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RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 2003

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DILI 000306 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, DS, CA 
PACOM FOR POLAD AND JOC 
USUN FOR GORDON OLSON AND RICHARD MCCURRY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  6/13/2016 
TAGS: PGOV MOPS ASEC PHUM KPKO CASC PO MY TT AS
SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR SITREP FOR JUNE 13, 2006 
 
REF: A) DILI 300; B) DILI 303; C) DILI 304; D) STATE 95226 
 
DILI 00000306  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: Grover Joseph Rees, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy 
Dili, Department of State. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: 
Pro-Alkatiri armed group reported in Los Palos; 
Ramos-Horta casts doubt on whether UN investigation would 
include "Fretilin Security Forces"; 
Fretilin National Planning Committee may meet to discuss current 
crisis; 
Opposition MPs walk out of Parliament in protest of a Fretilin 
resolution; 
GOET announces wage increases for civil service and increased 
expenditures; 
Security environment. 
End Summary. 
 
Pro-Alkatiri armed group reported in Los Palos 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Credible reports from Los Palos, the largest town in the 
easternmost part of East Timor, indicate that a group of about 
15 men armed with rifles has been patrolling the streets.  These 
reports say the group consists of Fretilin militants who support 
Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.  Some reports suggest the group 
may be trying to discourage participation in a Dili 
demonstration reportedly being organized by anti-Alkatiri 
activists from the West who are actively seeking support from 
like-minded eastern residents.  See Ref A.  According to a 
source in the office of President Xanana Gusmao, leaders of the 
armed forces (FDTL) have confirmed the presence of this group in 
Los Palos and have volunteered to go to Los Palos ostensibly to 
control the group.  The President has reportedly recommended to 
Foreign/Defense Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, however, that an 
appeal instead be made to the Australian-led international 
forces. 
 
Ramos-Horta casts doubt on whether UN investigation would 
include "Fretilin Security Forces" 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) In his speech yesterday to Parliament, and during various 
other public statements and encounters with foreign diplomats, 
Foreign/Defense Minister  Ramos-Horta has  stated that the UN 
Special Commission of Inquiry requested by the Government of 
East Timor (GOET) was intended to investigate, among other 
things, accusations that Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri had given 
orders to arm Fretilin militants to kill certain critics of the 
Government.  See Ref B.  During an interview with ABC 
Australia's "Lateline" program, however, Ramos-Horta stated that 
"on these particular allegations, President Xanana himself is 
the first authority that has to look at them and if he finds 
grounds for further investigation, then he will order further 
investigation." This statement, which appears to conflict with 
Ramos-Horta's other statements on the question, may have been 
intended merely to show deference to the President, or perhaps 
to avoid the possibility that the UN investigation, which could 
take months, might have the unintended consequence of delaying 
actions that might otherwise be possible within East Timor's 
constitutional framework.  On the other hand, the remarks could 
mean that Ramos-Horta has encountered resistance from within 
GOET to his initial suggestion that the allegations against 
Alkatiri would be within the scope of the proposed 
investigation. 
 
¶4. (C) Comment:  It is tempting to suggest that the upcoming 
UNSC resolution extending the United Nations Office in 
Timor-Leste (UNOTIL) for another 30 days include language that 
explicitly authorizes an investigation into the allegations that 
Alkatiri and/or then-Minister of the Interior Rogerio Lobato 
armed the "Fretilin Security Force" and ordered its members to 
kill people.  The more prudent course, however, might be to 
 
DILI 00000306  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
settle for language such as that set forth in Ref D, authorizing 
an investigation into the violence committed on April 28-29 and 
May 23-25 (or perhaps just "since April 28, 2006.")  Because the 
alleged "Fretilin Security Force" headed by the man who calls 
himself Railos claims to have been involved in the gun battle at 
Tasitolu and Tibar on May 23 --- indeed, it appears that four of 
the group's members were killed in the battle --- an 
investigation into these killings would clearly include inquiry 
into what the group was doing in Tasitolu.  Attempting to 
include an explicit reference to this question in the UNSC 
resolution might appear to be a gratuitous attempt to embarrass 
the Prime Minister and might generate objections from one or 
more Security Council members.  Embassy respectfully suggests, 
however, that the USG consider communicating to the appropriate 
UN personnel our understanding that a mandate to investigate the 
violence that occurred on the specified dates does include 
inquiry into who, if anyone, armed the various participants 
and/or ordered them to participate in the events in question. 
End comment. 
 
Fretilin National Planning Committee set to meet to discuss 
current crisis 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
------------- 
 
¶5. (C) During a meeting today with EmbOffs, Filomeno Cruz, a 
member of the Fretilin Central Committee (CCF) and of the 
newly-established Fretilin National Planning Committee (CNP), 
said he is concerned about recently revealed allegations that 
the Prime Minister authorized the establishment of Fretilin 
death squads and on the general future of the party and its 
leadership.  (Note: The 15-member CNP, referred to by Alkatiri 
critics and apparently by some of his supporters as "the 
Politburo," was established during the recent Fretilin Party 
Congress to act as an executive authority for the party between 
bi-annual CCF meetings.)  Long a devout Alkatiri supporter, Cruz 
was clearly shaken by the recent allegations and indicated that 
frank discussions would need to take place in the near future to 
discuss these armed groups, which the Prime Minister has 
privately assured Cruz he did not authorize.  In addition to the 
issue of armed civilians, Cruz indicated that several top 
Fretilin leaders felt it was necessary for the CCF and the CNP 
to insist that control over the party's policies be broadened to 
a wider group, rather than continuing to be the exclusive domain 
of the Prime Minister.  When asked how the issue of secret armed 
groups should be approached, Cruz suggested that an internal 
Fretilin investigation should be conducted.  (Comment: Despite 
his assurances that he and other Fretilin members would get to 
the bottom of these allegations, Cruz also indicated during the 
conversation that he and other individuals close to the Prime 
Minister had heard of the Railos group and of another armed 
group before the information was broadcast by Australian media. 
So he appears to be disturbed not by the group's existence but 
by the fact that it has been made public, and/or possibly by 
details of the group's alleged mandate of which he was 
previously unaware. End comment.) 
 
Opposition MPs walk out of Parliament in protest of a Fretilin 
resolution 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Five Fretilin MPs introduced a resolution in Parliament 
today that purported to call for an end to violence in East 
Timor, but that upon closer analysis turned out to consist 
almost exclusively of condemnations of specific acts of violence 
allegedly committed against Fretilin and its members, and which 
reportedly suggested that the recent violence has been directed 
primarily against Fretilin.  When opposition party members of 
Parliament suggested that the resolution be broadened to include 
some of the numerous well-known instances of violence against 
non-Fretilin persons and institutions, the sponsors reportedly 
ignored these suggestions. Almost all the opposition members 
present then left the chamber, and the resolution was passed by 
a vote of 43 in favor, one opposed, and two abstentions.  The 46 
 
DILI 00000306  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
members present for the vote, out of a total of 88, were one 
more than the quorum necessary to conduct Parliamentary business. 
 
GOET announces wage increases for civil service and increased 
expenditures 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) The GOET announced Monday that it plans to raise public 
sector salaries by up to 20 percent after an increase to the 
state budget which will also address the need to rebuild the 
areas of Dili most affected by recent violence.  Foreign 
Minister Ramos-Horta stated that approximately 15,000 civil 
servants would receive salary raises of between 15 and 20 
percent, while a few Government employees in remote areas might 
see their income increase by as much as 50 percent.  This would 
represent the first increase in public sector wages since 
independence.  Possibly in response to accusations that the 
Alkatiri government has done little to improve the situation of 
people in remote areas, a portion of the budget, which was 
increased from USD 220 million to USD 300 million, would be 
directed toward providing running water, electricity, and basic 
sanitation in the districts. 
 
Security environment 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) The Australian Defense Force (ADF) reports that last 
night at 2300 hours three houses burned near the Santana river. 
At 0300 hours three shots were heard near Comoro market.  As 
during other periods, local residents reported somewhat higher 
levels of arson, gunshots, and other violence than those 
included in the ADF report.  The ADF also reports recovering two 
pistols, four pistol magazines, one homemade incendiary, three 
slingshots, ten darts, and one machete in the past 24 hours. 
None of these disturbances were targeted toward Americans or 
other foreigners. 
REES