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| Southeast Asia |
| East Timor rebel leader surrenders |
| 2008-04-30 |
| The leader of a group of East Timor rebels accused of trying to assassinate President Jose Ramos-Horta surrendered on Tuesday, raising hopes that the troubled young nation can find some rare stability. Gastao Salsinha and 12 of his men surrendered to Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres in a closed-door meeting at the government palace in the capital Dili, witnessed by other officials including Ramos-Horta. “As an individual I have no hatred against the one who shot me, I forgive him, but as the head of state he has to face court to explain it,” added Ramos-Horta, who has previously singled out one of the fugitive rebels as being his shooter. The 58-year-old Nobel laureate, who was critically wounded during the February attacks on his Dili home, recently returned to Dili after recuperating for two months in Australia. “The people want to know who gave them the support of uniforms, weapons and bullets,” added Ramos-Horta, who upset Jakarta by suggesting that elements from neighbouring Indonesia were behind the plot. During the surrender, the rebels handed over guns and other military equipment, including camouflage uniforms and grenades. Salsinha, who took command of the rebels after their leader, Alfredo Reinado, was killed in the Feb. 11 attack, had been negotiating with authorities from a house in Ermera district, 75 km (47 miles) west of the capital. Salsinha told reporters that he and his men had “surrendered to justice not to the government”. |
| Posted by:Fred |