| Subject: UNMISET Daily Media Review 21
April 2005
[Poster's note: Long repeats of international articles already sent out
to the east-timor list have been removed.]
UNMISET Daily Press Review
Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and
international sources
Daily Media Review Thursday, 21 April 2005
TL protestors demand religion in schools
Prime Minister on demonstration
The Office of the Prime Minister released a statement to the press late
yesterday, whereby Mari Alkatiri has congratulated the national police
force and demonstrators on their efforts in making the demonstration as
peaceful as possible. The statement states that the Prime Minister
applauds the fact that no incidents occurred between the demonstrators and
the police and congratulates all those who participated in this
demonstration for having manifested great democratic maturity.
The Prime Minister said that the peaceful climate that characterises
the demonstration helps to nurture the dialogue channels between the
Government and Catholic Church. Mr Alkatiri added that he is open to
constructive dialogue with the Catholic Church. (Press statement from the
Office of the Prime Minister)
Lobato calls on priests to hang up cassocks and threatens protestors
with use of force
The Minister of Interior, Rogerio Lobato, has called for the priests
involved in the demonstration to hang up their cassocks if they desire to
become involved in politics. Lobato, responding to calls for the Prime
Minister to resign, criticized the demonstration, saying that the original
cause for the demonstration had only been used as a cover for other
political aims. In a statement issued yesterday, Fretilin said that it
does not accept the political nature of the demonstration as well as the
use of religious icons during the demonstration.
Both the Interior Minister and Speaker of Parliament, Fransicso
Guterres, also blasted the church-organized demonstration as subversion
aimed to topple the government and threatened to use force. "We have
information that they are preparing an assault on the government palace
and have plans to paralyse Dili," said Lobato. The Minister also
added that police would "resort to legitimate use of force" if
demonstrators tried to occupy government buildings.
Meanwhile, in a press release yesterday, the Bishop of Dili Diocese,
Alberto Ricardo, said that the demonstration was never only about
religion, but also about other issues of concern to the people, such as
justice for crimes against humanity, food security, health, education,
poverty, corruption, press freedom and freedom of speech. (Timor Post,
Lusa)
Malaysia and Timor-Leste co-operate in customs and excise
Malaysia and Timor-Leste are set to establish bilateral ties in area of
customs and excise, with the aim of improving the quality of customs
services in Timor-Leste. At a press conference yesterday, the Deputy
Director General of Malaysian Customs, Datuk Abdul Rashid Bolong, said
that the focus of this new agreement would be on capacity building,
logistics, and a review of legal regulations. (STL)
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