Local Media Monitoring Update 29 Jan 03

Dili, Timor-Lester Local Media Monitoring Update 29 Jan 03

Police Found Weapons in Ossu The Head of TLPS, Paulo Martins told the media on Tuesday that police in Ossu, Viqueque sub-district found a SKS gun purposely left on a road. He also said some FMJ 18 FMJ ammunitions and magazines were found in Bobonaro. Martins said that police detained two men from Kailako, accused by local residents of providing assistance to five militias who have fled into the country early this month. (TP, STL)

Kailako Residents Accused of Hiding Militias Two men from Kailaco sub-district on Tuesday appeared at Dili District Tribunal accused of hiding five militias early this month. According to STL one of the accused said that on 31/12/02 he saw the five men in his cornfield and invited them to his house where they stayed until the 3/1/03. If found guilty he may be sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. The other man will be released for 30 days because he was the one passed information to the police. (STL)

Lere Unaware of Kolimau Different Groups F-FDTL Chief of State, Colonel Lere Anan Timor said he is unaware of any information about the three different groups of Kolimau 2000. Lere was referring to an information presented at the parliament by MP José Andrade of Maliana District and reported by Timor Post on Tuesday. According to the MP, Kolimau 2000 is presently formed by three different groups. (TP)

Indonesia Did Not Support Militias The Head of Indonesia Representative in Timor-Leste, Kristio Wahyono said that Indonesia was not behind the December 4th incidents and is not interesting at creating problems in Timor-Leste which can lead to destabilizing the relationship between the two countries. "Those militias involved in the incidents in Timor-Leste did so from their own initiatives. It is not the Indonesian government or security program to be involved in these matters", Wahyono told the media on Tuesday. According to him " several former militias returned to Timor-Leste before 4th December 2002. And many of the returnees went back to West Timor through illegal check points with travel document," said Kristio Wahyono. He added that many Indonesians have visited Timor-Leste but not with the aim of destabilizing the country. The Head of Indonesia mission said the riots of last December derived from "personal problems". (STL)

129 Suspects of Serious Crimes Are in West Timor General Prosecutor, Longuinhos Monteiro said that 129 militias suspected of allegedly involved in 1999 violence are still living in West Timor. He told the media on Tuesday that since the establishment of the serious crimes panel judges, the court processed 46 cases, which involved 141 militias' suspects. Another 20 cases involving 129 people currently living in West Timor are pending, according to him. (STL)

PKF support police operation in Lakalese

PKF soldiers assisted local police in the arrest of 13 people in the village of Lakalese (approximately 10km north west of Suai) yesterday morning. Members of the Singaporean Company, attached to the Thai Battalion, assisted the local police in a continuation of the operation that had led to the detention of seven people on Monday afternoon. Two of the seven people detained on Monday turned out to be witnesses and were subsequently released. The arrest of the 13 people yesterday morning brings the number of people arrested on charges of extortion in the last couple of days to 18. Those detained were transported to Suai TLPS station where they are being held awaiting transport to Dili for judicial processing. Commenting on the arrests that took place on Monday, the Commander of Sector West, Colonel Wayne Bowen, said that "the apprehension of this group was another example of the success of TLPS in policing Cova Lima District". Sector West Forces consist of troops from Australia, Thailand, Fiji and Singapore whose mission is to maintain a secure environment in order to support the RDTL government in defeating security threats to its territorial integrity. Sector West troops will continue to assist the TLPS actively by maintaining security in the area.

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