Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DILI243
2006-05-19 11:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dili
Cable title:
EAST TIMOR SITREP FOR MAY 19, 2006
how-toVZCZCXRO0624 OO RUEHCHI RUEHNH RUEHPB DE RUEHDT #0243/01 1391111 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O P 191111Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY DILI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2543 INFO RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0421 RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE RUEHXX/GENEVA IO MISSIONS COLLECTIVE RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0478 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 0405 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0259 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0273 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0344 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0145 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 1864
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DILI 000243
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS; USPACOM FOR JOC AND POLAD; JOINT STAFF FOR J5
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/18/2016
TAGS: ASEC PGOV MARR KDEM TT
SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR SITREP FOR MAY 19, 2006
DILI 00000243 001.2 OF 002
CLASSIFIED BY: Sean Stein, Charge de Affairs, Embassy Dili,
State.
REASON: 1.4 (b)
LIFE IN DILI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DILI 000243
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS; USPACOM FOR JOC AND POLAD; JOINT STAFF FOR J5
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/18/2016
TAGS: ASEC PGOV MARR KDEM TT
SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR SITREP FOR MAY 19, 2006
DILI 00000243 001.2 OF 002
CLASSIFIED BY: Sean Stein, Charge de Affairs, Embassy Dili,
State.
REASON: 1.4 (b)
LIFE IN DILI
1. (U) The city continues to return to normal and there were
several reports of additional refugees returning to Dili
Transportation was functioning normally; schools and markets
were open. Despite a heavy security presence, restaurants in
the immediate area around the party congress were open. There
were 60 empty seats on outgoing flights.
ALKATIRI WINS FRETILIN ELECTION UNOPPOSED
2. (U) After informally announcing he would not run for Fretilin
Party Secretary-General last night, the absence of Jose Luis
Guterres (aka Lugu) and his closest supporters from the Fretilin
Party Congress this morning was a clear indication that Prime
Minister Alkatiri would be reelected unopposed. In an official
press conference at noon, Lugu stated that he was withdrawing
from the race for Secretary-General in protest of the lack of
transparency and democratic principles at the congress.
3. (SBU) The official nomination speech for Alkatiri was
delivered by none other than Minister of the Interior Rogerio
Lobato. Dressed entirely in white, the former diamond smuggler
praised the Central Committee for its "exemplary transparency"
and noted that the congress had been observed by opposition
parties and internationals. Lobato smugly announced the number
of delegates supporting Alkatiri's nomination from each
district, claiming that the signatures had been obtained through
political savvy rather than strong-arm tactics. In total,
Alkatiri's nomination was supported by 88% of the delegates.
4. (U) Speaking to the delegates before the vote, Alkatiri
criticized Guterres for not attending the final day of the
congress and accused him of attempting to buy votes and ignoring
the will of the people. However, in his victory speech, he
acknowledged Guterres as a founding member of Fretilin and
appealed for party unity in the 2007 election campaign.
Alkatiri asked that the issue of voting by secret ballot be
revisited and, in a third and final poll, the decision to vote
by a show of hands was readopted with near unanimity. In the
official vote for Secretary General, out of the 566 delegates
present, 555 voted for Alkatiri, 5 voted against, and 11
delegates abstained. The poll was immediately followed by
cheers of "Viva Alkatiri!" from the crowd.
FRETILIN CONGRESS SHENANIGANS RENDER PRESIDENT "SICK"
5. (C) The Charge, along with the British and New Zealand
Ambassadors, had a joint demarche with President Gusmao
scheduled for Thursday, and subsequently for Friday. Both days,
the President canceled and remained in his hillside home
claiming to be "sick". The President's Chief of Staff indicated
to the British and New Zealand Ambassadors that the President
was distraught about the way the voting rules had been changed
during the Fretilin Congress and about the recent fractioning of
the security forces and breakdown in the military command
structure. Independence Day celebrations scheduled to take
place at the Presidential Palace today were also postponed.
Note: The President's actions mirror previous periods during
which the President has become recluse and unwilling to act out
of depression about the current situation. End Note.
EMBASSY CONFIRMS PETITIONERS GATHERING IN GLENO
6. (SBU) In a telcon with EmbOff, Major Alfredo Reinado
confirmed that a large number of the petitioners are currently
gathered in Gleno. He was unaware of any actions they may be
preparing. During a meeting with senior police officials, the
Charge was informed that all police officials in the Aileu area,
where Major Reinado and his fellow AWOL military police officers
are living, have been informed to cooperate with Reinado and his
group.
RUMORS DEBUNKED
7. (SBU) Rumors of FDTL soldiers, armed and dressed in civilian
clothes, patrolling in the neighborhoods of senior GOET
DILI 00000243 002.2 OF 002
officials appear to be false. During a meeting with police
officials, EmbOff was informed that the police guarding the
homes of these officials have neither observed nor received
credible reports of any such patrols by civilians.
8. (SBU) The rumor of PNTL officers doling out large numbers of
weapons to civilians is also not credible. Today, EmbOff
personally reviewed the stocks of weapons at the PNTL armory and
confirmed that there are no weapons missing.
STEIN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS; USPACOM FOR JOC AND POLAD; JOINT STAFF FOR J5
E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/18/2016
TAGS: ASEC PGOV MARR KDEM TT
SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR SITREP FOR MAY 19, 2006
DILI 00000243 001.2 OF 002
CLASSIFIED BY: Sean Stein, Charge de Affairs, Embassy Dili,
State.
REASON: 1.4 (b)
LIFE IN DILI
1. (U) The city continues to return to normal and there were
several reports of additional refugees returning to Dili
Transportation was functioning normally; schools and markets
were open. Despite a heavy security presence, restaurants in
the immediate area around the party congress were open. There
were 60 empty seats on outgoing flights.
ALKATIRI WINS FRETILIN ELECTION UNOPPOSED
2. (U) After informally announcing he would not run for Fretilin
Party Secretary-General last night, the absence of Jose Luis
Guterres (aka Lugu) and his closest supporters from the Fretilin
Party Congress this morning was a clear indication that Prime
Minister Alkatiri would be reelected unopposed. In an official
press conference at noon, Lugu stated that he was withdrawing
from the race for Secretary-General in protest of the lack of
transparency and democratic principles at the congress.
3. (SBU) The official nomination speech for Alkatiri was
delivered by none other than Minister of the Interior Rogerio
Lobato. Dressed entirely in white, the former diamond smuggler
praised the Central Committee for its "exemplary transparency"
and noted that the congress had been observed by opposition
parties and internationals. Lobato smugly announced the number
of delegates supporting Alkatiri's nomination from each
district, claiming that the signatures had been obtained through
political savvy rather than strong-arm tactics. In total,
Alkatiri's nomination was supported by 88% of the delegates.
4. (U) Speaking to the delegates before the vote, Alkatiri
criticized Guterres for not attending the final day of the
congress and accused him of attempting to buy votes and ignoring
the will of the people. However, in his victory speech, he
acknowledged Guterres as a founding member of Fretilin and
appealed for party unity in the 2007 election campaign.
Alkatiri asked that the issue of voting by secret ballot be
revisited and, in a third and final poll, the decision to vote
by a show of hands was readopted with near unanimity. In the
official vote for Secretary General, out of the 566 delegates
present, 555 voted for Alkatiri, 5 voted against, and 11
delegates abstained. The poll was immediately followed by
cheers of "Viva Alkatiri!" from the crowd.
FRETILIN CONGRESS SHENANIGANS RENDER PRESIDENT "SICK"
5. (C) The Charge, along with the British and New Zealand
Ambassadors, had a joint demarche with President Gusmao
scheduled for Thursday, and subsequently for Friday. Both days,
the President canceled and remained in his hillside home
claiming to be "sick". The President's Chief of Staff indicated
to the British and New Zealand Ambassadors that the President
was distraught about the way the voting rules had been changed
during the Fretilin Congress and about the recent fractioning of
the security forces and breakdown in the military command
structure. Independence Day celebrations scheduled to take
place at the Presidential Palace today were also postponed.
Note: The President's actions mirror previous periods during
which the President has become recluse and unwilling to act out
of depression about the current situation. End Note.
EMBASSY CONFIRMS PETITIONERS GATHERING IN GLENO
6. (SBU) In a telcon with EmbOff, Major Alfredo Reinado
confirmed that a large number of the petitioners are currently
gathered in Gleno. He was unaware of any actions they may be
preparing. During a meeting with senior police officials, the
Charge was informed that all police officials in the Aileu area,
where Major Reinado and his fellow AWOL military police officers
are living, have been informed to cooperate with Reinado and his
group.
RUMORS DEBUNKED
7. (SBU) Rumors of FDTL soldiers, armed and dressed in civilian
clothes, patrolling in the neighborhoods of senior GOET
DILI 00000243 002.2 OF 002
officials appear to be false. During a meeting with police
officials, EmbOff was informed that the police guarding the
homes of these officials have neither observed nor received
credible reports of any such patrols by civilians.
8. (SBU) The rumor of PNTL officers doling out large numbers of
weapons to civilians is also not credible. Today, EmbOff
personally reviewed the stocks of weapons at the PNTL armory and
confirmed that there are no weapons missing.
STEIN