UNOTIL

Daily Press Review

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review Friday, 29 July 2005

New Government Sworn-in

The members of the new government were sworn in on Thursday by the President of the Republic at his new official residence in Dili. Prime Minister Alkatiri was the first to take the oath as the Minister of Natural Resources, oil and power policy. SRSG Hasegawa, diplomatic corps, representatives of UN Agencies, the church and civil society, attended the ceremony. In a separate article, Prime Minister Alkatiri was quoted as saying that the diplomatic corps do not have anything to do with the decision of the government reshuffle. Alkatiri was referring to rumours that some diplomatic corps were not happy with the new changes as the Minister of Interior Minister Rogério Lobato continues to be in charge of the Police Service. "The diplomatic corps here are like diplomats. This is our country," Alkatiri added. (TVTL, RTL, TP, STL)

TNI Confronts Timorese at Border

The STL Lead Story reports that illegal trader Lucas da Costa from Maliana was beaten by TNI officers at the border point of Nunura near Maliana. According to the report, four TNI soldiers in civilian clothes carrying firearms stopped Lucas da Costa and demanded money to allow him to carry petrol and beer, which he had purchased in the Indonesian territory. When da Costa refused one of the TNI officers cut his hand forcing him to seek help from his friends nearby who came with machetes and started fighting with the Indonesian officers injuring two of them, reported STL. The newspaper also reported that one of the Timorese involved in the fight stole the firearm of one TNI soldier (STL)

Timorese Workers Threatened in Bayu Udan

It has been reported that 27 Timorese presently working in the Bayu Udan field have been threatened with lower salaries or their return to Dili. According to MP Manuel Tilman (KOTA) who raised the issue at Parliament, Conoco Philips reduced the salaries of 27 workers from US$900 to $500 with a warning that if they did not accept the allocated salary they would have to return to Timor-Leste. (TP)