From UNMISET

Dili, September 22 2003

Daily Media Review

International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace was celebrated in Dili on Sunday with a 4-km bicycle parade, attended by about 100 participants, among them SRSG Kamalesh Sharma, DSRSG Sukehiro Hasegawa, Force Commander Lieutenant-General Datuk Pahlawan Khairuddin Mat Saad and Police Commissioner Sandra Peisley. President Xanana Gusmão addressed the Timorese population on the issue of peace, in a message broadcasted by the national TV on Saturday evening. Also on Saturday evening, UNMISET organized a vigil, with the participation of several local music groups and international UN staff. On Monday, Suara Timor Lorosae carried an article on the subject, by the General Secretary of the United Islamic Center of East Timor (UNICET), Marlim da Silva, entitled "Creative Peace Environment in Your life, There Will Be Peace on Earth". UN Secretary-General's message for the day was disseminated throughout the country by PKF. (STL)

Clash Near Maliana: One Person Dead

The Border Patrol Unit (BPU) of PNTL [Timorese Police Force] on Thursday evening shot dead one man after a group of men, in an attempt to resist arrest, injured a BPU officer near the town of Maliana [Bobonaro District]. On Thursday evening [around 6pm], the BPU was conducting a patrol in the area around Junction Point ­ C [Maliana], where an illegal market often operates. They came across four people suspected of being illegal traders, crossing from West Timor into Timor-Leste. They confronted the group and one of the men shot an arrow at the BPU, injuring one officer in the leg. The BPU then opened fire in response to the attack. One of the men was shot dead and the others fled across the border to West Timor. PNTL, including the BPU, as well as UNPOL and PKF went to the scene to start an investigation into the incident. TNI [Indonesian Army] has been co-operating closely with the investigation, which continued Friday morning. There are still no details as to the nationality of the men involved. The injured BPU officer was transferred from Maliana Hospital to Dili Hospital on Friday. PKF handed over responsibility for JP-C to the BPU last month [19th August]. (STL, Lusa, TP )

Fernandes: Timor-Leste Still Needs Security Assistance

The Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament, Jacob Fernandes said on Friday that he agrees with the reports according to which Timor-Leste will face a "security vacuum" when UNMISET ends its mandate next year. Fernandes told Timor Post that the country still needs the UN assistance in security issues, although cooperation with the Indonesians has growing stronger. The judicial sector, as well as security and the public administration, are the areas in which the international assistance are mostly needed. In its Saturday edition, Timor Post quoted the former Bishop of Dili, Ximenes Belo, as saying that the UN must maintain at least a contingent of PKF in the border areas after UNMISET pulls out of Timor-Leste. Belo said that all UN workers could leave, but a small contingent of PKF should remain in the borders "because in terms of security, Timor-Leste is not stabilized yet". (TP)

Local Elections Expected in March and June 2004

The first community leaders election in Timor-Leste will take place sometime next year between March and June and is expected to cost US$1.7 million dollars reported the Portuguese news agency, Lusa. Prime Minister Alkatiri said on Monday that it is about the process of "a consolidation of community authority" and not the development of "local power". "It is not to do with local autarchy but to legitimize the heads of the villages and sub-villages and to create the Council of Sucos," Alkatiri said. (Lusa)

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