President of East Timor pardons rebels who shot him

August 25, 2010

, president of East Timor, has pardoned rebel leader and 22 of his followers, involved in the 2008 attacks during which he was shot in the back and nearly died.

Dr. Ramos-Horta was shot by rebels on 11th February 2008 and survived only after being flown to the Royal Darwin Hospital in, where he underwent five operations. He told the  this year that one of the rebels, Marcelo Caetano, had admitted having shot him, and had apologised, saying he had not intended to kill him. According to the newspaper Tempo Semanal, Ramos-Horta said he is releasing the rebels because they were also victims. The pardons were gazetted last Friday, but the rebels will only be released after a court order is made.

The announcement follows last year's release of Maternus Bere, a former pro- militia leader indicted by a United Nations crimes unit over the in 1999. Bere was allowed to return to, where he became a government official, prompting international criticism.

Ramos-Horta is a co-recipient of the 1996 and a former Prime Minister of East Timor.