EAST TIMOR: I WILL NOT BE DISARMED SAYS HIGH-RANKING REBEL
Dili, 5 Dec. (AKI) - Renegade East Timor soldier Major Alfredo Reinado says that no one will disarm him. Met by Adnkronos International (AKI) at a ceremony he attended in Ainaro district, about 113 kilometers south of Dili, last Saturday, Reinado reiterated his intention to face justice, one day.
"It is not necessary to arrest me. I am Major Alfredo Reinado, I am a gentleman and I will return to Dili to face justice," he said. "However, nobody will disarm me, not even our president, Xanana Gusmao, or our prime minister, Jose Ramon-Horta,” added Reinado, who said that he is still a member of the military police since nobody has sacked him.
Major Alfredo Reinado is tiny southeast Asian nation's highest ranking deserter. He abandoned the army on 4 May 2006 to join approximately 600 former soldiers who had been sacked in March 2006 after complaining of ethnic discrimination over promotions. Their dismissal started the East Timor crisis. Arrested for his role in the violence, Major Reinado is still at large after having escaped from prison on 30 August.
"The weapons I have – continued the rebel soldier – belong only to the people of East Timor and I am now defending their interests."
Major Reinado said he should not be considered the only "guilty party" for the disorder that began in East Timor in May.
"I should not be considered the only suspect. Former prime minister Mari Alkatiri and former defence minister Roque Rodrigues should also face the tribunals," said Reinado.
Alkatiri and Rodrigues are among those suspected to have armed a civilian militia for political ends.
In the meantime, arresting Major Reinado has turned into a political issue in Dili with ramifications that involve also the international forces currently present in the former Portuguese colony.
Deputy UN envoy to East Timor, Major General Erick Huck Gim Tan, has recently stated that Reinado "will one day be brought to account for his actions. That is the view of UNMIT [United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste] and it has not changed."
Yet, the Australian forces, the largest contingent of peacekeepers landed in the country to restore order after the May riots, have said that they are not making any effort to arrest.
Ramon-Horta has said he wishes the "Reinado issue" to be solved peacefully.
"If it can be solved through peaceful means, I would prefer that, even if it takes months," Ramon-Horta told AKI, when approached last Friday. "But this does not mean that Reinado will not face justice," he added.
Interior minister Alcino Barris stressed that "There is a letter from the tribunal to arrest Reinado and the Timorese police will arrest him one day. This is our promise to the people of East Timor," he told Adnkronos International (AKI).
"We can not do that now – he continued - because Reinado declared clearly to the public that he will be back to face a legal process or justice. So we have to be patient. It is better for us to solve the problem without bloodshed."
Yet, House Speaker, Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres, has urged the government to arrest Reinado, before the country’s next election in May. "If not, Major Reinado and his group will intimidate Fretilin’s political leaders during the campaign and the vote," he told AKI.
Headed by Alkatiri, Fretilin is the country’s largest party.
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quarta-feira, dezembro 06, 2006
Alfredo Reinado e PR Xanana Gusmão juntos na cerimónia em Ainaro, Sádado passado
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Alfredo Reinado e PR Xanana Gusmão juntos na cerimónia em Ainaro, Sábado passado
TIMOR-LESTE: NÃO SEREI DESARMADO DIZ AMOTINADO GRADUADO
Dili, 5 Dezembro. (AKI) – O soldado desertor de Timor-Leste Major Alfredo Reinado diz que ninguém o desarmará. Encontrado por Adnkronos International (AKI) numa cerimónia no distrito Ainaro a cerca de 113 quilómetros sa sul de Dili, no Sábado passado, Reinado reiterou a sua intenção de enfrentar a justiça, um dia.
"Não é necessário prenderam-me. Eu sou o Major Alfredo Reinado, eu sou um senhor e eu regressarei a Dili para enfrentar a justiça," disse. "Contudo, ninguém me desarmará, nem mesmo o nosso presidente, Xanana Gusmão, ou o nosso primeiro-ministro, José Ramos-Horta,” acrescentou, que disse que ainda é um membro da polícia militar visto que ninguém o despediu.
O Major Alfredo Reinado é o desertor de mais alta patente da pequena nação do sudeste Asiático. Abandonou as forças armadas em 4 de Maio de 2006 para se juntar a cerca de 600 antigos soldados que tinham sido despedidos em Março de 2006 depois de se queixarem de discriminação étnica sobre promoções. O seu despedimento começou a crise de Timor-Leste. Detido por causa do seu papel na violência, o Major Reinado continua ao largo depois de ter fugido da prisão em 30 de Agosto.
"As armas que tenho – continuou o soldado amotinado – pertencem somente ao povo de Timor-Leste e eu agora estou a defender os interesses deles."
O Major Reinado disse que não deve ser considerado a única “parte culpada" pela desordem que começou em Timor-Leste em Maio.
"Não devo ser considerado o único suspeito. O antigo primeiro-ministro Mari Alkatiri e o antigo ministro da defesa Roque Rodrigues devem também enfrentar os tribunais," disse Reinado.
Alkatiri e Rodrigues estão entre os suspeitos de terem armado uma milícia civil para fins políticos.
Entretanto, prender o Major Reinado transformou-se numa questão política em Dili com ramificações que envolvem também as forças internacionais correntemente presentes na antiga colónia Portuguesa.
O Vice-enviado da ONU em Timor-Leste, Major General Erick Huck Gim Tan, declarou recentemente que Reinado "será um dia trazido à responsabilidade pelas suas acções. Esta é a visão da UNMIT [Missão Integrada da ONU em Timor-Leste] e não mudou."
Contudo, as forças Australianas, o maior contingente de tropas que aterrou no país para restaurar a ordem depois dos motins de Maio, disseram que não estão a fazer qualquer esforço para o prender.
Ramos-Horta tem dito que deseja que a “questão Reinado” se resolve pacificamente.
"Se se puder resolver através de meios pacíficos, preferiria isso, mesmo se demorar meses," disse Ramos-Horta ao AKI, quando o confrontámos na última Sexta-feira. "Mas isso não significa que Reinado não enfrente a justiça," acrescentou.
O ministro do Interior Alcino Barris sublinhou que "Há uma carta do tribunal para prender Reinado e a polícia Timorense prendê-lo-á um dia. Esta é a nossa promessa ao povo de Timor-Leste," disse ao Adnkronos International (AKI).
"Não o podemos fazer agora –continuou – porque Reinado declarou claramente ao público que regressará para enfrentar um processo legal ou a justiça. Por isso temos de ser pacientes. É melhor para nós resolvermos o problema sem derramamento de sangue."
Contudo, o Presidente do Parlamento Nacional, Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres, urgiu que o governo prenda Reinado, antes das próximas eleições do país em Maio. "Se não, o Major Reinado e o seu grupo intimidarão os líderes políticos da Fretilin durante a campanha e o voto," disse ao AKI.
Liderada por Alkatiri, a Fretilin é o maior partido do país.
Reinado will not be arrested yet until he can no longer implicatpeople at very high levels in his desertion and crimes. Reinado did not act either alone nor with his own initiative. He became a conveniet tool for many, including the international community whose interests it was in to caused instability by interfering with the F-FDTL. There is more than ample proof of this.
The ease with which he moves from place to place and the confidence with which he acted was in keeping with being assured that powerful interests or powerful freinds supported him and would run to his rescue. They did this when he was arrested in Dili for illegal possession of weapons. The manouverings at the very highest levels and involving foreign embassies was so heavy that Alfredo mushave felt he had impunity. Noone however counted on the independence of the Portuguese GNR Police. In the long run however he did turn out to have impunity when he escaped after international forces stood by and waved him by.
The UN has made it clear that as the police in the country that they will arrest him. Alfredo is being aided and abetted by some people including catholic clergymen. If Alfredo begins to move around the country side seemingly with freedom, then I believe the UN will act. But if he moves outside cities and towns then he may have to dealt with by the F-FDTL. One cannot allow a heavily armed criminal to move around causing public alarm and apprehension. He must ne arrested.
I believe Alfredo will be the subject of some policing efforts if not military efforts in the days to come. It is clear that the Timorese leadership, including the President and Prime Minister are becoming embarrassed by this idiot cowboy.
Tomorrow commemorates the anniversary of the Indonesian Invasion of Timor in 1975.....and the liberators of the nation will be recognised. The joy for many Timorese is that Alfredo is not amongst these heroes of the nation's liberation. Not even railos or tara or others will be so recognised, whereas there is great anticipation that Brig Gen Ruak and Col Lere and Falur and others will be recognised for their heroism in the struggle.
Tomorrow all Timorese will be faced with the starkness between the liberators and the heroes of Timorese independence and those who of late have tried to destroy those hard earnt gains (Reinado and others of his ilk).
It will be an ideal time for Pres Gusmao and PM Horta to rehabiliate their deserved reputations as defenders of the nation that is Timor-Leste and have this criminal arrested or at least announce the operation to arrest him if he does not surrender. Timor-Leste future depends on how its leaders will act from hereon in. Timorrow will be such a day.
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