From UNMISET

LOCAL MEDIA MONITORING

LOCAL MEDIA

STL

1. The Court of Appeal has decided that the draft Immigration and Asylum Law in particular articles 11 a, b, c, f, g and 12, is unconstitutional. The President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Mr Xanana Gusmao send the draft bill to the Appeals Court for constitutional examination. The Court of Appeal said that article 11 limits the basic rights of foreign citizens which are stipulated in the RDTL Constitution. The Court also decided that article 12 of the Immigration Law limits the right of free expression and assembly.

2. The Special Representative of the Secretary General of United Nations, Mr Kamalesh Sharma, yesterday met with the Speaker of the National Parliament, Mr Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo, at the Parliament building. After the meeting Mr Lu-Olo told reporters that Mr Sharma gave information about his regular report on the security situation in Timor-Leste to the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan in New York. Mr Lu-Olo said that no specific issues were discussed during the meeting.

3. The Minister of Justice, Mr Domingos Sarmento, yesterday met with Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri to report the departure of Timor-Leste's judges to Portugal for one year's training. Mr Sarmento said that 8 judges are participating in this year's training. Mr Sarmento said that they will arrive in Portugal before 15th July. In Portugal they will attend a 3 month Portuguese language course and then an intensive 6 month training for judges and 3 months on the job training (practice) in Portugal's courts.

4. Amnesty International, the worldwide human rights watch-dog, said in a report published yesterday that Timor-Leste's new police force is"incapable of maintaining law and order and promoting human rights". The report said "despite some progress, the National Police Service of Timor-Leste (PNTL) remains a fragile and underdeveloped institution which is not adequately trained or equipped to maintain law and order in a manner consistent with international human rights standards". (If the article is of interest, please read the full story in yesterday's Media Monitoring).

TIMOR POST

1. The Interior Minister, Mr Rogerio Lobato, yesterday told reporters (TP,TVTL) that the Quelikai incident (where an off-duty policeman stabbed his opponent in a cock-fight) is under investigation. Mr Lobato said that if the policeman is found guilty in the Court he will be dismissed from the Police. Mr Lobato said that the police are trained to protect not harm the community.

2. The Vice President of the National Parliament, Mr Jacob Fernandes, said "the Commission of Reception, Truth and Reconciliation's (CAVR) activities have used the victims as political objects. Within the CAVR itself there are many veiled interests". Mr Fernandes commented yesterday on CAVR's mission and performance to Timor Post at Parliament House. Mr Fernandes said that the Parliament has already prepared a draft bill for the establishment and the extension of the Commission's mandate. Mr Fernandes said that in order to anticipate the negative presumptions mentioned above the new bill will give more authority to the President of RDTL to be involved.

3. Timor Post also reported the same story as STL regarding the Appeals Court's decision on the Immigration and Asylum Law.

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