o cabelo à Reinado, os mais (pouco) musculados, tal como Reinado, usam t-shirts sem mangas para que melhor se vejam os seus músculos; nalgumas ruas até já se vêem faixas vitoriando Reinado.
Se Reinado está por detrás de tudo, então não é apenas um rambo louco e tem qualidades de liderança, de organização e de persuasão de que ninguém suspeitava. O que não quer dizer que manobre sozinho...
Se Reinado não passa de um desgraçado alcandorado aos píncaros da fama por quem tinha o dever de pensar o país, então quem lhe deu força é ainda mais louco que ele. Se Reinado for preso, a paz volta ao país?
Reinado, o foragido, desertor, bem-falante de língua inglesa, perdida a costela portuguesa, odiado, amado, admirado, quem será este homem que obrigou até o presidente Xanana a comparar os perfis biográficos de ambos?
Que terá acontecido que tenha escapado aos timorenses e tenha levado a que se transforme o herói - bandido bom, simpático, de sorriso fácil - em alvo a abater com a máxima urgência?
Precisamos mesmo de um mártir?
Estamos transformados num país sem rei nem roque, onde até já se ouvem alguns à boca cheia e despudoradamente recordar em tom nostálgico os bons velhos tempos da ocupação indonésia; reduzidos a espectadores assustados de um triste capítulo da história da nossa curta independência, resvalamos perigosamente para o caos total. Não tarda nada, estamos a pedir que tomem conta de nós... quem virá ocupar Timor-Leste?
Os timorenses têm o direito de saber...

Diário de Notícias – Terça, 6 de Março de 2007
Xanana critica passividade perante a violência de Díli
Armando Rafael*

O Presidente timorense admitiu ontem poder vir a decretar o estado de sítio, caso as "medidas normais não sejam suficientes para aliviar a pressão criminal" no país. Uma intenção que, a ser concretizada, implicaria o adiamento das presidenciais de 9 de Abril, uma vez que a limitação da liberdade decorrente desta medida de excepção dificilmente poderia ser compatível com uma campanha eleitoral.

Razão pela qual o discurso de Xanana Gusmão parece apontar noutro sentido, introduzindo críticas às forças internacionais que não têm conseguido conter a violência dos últimos dias. Designadamente em Díli, já que o resto do país parece tranquilo, com excepção das escaramuças registadas em Gleno e Ermera.
"O país está a assistir a uma certa anarquia e a uma falta de vontade de certos segmentos da sociedade em contribuir para a estabilização do país", frisou Xanana, sublinhando que os timorenses "não podem permitir que se continuem a perder bens e vidas" ou a viver "num clima de insegurança."
Num discurso transmitido pela rádio e pela televisão, o Presidente apontou as manifestações dos últimos dias como um exemplo da intolerância que se vive no país, garantindo que "o Estado vai utilizar todos os mecanismos legais disponíveis, incluindo o uso da força, para pôr fim à violência, à destruição de bens e à perda de vidas e restabelecer rapidamente a ordem pública".

Um discurso que não parece deixar grandes dúvidas sobre a apreciação que Xanana faz acerca do comportamento de quem só tem actuado a posteriori para conter os distúrbios. Com excepção da GNR, que parece ser o único contingente internacional que se atreve a entrar nos bairros onde vivem alguns dos jovens que têm apoiado as posições do major Alfredo Reinado, que conseguiu escapar ao cerco que os australianos lhe tinham montado em Same, a 80 quilómetros de Díli.

Como se isto não fosse suficiente, Camberra vai começar a retirar hoje alguns australianos e outros estrangeiros de Timor-Leste, temendo novos focos de violência. Nomeadamente os que poderão ocorrer amanhã, quando for conhecida a sentença que deverá condenar o ex-ministro do Interior Rogério Lobato por ter distribuído armas a civis durante a crise do ano passado.
Sem que Portugal adopte, para já, esta posição das autoridades australianas, com as quais o ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros esteve ontem em contacto, à margem de uma reunião da União Europeia.
Luís Amado adiantou ainda estar a acompanhar os acontecimentos com preocupação, considerando, no entanto, que a situação em Timor-Leste ainda está sob controlo. "Mas é tudo muito volátil", reconheceu o ministro, adiantando que a embaixada em Díli está preparada para ajudar os portugueses que quiserem abandonar o território timorense.
*Com Fernando de Sousa, em Bruxelas

EFE/Estadão (Brasil) - 06 de março de 2007, 02:35
Presidente do Timor assume controle das Forças Armadas
Forças Armadas usarão ´todos os meios necessários´ para deter rebelde, diz Gusmão

Díli - O presidente do Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmão, lançou mão nesta terça-feira, 6, de seus poderes de emergência para assumir o controle das Forças Armadas, que usarão "todos os meios necessários, inclusive a força" para deter o militar rebelde Alfredo Reinado.

Gusmão fez o anúncio na noite de segunda-feira, 5, depois de centenas de jovens partidários de Reinado se manifestarem diante da Embaixada da Austrália em Díli para exigir a retirada dos soldados australianos do Timor Leste. Trinta deles atacaram com paus, facções e pedras um café da capital.
A violência exigiu a intervenção da Polícia das Nações Unidas, que deteve três jovens, segundo o comandante do distrito, António Leitão. Assim, o presidente voltou a assumir os poderes de emergência a que já havia recorrido no ano passado para conter a onda de violência de Abril e Maio.
O primeiro-ministro, José Ramos Horta, disse aos manifestantes que uma retirada das forças australianas era um "sonho inútil". Ele ressaltou que estava disposto ao diálogo e a pedir a Gusmão que retirasse a ordem de detenção se Reinado se entregasse.
No entanto, Nino Pereira, porta-voz do Movimento de União Nacional para a Justiça (MUNJ), insistiu na saída dos soldados estrangeiros. Ele afirmou que o presidente não era seu comandante-em-chefe e portanto não tinha que obedecer a suas ordens.
Gusmão ordenou na semana passada às forças estrangeiras presentes no país a detenção imediata de Reinado. O ex-militar foi um dos 599 militares expulsos por insubordinação do Exército em Março de 2006.

EFE - 06 de Março de 2007, 06:38
Líder rebelde destrói casa de outra irmã do presidente do Timor

Díli - O comandante rebelde Alfredo Reinado destruiu hoje a casa de outra irmã do presidente do Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmão, em represália à ordem dada à força internacional para sua detenção.

Policiais da ONU e da Guarda Nacional Republicana chegaram ao local logo depois de saber da agressão à casa da deputada Armadina Gusmão e de seu marido, Gilman dos Santos, em Taibesi.
Na véspera, Reinado e seus homens haviam destruído a casa da irmã mais nova do líder, Manuela Gusmão, em Vila Verde.
"Chegou o momento de o presidente Xanana Gusmão e sua família receberem o que merecem como consequência da decisão de capturar o comandante Alfredo", declarou Quitiliano Nakrakat, de 26 anos, um dos seguidores do militar rebelde.
Quintiliano chamou Reinado de "herói" e condenou a operação militar de domingo que tentou de capturar o insurgente na localidade de Same, cerca de 80 quilómetros ao sul de Díli. A acção acabou com um saldo de cinco mortos, pelo menos quatro deles abatidos por tropas australianas.
"O presidente deve retirar a ordem de capturar o comandante Alfredo ou sua família viverá ameaçada", afirmou Quintiliano.
O líder mandou capturar Reinado depois de ele assaltar dois postos fronteiriços e roubar 25 armas de fogo.
"Se Xanana não tiver guarda-costas, morrerá. Ele traiu a população de Timor Leste e o comandante Alfredo", acrescentou o rebelde.
As eleições presidenciais no Timor Leste estão marcadas para 9 de Abril. Gusmão não concorrerá.
Reinado foi um dos 599 militares expulsos por insubordinação do Exército em Março do ano passado. Ele foi detido por posse ilegal de armas, mas fugiu em Agosto.

AAP - March 06, 2007 05:20pm
Reinado supporters threaten Gusmao family

Supporters of East Timor's rebel leader Alfredo Reinado have threatened to murder President Xanana Gusmao's family as punishment for asking Australian troops to hunt down the renegade major.
Australia today told its citizens to get out of East Timor and also moved to evacuate embassy staff and their families who wanted to leave.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson also said Canberra would review its troop deployment of 800 if widespread violence flared.
The homes of two of Gusmao's sisters have been attacked since Australian forces stormed Reinado's mountain stronghold on Sunday, killing five of his supporters, one of the women said today.
Reinado escaped and Australian troops continue to search for him in the countryside around the town of Same, south of Dili, where the raid took place.
The deadly assault by the Australians touched off street violence across Dili, but authorities said a relative calm had returned to the capital today.
However, there are fears of another outbreak of widespread violence, with Reinado supporters urging East Timorese to attend a "demonstration for justice" on Thursday.
Another trigger point could come tomorrow, when a court verdict is expected for former interior minister Rogerio Lobato, accused of going behind the Government's back to arm civilians loyal to Reinado last year.
Reinado is wanted for leading a band of breakaway soldiers last April and May, when battles between rival security factions degenerated into rampant violence across East Timor.
The unrest sparked the intervention of the international peacekeeping force, including 800 Australians given the job of preventing a repeat of the chaos.
The president's sister Armandina Gusmao today told how her family had been threatened with death and said her home, and that of her sister Manuela, had been attacked following the Australian raid on Reinado's base.
She said a pro-Reinado mob surrounded her home overnight, saying they would kill her president brother's family "to the third generation".
She said the mob hurled objects at her house and harassed her family for hours after earlier ransacking Manuela's Dili home.
"They took everything," Armandina Gusmao said of mob raid on her sister's property.
"The only reason they didn't burn it was because they wanted to steal the contents. It's just like Indonesian times," she said, referring to the violence that occurred during Jakarta's occupation of East Timor.
"What hurts me most is that Timorese are doing it."
Meanwhile, the tiny nation's oldest human rights group was warning of the potential for civil war today, stemming from the Australian troops' raid on Reinado's Same base.
Jose Luis Oliveira, of the HAK Foundation, said Gusmao had violated East Timor's constitution by calling on international troops to settle what was an internal affair, paving the way for an insurgency.
"The president gave the order and the Australian force implemented it, but it was the wrong decision," Oliveira said.
Australia had acted "as an instrument of the political elites of Timor," and "the barricades in the streets of Dili are a reaction" to that.
"The population supports Alfredo and is capable of prolonged resistance."
An international forces spokesman today said a fifth body was recovered from the site in Same where Australians stormed Reinado's base.
Families gathered at the main hospital in Dili, where the bodies of the other four men are reportedly being kept.
But Oliveira said relatives were distraught because officials were refusing to release the names of the dead men.
Mr Gusmao has warned of a security crackdown, saying: "The state will use legal mechanisms, including force if necessary, to halt violence, damage to private property, killings, and to re-establish general order as soon as possible."
Prime Minister John Howard today said a mix of military operations and local political will was required to bring the situation in East Timor under control.
"It's a reminder that this country is still fragile and still needs our help and still needs our investment of people and military and police capacity," Mr Howard said.

There are fears the latest unrest could derail presidential elections set down for April 9. Gusmao has said he will not seek re-election, and is believed to be forming his own political party to take a tilt at national elections due later in the year.

AKI - 6 March 2007, 11:02
East Timor: Rebels Threaten President's Family

Dili - The homes of President Xanana Gusmao's sisters have been attacked by protesters and rebels loyal to renegade Major Alfredo Alves Reinado in a sign of increased tension and polarisation among the country's population. In an interview with Adnkronos International

(AKI), Quintiliano Barros, 26, a supporter of Reinado, threatened to kill Gusmao whom he slammed as a traitor.
"It is time for President Gusmao and his family to receive what they deserve after Gusmao’s decision to capture Major Alfredo,” said Quintiliano, whose younger brother, Deolindo, was killed during the raid against Reinado on Sunday.
“President Gusmao has no choice but to withdraw his order to arrest Major Alfredo. If he does not do it, his family will live in danger and if he walks without bodyguards we will kill him,” she added stressing that the president is now considered a “traitor.”
President Gusmao, the undisputed hero of East Timor’s fight for independence against Indonesia, ordered the arrest of Major Reinado last week, after months of talks aimed at bringing the rebel back into the fold peacefully. On Sunday, a raid conducted by Australian troops left four people dead while Reinado escaped.
The raid was followed by riots in Dili, the tiny country's capital, where young people chanted “Long live Alfredo.”
On Tuesday, the house of the president's sister, Armandina, an MP, was severely damaged during a protest by supporters of Reinado. Reports in Dili say the situation did not degenerate further thanks to the intervention of the Portuguese contingent within the United Nations paramilitary police. The previous day, the president's younger sister Manuela's home was looted in the village of Vila Verde, on the outskirts of the city.
Gusmao enjoys a very large following in East Timor and the protests against his family risk further dividing the local population, bringing back the spectre of a civil war.
Reinado abandoned the army on 4 May 2006 to join approximately 600 former soldiers who had been dismissed two months before, after complaining of ethnic discrimination over promotions.
The sacking sparked nationwide clashes in a crisis that left 37 people dead, forced 155,000 to flee their homes, brought down the government of former prime minister Mari Alkatiri, and resulted in an Australia-led peacekeeping troops being deployed to the tiny Southeast Asian nation.
Reinado was arrested for his role in the violence and accused in connection with the murder of five people.
East Timor voted in a 1999 referendum for independence from Indonesia, which had annexed it after Portugal ended its colonial rule in 1975. The country became fully independent in 2002 after a period of United Nations administration.

ABC – Transcript ‘The World Today’ - Tuesday, 6 March , 2007 12:14:00
Travel warnings as East Timor violence continues
Reporter: Mark Willacy

ELIZABETH JACKSON: More countries are advising their nationals to stay clear of East Timor, because of the risk of violence.
New Zealand and Britain have become the latest governments to issue travel warnings, and have advised all non-essential staff already in the country to consider leaving.
The Australian Government yesterday authorised the voluntary departure of dependants and non-emergency embassy staff from Dili, after clashes involving rock-throwers and demonstrators who burnt tyres in the capital.
Some of the unrest is being blamed on supporters of the former army officer, Alfredo Reinado, who escaped capture by Australian troops on the weekend.
Mark Willacy is in Dili and he joins us now.
Mark, what's been happening this morning. Have there been any more clashes?
MARK WILLACY: No Elizabeth, what we understand is that there have been a few random checkpoints thrown up by armed youths. When I say armed, they're normally armed with just sticks and rocks.
Also, there's been a lot of tyre-burning on the streets, which has created this pall of smoke and fumes hanging over Dili and basically, it's forced many people to cover their faces to ward off the pollution, so that's caused an inconvenience to basically everyone.
But in terms of actual clashes or violence, most of that happened overnight.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Have there been any Australians leaving the country that you're aware of?
MARK WILLACY: We understand that there may have been a couple of Australians, who were over here either on business or other activities not associated with government activities, who have left. We understand that the first batch, which is family members of people working at the embassy, may be leaving later this afternoon or tonight, and that charter planes have been booked.
The embassy apparently has been speaking to staff there. It's informed them of what has been said by the Australian Government in relation to non-essential staff being allowed to leave.
People in the embassy are now making up their minds whether they want to stay or whether they want to go.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: How is the UN and the International Security Force coping with the situation there?
MARK WILLACY: Well, out on the streets this morning there are a lot more UN personnel out on the streets. We were just at the Australian Embassy. There was some UN personnel there, Pakistani UN soldiers protecting it. It was all quiet at the embassy. But there are certainly a lot of patrols of UN police out on the street.
But given that it's quiet, they are just cruising around the streets, looking for trouble, basically shooing away anyone who wants to set up a makeshift checkpoint or roadblock. And at this stage, that's all they're doing today.
Last night, we understand they were kept a little bit busy arresting several youths who were involved in throwing rocks at cars.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Now, the UN has said that it was going to extend its mission in East Timor by sending in more international peacekeepers. Is there any information Mark, about the arrival of those extra forces?
MARK WILLACY: Well, there are 1,550 UN forces here at the moment, but we understand that on the slate is another 140 troops and police from Portugal.
Now, there is no word from the UN on when they're due in. They've been due in, they were slated to come in some time for a while now, but they may be now rushed in to help with the security situation. But as I say, those 140 Portuguese troops and police were slated to come in before this happened. Now that the violence has flared, it could be that they will be rushed over here to help with operations.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Has East Timor's President declared a state of emergency to restore law and order? I know that was on the cards last night.
MARK WILLACY: Not yet. He did come on national television and told the nation that he was considering announcing or imposing a state of emergency if the violence continued or flared up even more.
We did see more violence overnight, but we haven't heard anything from the President, Xanana Gusmao, as yet about a state of emergency.
Obviously, that's a very serious turn of events. It would possibly mean curfews for the city of Dili at least. It would probably involve checkpoints of East Timorese security forces and probably international forces for that matter as well, and possibly martial law, we don't really know.
Obviously, the state of emergency, when it's called and just how severe or strict it is, is up to Xanana Gusmao and so far we haven't heard from him at all today.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Now, what of the whereabouts of Alfredo Reinado? Have there been any developments in the hunt for him?
MARK WILLACY: No, he's basically melted off into the thick jungle areas around Same, which is south of Dili. That was where he was holed out when the Australian troops came to get him.
He obviously slipped through the net there and has fled into rugged bushland, as I said. That is making it probably very difficult for the troops chasing him.
There's obviously helicopters up in the air and vehicle patrols, but they're probably relatively limited scope, because there is very little you can do if you can spot someone from the air, if you're lucky enough, from a helicopter, there's very little you can do about it.
But there are, we understand, foot patrols by Australian troops through that area. They are still searching for him, but he probably has the upper hand, given that he's got a greater knowledge of that area than the troops who are hunting him.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Now Mark, you mentioned earlier that things had been relative quite this morning, considering the circumstances. Are there fears that the security situation will deteriorate throughout the afternoon, or have those concerns been overstated, do you think?
MARK WILLACY: No, I was speaking to an Australian who is serving with the UN police force over here, and he was saying that the night is the time they dread the most.
It seems to be when the supporters of Reinado or the gangs seem to come out onto the street. But he's saying that they're starting to fear that there will be more daylight activity.
He said there were a couple of incidents late yesterday afternoon in daylight involving dozens of youths armed with stones, rocks and a couple with machetes.
So, there is certainly a feeling of great wariness here among the UN police staff, and they are certainly bracing themselves, you would say, for possible trouble later today, but also, as we've seen the last few nights, after the sun sets.
ELIZABETH JACKSON: Mark Willacy, thank you.
Our reporter, Mark Willacy, joining us from Dili.
ABC – Tuesday, March 6, 2007. 6:12pm (AEDT)
Australians arrive home from 'volatile' E Timor
Australian volunteers who were working in the East Timorese capital Dili have arrived at Darwin airport after being ordered home.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is advising Australians in East Timor to consider leaving because of the volatile security situation and the risk of civil unrest.
A volunteer with the Alola Foundation, Meridith Budge, says her office in Dili will be closed for the rest of the week because of the threat of violence.
"We're closing the office from Wednesday to Friday just because of a range of different things," she said.
"There's the Fretelin Congress, there's threats of the protest from the young people who were killed last week and demonstrations on the Rogerio Lobarto case, the outcome of that.
"Whether or not people see that, justice has been carried."
The Department of Foreign Affairs says people looking to leave East Timor should contact their airline directly but warns flights could be heavily booked and access to the airport may be disrupted.
The Department says the situation in East Timor could get worse without warning and notes there is an increasing likelihood that Australians could be targeted.
The Government has authorised the voluntary departure of non-emergency staff, and dependents from East Timor because of the violence.
The Department also strongly advises Australians outside of East Timor not to travel there.
'Help needed'
An Australian school principal in East Timor says the Australian Embassy has not done enough to help its citizens there.
The Principal of Dili International School, Lyndal Barrett, says she has not received any information from the Embassy apart from a warning on the Department of Foreign Affairs website.
She says she has not been given help in making travel arrangements and is preparing to flee the country for Darwin on a friend's yacht.
Ms Barrett says Australians have been targeted because of the campaign by Australian forces to capture rebel leader Alfredo Reinado.
"It hit home last night, my local cafe where I go for pizzas was stoned last night with all East Timorese standing out the front throwing rocks through the doors saying 'Aussies go home we hate you'," Ms Barrett said.

AAP – March 6, 2007 - 2:54PM
Aussies could be targeted in Timor: govt

Australians in East Timor could be targeted by supporters of fugitive rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer warned.

Australians were urged to leave East Timor as a massive man hunt continued for Reinado, after he escaped a raid by Australian troops on his hideout in Same, south of Dili, on Sunday.
The federal government is also evacuating East Timor Australian embassy staff and their families who want to leave as security in the fledgling nation deteriorates.
New violence and protests have erupted in Dili, including outside the Australian embassy, since Australian troops killed five of Reinado's armed supporters in Sunday's clash.
Australians in East Timor, and those who have fled to Darwin, said Australians were being targeted because of the role Australian troops had played.
"It hit home last night, my local cafe where I go for pizzas was stoned last night with all East Timorese standing out the front throwing rocks through the doors saying 'Aussies go home, we hate you'," the principal of Dili International School, Lyndal Barrett, told ABC radio.
Downer, speaking in Jakarta, said Australia was concerned about the instability in East Timor.
"In this environment, there are some disruptions, protests from strident political opponents of the East Timor government," he said. "Obviously people are entitled to protest so long as they do so peacefully ... (but) we have some concerns about the stability at the moment. We have recommended to Australians there that they leave. We think that Australians could be targeted by protesters and sympathisers of Major Reinado and we don't want them to get into harm's way. We are concerned about the situation and we are doing our best to calm it down."
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a fresh travel advisory for East Timor on Tuesday. "We advise Australians in East Timor to depart," it said.
Prime Minister John Howard echoed Downer's concerns.
"Those evacuations are precautionary, I don't hold deep fears but I do hold some concerns," he said in Canberra. "The security situation has got worse and Reinado and his followers are a threat to the peaceful situation and the stability of the country."
Howard said a mix of military operations and local political will was required to bring the situation in hand. "It's a reminder that this country is still fragile and still needs our help and still needs our investment of people and military and police capacity," he said.
Australia's Defence Minister Brendan Nelson again urged Reinado to hand himself in or face the Australian-led forces hunting him. "The operation where we have been asked to capture Major Reinado ... is proceeding," Nelson told reporters.
If widespread violence does flare in East Timor, Nelson said Australia would review its troop deployment, currently about 800.
"We review all of our deployments ... on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis depending on the circumstances on the ground," Nelson said.
Chief of the Defence Force Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston denied the unsuccessful attempt to capture Reinado was a failure. "The operation the other night was actually a success," he said. "We captured all of his equipment, we've taken out a number of his force and essentially he's lost total effectiveness."
Reinado is believed to be on foot somewhere in East Timor's southern highlands.
"He was very lucky to escape," Houston said. "It was a very high risk operation. It was a very challenging operation and it was conducted very professionally and very effectively."

AAP – Tuesday Mar 6 08:48 AEDT
NZ not pulling East Timor diplomats

New Zealand is not following Australia's lead in pulling out its non-essential diplomatic staff from troubled East Timor.
Timorese supporters of fugitive rebel leader Alfredo Reinado staged a violent demonstration in the capital Dili to protest an Australian-led raid on his hideout, which left four people dead on Saturday.
The protesters made particular threats against Australians, prompting authorisation for non-emergency Australian embassy staff to evacuate with their families.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Helen Tunnah said New Zealand was not in the same position as Australia.
Authorisation to leave had not been given to the embassy's three New Zealand citizen staff, she said.
However, security was under constant review for the 18 registered New Zealand citizens who were neither embassy staff nor defence forces.
Ms Tunnah said these people were a mixture of aid workers, non-governmental staff and others. They had already been advised not to travel anywhere within the country, which was upgraded to an "extreme risk" classification across all areas.
The ministry was advising anyone who felt unsafe to make immediate arrangements to leave the country, she said.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Tuesday, 6 March 2007, 12:18 pm
Timor-Leste Travel Advisory: Extreme Risk
Revised 6 March 2007

There is extreme risk to your security in all parts of Timor-Leste and we advise against all travel. The security situation remains extremely volatile and could deteriorate further with little warning. New Zealanders currently in Timor-Leste concerned for their safety should consider departing. New Zealanders seeking to depart Timor-Leste should contact their airline directly at the earliest opportunity. Flights may become heavily booked and access to the airport could be disrupted.
There is extreme risk to your security in the city of Same and the surrounding area and we advise against all travel there. The International Security Force and the UN Police in Timor-Leste are recommending that foreign nationals leave Same.
There has been an increase in violence, including looting, robbery, arson, assault and attacks on vehicles, since the beginning of February 2007. There has been an increase in the frequency and scale of disturbances, particularly around the IDP (internally displaced persons) camp in the airport vicinity. Extreme caution should be exercised around Comoro airport and the road to the airport as well as around the food storage sites. We recommend you avoid, as much as possible, the areas from Comoro to Fatuhada and Marconi as well as Pantai Kelapa. Disruptions to flights and airport operations could occur.
New Zealanders are advised to steer clear of protests, demonstrations and street rallies as they could turn violent with little warning. The election period in Timor-Leste, which begins with the Presidential elections on 9 April 2007, could lead to demonstrations and protests. Government buildings should be avoided and New Zealanders should also avoid all unnecessary travel, especially at night.
On 27 February 2007 Indonesia temporarily closed its border with Timor-Leste.
The Australian Government has advised that Australians and Australian interests may be specifically targeted and that all Australians should exercise extreme caution. We advise New Zealanders to do the same.
New Zealanders are advised to regularly monitor the media and local information sources to keep up to date on the security situation.
New Zealanders resident in Timor-Leste should have comprehensive medical and travel insurance policies that include provision for medical evacuation by air.
New Zealanders resident in or travelling to Timor-Leste are strongly urged to record their details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and to maintain regular contact with the New Zealand Embassy in Dili.
The New Zealand Embassy
Rua Alferes Duarte Arbiro,
Farol, Dili, Timor-Leste.
Telephone: +(670) 331 0087) Facsimile: +(670) 332 4982
Email: nzembassydili@gmail.com or chrisday220@gmail.com