Tuesday, June 20, 2006
PM Mari Alkatiri rejects Railos 'hit squad' allegations
REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA DE TIMOR-LESTE
GABINETE DO PRIMEIRO-MINISTRO
PRESS RELEASE
Alkatiri rejects Railos 'hit squad' allegations
Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Mari Alkatiri, today totally rejected allegations by Commander Vicente Railos made on RTTL TV the previous day, that he had armed Railos and asked him to kill oppositionists as well as opponents inside FRETILIN, and that delegates to the FRETILIN Congress had been given arms to kill opponents before the 2007 elections. The Prime Minister presented his response to journalists from RTTL just before noon at the Government Palace.
He also rejected Commander Railos' opening political statement on the TV news, that the Prime Minister symbolised foreign ideas that would divide and destroy the country. “This kind of statement has been used against me ever since I became Prime Minister in May 2002,” he said, condemning Railos for appearing armed, with other armed men, in the uniform of the Police Reserve Unit (URP), and for attacking the headquarters of the national army (F-FDTL) on May 24.
Railos offers to disarm
During questioning, the Prime Minister reported that Railos had telephoned him this morning, to say he wanted to hand in his guns to President Xanana Gusmão. “I told him to give his weapons to the police or the Australian army, and asked him not to be used by people who want to destroy FRETILIN,” said Mr. Alkatiri. “I took his call because he is a FRETILIN member and because a lack of communication is behind many of our problems”.
The Prime Minister said he spoke to Railos two or three times during the 3-day FRETILIN Congress, and certainly never told him to form an armed group. “I myself have called for independent, international investigations of all these incidents and allegations,” he said. “Police have interrogated FRETILIN Congress delegates from Maliana about the alleged arms they received, and nothing was found”.
The Prime Minister put the Railos allegations into the context of previous failed efforts to smear his name with the aim of forcing the resignation of his government. He noted the alleged bribe from the oil company ConnocoPhilips, which could not be substantiated in court, or the misleading statements in 2005 that he was against religion., and this year, the allegations that he was the cause of the trouble with the petitioning soldiers. “They were calling for my resignation before the F-FDTL was deployed after the violence on April 28. They don't want to highlight the attack by Major Reinado on the army and the home of Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak on May 23, or his attack on the F-FDTL HQ the next day. They only focus on what can damage the Prime Minister,” concluded Mr. Alkatiri.
Dili, June 20, 2006
For further information please contact the Media Advisor:
Miguel Sarmento/Rui Flores — Tel. +670 723 01 40 ou rui.flores@gmail.com
Peter Murphy — Tel. + 61 418 312 301
Efrem dos Anjos — Tel. + 670 728 2076
GABINETE DO PRIMEIRO-MINISTRO
PRESS RELEASE
Alkatiri rejects Railos 'hit squad' allegations
Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Mari Alkatiri, today totally rejected allegations by Commander Vicente Railos made on RTTL TV the previous day, that he had armed Railos and asked him to kill oppositionists as well as opponents inside FRETILIN, and that delegates to the FRETILIN Congress had been given arms to kill opponents before the 2007 elections. The Prime Minister presented his response to journalists from RTTL just before noon at the Government Palace.
He also rejected Commander Railos' opening political statement on the TV news, that the Prime Minister symbolised foreign ideas that would divide and destroy the country. “This kind of statement has been used against me ever since I became Prime Minister in May 2002,” he said, condemning Railos for appearing armed, with other armed men, in the uniform of the Police Reserve Unit (URP), and for attacking the headquarters of the national army (F-FDTL) on May 24.
Railos offers to disarm
During questioning, the Prime Minister reported that Railos had telephoned him this morning, to say he wanted to hand in his guns to President Xanana Gusmão. “I told him to give his weapons to the police or the Australian army, and asked him not to be used by people who want to destroy FRETILIN,” said Mr. Alkatiri. “I took his call because he is a FRETILIN member and because a lack of communication is behind many of our problems”.
The Prime Minister said he spoke to Railos two or three times during the 3-day FRETILIN Congress, and certainly never told him to form an armed group. “I myself have called for independent, international investigations of all these incidents and allegations,” he said. “Police have interrogated FRETILIN Congress delegates from Maliana about the alleged arms they received, and nothing was found”.
The Prime Minister put the Railos allegations into the context of previous failed efforts to smear his name with the aim of forcing the resignation of his government. He noted the alleged bribe from the oil company ConnocoPhilips, which could not be substantiated in court, or the misleading statements in 2005 that he was against religion., and this year, the allegations that he was the cause of the trouble with the petitioning soldiers. “They were calling for my resignation before the F-FDTL was deployed after the violence on April 28. They don't want to highlight the attack by Major Reinado on the army and the home of Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak on May 23, or his attack on the F-FDTL HQ the next day. They only focus on what can damage the Prime Minister,” concluded Mr. Alkatiri.
Dili, June 20, 2006
For further information please contact the Media Advisor:
Miguel Sarmento/Rui Flores — Tel. +670 723 01 40 ou rui.flores@gmail.com
Peter Murphy — Tel. + 61 418 312 301
Efrem dos Anjos — Tel. + 670 728 2076
