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[Poster's note: Long repeats of long 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 Monday, 14 February 2005

National Alliance Discusses Truth Commission

Responding to the initiative of the Timor-Leste and Indonesian governments to establish a 'Truth and Friendship Commission', the National Alliance for an International Tribunal held a discussion at CAVR on Friday. One of the board members of the Alliance, Edu Saldanha Borges, said that the objective of the discussion was to identify the importance of the Commission. He said that the panel discussion would also identify problems associated with the Commission and consider the perspective of victims. (Timor Post)

Confusion Over Timing of Elections

Political and military observer, Julio Tomas Pinto, claims the next election should be held in 2006. Julio said that even if the Prime Minister says that the elections will be held in 2007, it is the President himself who must decide whether the elections are held in 2006 or 2007. Julio said that this is clearly stated in the Constitution. (Timor Post)

Tibar Floods

Residents of Tibar, Liquica District, were pounded with heavy rain on Saturday night, which flooded the area with waters one metre high. The Minister of Interior, Rogerio Lobato, and the Secretary of State for Labour and Solidarity, Arsenio Paixao Bano, immediately went to assess the situation. Although there were no reported deaths, residents worked to try to save valuables and livestock. The villages that flooded are located between two narrow rivers, which are unable to support large amounts of rain. According to residents of the area, this is the first time that they have experienced such flooding. Fences and furniture were destroyed, and some livestock lost. (STL)

Body of Australian Soldier Buried in Dili

The body of one of the three Australian soldiers killed by Japanese troops in Dili during the Second World War was exhumed and re-buried in the Aituri Laran cemetery on Saturday. The body was buried by the soldier's Australian friend, Major Tom Hall.

Mr Hall said that the three soldiers were killed when they tried to escape from the Japanese detention centre at Taibessi. He said that during Indonesian times he had tried to negotiate with Indonesia to allow him to exhume and rebury the bodies, but that they never allowed it. When Timor-Leste became independent, Mr Hall once again began to make contact with Timor-Leste's government to allow him to do this. The burial was presided over by the Pastor of Motael Parish, Father Antonio Alves. (STL)

New WHO report on dengue fever in Timor-Leste

As of 9 February, the World Health Organization (WHO) has received reports of 178 hospitalised cases of dengue infection and 16 deaths. More than 70 per cent pf the 178 cases had clinical features compatible with dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and the remaining cases were diagnosed as suspected dengue fever. The majority of cases were reported to be in Dili. (Press Release: WHO)

Lieutenant Dies Due to Pistol Shot

A 24-year-old FDTL soldier died after accidentally shooting himself after repairing his pistol. The Platoon Commander of Battalion II, Lieutenant Lorenco Manuel da Cruz Verdial, died on Thursday afternoon when a bullet from the pistol that he had just repaired, entered his body. According to news reports, the soldier was playing with the pistol before it fired into his chest. He was immediately evacuated to Dili National Hospital by UN helicopter, but died after suffering a large loss of blood. (STL)

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