| Subject: UNMISET Daily Media Review 13
April 2005
UNMISET Daily Press Review
Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and
international sources
Daily Media Review Wednesday, 13 April 2005
Government angered by Catholic Church comments
The increasingly bitter dispute between the government of Timor-Leste
and the country’s Catholic Church on whether religious teaching should
be compulsory in public schools continues to intensify.
Following yesterday’s public statement by the Catholic Church in
Timor-Leste, whereby the two bishops accused the government of offending
the church, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has today responded, accusing the
Catholic Church of transforming itself into a political party.
Local newspaper reports state that the Government is willing to engage
in a dialogue on the above matter rather than transforming this debate
into a religious war. The communiqué by the Government, published by STL
and Timor Post, also accused the hierarchy of the Church of having little
interest in finding a solution.
Meanwhile, the Dean of the Faculty of Politics at the National
University in Dili, Valentim Ximenes, called on both sides to sit down
together and discuss this issue properly in order to avoid confusion.
(Timor Post, STL)
President Gusmão urges political parties not to instigate fights
amongst population
President Xanana Gusmão has urged all political parties to educate,
love and teach the population but not to instigate fights among the
community through the use of false information and propaganda. He added
that political parties should respect and embrace one another in a
democracy such as Timor-Leste. President Gusmão made the statement during
a visit to Ermera district, where he also called on the local population
to prepare themselves for the upcoming election of Chefé de Suco and
Conselho de Suco. (Timor Post, TVTL)
MP Amaral on Fatuk Sinai island
MP Clementino dos Reis Amaral from KOTA has called on the governments
of Timor-Leste and Indonesia to involve the local community in solving the
border demarcation of Fatuk Sinai (or Batek Island). Amaral, a former
administrator in an area on the disputed border, said based on his
experiences many problems could be solved through local communities.
Meanwhile, MP João Gonsalves of PSD has questioned the Minister of
Foreign Affairs on whether the signing of the provisional border agreement
with Jakarta on 8 April would mean the handover of Fatuk Sinai island to
the Indonesian government. (Timor Post, STL)
TL and Indonesia to open border
The Minister of Interior, Rogério Lobato said the governments of
Timor-Leste and Indonesia would soon open the border to a certain extent
to facilitate the needs of the population residing there. He said that
opening the border would benefit the local population economically.
Minister Lobato clarified that he has spoken to his Indonesian counterpart
about allowing the local population, who are residing on the border and
who do not hold a passport, to move freely in the area but not to cross
the Indonesian border by more than 10 kilometres. Minister Lobato added
that apart from economic benefits, the border pass given to locals would
also be an opportunity for families living on either side to meet. (STL)
Mayor Ular Rihik: 258 F-FDTL New Cadets to Graduate
Mayor Ular Rihik announced that 258 F-FDTL cadets, who completed a
basic training course at Nicolau Lobato Training Centre in Metinaro, will
graduate on 15 April 2005. (Timor Post)
Dengue fever experts to help Timor-Leste
Two Northern Territory-based dengue fever mosquito experts will fly to
Timor-Leste today to help stop a recent outbreak. Twenty-four East
Timorese have died from the disease and more than 400 have been
hospitalised this year.
The Health Department’s senior entomologist Peter Whelan said the
two-day trip will be used to get basic information about how the Timorese
authorities tackle this virus. (ABC)
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