East Timor Press Review

Wednesday 26 June 2002

· MP Armando da Silva (LP) was quoted by the Timor Post as saying that Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri must address Parliament on the state of Timor Sea negotiations in order to avoid misunderstandings within East Timor’s communities.

· In an editorial, the Timor Post calls on the former head of a pro-Indonesian group, João Tavares, to stop making demands and return to East Timor like any other Timorese.

· Eurico Guterres, the former head of the Aitarak militia group, has reportedly confirmed that he is ready to testify at the Ad hoc tribunal in Jakarta. “If I do not testify the public will think that I am a coward. I don’t want to act like a coward. What my friends and I did in East Timor was to defend my nation.”

· Ermera residents are reportedly refusing to sell their coffee beans due to low market prices.

· The Director of East Timor Civil Security, David Ximenes, has been quoted as saying that the actions of the police when arresting a suspect named Maucale last week in Dili was beyond their authority. East Timorese Police Commissioner Paulo Martins denied that the police covered their faces with masks when arresting Maucale.

· The Government must establish regulations on trade, Filipe Mendes, a student at the Dili-based Economics Institute, ISEG, was quoted as saying.

· Dozens of East Timorese pensioners are upset because they have not received as much money in pension payments as they had expected.

· Some youths are complaining that although Portuguese has been adopted as the official language, the teaching of it in schools should not be forced on them.

· MP Arlindo Marçal (PDC) has been quoted as saying that the nation’s security is in the hands of FDTL and ETPS.

· The ferry service between Dili, Oecussi and Ataúro has reportedly been operating well.

· Youths in Gariwai village in Baucau district are pelting passing cars with rocks. Residents of the area are reportedly not feeling safe.

· Udayana Military Commander General William da Costa was quoted as appealing to East Timorese refugees in West Timor not to get involved in violence.

· Suara Timor Lorosae reports that ETPS Commissioner Paulo Martins met and updated Minister of Internal Administration Rogerio Lobato on the police service and the challenges they have faced since independence.

· East Timorese representatives reportedly rejected a request made by the former head of a pro-Indonesia militia group, João Tavares, during a meeting yesterday in Batugade. MP Clementino Amaral (KOTA) said Tavares’ request to have a cantonment for former militia members in Maliana would create new problems.

· Residents of Ainaro are requesting that the government build secondary and pre-secondary schools in their area to enable their children to attend classes.

[Drafted by: Ceu Brites UNMISET spokesperson’s office]

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