Foreign forces blamed for allowing East Timor coup bid

Article from: The Adviser
CINDY WOCKNER, DILI, EAST TIMOR
February 13, 2008 12:25am

THE head of East Timor's defence forces has launched an extraordinary attack on international forces in Dili, questioning how they allowed gunmen to attack the country's democratic leaders.
Accusing the forces, which were yesterday bolstered by an extra 340 Australian military and police officers, of a "lack of capacity", Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak said he was shocked and surprised at the attempted assassinations.

Flanked by five of his senior officers, the brigadier was scathing of international forces and called for a thorough international investigation into the events of Monday morning, when President Jose Ramos Horta was shot and wounded and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao was also fired on.

In Australia, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd expressed his "great and profound shock" at the assassination attempts.

"I'm sure I speak for all honourable members, and for the Parliament, when we pass on behalf of this Parliament and this country our sense of shock and solidarity for our friends in Dili after this appalling attack on their democracy," he told Parliament. "(We) affirm to the Parliament and on behalf of the Government our resolve to stand by the democratically elected government of East Timor at this time of great duress and challenge."

Mr Gusmao's wife, Kirsty Sword Gusmao, last night told ABC TV that during the time between when Dr Ramos-Horta was shot and her husband's convoy was ambushed, armed men had surrounded their home.

"I got the children dressed as quickly as I could and had them lie under the bed," she said.
"I attempted to call Xanana at that point and got through to his driver but it was right at the time his vehicle was being ambushed so I was hardly able to get the message through that we were in peril," she said. Neither Mr Gusmao nor his family were hurt.

Brig Gen Ruak said that since 2006, in the presence of UN troops, there had been two major incidents and no one had a shred of intelligence on them.

"This is something that surprise me. I am also from a guerilla fighter (background). I am a non-professional but I see a lot of professionals here and even they never detected it is something that surprise me and also shock."

Asked if the 1600-strong force should leave, he said: "I don't tell them to leave. What they need to do is encourage themselves to set up the team and investigate. They are responsible and the team is responsible." Shortly after Brig Gen Ruak's comments yesterday, a charter flight arrived in Dili carrying Australian Federal Police officers. Another 120 soldiers were also due to arrive late yesterday as part of 340 extra Australian personnel sent to Dili in the wake of the latest violence.

Brig Gen Ruak demanded an investigation into the responsibilities of the forces in East Timor.

"There has been a lack of capacity shown by the international forces, who have primary responsibility for the security within Timor-Leste, to foresee, react and prevent these events," he said.

Even though it may have been possible, and highly recommended, there was no immediate operation undertaken to detain the personnel responsible for the attacks," he said.

Describing the problems as a "cancer in our body", Brig Gen Ruak said he had no problem with the number of troops now in Dili.

Asked if he was absolving the East Timorese military of all responsibility in what happened, he said: "I don't say that." But he told a packed press conference that five points needed to be highlighted.

The Timorese military, the F-FDTL, was responsible only for security within the perimeter of President Jose Ramos Horta's residence. He said the UNPOL and the PNTL (the East Timor police force) were the groups responsible for the President's personal security.

"Given the high number of international forces present in Timor-Leste, in particular within the capital, how is it possible that vehicles transporting armed people have entered the city and executed an approach to the residences of the President of The Republic and the Prime Minister without having been detected?" he asked.

He called for an immediate investigation.

"It is imperative that the respective inherent responsibilities of all security forces within Timor-Leste be determined."

During Monday's attack, rebel military officer Alfredo Reinardo was shot dead, as was another rebel.

One injured soldier was also still in hospital.

Brig. Ruak said 11 or 12 rebel gunmen were involved in the two attacks.

Brig Ruak said there was no point dwelling on the question of whether Alfredo Reinardo should have been arrested earlier.

"He is dead already and I hope the God will save him," he said, adding that regards were with his family.

His body remains in the morgue in Dili's hospital.