Global

East Timor rebel leader surrenders

By Tito Belo

DILI (Reuters) - The leader of a group of East Timor rebelsaccused of trying to assassinate President Jose Ramos-Hortasurrendered on Tuesday, raising hopes that the troubled youngnation can find some rare stability.

Gastao Salsinha and 12 of his men surrendered to DeputyPrime Minister Jose Luis Guterres in a closed-door meeting atthe government palace in the capital Dili, witnessed by otherofficials including Ramos-Horta.

"As an individual I have no hatred against the one who shotme, I forgive him, but as the head of state he has to facecourt to explain it," added Ramos-Horta, who has previouslysingled out one of the fugitive rebels as being his shooter.

The 58-year-old Nobel laureate, who was critically woundedduring the February attacks on his Dili home, recently returnedto Dili after recuperating for two months in Australia.

"The people want to know who gave them the support ofuniforms, weapons and bullets," added Ramos-Horta, who upsetJakarta by suggesting that elements from neighbouring Indonesiawere behind the plot.

During the surrender, the rebels handed over guns and othermilitary equipment, including camouflage uniforms and grenades.

Salsinha, who took command of the rebels after theirleader, Alfredo Reinado, was killed in the February 11 attack,had been negotiating with authorities from a house in Ermeradistrict, 75 km (47 miles) west of the capital.

Salsinha told reporters that he and his men had"surrendered to justice not to the government".

East Timor had issued arrest warrants for Salsinha, aformer army lieutenant, and 22 others over the attacks, whichalso targeted Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, who escaped unhurt.

An army major said that two rebels remained in hiding.

"GREAT DAY"

Deputy Prime Minister Guterres described the surrender as a"great day for the East Timor people".

The country's tiny army imploded along regional lines in2006, when about 600 soldiers were sacked, triggering violencethat killed 37 people and drove 150,000 from their homes.

East Timor called in foreign troops to help restore order,but a hard-core of the fugitive troops frequently embarrassedthe security forces by melting away even when apparentlysurrounded.

Gusmao, who is on a visit to Jakarta, praised thecooperation of state institutions, and the work of the army andpolice in bringing about the surrender.

"We just want to avoid more violence," he said.

A political analyst at the National University of EastTimor welcomed the surrender, but said the country needed tofocus on getting thousands of internally displaced people toreturn home.

"The state should accelerate justice for Salsinha and takeimmediate action to resolve the IDP problem," said Rui da Cruz.

Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975 and annexed thecountry later that year, maintaining a huge and sometimes harshmilitary presence and fighting rebels for more than twodecades.

East Timor, which is one of the world's poorest nations buthas rich oil and gas reserves, became fully independent in May2002 after a U.N. transitional administration.

East Timor's parliament agreed last week to lift a state ofemergency imposed following the attack on Ramos-Horta, althoughthe state of alert was extended for another month in Ermera.

Reflecting improvements in security, Australia willwithdraw 200 troops from East Timor, sent following theFebruary assassination attempt, Australian Prime Minister KevinRudd said.

More than 2,500 foreign troops and police remain in thecountry to help local security forces maintain stability.

(Additional reporting by Ahmad Pathoni in Jakarta, Writingby Ed Davies; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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