Brisbane (ANTARA News) – Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta has forgiven Alfredo Reinado, the rebel officer who was killed while leading an attack to assassinate him in Dili last February 11, Timor Leste`s Acting President Fernando `Lasama` de Araujo said.
Horta who is recovering from two gunshot wounds in a hopsital in Darwin had also asked the Timor Leste government to provide support for the family Reinado had left behind, de Araujo said after visiting Horta on Monday.
Fernando`s statement came one day after international media had reported that Amaro da Silva Susar, the number-two most wanted rebel officer wanted for the February 11 incident, had surrendered to government security forces in Alieu district on Saturday.
Susar said he had surrendered because he wanted to see his country make progress and its people to live in peace.
Reinado`s group on February 11 also tried to kill Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao but Xanana was able to escape the attempt unhurt.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd paid great attention to the February 11 events in Dili and even made a brief visit to the Timor Leste capital on February 15 during which he met Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and also opposition Fretilin leader Mari Alkatiri.
Rudd also visited Horta in hospital in Darwin but Horta was then still in a comma and Rudd therefore promised he would see Horta again after his condition had improved.
Rudd and Gusmao discussed efforts to improve Timor Leste`s human resources and to develop the country`s rural infrastructure.
Australia also sent 270 additional troops to Timor Leste to strengthen the international security force stationed there.
Rudd believed Australian support for Timor would create better mutual understanding between the two countries.
Shortly before his death, Reinado had recorded a statement in which he called Gusmao a “liar” and accused the Timor Leste prime minister of being the architect of the 2006 Timor Leste crisis. The recording was circulated widely among the public.
A Timor Leste affairs observer from Australian National University (ANU), George Quinn, said Reinardo`s death had broken the spirit of his followers and was giving rise to better hopes for long-term political stability in Timor Leste.
In the Feb 11 incident over 37 people were killed and it caused 155,000 to be evacuated to safer places