East Timor president Ramos-Horta is shot

Australian NewsRadio is reporting a full statement will be made by the East Timorese government within the next hour.

Still no confirmation on the condition of President Ramos Horta. Reports have suggested rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was killed by guards' return fire. 

00:30 GMT Just in

The latest in from the ABC and Reuters.

Latest reports from NewsRadio have Ramos Horta undergoing surgery at the Australian hospital in Dili.

Unconfirmed reports that Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao was also under attack - however is safe. 

"East Timor's President Jose Ramos Horta has been
wounded in the stomach after fugitive rebel leader Alfredo Reinado
launched a pre-dawn raid on his home in the capital Dili.

An East Timorese military spokesman says Reinado was killed by return gunfire during the attack.

The stomach wound appeared serious, neighbour Januario Freitas told
Reuters. Mr Ramos Horta was taken to a helipad operated by the
Australian military and was being flown to Australia, said a relative
who did not give his name.

East Timorese military spokesman Domingos da Camara said an East Timorese soldier was also seriously wounded in the attack.

There are reports as many as 20 people were injured during the gun attack.

A journalist at the Timor Post newspaper said ambulances could be heard driving back and forth carrying wounded to Dili's Hospital.

The President's office says it will release a statement later today.

Factional bloodshed

Asia's youngest nation has been struggling to claw its way back to
stability after plunging into chaos in 2006 when the army tore apart on
regional lines.

The factional bloodshed two years ago killed 37 people and drove
150,000 from their homes, with foreign troops needed to restore order.

Reinado has led a revolt against the government and has been charged with murder during the 2006 factional violence.

Rebels loyal to Reinado fired on Australian troops patrolling near
Dili earlier this month, an Australian commander said at the time.

Associate Professor Damien Kingsbury from Deakin University says today's attack could lead to protests and riots.

"I think what this will lead to, as soon as the information has been
made public in Dili - and that will take several hours for that
information to get around - but I think we're going to see some
protests and probably some rioting and destabilisation," he said.

Australia's Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery, offered his best wishes to Mr Ramos Horta.

"[The news is] very sad, and I hope Mr Horta makes a speedy recovery, he told Fairfax Radio."

Source: ABC News 

Hello folks,

ABC's The World Today has just confirmed that President Ramos Horta's condition has "stabilised" to use the source's words. It is confirmed he received gunshot wounds to the stomach and he is being treated at the Australian Military Hospital in Dili.

Latest information provided by Australian diplomatic sources say he is to be airlifted to an Australian hospital possible Darwin. 

Still no confirmation of a second, separate attack on Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, though it is thought  he may have been aware of the attack and managed to escape.

 Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is reported to have led the attack(s?) and to have been killed during return fire. Again no confirmation though.

No absolute confirmation of Reinado's death though. 

 Source: The World Today Radio

RI still seeking confirmed information on Horta`s shooting

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is still contacting the Indonesian Embassy in Dili to seek confirmed information on the security situation in Timor Leste following the shooting by rebel soldiers of President Ramos-Horta in a pre-dawn attack on Monday.

"We are still contacting to embassy to ask for confirmation on the security situation in Timor Leste," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kristiarto Soeryo Legowo said here on Monday.

Reuters quoted Timor Leste Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa as saying on Monday that Timor Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta was stable after he was shot in the stomach during a pre-dawn attack on his Dili home by rebel soldiers.

The president, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle for East Timor`s independence from Indonesian occupation, was being operated on by an Australian military medical team in Dili after the pre-dawn attack by the gunmen.

Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was killed in the assault and an East Timor soldier was also seriously wounded, military spokesman Domingos da Camara said.
Asia`s youngest nation has been struggling to claw its way back to stability after plunging into chaos in 2006 when the army tore apart on regional lines.

The factional bloodshed two years ago killed 37 people and drove 150,000 from their homes, with foreign troops needed to restore order between warring Neighborhoods.

Reinado has led a revolt against the government and has been charged with murder during the 2006 factional violence. (*) END

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• E Timor president wounded in an attack, military
  
• Timor rebels fire shots near UN patrol: official
  
• UN police start transfer of authority to East Timor counterparts
  

Wounded Horta stable, Gusmao also attacked

Dili (ANTARA News) - East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta was stable after he was shot in the stomach during an attack on his Dili home by rebel soldiers, Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa said on Monday.

Residents reported that the capital Dili appeared calm, but some analysts warned the attack could destablise the young country that has been struggling to get back on its feet after the army tore apart along regional lines in 2006.

The president, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle for East Timor's independence from Indonesian occupation, was being operated on by an Australian military medical team in Dili after the pre-dawn attack by the gunmen.

"I was in the heliport and yes, he's in a stable condition, his life is not endangered," da Costa was quoted by Reuters as telling CNN television, referring to a heliport at an Australian military base in Dili where Ramos-Horta was taken.

Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was killed in the assault and an East Timor soldier was also seriously wounded, military spokesman Domingos da Camara said.

Da Costa said Ramos-Horta would be flown to the Australian city of Darwin for further treatment and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao was in charge of the country.

A spokeswoman for Royal Darwin Hospital said: "At the moment we are preparing to receive president Horta later today."

Da Costa said it was still unclear who carried out the attack. "We haven't had confirmation (that Reinado and his renegades were involved). At least two of them had military uniforms," he said, which pointed to the involvement of rebels.

The military said attackers in two cars were involved in the raid on the president's isolated home at 4:30 a.m.

International security forces placed a cordon around the house and were patrolling Dili's streets to prevent fresh violence.

Gusmao also attack

Prime Minister Gusmao was also attacked on Monday morning, Alfredo de Araujo, a member of Gusmao's security team, said.

"No one was wounded but Gusmao's car was damaged by bullets," said the official, adding that Gusmao's family had been taken to a military compound for protection.

The United Nations said Gusmao was coordinating with the U.N. mission in the country and international forces.

Aid worker Mauricio Borges told Reuters Dili appeared calm.

"Dili is safe. There are no riots in the capital. But there is heavy patrolling by the police and military police," Borges said, adding many helicopters were flying over the capital.

Borges said Gusmao had spoken on national radio and appealed to East Timorese to stay indoors and not spread rumours.

"The attack against the state has failed," the aid worker quoted Gusmao as saying. The prime minister said his driver was
wounded and his car badly damaged in the attack against him.

Asia's youngest nation has been struggling to claw its way back to stability after plunging into chaos in 2006 when the
army tore apart on regional lines.

The factional bloodshed two years ago killed 37 people and drove 150,000 from their homes, with foreign troops needed to
restore order between warring neighbourhoods.

Reinado had led a revolt against the government and was charged with murder during the 2006 factional violence. Rebels
loyal to Reinado fired on Australian troops patrolling near Dili earlier this month, an Australian commander said at the
time.

Some analysts warned the attack on Ramos-Horta and killing of Reinado could spark another outbreak of violence and lead to
a collapse of the government, if supporters of rebel leader Reinado pulled out of the coalition.

"Prime Minister Xanana is going to have to work very hard to ensure the government retains its cohesion. It's a crisis now," said Damien Kingsbury, associate professor at Australia's Deakin University

Security analyst Alan Dupont, from Sydney think tank the Lowy Institute, said the shooting was grim news for East Timor.

"It is seriously going to destabilise East Timor further at a time when they looked to be recovering from the problems of the last 12-18 months," said Dupont.

Senior Australian ministers met in Canberra and a statement was expected later on Monday. Australia has around 800 troops in East Timor as part of an international security force. (*) END

I appreciate all who contributed to this story, I like the information coing direct from the sources.  Thanks

This is a picture from José Ramos-Horta's birthday party a few years back. Left to right, my boss Hazem, me, my colleague Felicia and The Man.

llauren has contributed a photo to this story.

Ramos Horta in Lisbon with Rui Machado

Ruimachado.com has contributed a photo to this story.

H.E. Mr. Ramos Horta during his visit at jakarta-based IPC at Anuga exhibition held in Cologne Germany.

nurharyanto has contributed a photo to this story.

This photo of Mr. Ramos Horta has been taken late November 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal, when The President of East-Timor was coming out from the mosts famous cafe in Lisbon, "A Brasileira", during an official visit to Portugal.
Mr. Ramos Horta is a well known person in Portugal and has a generally broad acceptance and respect from the Portuguese people, due to his strong efforts during the campaign for the independence of East-Timor. I was surprised by his appearence in this cafe-shop, and I decided to capture him on the way out. Mr. Ramos Horta has spent part of his life in Portugal, during his diplomatic activities for the independence of his Country, and his gesture of having a coffee in this famous cafe-shop was certainly a remembrance of the old times he spent here in Lisbon.

ernani balsa has contributed a photo to this story.

These are pictures taken by SOMET observers in Dili during the 2007 elections.

SOMET PIX 2007 has contributed a photo to this story.

PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dateline: Geneva
11 February 2008

HD Centre regrets Timor violence
The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre) deeply regrets the attack on
the President and Prime Minister of Timor Leste, which resulted in the deaths of
three people. President Jose Ramos Horta was seriously wounded in the attack.
The HD Centre has been helping the government engage in dialogue with
disaffected elements of the police and armed forces who removed themselves
from the law and threatened armed insurrection. The HD Centre’s facilitation
was supported by all the parties on the ground and two meetings were arranged
between President Jose Ramos Horta and the fugitive Major Alfredo Reinado.
The principal aim of these meetings was to secure an agreement whereby
Reinado and his followers gave up their arms in return for a dialogue with the
government on outstanding grievances and legal issues. The last of these
meetings took place in January. Major Reinado died in this morning’s attack.

The HD Centre is on the ground in Dili closely following events and is in contact
with the authorities.

*** ENDS ***

For more information on the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue or its activities
in East Timor, please contact: Michael Vatikiotis in Singapore, +65 9272 6385,
vatikiotis@hdcentre.org

www.hdcentre.org

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue is an independent and impartial
organization that aims to improve the global response to armed conflict by
helping to resolve armed conflicts. It also convenes eminent mediators from
around the world to share their experience and conducts research and analysis
to advance practical policy recommendations in pursuit of its objectives. The HD Centre is active in a number of conflicts around the world, some of which are necessarily confidential, where it mediates and facilitates dialogue among
belligerents thereby reducing human suffering in war.

hdcentre has contributed a photo to this story.