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Friday, 24 August 2007, 11:39 am
Press Release: Australian Defence Force
Defence Rejects Unfounded Timor Allegations
Defence rejects allegations reported by Rory Callinan in the online version of Time Australia magazine, relating to an incident in the village of Same (Timor Leste) on 4 March 2007.
The allegations are made by Alfredo Reinado, who is a fugitive from the Timorese criminal justice system and who has threatened the safety of Australian troops.
Defence spokesman, Brigadier Andrew Nikolic said Renaido’s allegations do not accurately reflect the events of 4 March 2007.
Brigadier Nikolic said the ADF has conducted a post operation investigation and it is clear that Australian personnel acted to defend themselves when shot at by armed members of Reinado’s group.
“In the early hours of 4 March 2007 during a confrontation with armed supporters of Alfredo Renaido, Australian soldiers acted in self defence and returned fire resulting in the deaths of five of Reinado’s men.”
Brigadier Nikolic said the Australian soldiers were operating under the lawful direction of the Timor-Leste Government in attempting to apprehend Reinado and his armed associates.
“In a second incident on 4 March 2007, Defence can confirm that a Timorese man, detained on suspicion of association with the Reinado group, escaped. Neither this man, nor any detainee, Timorese national, unidentified civilian or ADF person was injured or killed as a result of this incident.”
The Timor-Leste authorities, including the Public Prosecutions Service, have also reviewed the circumstances of these incidents and decided not to conduct further investigations.
ENDS
sexta-feira, agosto 24, 2007
Defence Rejects Unfounded Timor Allegations
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Defesa rejeita alegações não fundadas em Timor
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Sexta-feira, 24 Agosto 2007, 11:39 am
Comunicado de Imprensa: Força de Defesa Australiana
Defesa rejeita alegações não fundadas em Timor
A Defesa rejeita alegações relatadas por Rory Callinan na sua versão online da revista Time Austrália, que relata um incidente na vila de Same (Timor Leste) em 4 de Março 2007.
As alegações são feitas por Alfredo Reinado, que é um criminoso foragido do sistema de justiça Timorense e que tinha ameaçado a segurança das tropas Australianas.
O porta-voz da Defesa, Brigadeiro Andrew Nikolic disse que as alegações de Renaido não reflectem com exactidão os eventos de 4 de Março 2007.
O Brigadeiro Nikolic disse que a ADF conduziu uma investigação pós-operação e que é claro que o pessoal Australiano actuou em auto defesa quando disparou contra os membros armados do grupo de Reinado.
“Nas primeiras horas de 4 Março 2007 durante um confronto com apoiantes armados de Alfredo Renaido, soldados Australianos actuaram em auto defesa e devolveram o fogo do que resultaram as mortes de cinco dos homens de Reinado.”
O Brigadeiro Nikolic disse que os soldados Australianos estavam a operar sob a legítima direcção do governo de Timor-Leste a tentar capturar Reinado e os seus associados armados.
“Num segundo incidente em 4 de Março 2007, a Defesa pode confirmar que um homem Timorense , detido sob suspeita de associação com o grupo de Reinado, escapou. Nem este homem, nem nenhum dos detidos, nacionais Timorenses, civis não identificados ou pessoa da ADF foi ferido ou morto em resultado deste incidente.”
As autoridades de Timor-Leste, incluindo o Serviço do Procurador-Público, fizeram também a revisão das circunstâncias destes incidentes e decidiram não conduzir mais investigações.
FIM
O comunicado das Forcas Armadas da Australia diz que Alfredo Reinado "is a fugitive from the Timorese criminal justice system and who has threatened the safety of Australian troops." Nao ha novidade nesta afirmacao.
Uma grande falha no documento esta em nao informar os motivos pelos quais os australianos nao cumprem o mandato de captura emitido contra o ex-major. A ordem foi recentemente confirmada pela Justica, mas ele continua concedendo entrevistas e se encontrando com figuras publicas sem que nada lhe aconteca.
A denuncia tardia feita no comunicado somente pode ser explicada como retaliacao pelo fato de um protegido ter revelado uma parte dos metodos de repressao utilizados pelas tropas de ocupacao australianas. Outras demonstracoes de forca contra um povo desarmado ja vieram a publico, incluidos ataques contra acampamentos de deslocados em Dili, mas os detalhes sao novos e bastante reveladores.
As declaracoes do ex-major devem ser levadas a serio. Ele foi treinado em quarteis australianos e certamente conhece por dentro o pensamento expansionista da direita militar e civil que, em defesa dos seus interesses, conduzem uma politica externa agressiva.
Estas informacoes sao uteis para se avaliar ate onde poderao chegar os dirigentes da Australia, em termos de ocupacao e repressao, na sua tentativa de controlar recursos energeticos e posicoes estrategicas na regiao.
Tambem constituem um alerta aos colaboracionistas que criaram condicoes para esta nova ocupacao estrangeira. Quando se trata de garantir o controle sobre milhoes de dolares em gas e petroleo, para os dirigentes australianos a prioridade esta na defesa dos seus interesses. Nao ha amigos nem aliados eternos. Mais cedo ou mais tarde tambem estes podem parar na linha de fogo.
Dear Maukita Gagita,
I am very sorry to tell you it is true, it was not propaganda launched
by anyone. I was living in Timor Leste at the time, the ADF's behaviour
was disgraceful, they went into barios all over Dili, making statements
like this. I was constantly phoned for help because the ADF were
causing problems for people who were known to support Fretilin. In fact
I did a human rights report on the ADF. I also have accounts of them
telling people in the eastern districts to change their alliance in
2006. - I'm not a Fretilin member just interested in the truth.
As to Lu-Olo and Alkatiri taking part in calling for international
troops, when they were forced to send F-FDTL back to barracks by Xanana
and the police had deserted, they had little choice but to agree to
calling on outside help, which in my opinion was a grave mistake as
Australia had been waiting on the horizon to get a foot back into Timor
Leste.
Fact that the ADF did nothing to quell the violence, stood by and
watched houses burning and watched attacks on people until there were
many complaints on their behaviour, and the fact that by far the highest
number of IDP's are from the eastern region, which is perceived to be
where Fretilin has the largest support, though of course it has members
in many of the western districts speaks volumes. Some Fretilin
supporters from the western districts had there houses burnt as well.
Lidia Tindle
lidia.tindle@googlemail.com
Dave supports Tyneside East Timor Solidarity
See: tets.sdf-eu.org
East Timor: Fretilin says no to joining government as calm returns to capital
Dili, 24 August (AKI) - As a veneer of calm descends on East Timor
after Thursday's clashes, the political tension remains high.
In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI) Jose Texeira, an
MP with the largest party, Fretilin, said that his party will not
accept prime minister Xanana Gusmao's invitation to join his government.
"Fretilin will not join the government. That is for sure," he said.
"We still consider the current government unconstitutional and we
will have no part in it."
The daily Timor Post quoted Gusmao as saying "there will be Fretilin
people sitting in the government cabinet."
The paper also cited deputy prime minister Jose Luis Guterres as
saying "I know that the prime minister has sent several letters to a
Fretilin leader to ask whether several party members can come into
this government."
Guterres is a former Fretilin member, who led a group of defectors
into Gusmao's camp prior to the election.
The alleged overture is widely seen as a gesture to appease Fretilin,
who won the largest share of the vote in the June polls but was left
out of government after president Jose Ramos-Horta decided to appoint
Fretilin rival Gusmao as premier.
Gusmao leads a coalition of four minority parties that controls 37 of
the 65 seats in parliament.
Gusmao's appointment has been labelled as unconstitutional by
Fretilin, which had also said to be willing to lead a government of
national unity
Fretilin secretary general, Mari Alkatiri, has stated that
Ramos-Horta should have allowed Fretilin to form a minority
government and then let parliament decide whether to accept its programme.
Ramos-Horta refused on the ground that it would have led to more instability.
If a government's programme is voted down twice by MPs, the
president is left with little option but to dissolve the parliament
and call for a new vote.
Gusmao's appointment has also led to sporadic clashes between
supporters of the two fronts.
Clashes were reported in several parts of the country on Thursday
and two people have been confirmed dead.
Sources in Dili however reported the situation was calmer on Friday
at least in the capital, where international peacekeepers and UN
police are patrolling the territory.
The UN enhanced its peacekeeping and policing roles in the country
last year after clashes broadly between ethnic groups from the east
and west of the country killed at least 37 people and forced 150,000
others to flee their homes.
Fretilin lately gained the lion share of its vote in the three
eastern districts, where it is now seen as the defender of easterners' rights.
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