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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0385
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RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 1821

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DILI 000219 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS 
NSC FOR HOLLY MORROW 
PACOM FOR JOC, POLAD, J5 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  5/8/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ASEC MARR TT
SUBJECT: ALKATIRI, RAMOS-HORTA EXPRESS OPTIMISM, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL 
AFRAID 
 
REF: A) DILI 184 B) DILI 194; C) Dili 213; D) Dili 217 
 
DILI 00000219  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Grover Joseph Rees, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy 
Dili, Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Grover Joseph Rees, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy 
Dili, Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
(1) (SBU) Summary:  Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri reiterated 
today his previous statements that "life is returning to normal" 
in East Timor, notwithstanding an attack yesterday on a cabinet 
member's motorcade that left one police officer dead.   Alkatiri 
implicitly acknowledged the possibility that conditions could 
degenerate to a point where the President might have to exercise 
his constitutional authority to dismiss the Prime Minister, but 
he denied that the current situation would justify such an 
action and insisted that the situation would continue to 
improve.  The Prime Minister's public statements about the 
ex-military "petitioners" in Ermera and about the group of 
dissident military and police officers in Aileu were less 
conciliatory than some of his previous statements:  he warned 
these groups "to continue not to use guns" and suggested that 
the groups had been infiltrated by elements trying to cause a 
"constitutional coup d'etat."  In a private meeting Alkatiri 
stated that "we are trying to avoid civil war," but he expressed 
confidence that his Government would be successful in this 
effort.  Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta expressed similar upbeat 
sentiments in a briefing to the Dili diplomatic corps, but he 
conceded that the killing of the police officer yesterday might 
cause some Government of East Timor (GOET) leaders to become 
impatient with the GOET's current policy of restraint toward 
anti-government groups.  Ramos-Horta also took some Embassies 
and UN personnel to task for inadvertently giving credence to 
what he regards as false rumors, including reports that elements 
the military (FDTL) killed many more people than officially 
acknowledged on the weekend of April 28-30. Both Alkatiri and 
Ramos-Horta, as well as Minister of the Interior Rogerio Lobato, 
emphatically denied reports that the Fretilin Party Congress 
scheduled for May 17-20 would be postponed. Meanwhile, people 
continued to leave Dili and to express distrust of the 
Government and fears that violence could recur. End Summary. 
 
 
Alkatiri says "life is returning to normal", but warns of a 
"constitutional coup d'etat" 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
----------------------- 
(2) (U) Prime Minister Alkatiri, in a press conference and 
subsequent press release today (Tuesday, May 8), reiterated his 
earlier statements that "life is returning to normal" in East 
Timor.   Many observers were surprised at this optimistic 
assessment, in light of the attack yesterday on a cabinet 
member's motorcade that left one police officer dead and several 
others wounded.  Alkatiri pointed out that government offices 
are operating and that "the State is performing all its 
functions." 
 
(3) (U) Alkatiri also observed that the Government has taken a 
restrained attitude toward two anti-government groups that have 
fled to the mountains --- the ex-FDTL "petitioners" led by 
Lieutenant Gastao Salsinha and the group of dissident FDTL and 
police (PNTL) members led by Major Alfredo Reinado.  He pointed 
out that during the incident in Gleno, see Ref D, police 
officers did not shoot at the angry crowd.  (Note:  It now 
appears that the PNTL officers did fire warning shots.  Embassy 
will report Septel more details of the Gleno incident.) 
 
(4) (C) There were signs today, however, that Alkatiri's 
position toward the anti-government groups is becoming less 
tolerant than it was a day or two ago.  He urged Army and PNTL 
members whom he characterized as having "joined the petitioners" 
to "continue not using guns."  He alluded to unspecified persons 
 
DILI 00000219  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
who had "entered the 'petitioners' group and are making 
political and anti-democratic claims."  In an apparent reference 
to the President's constitutional authority to dismiss the Prime 
Minister in certain specified circumstances, Alkatiri accused 
unspecified opponents of "an attempt of a constitutional coup 
d'etat, with the aim of blocking the democratic institutions, 
preventing them to function in a way that the only solution 
would be for National Parliament to be dissolved by the 
President of the Republic, which would provoke the fall of the 
Government."  (Note:  In fact article 112 of the Constitution 
gives the President the power to dismiss the Prime Minister --- 
not to dissolve the Parliament as suggested by Alkatiri --- when 
it is "necessary to ensure the regular functioning of the 
democratic institutions.") 
 
(5) (C) In a private meeting with a foreign diplomat today, 
Alkatiri was even more blunt.  He said his Government "is trying 
to avoid civil war."  He added that he thought Government 
security forces could succeed in this effort and did not need 
international assistance. 
 
 
Ramos-Horta:  situation fragile but "this leadership will 
continue" 
--------------------------------------------- -------------------- 
 
(6) (U) Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta, who returned yesterday 
from his trip to New York to attend UN Security Council 
discussions on East Timor, gave a briefing today for the Dili 
diplomatic corps.  His assessment was in the same upbeat spirit 
as Alkatiri's.  Ramos-Horta told the assembled Ambassadors that 
"the situation is fragile, our democracy is fragile" but pointed 
out that new democracies often experience periods of unrest, 
praised the Government commission that has been established to 
deal with the complaints of discrimination and maladministration 
in FDTL raised by the  petitioners (see Reftels), and concluded 
that "this leadership, that has been leading the struggle for 24 
years in far more difficult circumstances, will continue in the 
same spirit."  He added that "we will acknowledge that some of 
the problems are from a failure of leadership," conceding that 
the Government should have acted much sooner to address the 
petitioners' complaints. 
 
(7) (C) In response to a question about whether the killing of a 
police officer might harden the Government's position against 
anti-Government protestors --- until yesterday, all those killed 
appear to have been rioters, demonstrators, or bystanders --- 
Ramos-Horta conceded that "there could be a reaction from some 
segments of the police" and that even some senior GOET officials 
might "become impatient with the Government's policy of 
restraint."  But he said Prime Minister Alkatiri had assured him 
that "the order remains to use defensive means, such as tear 
gas" against unruly protestors, not lethal force. 
 
(8) (C) Ramos-Horta was critical of unspecified Embassies and UN 
personnel in East Timor whom he said had given undue credence to 
false rumors.  He acknowledged that international missions need 
to inquire about things they hear, but suggested that these 
missions need to be more careful to avoid inadvertently giving 
credence to the rumors.  He mentioned in particular the reports 
that "more than five people were killed" on the weekend of April 
28-29, for which he said "there is not a shred of evidence."  He 
noted that the Government has appointed yet another commission 
to look into the allegations of mass killings by FDTL members 
(see Ref C), and added that "if this government commission isn't 
good enough, I invite the relevant UN Rapporteurs --- for 
instance, on Summary and Arbitrary Execution --- to come 
investigate.  And if these rumors turn out to be true, I will be 
the first one to condemn what happened and to insist that 
appropriate action be taken."  Nevertheless, Ramos-Horta 
appeared to have been embarrassed by reports circulating in New 
York of the as-yet-unsubstantiated killings.  (Comment: As set 
forth in Reftels, there is a widespread belief in East Timor, 
among usually well-informed observers as well as among ordinary 
people, that substantially more than five people were killed on 
 
DILI 00000219  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
the weekend of April 28-29 and that at least some of these 
deaths were the result of revenge killings ordered by FDTL 
assistant commander Colonel Lere.  Emboffs have not yet spoken 
with anyone who claims to have been an eyewitness to these 
killings, but has received detailed second-and-third-hand 
accounts.  Embassy will continue to research this issue and 
report Septel.) 
 
(9) (U) Both Alkatiri and Ramos-Horta gave assurances today that 
the Fretilin Party Congress scheduled for May 17-20 would go 
forward as planned.  An Embassy source also indicated that 
Minister of the Interior Rogerio Lobato had told her "yes, it 
has to happen." 
 
(10)(C) Comment:  The relentless optimism of Government leaders 
is in sharp contrast to the assessments given by ordinary 
Timorese, particularly those who are asked to explain why they 
and their families are taking refuge outside Dili when there has 
been no violence reported in Dili for over a week.  They are 
often vague about specific threats, although it is clear that 
many people regard significant elements of the military and at 
least some elements in the PNTL as potential aggressors rather 
than protectors.  The most frequent refrain is that the 
Government cannot be trusted and/or is incapable of solving the 
problems and must be replaced.   Fortunately, the Government's 
best strategy for self-preservation --- no further unnecessary 
or excessive displays of force, more reassuring and conciliatory 
public statements, and whatever else is necessary to prevent the 
situation from degenerating to the point where dismissal of the 
Government would be "necessary to ensure the regular functioning 
of the democratic institutions" --- is also the best strategy 
for avoidance of further bloodshed and a gradual return to 
genuinely normal life in East Timor.  End Comment. 
REES