UNMISET Daily Press Review

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review Friday, 14 January 2005

Timor and Portugal to sign new defense cooperation accord

Portugal is set to sign a new one-year cooperation accord with Timor-Leste next week. Portugal’s State Secretary for Defence, Jorge Neto, will travel to Dili for a five-day visit, beginning Tuesday. Lisbon is currently Dili’s main aid partner in defence cooperation with various programs worth an estimated 4-million euros. (Lusa)

Police Accused of Hitting Suspects Spreading Tsunami Rumors

Suspects being tried at Dili District Court for allegedly spreading the tsunami rumors have accused PNTL of physically assaulting them. PNTL authorities have dismissed the claim. The Deputy Commander of PNTL, Ismail Babo, asked the suspects to provide evidence. “I cannot say whether the police officers had hit them or not but if they have evidence, I really urge them to present it to the police for an investigation,” Babo said. (STL)

Bishop Nascimento: Those Making Laws Against The Church Are Anti-Christian

In response to the decision of the Government not to include Catholic religion as a mandatory subject in schools, Bishop of Baucau Diocese Basilio do Nascimento said that whoever made the laws against the Church are considered to be anti-Christian. “Every time when we reach the end of the year, we always hear the anti-Christian reading. Those who introduce such things are the ones who no longer believe in God,” said Bishop Nascimento.

Bishop Nascinmento added that the Timorese tend to blame foreigners for bringing modern customs to Timor-Leste as anti-Christian behaviour. However, he said that the Timorese are not quite conscious of the fact that they themselves are the ones who are anti-Christ. (STL)

Parliamentarians to meet With Government Members On the Establishment of Superior Council for Defence

The Vice President of Commission B of the National Parliament in charge of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Clementino dos Reis Amaral, has announced that the Commission has decided to conduct a meeting with Government members, namely Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, José Ramos-Horta, Minister of Interior, Rogério Tiago Lobato, Secretary State for Defence, Roque Rodrigues, PNTL Commander, Paulo Fatima Martins, and F-FDTL Commander, Taur Matan Ruak, on the establishment of Superior Council for Defence. The meeting is scheduled to be held on 16 and 17 January. (Timor Post)

US Ambassador Congratulates President

US Ambassador to Timor-Leste Joseph Grover Rees has congratulated President Xanana Gusmão for his efforts to change the situation in the country and to mobilize the people of Timor-Leste to help others who are suffering even though they are still in the condition of being poor. “As a foreign ambassador to Timor-Leste, I congratulate the President for his good work in trying to better the living conditions of Timorese people. We fully agree with him in his endeavour to make the situation in Timor-Leste in general as stable as expected,” said Ambassador Rees. Moreover, Ambassador Rees said that during the last three years a lot of progress has been made despite much more needed to be done. (Timor Post)

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