Bahasa Indonesia headlines ­ Wednesday 20 June 2001

1. Tomorrow 277 will be appointed as Defense Force members

2. Mother gives birth in PKF helicopter

3. Liurais urge UNTAET to acknowledge clandestine members

4. PST will campaign for Tetun as the national language

1. Tomorrow 277 will be appointed as Defense Force members (Suara Timor Lorosae, Front Page lead)

If there are no obstacles, tomorrow, 277 currently undergoing intensive military training at the Timor Lorosae Defense Force (FDTL) headquarters in Aileu will officially be appointed as Defense Force members.

The event will be officiated by UN Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello, PKF Commander Lt Gen Boonsrang Niumpradit, CNRT President Xanana Gusmao, FDTL Commander Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak and several other Timorese leaders.

UNTAET spokesperson Barbara Reis, at a press conference on Tuesday said among the activities planned for the ceremony will be a military parade and East Timorese warrior dances.

According to Barbara, of the 277 FDTL members 66 will be promoted to be commandos, 130 to be sergeants and 49 as privates.

In July, the FDTL headquarters will open its doors to Timorese youths who want to be selected as defense force members. The selection will be done through the so-to-be established Department of Defense and Peace. Three hundred and forty eight FDTL members will be selected.

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2. Mother gives birth in PKF helicopter (Suara Timor, Front Page second lead)

A housewife from Oecussi gave birth on a PKF helicopter, while being evacuated to Dili from the Oecussi General Hospital.

PKF spokesperson Captain Jeff Squires told a press conference on Tuesday that the doctor who helped deliver the baby was Air Lieutenant Steve Cook from the Australian Air Force.

“Five minutes after the helicopter took off from Oecussi, the baby was born,” said Captain Jeff Squire. Captain Jeff Squire said the baby was a boy.

On arrival in Dili, both mother and child were transferred to the ICRC hospital in Bidau.

“This is the second time that the PKF has helped mothers, in remote areas, experiencing child-birth difficulties,” said Captain Jeff Squire.

“Both mother and child have to be transferred to Dili as fast as possible in order to save their lives,” added Captain Squire.

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3. Liurais urge UNTAET to acknowledge clandestine members (Suara Timor Lorosae, front page side-bar)

The liurais (traditional chiefs) of Timor Lorosae urged UNTAET to acknowledge the young generation of East Timorese who played a big role in the clandestine movement, during the Indonesian occupation, operating under the umbrella of CNRT.

This appeal was made when the traditional chiefs met with UN Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello on Tuesday.

The liurais also took the opportunity, at the meeting with Sergio de Mello, to call for more job openings for young people who fought the Indonesians through the clandestine.

The meeting with UNTAET was a follow up with the meeting the liurais had with CNRT President Xanana Gusmao in Balide on Monday.

The five representatives of the liurais who met with Sergio were Alexio Ximenes, Joao Francisco Amaral, Agosto Pires, Joanico dos Santoa and Lucio Gonsalves.

“The meeting was a result of initiatives taken by Xanana Gusmao. His intention was to discuss the aspirations of the ordinary people, namely those affecting youn people, in the period leading up to the election,” said Alexio Ximenes.

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4. PST will campaign for Tetun as the national language (Suara Timor Lorosae, front page side-bar)

The secretary-general of the Socialist Party of Timor (PST) Avelinho Coelho said Tuesday if the party gets majority seats in the 30 August election it will make Tetun the national language of the country.

“Firstly we have to realize that Portuguese was made the official language on the recommendation of the recent CNRT Congress. That recommendation is not binding,” said Avelino.

He said most of CNRT resolutions, passed at the Congress, had not been implemented ­ even till the date of the grouping’s dissolution.

“We have to be consistent in our attitude. Our independence struggle to free the Timorese people must not lead to another form of colonization through language,” said Avelino.

He added the identity of a nation was reflected in its national language.

The PST secretary-general said reporters were already using Tetun in radio and TV broadcasts and the standard of the language in the media was improving daily.

“Because of this PST will campaign for the use of the Tetun as the country’s official language and we will make sure it is enshrined in the constitution,” added Avelino.

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