[Kabar-indonesia] Timor Rebel Leader Criticises Peace Force

[Joyo at aol.com]

Sydney Morning Herald
Monday, October 9, 2006

Timor rebel leader criticises peace force

by Lindsay Murdoch in Darwin

ALFREDO REINADO, the East Timorese army rebel who escaped from a Dili jail 
in August, has lashed out at Australian and other international troops and 
police, accusing them of failing to confiscate scores of illegal weapons in the 
hands of militants.

The Herald has learnt that a report by the United Nations inquiry into the 
violence in East Timor in April was completed on Saturday and lists pages and 
pages of weapons that remain unaccounted for.

The report, by a three-member panel of UN experts, also names up to 100 
people, including senior political and security force figures, in scathing findings 
that recommend some should face criminal charges.

Speaking by telephone from a secret location, Reinado said he agreed with the 
report's finding that many weapons have not been recovered after the 
country's 3200-strong police force disintegrated amid violence.

"It's true. There are still many weapons out there," Reinado said. "People 
are hiding out [with weapons]; some people have been killed by them but the 
international forces have done nothing to stop them."

Breaking weeks of silence, Reinado accused the international forces of 
failing to confiscate the weapons, and of standing by as criminals committed 
offences and gangs rampaged in the capital, Dili.

"The international forces should concentrate on these things and not be 
concerned with me," he said. "The question is did they honestly come here to help 
the country or did they just come here to spend their time spending 
international money?"

Reinado - a major in the armed forces - trained in Australia. He became the 
most wanted man in East Timor after leading a mass escape from jail on August 
30.

Appearing to taunt those hunting him, Reinado said he was still celebrating 
the West Coast Eagles AFL premiership, although he declined to say where he was 
hiding. "Say hello to West Coast for me," he said.

Reinado said he was willing to abide by the findings of the UN inquiry that 
investigated a gun battle he was involved in on Dili's outskirts in May.

"Everybody must comply. I'm ready for that," Reinado said. [But] I don't 
think any blame will be put on me."

Security forces in Dili are on high alert in the lead-up to the imminent 
release of the UN report, which some people fear could spark new violence.

Observers in Dili describe the political situation in the capital as highly 
volatile.

More than 70,000 people are still living in refugee camps in the city, too 
afraid to return to their homes.

The ruling Fretilin party has issued a statement accusing a former guerilla 
fighter, Vicente Railos da Conceicao, of terrorising people in a village near 
Dili on September 29.

Claims by Mr da Conceicao in early June that he was asked to set up a 
so-called hit squad to eliminate opponents of the then prime minister, Mari Alkatiri, 
forced Mr Alkatiri's resignation.

Quoting a statement by Felix da Costa, the administrator of Maubara district 
30 kilometres west of Dili, Fretilin said Mr da Conceicao forced his way into 
Mr da Costa's house and accused Mr da Costa and other officials of 
distributing weapons with the aim of killing him and rebel soldiers.

Fretilin said Mr da Conceicao allegedly hit Mr da Costa's wife on the head 
with his pistol before saying he would return to rape her and burn the house.

Fretilin said in its statement that Mr da Conceicao threatened that a new 
wave of violence would begin and continue for at least 10 months unless Mr 
Alkatiri is punished.

According to the signed statement, Mr da Conceicao had said: "You can 
complain to your ministers. I am not afraid because I have the No. 1 behind me and I 
have the local police in my hands."

------------------------------------------
Joyo Indonesia News Service
------------------------------------------