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East Timor Defence Force Chief Taur Matan Ruak to face court over 2006 illegal weapons distribution
Wed 10 Dec 2008 05:10 am filed by Warren Wright - EastTimor
LUSA 9/12/2008 - Falintil-FDTL Chief Taur Matan Ruak and former Minister of Defence Rodrigues have been notified as defendants in the 2006 crisis illegal weapons distribution case. The head of the General Staff headquarters of the Falintil-Defense Forces of East Timor, Taur Matan Ruak, and former Minister of Defense Timorese, Roque Rodrigues, were reported as suspects in the process of handing over weapons in 2006, said today In Dili source of his team of lawyers. Taur Matan Ruak will be heard Wednesday morning in the PGR and Roque Rodrigues the early afternoon.
"Taur Matan Ruak and Roque Rodrigues are accused in the same process of handing over weapons to civilians in 2006," said one of the lawyers involved in the defense of several military reported in the same case.
The Brigadier-General Taur Matan Ruak and Roque Rodrigues, now advisor of the Presidency of the Republic, are reporting Wednesday in the Attorney General's Office (PGR).
The PGR has already heard at the end of September and beginning of October, Colonel Lere Anan Timor, the major Mau Buti and Colonel Falur Rate Laek.
At the root of the process is the distribution of weapons to civilians by Falintil-Defense Forces of Timor-Leste (F-FDTL) on May 24, 2006.
The episode happened after four weeks of instability triggered by the so-called petitioners of F-FDTL, from April 28.
The implosion of the National Police (PNTL), the desertion of Major Alfredo Reinado, commander of the Military Police, the existence of the group of Vincent Conception "Rail", armed by the then Minister of Interior, Rogerio Lobato, and incidents like the attack on the residence of Taur Matan Ruak were analyzed by the Independent Special Commission of Inquiry (CEII) of the United Nations.
The CEII, which submitted its final report in October 2006, concluded that "the civilian arm, the Defense Minister and Chief of the Defense Force acted without legal basis and created a situation of significant potential danger."
"On May 17, Brigadier-General Taur Matan Ruak wrote to Prime Minister (Mari Alkatiri) requesting an audit of the deposit of weapons of F-FDTL in response to allegations that civilians have been seen people walking with guns the F-FDTL, "recalls the report of the CEII.
"The evidence before the Commission establishes that the F-FDTL began to arm civilians on May 24, 2006. This was done under orders of Brigadier-General Matan Ruak and with the knowledge of the Minister of Defense," says the document.
East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin