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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 DILI 000299 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS 
NSC FOR HOLLY MORROW 
USUN FOR GORDON OLSON AND RICHARD MCCURRY 
USPACOM FOR JOC AND POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  6/7/2016 
TAGS: PGOV MOPS ASEC PHUM UN KPKO CASC PO MY TT AS
SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR SITREP FOR JUNE 7, 2006 
 
REF: A) DILI 296 
 
DILI 00000299  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Grover Joseph Rees, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy 
Dili, Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary. 
-       Demonstrators return to their districts; 
-       UN envoy Ian Martin departs Dili; 
-       International police force update; 
-       Readout on Ramos-Horta's meetings with dissident leaders; 
-       Australian and New Zealand Defense Ministers visit; 
-       Parliament's continues to function with a bare quorum; 
-       Lobato's new address; 
-       Internally displaced persons; 
-       Security. 
End Summary. 
 
Demonstrators return to their districts 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶2. (U) Following yesterday's demonstration, it was originally 
reported that the dozens of trucks carrying around 1500 
anti-Alkatiri demonstrators from western districts would camp 
out in or near Tasitolu, a western suburbs of Dili.  However, 
Embassy received information today that the convoy preceded out 
of town and returned directly to the demonstrators' home 
districts.  Emboffs traveled to the western suburbs of Dili and 
found no sign that any of the demonstrators had stayed behind. 
 
¶3. (C) The head of the Democratic Party (PD), Fernando "Lasama" 
de Araujo, who is currently residing in the western district of 
Suai (his house in Dili was burnt down a couple of weeks ago), 
held a press conference today in Dili.  Lasama set forth demands 
almost identical to those delivered to the President yesterday 
by Major Tara and the demonstrators, including the dismissal of 
Prime Minister Alkatiri, dissolution of Parliament, and 
elections in the near future.  See Ref A.  In a conversation 
with Embassy staff after the press conference, Lasama stated 
that despite the identical platforms PD was not involved in 
organizing yesterday's demonstration.  He explained that the PD 
coordinator from Maliana district was involved in the 
demonstration as a "people's representative," not as a party 
member.  However, we have heard from several sources that PD is 
more directly involved in the anti-Alkatiri mobilization than 
Lasama admits.  Lasama told Emboff he is working on gathering 
evidence to prove that the Prime Minister authorized the 
distribution of weapons to civilians.  He stated that some of 
the recipients of these weapons have already spoken out and 
stated that the physical distribution of the weapons was 
orchestrated by Border Patrol Unit (BPU) Commander Antonio da 
Cruz. 
 
UN envoy Ian Martin departs Dili 
--------------------------- 
¶4. (U) In a press conference after the meeting, UN Secretary 
General Kofi Annan's special envoy Ian Martin promised that the 
"UN will not abandon East Timor" in the middle of this current 
crisis.  He refrained from conveying his specific proposals for 
a follow-on UN mission, but did stated that the next mission 
will have to be more robust and include a significant policing 
contingent.  Martin had made similar remarks at a briefing for 
the Dili diplomatic corps.  He said a new UN mission would 
probably not include peacekeeping forces but that he thought 
there was substantial support not only for renewed UN police 
training but also for a UN-mandated police force with 
operational responsibility.  Other areas in which he believed a 
mission might focus were the upcoming national elections and the 
judicial system. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Martin also told the diplomats that there is a 
consensus within the Government of East Timor (GOET) --- 
including not only President Gusmao and Foreign/Defense Minister 
Ramos Horta, but also Prime Minister Alkatiri --- that there 
 
DILI 00000299  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
should be an "independent international commission of 
investigation" into the violent acts committed during the last 
few weeks, particularly on April 28 and May 25.  He said such a 
commission could find facts and provide its conclusions to the 
national legal system which could then take any appropriate 
legal action.  A member of Mr. Martin's team reported to EmbOff 
that the proposed investigative commission would  be similar to 
the recent UN Commission of Experts that assessed mechanisms for 
investigating the serious crimes committed in 1999.  It would 
consist of 2 or 3 commissioners who would have a 90-day mandate 
to investigate, using additional staff and forensics experts, to 
produce a final, conclusive report on the events in question, 
with particular emphasis on the allegations of abuses by 
Timorese security forces. 
 
International police update 
------------------------------- 
¶6. (SBU) Poloff, USDR and RSO today visited the Australian 
Federal Police (AFP) headquarters in Dili.  The AFP conducted 
joint patrols today with the Australian Defense Force (ADF) 
soldiers to establish a presence in the capital.  In the coming 
days, AFP officers will become the primary security force 
visible on the ground and ADF patrols will be scaled back. The 
visiting Australian Defense Minister reportedly indicated today 
that the AFP officers intend to remain in East Timor as long as 
necessary. 
 
¶7. (C) When asked about their relationship with the Portuguese 
paramilitary police (GNR), the AFP officers stated that they had 
no interaction with their Portuguese counterparts and were 
leaving the liaison challenge to the ADF.  30 AFP investigators 
arrived yesterday and will begin their formal investigation into 
the May 25 incident in which FDTL soldiers fired on unarmed PNTL 
being escorted by UNPOLs, killing ten.  Preliminary information 
on the incident has been gathered during the last week by AFP's 
intelligence officers, who will now hand their information over 
to the investigation team. The Australian Embassy reports that 
the AFP investigation team is waiting for a formal letter from 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs authorizing the group to 
formally conduct the investigation.  The JTF stated that this 
letter is expected by tomorrow. 
 
¶8. (C) A Malaysian Defense Force (MDF) representative reported 
that a five-member advance team from the Malaysian Royal Police 
is now in Dili and will depart on June 9.  A contingent of up to 
250 Malaysian riot control police is due to arrive on or about 
June 16.  The MDF representative stated that these police 
officers would be integrated into the JTF and would coordinate 
closely with their Australian counterparts.  (Note:  If 250 
Malaysian police do arrive, they will represent the largest 
police contingent in country by far.  Current numbers for other 
contingents are approximately 110 Australian Federal Police and 
120 members of the Portuguese Republican National Guard.) 
 
Readout on Ramos-Horta's meetings with dissident leaders 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
------------ 
¶9. (SBU) Foreign and Defense Minister Jose Ramos-Horta traveled 
to Ermera and Maubisse on June 5 and 6 respectively to meet with 
dissident military leaders.  SRSG Hasegawa and other UN 
officials joined these trips as observers.  On June 5 
Ramos-Horta met with dissident FDTL majors Augusto Tara and 
Marcos Tilman, as well as former Falintil guerrilla "Dudu" in 
Gleno, Ermera district.  According to a UN source who 
accompanied Ramos-Horta and SRSG Hasegawa to the meeting, 
Ramos-Horta's attempts to gain the dissidents' cooperation fell 
mostly on deaf ears.  Ramos-Horta's goal was to convince them to 
suspend plans to mobilize people in the districts to stage 
anti-Alkatiri demonstrations and to re-engage them in the 
prospect of dialogue between dissident military, government 
representatives, the President, and Church representatives. 
 
¶10. (C) According to the UN source, Major Tara did all the 
talking and expressed little faith in dialogue with anyone in 
 
DILI 00000299  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
the government or present FDTL structure.  He also stated that 
he would not suspend his plans to organize demonstrations in 
Dili.  (The promised demonstration materialized on the following 
day.  See Ref A.)  However, the meeting appears to have 
strengthened lines of communication.  Arrangements for the 
peaceful and orderly conduct of yesterday's demonstrations were 
reportedly worked out between Ramos-Horta and Tara while the 
demonstrators' convoy waited on the edge of town. 
 
¶11. (C) Ramos-Horta then traveled to Maubisse on June 6 to meet 
with Major Alfredo Reinado, who leads the group of dissident 
military police who left their posts on May 3.  Ramos-Horta 
appealed to Reinado to agree to a dialogue designed to 
de-escalate current tensions.  According to UN observers, 
Reinado expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue 
involving Ramos-Horta, the Church, and President Gusmao, but 
stated that he would not talk with "those colonels" (presumably 
implying Colonels Lere and Falur).  Our UN source noted that 
Ramos-Horta also had a lengthy one-on-one discussion with 
Reinado before the formal meeting, the contents of which he has 
not shared. 
 
Australian and New Zealand Defense Ministers visit 
--------------------------------------------- ----------------- 
¶12. (U) The Defense Ministers of Australia and New Zealand 
visited Dili together today and met with President Gusmao, Prime 
Minister Alkatiri, Foreign/Defense Minister Ramos-Horta, and UN 
officials.  The two defense ministers also visited their 
national contingents and held internal discussions concerning 
next steps for the JTF.  During a brief press encounter the 
ministers stated that their national forces will remain in East 
Timor as long as they are needed to ensure stability and 
security.  The two men asked the Timorese people to refrain from 
further violence during the difficult reconciliation and 
investigation process that lies ahead. 
 
Parliament's continues to function with the minimal number of 
MPs necessary. 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (SBU) Plenary sessions of Parliament are not held on 
Wednesdays, but an EmbOff visit to Parliament did reveal that 
Committee A, whose jurisdiction includes constitutional issues, 
was doing a preliminary review of the draft electoral law that 
was sent to Parliament by the Council of Ministers just before 
violence broke out on April 28.  EmbOff spoke with two 
opposition MPs who said that they did not feel there was any 
physical threat to themselves by Fretilin MPs or party 
militants.  Meanwhile, other opposition members have reported 
receiving threats verbally and via SMS and do not yet feel it is 
safe for them to return to Parliament. 
 
Lobato's new address 
------------------------- 
¶14. (SBU) Malaysian Defense Force sources report that former 
Minister of Interior and newly-designated Vice President of 
Fretilin, Rogerio Lobato, is currently residing with the Prime 
Minister at his residence in the upscale Farol area of Dili. 
There had been reports prior to Lobato's resignation that he was 
under quasi-house arrest at Alkatiri's house because Alkatiri no 
longer trusted him. 
 
Internally Displaced Persons 
----------------------------------- 
¶15. (U) UNHCR officials continue to make preparations to open 
two new internally displaced persons (IDP) camps to receive IDPs 
from overcrowded existing camps.  Local NGOs have begun working 
on a "socialization campaign" in the camps to respond to the 
concerns of IDPs who remain afraid to move from their current 
location.  In particular, many IDPs have resisted moving from 
church-run sites to other sites because they believe attacks on 
churches and other church-run facilities to be less likely than 
attacks on other locations. UNHCR representatives have contacted 
 
DILI 00000299  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
the JTF command to discuss establishing clearer communications 
between the two entities so that response time to any possible 
attacks on or threats against IDP camps (even though such 
threats have become less frequent in the past few days) is 
minimized. 
 
¶16. (SBU) The Ministry of Labor and Solidarity, Arsenio Bano, 
and UN agencies briefed the diplomatic community and NGOs on the 
immediate humanitarian needs and the UN's "Flash Appeal" for 
donor assistance.  Minister Bano did not seem to be aware of the 
flash appeal, which will ask for up to $14 million.  Donors were 
particularly careful to emphasize that the relief effort would 
be led by GOET rather than by UN agencies.  The Minister shared 
a document from the Crisis Cabinet, a GOET working group led by 
the Prime Minister, which outlined the most basic needs for 
caring for people in the IDP camps and preparing for IDPs to 
return to their homes. 
 
Security 
 
¶17. (SBU) EmbOffs and international aid workers continue to have 
access to all areas of the capital necessary to carry out 
diplomatic work and to address the IDP crisis.  The few 
checkpoints maintained by international forces do not hinder 
movement.  A reduced number of arson attacks continue, but only 
in the most disfranchised and historically violent 
neighborhoods.  Several grocery stores and restaurants have 
reopened and the streets are significantly livelier than during 
previous days.  However, looting of unattended stores, offices, 
and homes continues to be a problem in various locations around 
the city. 
 
¶18. (C) JTF forces report that no firearms were found in 
yesterday's search operation in the Comoro area, see Ref A, but 
that significant numbers of knives and machetes were seized. 
JTF forces are still searching for specific gang leaders who 
were not located in yesterday's raid. 
 
¶19. (SBU) One American citizen returned from evacuation today, 
raising the number of AmCits to 57. 
REES