- Rogerio Lobato
Rogerio Tiago Lobato is an
East Timor ese politician and former Interior Minister belonging toFretilin . He resigned as Minister over a dispute with the military over alleged discrimination. [Xinhua "Timor-Leste's two senior ministers resign" 1 June 2006] . Lobato was jailed on five charges of arming hit squads during the2006 East Timorese crisis in March 2007 and sentenced seven and a half years injail . ["Northern Territory News" "Lobato guilty on `hit squad' charges" 8 March 2007 accessed via Australia New Zealand Reference Centre]In 2007, he tried to leave the country to go to
Malaysia for heart surgery resulting in a standoff at Dili Airport. [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22217955-2703,00.html The Australian, 10th August 2008, Lobato escapes after Dili standoff] ]In 2008 president
José Ramos-Horta cuts Lobato's jail sentence to half of time. [ [http://news.theage.com.au/world/ramos-horta-cuts-jail-terms-for-militia-20080523-2hik.html The Age, 23rd May 2008, Ramos Horta cuts jail terms for militia] ]Lobato began his political career as part of
Fretilin when it declared independence in November 1975. 3rd of December that year he departed East Timor with fellow Fretilin memberMari Alkatiri to promote the interests of the new country. Following the Indonesian invasion of East Timor on December 7th, Lobato and Alkatiri stayed in Africa to campaign for the rights of their home country. [ Dennis Shoesmith. 2003. "Timor Leste: Divided Leadership in a Semi-Presidential System." Asian Survey, Vol. 43. No. 2. (Mar. - Apr., 2003), pp. 231-252.]References
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