EAST TIMOR: President Jose Ramos-Horta arrives home after medical treatment in Australia following assassination attempt

Record ID: 644934

  • Title: EAST TIMOR: President Jose Ramos-Horta arrives home after medical treatment in Australia following assassination attempt
  • Date: 17th April 2008
  • Summary: (FLASH) DILI, EAST TIMOR (APRIL 17, 2008) (REUTERS) SECURITY AT DILI AIRPORT SECURITY OFFICERS SECURITY OFFICER ON GUARD PLANE AT AIRPORT EAST TIMOR PRESIDENT JOSE RAMOS-HORTA GETTING OFF THE PLANE RAMOS-HORTA DESCENDING FROM PLANE STAIRS PHOTOGRAPHERS RAMOS-HORTA SHAKING HANDS WITH OPPOSITION LEADER MARI ALKATIRI RAMOS-HORTA SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS AND JOURNALISTS RAMOS-HORTA BEING GIVEN A SHAWL BY A YOUNG GIRL RAMOS-HORTA KISSING GIRL'S CHEEKS RAMOS-HORTA BEING SHOWERED WITH FLOWERS MUSICIANS RAMOS-HORTA WALKING BY SECURITY RAMOS-HORTA WAVING TO SUPPORTERS RAMOS-HORTA WITH OTHER TIMORESE AUTHORITIES RAMOS-HORTA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) EAST TIMOR'S PRESIDENT JOSE RAMOS-HORTA SAYING: "But I also want to commend the political parties, the members of the government, in particular the prime minister, who worked as the interim president with the leadership of our armed forces and police" EAST TIMOR'S PRESIDENT JOSE RAMOS-HORTA AND PRIME MINISTER XANANA GUSMAO SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) EAST TIMOR'S PRESIDENT JOSE RAMOS HORTA SAYING: "Already the majority of members of Mr Alfredo's and Mr Salsinha's men have surrendered with their weapons without firing a shot. So I commend them for that, because even though I was shot, I was almost killed, I didn't want Mr. Salsinha or any more Timorese to lose their life" PHOTOGRAPHERS END OF NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADNYU8RE2U258Y8VZ4QDH2295M
  • Story Text: East Timor's President Jose Ramos-Horta, arrived home on Thursday (April 17) after more than two months of treatment in Australia for injuries he sustained in an assassination attempt in February.
    A military parade welcomed Ramos-Horta as he stepped out of the plane at Dili's airport, where thousands of people had gathered. The president smiled as the crowd shouted "Viva president Ramos-Horta".
    The 58-year-old Nobel laureate, who was shot and critically wounded in a rebel attack at his home in Dili on February 11, thanked officials for their support.
    Ramos-Horta nearly lost his life when he was shot twice after gunmen loyal to rebel leader Alfredo Reinado launched early-morning attacks on the president and prime minister Xanana Gusmao, who escaped unharmed.
    The East Timor army tore apart along regional lines in 2006, when about 600 soldiers were sacked, triggering factional violence that killed 37 people and drove 150,000 from their homes.
    More than 2,500 foreign troops and police remain in the country to help local security forces maintain stability.
    Ramos-Horta told a news conference at the airport: "(But) I also want to commend the political parties, the members of the government, in particular the prime minister, who worked as the interim president with the leadership of our armed forces and police."
    Reinado has been succeeded by Gastao Salsinha as rebel leader and Ramos-Horta said: "Already the majority of members of Mr Alfredo's and Mr Salsinha's men have surrendered with their weapons without firing a shot. So I commend them for that, because even though I was shot, I was almost killed, I didn't want Mr. Salsinha or any more Timorese to lose their life."
    As Asia's youngest nation, East Timor has been unable to achieve stability since its hard-won independence, despite its oil and gas resources.
    Ramos-Horta said that he will work to deal with food shortages in the country, using oil and gas revenue to buy rice from Vietnam.
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