UNOTIL

Daily Press Review

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review

Wednesday, 20 July 2005

Establishment of IT May Not Affect Ties

Member of Parliament Clementino Amaral (KOTA) said there are no reasons to say that the ties between Timor-Leste and Indonesia would be affected if an international tribunal were established to look into the violence of 1999, adding it all depends on the diplomacy standards of both countries. (TP)

Authorities Detained Illegal Migrants

Secretary of State for Labor and Solidarity, Arsenio Bano said his department together with the immigration department detained around 163 illegal immigrants, from countries like Indonesia, China, Philippines and Thailand. Bano said in the last years his department received about 3, 137 requests for working visas and out of this number 992 are women. In a separate article, Timor Post reported the head of the Immigration Department, Carlos Geronimo, as saying that in 2005 over 43,000 people applied for visas to Timor-Leste. In a separate article Geronimo was reported as saying that one of the difficulties faced by his department to carry out the work effectively is the lack of transport. (TP)

Police Behaviour Not Humane: Cipriana Pereira

Cipriana Pereira (Fretilin) raised the concern by some Members of Parliament in regards to the police and the street vendors. Pereira said police behaviour is not humane in dealing with vendors trying to sell their goods from areas indicated by the government as not trading places. She added that the vendors should be warned by police in advance about being relocated rather than arriving on the same day and forcing the vendors to move without giving any explanation. (TP, DN)

Parliament Approves Official Holidays

The National Parliament on Tuesday passed the bill on Timor-Leste national holidays and official commemorative days. The following days were approved as the national holidays: 1st January, New Popular Consultation Day; 12 November as the National Youth Day; 28 November as Independence Proclamation; 7 December as the Heroes Day; 8 December as Our Lady of Padrueira of Timor-Leste; 25 December Christmas Day and also Idul Fitri Day and Ash Wednesday. The Parliament also approved on Tuesday the UN Convention on Privileges and Immunities for the UN. (TP, STL)

NGO Demands Justification from Procurement

The NGO, Timor-Leste Network for Transparency and Economic Justice, demands the Director of the National Procurement, Gregorio da Silva to publicly justify the private companies that applied for tender in 2002, complete with the proposed budgets. In a separate article the spokesperson for the organization said the government policy to buy weapons is not consistent with peace, although adding that they are not against the government decision. (TP)

UNOTIL Complaint Procedure

All the local newspapers except for STL reported on the information UNOTIL disseminated yesterday, Tuesday in regards to complaint procedures as follows:

19 July 2005: The United Nations is dedicated to upholding the highest standard of conduct for its staff members. UNOTIL staff members are expected to behave respectfully and responsibly in carrying out their duties and in their private lives.

The people of Timor-Leste can assist UNOTIL in ensuring that its staff members are adhering to the UN standard of conduct by reporting any instances of misconduct.

Some examples of behaviours that the UN does not condone are: reckless driving, driving over the speed limit, driving while drunk, using their position of employment with the UN for their own personal gain or to intimidate others; failing to honour local laws or private legal obligations; hiring prostitutes; having sexual relations with persons of less than 18 years of age; and trading goods, money or promises of employment for sex.

Reports of misconduct can be made verbally or in writing by addressing them to Thomas Shannon and presenting them at the main gate of Obrigado Barracks, Caicoli, Dili or at any of the UNOTIL Regional Offices.

All complaints will be dealt with on a fully confidential basis and will protect the rights of the complainant, the victim and the individual alleged to have committed the misconduct.