The Age, May 30, 2006
Timor's rebels start to surrender
By Tom Allard, Dili
[PHOTO: Australian troops stand on a troop carrier in Dili yesterday, overseeing a
crowd collecting rice from a warehouse. The capital grew calmer yesterday, as the
death toll over the past week stood at 27. Picture: AP]
AUSTRALIAN forces have detained and disarmed more than 130 rebel police and
military personnel after negotiations that involved senior Australian military leaders
and East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao.
The breakthrough was the first positive news after days of bloodshed and anarchy in
the East Timorese capital, especially as it was accompanied by an agreement from
military and police loyal to the country's embattled Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri, to
remain in their barracks.
But the situation remains extremely tense and violence could erupt again, particularly
as marathon crisis talks between Mr Gusmao and Mr Alkatiri failed to reach a
resolution yesterday.
Talks will continue this week and senior East Timorese Government sources said Mr
Alkatiri's job appears safe for now.
However, The Age believes that Mr Gusmao and other senior East Timorese political
and community leaders still want the Prime Minister to stand down.
The current thinking is that more effort should be made to disarm the feuding wings of
the country's security services before considering the PM's future, and allow
Australian, Malaysian, New Zealand and Portuguese forces to restore order and cool
ethnic rivalries.
"Nothing will happen at the moment, but something may happen in a few weeks," a
source who was at yesterday's talks told The Age when asked about Mr Alkatiri's
future.
Even Fretilin hardliners — Mr Alkatiri's power base — want him to go, but the famously
stubborn Mr Alkatiri is refusing to budge.
Mr Gusmao yesterday made his first public appearance since Dili's descent into
mayhem, telling chanting supporters outside his offices, where the talks were being
held, to return home.
Looking much healthier than earlier reports suggested, the revered figurehead of East
Timor's independence struggle told the crowd: "You guys have to go back home to
look after one another, east and west must be together in the villages. All of you
together, if you see someone burning houses, tell them to stop."
Brigadier Mick Slater, Australia's military commander, said Mr Gusmao had been
instrumental in the surprise decision of the rebels, most of whom were police, to give
up their weapons.
By mid-afternoon yesterday, he said 130 had surrendered and handed over about 250
rifles, shotguns and grenades. Military sources said more had given themselves up
late yesterday.
They were being guarded by Australian troops at Dili's airport, the main base for the
2500-strong international force now deployed in Dili.
Brigadier Slater was upbeat there would be more surrenders.
"We have been in contact with the (rebel) soldiers with Major (Alfredo) Reinado and
they expressed a willingness to co-operate fully with us," he said. "If they haven't
handed in their weapons yet, I expect that to happen soon."
While Dili was more peaceful yesterday, there was chaos at food stores. At some
sites, gangs and militias threatened those lining up as Australian soldiers struggled to
restore order. There were also long and sometimes angry queues at petrol stations,
which have been closed since Wednesday.
There were also sporadic clashes between gangs of youths. Four gang members were
detained by Australian forces, but they were then released as required under the
military's rules of engagement.
While there is widespread support for Mr Alkatiri's removal — he is blamed for the
young country's deep economic malaise — Mr Gusmao is doing everything to get his
agreement to stand down, rather than force the issue through a complex and lengthy
constitutional process.
To compel Mr Alkatiri to leave, Mr Gusmao would have to declare a state of
emergency, dissolve Parliament and then take control of the Government.
Copyright © 2006. The Age Company Ltd.
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