East Timor premier offers weapons amnesty

Posted: 22-Jul-2006 16:51 hrs

East Timor's Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta leaves the president's office after a meeting in Dili earlier this month. Ramos-Horta has offered a weapons amnesty to prevent a repeat of communal clashes which left 21 dead and displaced 150,000 two months ago.

East Timor's newly installed Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta has offered a weapons amnesty to prevent a repeat of communal clashes which left 21 dead and displaced 150,000 two months ago.

Ramos-Horta said residents of the tiny, impoverished Southeast Asian country could call him or President Xanana Gusmao directly to turn in their arms, pledging they would not be punished.

"Once again, I am urging those who still hide weapons at home, if you are afraid to turn them in, you can dial my telephone, or call the (Australia-led) international forces, or call the president," Ramos-Horta said in a television interview.

"Do not store them at your homes, it's illegal," he warned.

Ramos-Horta said East Timor's prosecutor general Longuinhos Monteiro would also take weapons from residents.

Anyone turning in arms would not face legal sanctions but anyone captured with one will be prosecuted, he said.

"If the international forces and international police find weapons carried on the streets, stored inside cars and homes, those who keep them will be taken to detention center," the Nobel laureate said.

Ramos-Horta said the capital Dili, which descended into violence in May prompting the deployment of 2,200 foreign peacekeepers, had returned to normal.

"We can guarantee that situation in every part (of Dili) has been normalised," he said.

Ramos-Horta on July 8 was elected as East Timor's second prime minister, succeeding Mari Alkatiri, who resigned as premier last month to take responsibility for the mayhem.

May's violence was the worst to hit the nation since it voted for independence from Jakarta in 1999 in a United Nations-backed referendum. ­ AFP

East Timor's newly installed Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta has offered a weapons amnesty to prevent a repeat of communal clashes which left 21 dead and displaced 150,000 two months ago.

Ramos-Horta said residents of the tiny, impoverished Southeast Asian country could call him or President Xanana Gusmao directly to turn in their arms, pledging they would not be punished.

"Once again, I am urging those who still hide weapons at home, if you are afraid to turn them in, you can dial my telephone, or call the (Australia-led) international forces, or call the president," Ramos-Horta said in a television interview.

"Do not store them at your homes, it's illegal," he warned.

Ramos-Horta said East Timor's prosecutor general Longuinhos Monteiro would also take weapons from residents.

Anyone turning in arms would not face legal sanctions but anyone captured with one will be prosecuted, he said.

"If the international forces and international police find weapons carried on the streets, stored inside cars and homes, those who keep them will be taken to detention center," the Nobel laureate said.

Ramos-Horta said the capital Dili, which descended into violence in May prompting the deployment of 2,200 foreign peacekeepers, had returned to normal. . "We can guarantee that situation in every part (of Dili) has been normalised," he said.

Ramos-Horta on July 8 was elected as East Timor's second prime minister, succeeding Mari Alkatiri, who resigned as premier last month to take responsibility for the mayhem.

May's violence was the worst to hit the nation since it voted for independence from Jakarta in 1999 in a United Nations-backed referendum. ­ AFP East Timor's newly installed Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta has offered a weapons amnesty to prevent a repeat of communal clashes which left 21 dead and displaced 150,000 two months ago.

Ramos-Horta said residents of the tiny, impoverished Southeast Asian country could call him or President Xanana Gusmao directly to turn in their arms, pledging they would not be punished. . "Once again, I am urging those who still hide weapons at home, if you are afraid to turn them in, you can dial my telephone, or call the (Australia-led) international forces, or call the president," Ramos-Horta said in a television interview.

"Do not store them at your homes, it's illegal," he warned.

Ramos-Horta said East Timor's prosecutor general Longuinhos Monteiro would also take weapons from residents.

Anyone turning in arms would not face legal sanctions but anyone captured with one will be prosecuted, he said. . "If the international forces and international police find weapons carried on the streets, stored inside cars and homes, those who keep them will be taken to detention center," the Nobel laureate said.

Ramos-Horta said the capital Dili, which descended into violence in May prompting the deployment of 2,200 foreign peacekeepers, had returned to normal.

"We can guarantee that situation in every part (of Dili) has been normalised," he said.

Ramos-Horta on July 8 was elected as East Timor's second prime minister, succeeding Mari Alkatiri, who resigned as premier last month to take responsibility for the mayhem.

May's violence was the worst to hit the nation since it voted for independence from Jakarta in 1999 in a United Nations-backed referendum. ­ AFP East Timor's newly installed Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta has offered a weapons amnesty to prevent a repeat of communal clashes which left 21 dead and displaced 150,000 two months ago.

Ramos-Horta said residents of the tiny, impoverished Southeast Asian country could call him or President Xanana Gusmao directly to turn in their arms, pledging they would not be punished.

"Once again, I am urging those who still hide weapons at home, if you are afraid to turn them in, you can dial my telephone, or call the (Australia-led) international forces, or call the president," Ramos-Horta said in a television interview.

"Do not store them at your homes, it's illegal," he warned.

Ramos-Horta said East Timor's prosecutor general Longuinhos Monteiro would also take weapons from residents.

Anyone turning in arms would not face legal sanctions but anyone captured with one will be prosecuted, he said.

"If the international forces and international police find weapons carried on the streets, stored inside cars and homes, those who keep them will be taken to detention center," the Nobel laureate said.

Ramos-Horta said the capital Dili, which descended into violence in May prompting the deployment of 2,200 foreign peacekeepers, had returned to normal.

"We can guarantee that situation in every part (of Dili) has been normalised," he said.

Ramos-Horta on July 8 was elected as East Timor's second prime minister, succeeding Mari Alkatiri, who resigned as premier last month to take responsibility for the mayhem.

May's violence was the worst to hit the nation since it voted for independence from Jakarta in 1999 in a United Nations-backed referendum. ­ AFP 

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