[Poster's note: Long repeats of international articles already sent out to the east-timor list (info@etan.org) have been removed.]

UNOTIL

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

National Media Reports

President Gusmão Against Constitution: MP Tilman

MP Manuel Tilman has said that the accord signed between President Xanana Gusmao and the President of Indonesia regarding the Truth and Reconciliation Commission violates the Constitution. Tilman said that his party KOTA does not endorse the accord, as the establishment of the Commission has not followed procedure as set out in the Constitution, because it has not been approved by law, but was established via political means. (STL)

Ramos-Horta has failed to resolve border problems: MP Isaac

Timor Post reported that Independent MP Leandro Isaac has said that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has failed to resolve the issue of the remaining undecided 4% of the border demarcation. Speaking in Tuesday's plenary session in Parliament, he said that the President's trip to Jakarta to discuss the issue indicates that the Foreign Minister has failed to resolve the border issue, and he expressed his concern as to whether the President's statement in Jakarta is the truth, or whether Minister Horta's statement is correct. He asked that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provide the people with correct information on the border issue, and also requested Minister Horta to explain the results of discussions to the Members of Parliament. Isaac explained that according to the Constitution, border matters are under the exclusive competence of the National Parliament, including the approval of any future laws related to the border. (TP)

Armed Group Occupies Former Falintil Camps

MP Pedro da Costa of ASDT, during yesterday's plenary session, informed that unidentified armed groups have started occupying former FALINTIL camps in Odelgomo village of Bobonaro District for the last few weeks. The presence of the groups, Da Costa said, has caused fear towards the daily lives of the residents in the area, adding that they have carried out military activities exactly as the ones in 1999, and launched agitation within the community in order not obey the state and its sovereign organs. "The groups told [the population in the area] that they would be the ones to replace all the authorities in this country after the United Nations withdraws from Timor-Leste.", Pedro said. Da Costa suspected the groups might have been the resistance members who continue wanting to be in the jungle due to the political difference or the militia groups. "According to the information [that I received] the high command of the groups are based in the border. This concerns me, and perhaps some former militia members are also included in the groups," Da Costa further said. Da Costa appealed to the security agencies, particularly PNTL, to detect those groups since their presence has become a big concern for the community who want to live in peace and tranquility in the area of independence. (STL).

Corruption in Vital Government Departments: MP Cardoso

Speaking at the plenary session on Tuesday, MP Antonio Cardoso had been quoted as saying that corruption has emerged in critical Government departments such as customs, airport and transport and communications. This, he said, is shown by the fact that most of the public servants in those departments are now well off. Cardoso argued that the monthly salary of employees of those departments is around $ US120, but during the period of 6 months and a year, they have owned one or two cars, and this indicates the evidence for corruption. Cardoso appealed to the Inspector General to [seriously] look into the matter. (STL)

Parliament President responsible for police suspension: MP Mausiri

STL reports that the President of the National Parliament has been asked to take responsibility for the suspension of the four police officers who arrested their commander at a hotel. MP Juliao Mausiri from the Democratic Party (PD) raised the issue in Tuesday's plenary session in Parliament, saying that the four police officers arrested their commander upon an order from the President of the National Parliament. He said that this is not something within the competency of the President of the Parliament, and questioned why the four have been suspended without salary, when the person that ordered them to carry out the act is not affected in any way. (TP)

PNTL Expels Criminal Groups

Minister of Interior Rogerio Tiago Lobato was reportedly to have confirmed the actions taken by the police in Uaibobo of Viqueque District a few weeks ago. Speaking to STL on Tuesday, Minister Lobato stated that the actions taken were not with the aim of chasing away the youth or the community members but to expel some criminal groups who launched the agitation within the community not to obey the state authorities. Minister Lobato recognized that some of the community members fled to the jungle during the actions because they were influenced by the criminal groups, therefore the police authorities tried to persuade them to return home."Some members of CPD-RDTL were involved in the groups, trying to challenge the community and the State. We have the obligations to take measures towards such criminal groups", Lobato said. (STL)

MP Paixão requests women's parliamentary commission

Head of the Democratic Socialist Party bench in the National Parliament Maria Paixao has reportedly requested the President of the National Parliament to as soon as possible set up a women's parliamentary commission in the National Parliament. Speaking in Tuesday's plenary session, Paixao said that the current National Parliament will end its mission in only one and a half years time, but that there has never been a women's commission. She expressed her opinion that such a commission is very important in enabling discussion of issues affecting women. (TP, STL)

TVTL News Monitoring

1. FITUN's affiliation to FRETELIN: Felisberto Guterres of the Liberal Party stated that, it was now time for members to come back to their own home. Guterres reportedly made this statement in reference to the affiliation of some members of FITUN, a resistance youth organization, to FRETELIN in Ossu. Guterres further claimed that, though they were members of the Liberal Party, they had never received any visits from the Party's leaders. Meanwhile, Sebatistiao Ximenes, Liberal Party MP, reportedly stated that the members of the Liberal Party are free to choose any other political parties, because Timor-Leste is a democratic country.

2. Police action in Viqueque against CPD-RDTL: Jose Nominando, MP from PD, reportedly told journalists that he was not pleased with the action taken by police in the villages of Uaibobo and Nakareka, Ossu Sub-District in Viqueque, against members of CPD-RDTL. Meanwhile, Joaquim dos Santos, an MP from FRETELIN, reportedly informed journalists that there were personal matters rather than political cases in these two villages. In his reaction, Antonio Aitahan Matak, the General Coordinator of CPD-RDTL, reportedly stated that Uaibobo is now hell.

3. Gender Commission Proposed: The President of PSD bench at the National Parliament, Maria Paixão was reported to have requested to the NP President, Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres to form a Parliamentary Commission on gender or women. Reacting to the request, President Guterres, reportedly told journalists that there is no specific reference to this issue in the internal regulations of NP and therefore it might not be possible for such a Commission to be established.

4. Chefe Sucos: A Village Chief, reportedly told a workshop on Participative Democracy in the District of Liquica that there are about twenty Village Chiefs who do not carry out their duties because there is no decision from the Court of Appeal. Tomas Cabral, the director of STAE, reportedly stated that his directorate would inform the Court of Appeal on this matter.

National News Sources

Timor Post (TP)
Radio Timor-Leste (RTL)
Suara Timor Lorosae (STL)
Diario Tempo (DT)
Diario Nacional
Seminario
Lia Foun (LF)
Televisaun Timor-Leste [TVTL]

These Items Do Not Reflect the Position or Views of the United Nations. UNOTIL Public Information Office

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