Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DILI121
2008-04-25 10:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dili
how-toVZCZCXRO1447 OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHHM DE RUEHDT #0121 1161005 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 251005Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY DILI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3973 INFO RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1063 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE 1174 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 0031 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON IMMEDIATE 0943 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 0860 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON IMMEDIATE 1042 RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 3415
C O N F I D E N T I A L DILI 000121
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MTS
PACOM FOR POLADS - CHRISTY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/25/2018
TAGS: PGOV ASEC TT
SUBJECT: SALSINHA REPORTEDLY SURRENDERS
CLASSIFIED BY: Henry M. Rector, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S.
Embassy Dili, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L DILI 000121
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MTS
PACOM FOR POLADS - CHRISTY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/25/2018
TAGS: PGOV ASEC TT
SUBJECT: SALSINHA REPORTEDLY SURRENDERS
CLASSIFIED BY: Henry M. Rector, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S.
Embassy Dili, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (SBU) On the morning of Friday, April 25 Lieutenant Gastao
Salsinha, surviving leader of the perpetrators of the February
11 assassination attempts against Timor-Leste President
Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, reportedly turned
himself into authorities in the village of Lauana, Ermera
District. Details remain sketchy, and it is unclear whether he
turned himself in to police, armed forces, or the President's
representatives. The surrender was facilitated by members of
the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD),an NGO that has been
advising the GOTL on this problem, and Presidential Advisor Alex
Tilman. Speaker of Parliament Fernando "Lasama" de Araujo has
reportedly been engaged in an intensive dialogue with Salsinha
over the past several days, and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao
recently stipulated that Salsinha must be taken alive in order
to account for his actions, including an explanation of backing
he may have received from Timorese and/or foreign sources.
2. (SBU) According to a CHD staffer, Salsinha will remain in
Ermera to help arrange the surrender of seven of his followers
still at large. Salsinha will be brought to Dili on April 28.
The commander of Timor-Leste's armed forces, Brigadier Taur
Matan Ruak, roughly confirmed the above in an April 25 meeting
with Ambassador, although some of the details differed and the
end of the stalemate was described in aspirational rather than
definite terms.
3. (C) Comment. Assuming this does not somehow unravel in the
coming days, Salsinha's reported surrender brings to a close a
traumatic episode that has complicated the GOTL's efforts to
resolve other pressing issues such as resettlement of the
internally displaced persons (IDPs) and reaching an accord with
the ex-military petitioners. His surrender may have a positive
impact on the latter problem in particular, since Salsinha and
his late former leader Major Alfredo Reinado had styled
themselves as advocates for the petitioners. However, some
important aspects of the situation remain to be addressed,
obviously including the GOTL's approach to prosecuting Salsinha
and his men. The timing of Salsinha's surrender followed
President Ramos-Horta's return to Timor-Leste, and the President
may face pressure to reward Salsinha with lenience as a reward
for turning himself in without resorting to violence, although
Ramos-Horta has only stated that Salsinha will be accorded the
full protections of law as would any other citizen.
Constitutional constraints on the President's authority and
Ramos-Horta's past statements on this subject will not prevent
discussion of this contingency.
KLEMM
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MTS
PACOM FOR POLADS - CHRISTY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/25/2018
TAGS: PGOV ASEC TT
SUBJECT: SALSINHA REPORTEDLY SURRENDERS
CLASSIFIED BY: Henry M. Rector, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S.
Embassy Dili, Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (SBU) On the morning of Friday, April 25 Lieutenant Gastao
Salsinha, surviving leader of the perpetrators of the February
11 assassination attempts against Timor-Leste President
Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, reportedly turned
himself into authorities in the village of Lauana, Ermera
District. Details remain sketchy, and it is unclear whether he
turned himself in to police, armed forces, or the President's
representatives. The surrender was facilitated by members of
the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD),an NGO that has been
advising the GOTL on this problem, and Presidential Advisor Alex
Tilman. Speaker of Parliament Fernando "Lasama" de Araujo has
reportedly been engaged in an intensive dialogue with Salsinha
over the past several days, and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao
recently stipulated that Salsinha must be taken alive in order
to account for his actions, including an explanation of backing
he may have received from Timorese and/or foreign sources.
2. (SBU) According to a CHD staffer, Salsinha will remain in
Ermera to help arrange the surrender of seven of his followers
still at large. Salsinha will be brought to Dili on April 28.
The commander of Timor-Leste's armed forces, Brigadier Taur
Matan Ruak, roughly confirmed the above in an April 25 meeting
with Ambassador, although some of the details differed and the
end of the stalemate was described in aspirational rather than
definite terms.
3. (C) Comment. Assuming this does not somehow unravel in the
coming days, Salsinha's reported surrender brings to a close a
traumatic episode that has complicated the GOTL's efforts to
resolve other pressing issues such as resettlement of the
internally displaced persons (IDPs) and reaching an accord with
the ex-military petitioners. His surrender may have a positive
impact on the latter problem in particular, since Salsinha and
his late former leader Major Alfredo Reinado had styled
themselves as advocates for the petitioners. However, some
important aspects of the situation remain to be addressed,
obviously including the GOTL's approach to prosecuting Salsinha
and his men. The timing of Salsinha's surrender followed
President Ramos-Horta's return to Timor-Leste, and the President
may face pressure to reward Salsinha with lenience as a reward
for turning himself in without resorting to violence, although
Ramos-Horta has only stated that Salsinha will be accorded the
full protections of law as would any other citizen.
Constitutional constraints on the President's authority and
Ramos-Horta's past statements on this subject will not prevent
discussion of this contingency.
KLEMM