Timor-Leste International and Local Media Monitoring May 17, 2004

Timor Post

Need to find a better solution for crimes against humanity

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Ramos Horta, said that Timor-Leste leaders are looking to find a better solution to crimes against humanity for Jakarta and Timor-Leste to be able to accept it. The Minister said that the Governments of Timor-Leste, Jakarta and the international community are exchanging ideas, and trying not to damage the good relations already established with the Government of Indonesia.

STL

TL Embassy in Australia ready

The Ambassador for Timor-Leste in Australia, Jorge da Conceição Teme, said that the building destined for the Timor-Leste Embassy in Canberra is ready and complete. He said that the Timorese community living in Australia gave financial support for the Government of Timor-Leste to be able to erect the new Embassy.

Bobonaro District collects data for war-disabled

The Director for the Veterans Affairs, Bonifacio Magno Ferreira, said that after the Restoration of the Independence ceremony on May 20, the heads of the villages in the District of Bobonaro will start collecting data of victims, widows, orphans and war disabled. He said that the data will be given afterwards to the Secretary of State for Labour and Solidarity responsible for the portfolio of the Veterans Affairs.

ET wants solution to CAH "acceptable to all?"

East Timorese want to find a solution "acceptable to all" for Crimes Against Humanity (CAH) committed in its territory in 1999 by Indonesian troops and pro-Indonesia militias, its foreign minister said. Jose Ramos Horta told reporters that Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri and East Timor President Xanana Gusmão met for two hours on Indonesia?s resort island of Bali late Saturday. They discussed a push by the United Nations to bring to justice those responsible for killing some 1,500 people after East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in a 1999 referendum. Horta said East Timor, Indonesia and the UN are still looking "at what further steps could be acceptable to all." He said it was too early to disclose what those steps would be.

Former militia commandant denounced Wiranto

A former militia commander, Marculino Soares, said during a hearing process in the Dili High Court that all the militia groups operating in Timor-Leste in 1999 were financed by Wiranto. He said that before the arrival of the UN advanced team he and other militia commanders of the 13 districts were paid RP500 million by the former Governor, Abílio Jose Osorio Soares. Mr. Marculino Soares said that the money was given to promote the country's special autonomy within Indonesia. Mr Soares said that he always took part in these meetings for the promotion of the special autonomy campaign with a friend Manuel Sousa, who was also a militia commander from Maubara. Mt Soares said these meetings were attended by representatives of the Indonesian central government, military, police, and intelligence officials, among others.

Jose Filipe External Affairs World Bank, Dili Office

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