Vicente da Conceição (alias Railos) is a principal campaigner for Ramos Horta in Liquiça district. Fretilin members have witnessed Railos: meeting with local voters and promoting Ramos Horta in the Suco (administrative region) of Vatuboro, Liquiça district; helping to mobilise villagers to attend Ramos Horta’s campaign rally in Liquiça town on March 24; and organising a rally in support of Ramos Horta’s candidacy in Fatukesi town, Liquiça district on Good Friday April 6.
Since campaigning started in the first round of the presidential election, Railos has moved openly around the capital Dili and Eremera and Liquiça Districts in a white Pajero 4WD (registration number 15-013), accompanied by a uniformed Timor-Leste National Police officer.
Fretilin-backed Presidential candidate Francisco Guterres Lu Olo today called on Ramos Horta to explain his close connection with Railos and foreshadowed an investigation into Ramos Horta’s apparent interference in the prosecution investigation into Railos.
Railos, who was dismissed from the Timor-Leste army (F-FDTL) in 2004 for misappropriation of funds, was recommended for prosecution by the United Nations Independent Special Commission of Inquiry last October.
The UN Commission recommended Railos be prosecuted for his role in leading an attack on an F-FDTL barracks at Taci Tolu/Tibar on 24 May 2006 in which as many as nine people were killed, and for “the illegal possession, use and movement” of weapons.
Railos is known to have visited Ramos Horta’s Prime Ministerial office as late as last Monday (April 23), though in the absence of Ramos Horta. Timorese journalists report that Railos met with the Prime Minister’s United Nations-funded “Advisor on Investment”, Chris Santos – an Australian national. Santos has refused to comment to journalists on the reason for the visit or the substance of the conversations between himself and Railos.
There is believed to be an outstanding arrest warrant issued against Railos but strangely it has not yet been executed.
Lu Olo said today that if elected he would move to have a joint parliamentary and presidential commission investigate political interference with the Prosecutor General’s Office in relation to the investigation of alleged crimes committed by Railos.
“I am concerned about statements made to the press by the Prosecutor General regarding the investigation process into Railos,” Lu Olo said.
Lu Olo referred to a report in the Dili newspaper Jornal Diário on Wednesday 25 April quoting the Prosecutor General as saying that Railos would be called before the Prosecutor who has carriage of the investigation to give a statement about the allegations against him, but that this would only occur “after the Presidential elections”.
Earlier on 16 April Jornal Diário reported comments by Ramos Horta which suggested that Railos could not yet be called before the prosecuting authorities because he was undertaking work as a mediator with army mutineers – the so-called petitioners.
Jornal Diário quoted Ramos Horta as saying in reference to Railos: “The Prosecutor General of the Republic is the one who knows about this case, because of this Railos is currently strongly supporting attempts to hold dialogue with the petitioners. I have contacted Railos and all the others who know that he will be speaking with the petitioners and help in the dialogue with the F-FDTL.”
On 24 April Ramos Horta announced that if elected President he would order the Prosecutor General to re-open his investigation of events in May-June last year.
Lu Olo said today: “In light of recent statements by Ramos Horta declaring his intention to intervene with the Prosecutor General’s investigation into a criminal case, which also involves Railos as the principal witness, I have to ask why Railos will not be called for questioning until after the election? Has the Prosecutor General been under any other pressure from my opponent when exercising his function as Prime Minister – or been subject to pressure from anyone else – to delay bringing Railos before the prosecuting authorities for questioning?”
Lu Olo stressed he was not alleging improper conduct by the Prosecutor General. “The Prosecutor General has proven by his public statements in recent days that he understands the independence of his office in this case. However, we all know pressure can be brought on the Prosecutor General in all sorts of ways, for example by the statements by my opponent declaring his close relationship with and trust in Railos.
For more information contact:
Harold Moucho (Lu Olo’s political adviser) (+670) 723 0048 (Dili)
Jose Manuel Fernandes (Lu Olo’s official election representative)
http://www.luolobapresidente.blogspot.com, http://luolo.blogspot.com, http://www.timortruth.com
