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Subject: Daily Media Review 13 August 2003
From UNMISET Dili, August 13 2003 Daily Media Review President: The Leaders Will be Asked to Meet Soon After attending the inauguration of Timor-Leste National University Engineering Faculty on Tuesday, President Gusmão said that he would soon convene a meeting of political leaders in order to discuss the recent political developments in the country. President Gusmão added that the meeting would take place in his house and that F-FDTL and former Falintil would also be invited. The President Gusmão made these comments to journalists referring to recent critics made by party leaders through to the media. (STL) PM Alkatiri Confident on Post-UN Scenario Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri expressed optimism Tuesday in the capacity of Timor-Leste's fledgling defense force and police to maintain security once UN peacekeepers depart in mid-2004. By using "preventive and creative" measures, Dili's security forces could assure the new country's peace and stability, Alkatiri told journalists, after a meeting with members of his cabinet and the army and police chiefs. He said his Government is convinced that the international community will continue to back Timor-Leste following the formal end of the UN mission one year from now. "We have to see what kind of help and what option best fulfills our needs", Alkatiri said. (Lusa) Government-Media Relations MP Lucia Lobato (PSD) suggested that Gregório Sousa, the Secretary of State of the Council of Ministers, should resign from his post for acting against the Constitution when he criticized the editorial orientation of State-owned Radio and Television. Lobato said that through a letter sent by Gregório Sousa to the Administration Council of the Public Broadcasting Board, the Government "has tried to control the public media, which should be an independent and impartial institution". She said that this a "dangerous" step. Meanwhile, the President of the Public Broadcasting System and Interim Director of Radio and TV Timor-Leste, Virgilio Guterres, told the media on Tuesday that the Council of Administration does not have the right to interfere in the editorial orientation of the radio and television stations. "According to the broadcasting regulation, it is clear that the Council of Administration has no right to interfere in the daily management of the Radio and Television as well as in their editorial line," said Guterres adding that the letter from Gregório Sousa constitutes an interference, but it could also be seen as the opinion from a member of the Government. Virgilio said that PBS has already replied to the letter. (STL, TP) Prosecutor General Monteiro Challenges the Leadership of Indonesian Interpol Timor-Leste Prosecutor General, Longuinhos Monteiro said he is going to put pressure on the International Police (Interpol) conference in Spain in September for Indonesia Interpol to detain and indict those people responsible for crimes against humanity in Timor-Leste in 1999. It is reported that members of Indonesia Interpol attended a "Public Meeting for Serious Crimes" in Dili at Yayasan Hak auditorium last Friday. (STL) Back to August menu |