UNOTIL

Daily Media Review

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review

Wednesday 17 August 2005

National Media Reports

Former Militia Members Assault Villager

STL Lead Story reports that three former militia members attacked a villager from Purugua in the Kailako area of Bobonaro District last Thursday. According to PNTL Commander Paulo Martins, three former militia members assaulted "Mateus" after forcibly entering his house. Martins reportedly said that "Mateus" had immediately recognised the voice of one of the men as that of former militia member Jose Mausorti and that when the men fled that a shot was fired in the distance. Martins reportedly said that Jose Mausorti fled the country in 1999 and continues to often return to Timor-Leste where his family hides him. (Suara Timor Lorosae)

Three Dead and Twelve Injured In Bus Accident

Three people have now reportedly died and 12 have been injured following a traffic accident on Monday in the Karimbala area of Liquiça District. According to eyewitness Maria Pereira, the 15 passengers in the bus were all relatives travelling from Dili to Maliana to attend the funeral of another relative. She said the accident occurred when the bus failed to break and rolled down a mountain road in the Karimbala area falling into the sea. Two people reportedly died on the spot and one on arrival at hospital. It is also reported that the decapitated body of one of the victims has been found while the search for the head continues. (Diario)

Lack of Road Quality Shows Corruption: Branco

Member of Parliament Francisco Branco (Fretilin) said that the poor quality of a road construction project in Atauro demonstrates that there is corruption. He said the National Parliament and the Government would instruct the construction companies involved in such projects to take full responsibility. The money for project came from bilateral assistance and not from the government and stressed that such assistance must be used properly in order for the people to benefit.. In a separate article, it is reported that Timorese business representatives have met with Public Works Minister, Odete Victor, to look into plans for better cooperation between the government and the private sector. (Timor Post)

Police Stops CPD-RDTL Activities in Same

PNTL Commander for Manufahi District, Lucas Tilman told Timor Post last Friday that he had requested CPD- RDTL members to stop their activities such as raising the national flag as well as wearing military uniforms as, according to Tilman, such activities are not favourable to pulic life. In response to the PNTL request, the CPD-RDTL coordinator for Sector I of Same region, Joaquim dos Reis, said that he would not oppose PNTL or government requests as rules must be obeyed for people to live peacefully. The PNTL commander also informed the media that the Police will continue with operations to stop the sale of local-produced spirits as around 89 litres of the illegal spirits had been confiscated in Same. (TP)

Former Ambassador Promises to Establish Factories in TL

Former Timor-Leste Ambassador to Malaysia, Jafar Alkatiri has promised President Gusmão that he will work with foreign companies to open factories in Timor-Leste to create job opportunities for young people, reported the media on Wednesday. Jafar Alkatiri said that he had promised President Gusmao to undertake the task. "It is important to be in contact with foreign companies, for example, I know some firms in Malaysia and Indonesia which, I hope, will provide positive answers by the end of this month," Jafar said adding that he will provide potential investors with the foreign investment law to convince them to invest in Timor-Leste. In a separate article the former Timor-Leste Ambassador to Australia, Jorge Teme has reportedly announced that he would spend most of his time working with the Fretilin Central Committee for the upcoming national elections in 2007 and supporting government programmes in Oecussi. (Diario)

Former Militia Member Charged For Four Years Imprisonment

Timor Post reported that former militia member, Daniel Mendes who was engaged in cross fire with the National Police Reserve Unit in Cailaco, Bobonaro District on 18 January 2005 was sentenced to four years inprisonment by international judge, Sandra Silvestre. at Suai District Court. According to the Judge Silvestre, the defendant was sentenced on the basis of being in possession of explosive materials and illegal firearms. (Timor Post)

PNTL To Be Trained As Helicopter Pilots

It is reported that during a meeting with Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato, the visiting Commander of the Malaysian Police, General Dato Mohd Noor Hamad has pledged to train members of the Timorese Police as helicopters pilots. According to Suara Timor Lorosae (STL), there had also been discussion about the PNTL training budget which would be presented to the Government of Malaysia for approval. There will also be cooperation to enhance the development of the PNTL maritime unit. In a separate article, Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato said in response to NGO reports of corruption, collusion and nepotism in his ministry, that there have only been minors cases and those responsible have been expelled. He reportedly provided the examples of the shooting by a PNTL officer in Rai Kotu, Dili, the involvement of a PNTL officer in beating up a Timorese person of Chinese descent in Same and cases of border smuggling. He asked the NGO which had made the report to also focus on the positive aspects of PNTL since 2000. (Suara Timor Lorosae)

Da Costa: "The Education Ministry Was Wrong"

The headmaster of the "4 September of UNAMET" Secondary School, Anibal do Rosario da Costa reportedly told the media that the mistaken release of the results for the National Examination in Dili District is a result of the Ministry of Education's fault in instructing schools to release the exam results on 16 July. Da Costa said the schools were just following the authorisation of the Vice Minister of Education through the district education authorities therefore schools should not be blamed for releasing the results ahead of the ministry. He added that he agrees with the statement of the Ministry not to repeat the same mistake. He also confirmed that students from his school are ready to re-sit the National Examinations as instructed by Mateus dos Reis, who is the coordinating chief of the National Examinations. Diario newspaper reported on Saturday that students were asked to re-sit for the exam due to 400 students who passed the exam but were involved in the irregularities of the recent exam. (Timor Post)