By Paige Taylor
February 15, 2008 01:00am
THE day before rebel leader Alfredo Reinado was killed in a gun battle at the home of East Timor's President, he phoned his wife in Perth and made her promise she would always look after herself and their four children.
Maria Reinado yesterday told of her grief at the loss of her husband, a former Perth shipyard worker who once swore she would never become a young widow. "It is hard for me to help (our children) to understand that he is gone," she said.
"They tell me that dad is still alive and not to believe the TV. I encourage the kids to cry out loud, and remind them of the daily horrible nightmare - to hide reality would be foolish."
Ms Reinado, 30, was not at her husband's funeral in East Timor yesterday. Friends believe it is too dangerous for her to return even briefly to the country where her husband has been a central figure in violence and political unrest.
But Ms Reinado's pleas for permanent protection in Australia have been rejected and she and her children will be forced back to East Timor unless Immigration Minister Chris Evans intervenes.
Neither Ms Reinado nor her advocates would discuss her case, but former Jesuit Refugee Service director Frank Brennan said Senator Evans would be unwise to force the widow or her children to live in East Timor.
"We should not force anyone to return there at this time, especially if they are related to persons identified with the causes of the emergency and instability," he said.
The Reinado family was living in Dili in May 2006, and Ms Reinado was pregnant with the couple's fourth child, Felicity, when Reinado abandoned his military barracks and joined hundreds of armed rebels in the hills.
He never met his youngest child; as mob violence escalated in the capital, Ms Reinado fled to their former home town of Perth with their children, Billy, Donovan and Tiffany.
"The children spoke to Alfredo almost every night, they had a close relationship," Ms Reinado said in the statement released through the West Australian Uniting Church's justice and mission consultant, Rosemary Hudson Miller.
"Alfredo encouraged me to be strong for the kids. Sometimes I would cry alone at night so the children wouldn't see me be weak."
Ms Reinado was introduced to her future husband by her brother "Afri" on her 15th birthday in 1992 and their romance began a month later. Their son Billy was a baby when they married on May 24, 1995 and their "honeymoon" was aboard a friend's fishing vessel Reinado captained to Darwin with 15 other asylum-seekers.
They lived in Melbourne, Perth and Darwin over the next four years, and their son Donovan was born in Australia.
"In our last conversation, he asked me to promise him that I would look after myself and our children," Ms Reinado said.
"He promised me once that I would never become a young widow and now he is gone. I will not break my promise to him."
Rebel Alfredo Reinado's widow Maria speaks of her grief
Paige Taylor, The Australian
February 15, 2008 10:00am
THE Perth-based widow of East Timor rebel Alfredo Reinado has released a statement after her husband was shot dead in the rebel assassination attempt on Jose Ramos-Horta.
Mrs Reinado made her statement through the Uniting Church of Western Australia's justice and mission consultant Rosemary Hudson Miller. 
The Statement
Maria met alfredo through her brother " Afri" in East Timor in 1992 on her 15th Birthday. It was just a month later Alfredo finally worked up the courage to Ask Maria out through her brother. They dated for three years. Six month After Billy was born they were married on the 24 May when they set of to Australia.Maria laughs as she recalls Alfredo says "Honey this is the longest honeymoon anyone will ever have.Funny enough it turned out into a four years honeymoon. During these time Donovan was born their second son. Alfredo returned to East Timor on 1999. The children spoke to Alfredo almost every night they had a close relationship. Although he never had a chance to meet their younger daughter Felicity or spend much time with their other child Tiffany they still had a very close bond. He had a nick name for each of them. He called Felicity is " Little Kookaburra" after first sound she made, Tiffany was his " Little chatter box" Donovan the "Grumpy Face" and Billy "Lazy Boy". It wasn't easy being with out Alfredo, especially with four children. Sometimes I felt though enough is enough. It is because of the children I found the strength to get through the days. Alfredo encouraged me to be strong for the kids. Sometimes I would cry alone at night so the children wouldn't see me be weak. He always assured me and comfort me during these hard time, even though it was just over the phone I felt like he was beside me. Now who will I turn to for a winge I have lost my very best friend and companion in my life. It has affected us all so much. It was through a friends and the media that I found out my husband was gone. "The kids have not seen him for almost two years it is hard for me to help them to understand that he is gone. They still tell me that dad is still alive and not to believe the TV. I encourage the kids to cry out loud, and remind them of the daily horrible nightmare to hide reality would be foolish. Maria is surprise by the support of her Australian friends and family. It is not surprising Alfredo loved Australian people so much. Alfredo indeed a big Eagles fan. All I want now is for the media to leave me and my family alone so that I can start the journey of repairing the broken heart of my children. I am not in hiding I just want people to respect my privacy. In our last conversation he asked me to promise him that I would look after myself and our children. He also wanted me to remember he will always love me till he died and hold a special place in his heart. He promised to me once that I would never become a young widow and now he is gone. I will not break my promise to him.
Maria Reinado
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21498,23218282-2761,00.html?from=public_rss
Ramos Horta and Reinado had amnesty deal
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