An East Timor rebel leader whose men launched armed attacks on the president and prime minister surrendered to police yesterday in a formal ceremony hailed as a “historic event” for the country.
Militant chief Gastao Salsinha, who topped the list of those most wanted over the attacks, and 11 of his men handed in their rifles and gave themselves up to police custody after lengthy negotiations.
East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta, who nearly died in the attacks, was on hand to witness the surrender along with Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres and House Speaker Fernando “Lasama” de Araujo.
Ramos-Horta received multiple gunshot wounds in the Feb. 11 assault on his residence, while Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao escaped unhurt from a simultaneous ambush on his convoy.
Nobel laureate Ramos-Horta said he personally forgave the former soldiers for the attempt on his life. But he said they would have to face justice and explain their motives.
“I am happy because you chose to listen to the state, come down and hand over your weapons,” he said at the ceremony.
“As a human, as a Christian, I pardon you, but as president, as a citizen, you should be taken to court to face justice,” he said.
“You have to explain to the people, who sent you, who supported you, who gave you the money, the weapons and uniforms, and who made the plan,” he said.
He said he hoped the rebels’ surrender was a watershed moment in the Timor’s short but violent history since it gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.
“This country should no longer play around with weapons and violence. There have already been too many people who died. My message to the youth is that the state does not want violence,” he said.
“I know who shot me, but I am not pointing any fingers,” he said. “I have no desire for revenge.”
Nevertheless, he later named Marcelo Caetano as the rebel who opened fire on him during the ambush.
Caetano cried and kissed the president’s hand as TV cameras rolled outside the palace.
Gusmao is on an official visit to Indonesia and was unable to attend the ceremony.
Guterres said that Salsinha’s surrender after days of delicate talks with authorities showed that the Timorese people could resolve conflicts peacefully.
“The event this day is a historic event for the people and this country. The people of Timor Leste have been able to show the world that if we unite we can build peace and stability,” he said.
Salsinha and his men, in full military fatigues, arrived at the ceremony under tight police and military escort.
He was also accompanied by his wife and Father Adrianus Ola, head of Ermera parish 45km southwest of Dili which was the rebel stronghold and which remains under a state of emergency.
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