UNOTIL

Daily Press Review

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review Wednesday, 29 June 2005

UNOTIL First Consultative Group

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri told participants of the first Consultative Group, on “a smooth and rapid transition from UNOTIL to the Sustainable Development Assistance Framework in Institutional Capacity Development” that many people want to see the decentralisation of the government with more local power. For that, he said, specialised capacity on equal level to the capacity of the central government. He also indicated that civil society must be dynamic and participative, have the capacity to criticise and be the driver in this process, therefore civil society and national NGOs must be capable and not follow instructions from outside through the internet. The Prime Minister also told the participants that the media in Timor-Leste at times is one of the most free in the world but lacks capacity therefore it is necessary to establish a free, independent and responsible media. He added that the media requires capacity to be able to speak about transparency. In a separate article President Xanana Gusmão requested UNOTIL to attend to the peoples’ needs during its one year mandate in Timor-Leste. According to the newspaper, President Gusmão hopes that UNOTIL will be successful in supporting the government in areas still requiring assistance like law and order. (TP, STL)

Election Results

The Provisional Results of the "Aldeia" sub-village elections in Aileu, Ainaro and Manufahi districts on 27 July were today published by the Technical Secretariat for the Administration of Elections (STAE) under the Ministry of State Administration. In Aileu, from a total of 139 Aldeia subvillages, inter alia, 55 individual, 51 Fretilin, 12 PD and 10 PST subvillage chiefs were provisionally elected with a voter turn-out of 88.7%. In Ainaro, from a total of 131 subvillages, inter alia, 47 Fretilin, 46 individual, 28 PD and 6 PSD subvillage chiefs were provisionally elected with a voter turn-out of 82%. In Manufahi, from a total 137 subvillages, inter alia, 78 Fretilin, 25 individual, 17 ASDT, 11 PD, 2 PST and 2 PSD subvillage chiefs were provisionally elected with a voter turn-out of 86.34%. (STAE Press Release)

PM Denies Bringing In Foreign Banks To Manage Funds

Speaking to the media after the first UNOTIL Consultative Group meeting in Dili, Prime Minister Alkatiri said the information published by Timor Post on Monday from Dow Jones about brining in foreign banks to manage Timor-Leste’s petroleum fund is not correct. PM Alkatiri confirmed that the revenues will be invested overseas to earn more profits. “It is not bringing in banks to Timor-Leste. It is overseas investment,” he added. (TP)

Translators in the Justice System Receives Certificates

41 Tetum language translators received certificates on Tuesday after participating in an 8 month training course. The training was part of the pilot project “to enhance the capacity of the translators and interpreter in Timor-Leste”. The programme sponsored by the Governments of Ireland, Portugal UK, Denmark, Sweden, and the European Union as well as NZAID and USAID and organized by UNDP and the Ministry of Justice will strengthen the work of the justice and legislative institutions. Prime Minister Alkatiri, SRSG Hasegawa, Vice Minister for Justice, Rector of National University, and Benjamin Corte-Real were present at the ceremony, which took place at Dili National University. STL reported Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri as saying that the Timorese do not have the capacity yet to be in charge of the judicial system. “I do not want to mention these problems as the time and the venue is not appropriate.” But Alkatiri stressed, “I believe that the help from consultants and internationals specialists who are working hard to establish the pillars of justice as a sovereign organ will open the doors of justice to everybody.” According to this newspaper Alkatiri said the project would help strengthen the pillars of the justice sector through training provided. (TP, STL)

Sebastião: Not Scared About Investigations

Provedor for Human Rights and Justice, Sebastião Diaz Ximenes has affirmed that he is not scared about investigating cases of collusion, corruption, nepotism and other illegal cases within the Government and sovereign institutions. “For me, there is no reason to be scared of anyone, the government did not choose me therefore if the community complains about any case or injustice within the Government or sovereignty institutions I am prepared to investigate,” Ximenes said. After participating in the swearing-in ceremony of his two deputies, Amandio Sà Benevides and Silverio Pinto Baptista in the National Parliament, Ximenes asked Parliamentarians not to interfere with his work even if they had elected him, adding he wants to do his work independently and impartially. He concluded “all I ask is for time for me and my two deputies to be able to carry our work as we have already committed to do our work correctly according to the regulations”. (STL)

Martial Arts Group Have Declared to Stop Violence

In response to the regional and national dialogue workshop last November, martial arts groups have established a coordination group called Forum Komunikasaun Artemarsiais involving many groups which is intending to make a statement in the presence of President Gusmào to stop violence and abide by the Constitution to guarantee peace and stability to the development process of Timor-Leste. According to a press release from the Office of the President, the statement would be signed by the martial arts groups today in the presence of the President, Prime Minister and Civil Society groups. (TP)