Biography

Name: Domingos Raúl

Alias: Falur Rate Laek

Date of birth: 9 July 1955

Place of birth: Samaliu, Ossu District, Viqueque District, East Timor

Position/Function: Lieutenant General, Chief of the General Staff of FALINTIL-FDTL

1.     Childhood and Education

Domingos Raúl “Falur Rate Laek” was born in Samaliu, in the Ossu administrative post, in Viqueque, on 9th July 1955. He came from a simple farming family, the fourth child of eleven siblings. He began primary school in 1964 and finished in 1968 in Loi-Huno, Ossu. In 1973, he attended the intensive School Monitor course.

2.     Period of Struggle for Independence

With the Indonesian invasion of Timor-Leste on 7 December 1975, at the age of 20, Falur Rate Laek became involved in providing logistical support to FALINTIL, which operated as the armed wing of the FRETILIN army. During the invasion, he organised the population for resistance in Ossu.

Between January 1976 and September 1977, he served as Political Assistant in the Ravinas Region and the eastern coastal area. In September 1977, he was transferred to the Central-Eastern Sector, where he assumed the position of Company Commander of the Self-Defence Forces until 1978. During this period, Operation Encirclement and Annihilation conducted by the Indonesian forces caused many losses of resistance on the battlefield.

In 1979, due to the difficulties encountered and the destruction of support bases, Falur Rate Laek surrendered to the Indonesian military to protect his compatriots and continue to contribute to the resistance.

3.     Continuation of the Struggle and Reorganization

From 1980 to 1983, he assumed the position of Commander of the 2nd Company of the MIPLIN (People’s Militia for National Liberation), providing intelligence and logistics support to the guerrillas. In 1984, he was appointed 2nd Commander of the 3rd Company of the FALINTIL. In the following years, he was appointed Commander of the Company A Unit 4 of the FALINTIL and, from 1985 to 1989, Political Commissar of the Viqueque-Same region.

In 1997, he assumed the position of Commander and Secretary of Region 3, covering Viqueque, Manatuto, Aileu and Same, holding this position until 1999.

4.     After the 1999 Referendum

Following the referendum of 30 August 1999, in which the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence, a period of violence ensued. Falur Rate Laek was appointed FALINTIL and INTERFET Liaison Officer for the Northern Border Region. He also participated in several reconciliation delegations between FALINTIL and Indonesian integrationists.

5.     Post-Independence Military Career

From 2001 to 2007, Falur Rate Laek, as Commander of the 1st Battalion of the F-FDTL, also supervised the first training course for Officers and Sergeants in Aileu. In 2009, he was promoted to Colonel and, from 2010 to 2011, he temporarily assumed the role of Chief of Staff of the F-FDTL, officially appointed in September 2011.

In 2018, he was promoted to Brigadier General and, in 2021, to Major General. In early 2022, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed Chief of Staff of the FALINTIL-FDTL.

6.     Courses and Training

- Operational Command and Forces Internship in Portugal.

- Court Officer Course in Metinaro (CICNL).

- F-FDTL Officer and Sergeant Training Course in Aileu (2000).

7.     Commendations and decorations

- Commendation of the PKF (Peacekeeping Force), in 2000.

- Order of the Guerrilla, decoration given by the President of the RDTL.

- Medal of Merit of Timor-Leste.

- Halibur Medal, for services rendered in the joint F-FDTL and PNTL operation in 2007.

- Medal of the Cross of Saint George, 1st Class, awarded by the Chief of the General Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces.

8.     Other activities

Lieutenant General Domingos Raúl “Falur Rate Laek” speaks Tetum, Portuguese and Malay-Indonesian fluently. He has participated in seminars and lectures on Defense, Citizenship and Historical Heritage. In addition, he published the book “O Vôo da Pomba” in 2018.

9.     Personal life

Falur Rate Laek has been married to Rosa Maria Quintão since 1982 and has four children: Maria Assunção, Mimízia, Hilária and José António.

Name: Calisto dos Santos

Alias: Coliati

Date of birth: 10 August 1959

Place of birth: Darulete village, Likisa Administrative Post, East Timor

Position/Function: Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the F-FDTL

1. Education

From 1967 to 1971 he attended the Infante de Sagres College in Maliana, then continued his studies in civil engineering at the Silva Cunha Commercial Industry Teachers' School in Dili. He also attended the Liquiçá City Higher Secondary School of Economics. After the independence of Timor-Leste, Coliati continued his studies at the Faculty of International Relations of the Universidade da Paz (UNPAZ) in Dili. In 2003, Coliati continued his leadership training in Canungra (Queensland, Australia) and from July 2004 to December 2005, he completed post-doctoral studies at the Australian Command and Staff College of the University of Wollongong in Defence Commercial Management. In 2008, he completed a study on security strategy in Hawaii. In 2009, he attended a UN military observer course in Malaysia and in 2012 a strategy and leadership course in Indonesia.

2. Historical Background

Following the attempted coup by the UDT in Portuguese Timor on 11 August 1975, a civil war broke out between the UDT and FRETILIN. In September, Coliati joined the Forças Armadas de Libertação Nacional de Timor-Leste (FALINTIL) in Darulete, the armed wing of FRETILIN, and took part in operations against the Algarve Farm, a family inheritance of the Carrascalão brothers, who led the UDT. The unit then moved to Dili. In 1976, Indonesia began to occupy Timor-Leste, where FALINTIL was fighting. From 1977 to 16 April 1979, Coliati fought as a guerrilla in the Shock Brigade unit in the Northern Frontier resistance sector. In 1984, Coliati became a member of the resistance in the city of Liquiça. As deputy secretary, he used the code name OCR Dailor. He was arrested by the Indonesian National Army in 1990 and taken to prison in Caicoli (Dili), then returned to Kodim (Military District Command) 1638 in Liquiça. Coliati was then released again. On 13 September 1994, he was appointed Regional Secretary (ODIR) in Liquiça by Nino Konis Santana, and in 1998, at the Resistance meeting in Viqueque. Assistant Secretary for Region 4, responsible for political and military affairs on the southern border with Indonesia.

3. Career

In 1999, Indonesia withdrew from Timor-Leste and the country came under UN administration. Colati became FALINTIL’s official liaison with the International Force em Timor-Leste (INTERFET) in the Western sector, after becoming FALINTIL’s assistant secretary at the Aileu camp. One of the four camps where FALINTIL fighters gathered in preparation for peace. Coliati also became deputy director of the first recruitment for the FALINTIL- Força Defesa de Timor-Leste (F-FDTL) in Aileu.

In 2002, Coliati became chief of operations for the 1st Battalion of the F-FDTL in Lospalos. From 2003 to 2004 he was second in command of the training centre in Metinaro and since 2006 he has been chief of operations at the General Headquarters. During the state of emergency in February 2008, following the assassination attempt in Dili, Coliati was appointed Commander of Operation HALIBUR, which aims to restore peace and stability through the capture of petitions. From June 2014 to July 2018, Coliati served as military attaché at the Embassy of Timor-Leste in Canberra (Australia). In 2022, he was promoted to Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the F-FDTL.

4. Awards, decorations

- Joint Operations Meeting Medal

- Best Foreign Student Award from the LEMHANAS Institute

5. Other skills

 - Major General Coliati is fluent in Portuguese, English, Indonesian and Tetum - Participated in seminars and conferences on security and defense issues.

- Led the F-FDTL and Defense delegation in bilateral negotiations with friendly countries on several occasions.

Currently continue to serve as Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the F-FDTL.

Full Name: José da Costa Soares

Alias: Trix

Date of Birth: 10 April 1960

Place of birth: Waibobo, Ossu, Vikeke

Position/Function: Chief of Staff F-FDTL

Rank: Brigadier General

1.     Education

He began his primary education at Colégio Santa Teresinha Ossu until the fourth grade. He continued his secondary studies at the School of Metalworking Engineering in Dili, in the mechanics department. During his studies, he also participated in the student organization UNITIM (União Nacional dos Estudantes Timorenses), controlled by FRETILIN.

2.     Guerrilla Period

Due to the political situation, he was unable to finish his studies, and in 1974 Indonesia invaded Timor-Leste.

From 1975 to 1978, he worked as a political assistant in the UNETIM organization and the FRETILIN party. With FRETILIN, he also participated in the fight against the Indonesian invasion until the collapse of the support base in 1978.

During the guerrilla period, from 1978 to 1994, he served as a political assistant, collaborator of the first brigade and commander of the FALINTIL company. He was also honored as a veteran member of the armed front and received the “guerrilla order” medal from the president of the RDTL, Dr. José Ramos Horta, in 2010.

In 1993, he was captured by the Indonesian National Army (TNI Battalion 112) and imprisoned in Baucau Prison and transferred to Commander Nangalla in Dili for two years.

He was released from prison in 1995 and worked for the International Red Cross in the logistics section until 1997. In 1998, he was arrested again and imprisoned in Dili by the Nangala command.

3.     Post-Referendum

In late 1999, he received a call from the FALINTIL commander to concentrate in Aileu, he could participate in the transformation of the FALINTIL guerrilla force into the Timor-Leste Defence Force (F-FDTL) in 2001.

In 2000, he was appointed FALINTIL liaison officer to the PKF in the Thai, Korean and Philippine wars in the southern sector.

In 2001, he began basic army training in Aileu with Portuguese instructors and was promoted to the rank of captain and immediately worked in the F-FDTL logistics supply section and also as commander of the service support component in the 1st battalion based in Lospalos. Led by the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Falur Rate Laek, who is now Chief of the General Staff of the F-FDTL with the rank of Lieutenant General.

4.     Military Career

From August 2004 to July 2005, he attended a university command course in China, in the city of Nangjing.

In August 2005, he attended the CICNL Senior Officers Promotion Course (CPOS) and was promoted to Major in December 2005.

From 2006 to 2010, he was appointed Chief of Logistics (J4) in the F-FDTL.

In 2008, he served as a logistics officer to participate in the Felino exercise in Portugal by CPLP countries.

In May 2009, he participated in a peacekeeping logistics course at the Malaysian Peacekeeping Center (MPTC) in Port Dickson.

In July 2009, he participated in the technology exhibition in Brunei Darussalam.

From 2010 to the end of 2011, he was appointed 2nd Commander of the Support and Service Component (CAS) and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. In the same year, he was appointed head of the F-FDTL team to participate in the initial planning of the Felino exercise in Angola Cabuledo.

At the beginning of the 2012 semester, after graduating as a Colonel, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the F-FDTL. And the same year he was also appointed Chief of the Casa Militar of the President of the RDTL for the period 2012-2017 and was promoted somewhat late to Colonel.

In 2014, he attended a course at the Asia Pacific Security Studies Center (APCSS) in Honolulu, USA, in the area of ​​the Transnational Security Cooperation (TSC) course.

Referring to the completion of five years of service as Chief of the Casa Militar when he received the medal of the Order of Timor-Leste from the President of the RDTL, from May 30, 2012 to May 20, 2017.

In June 2017, he returned as Chief of Staff of the F-FDTL.

For three years, from June 2018 to June 2021, he was appointed Military Defence Attaché of the F-FDTL in Canberra, Australia.

On 11 April 2022, he was appointed Commander of the Land Component in Baucau.

The mandate of the Land Component Commander did not end. However, in July 2023 he received a new mandate as acting Chief of Staff of the F-FDTL. He was promoted to Brigadier General on 17 August 2023 and published in the Jornal da República. On 30 October 2023, he was legitimately sworn in as Chief of Staff of the F-FDTL.

Brigadier General Trix speaks Tetum, Portuguese and some Bahasa Indonesia and English