[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

Daily Media Review

29 - 31 October 2005

National Media Reports

President Xanana: Women vulnerable in time of conflict

President Xanana Gusmao has acknowledged the role of women in conflict, saying that at times of war women are particularly vulnerable. The President was speaking at the launch of the book “Women and Conflict” and a number of other publications produced by the Truth, Reception and Reconciliation Commission (CAVR) at an exhibition held at the CAVR office in Balide on Saturday. He said that he very much appreciated the content of the publications, which put forward the message of the victims, as well as an appeal to political parties and the government. As such, he also used the opportunity to request that students and universities to purchase the CAVR publications, in order to remind them of the violence that occurred during the period of conflict. (TP)

No need for Passabe case to go to UN & CAVR mission ends

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Negotiations Jose Ramos Horta has said that the assault case which occurred last week in Passabe, Oecussi, does not need to be taken to the UN Security Council. Speaking after the CAVR exhibition held on Saturday, Horta said that this case does not represent a big problem. He said that the Timor-Leste government is discussing the matter privately and confidentially with Indonesia, and that to take such a case to the Security Council would be considered frivolous.

Speaking on a separate matter, Minister Horta said that the results of the CAVR mission must be explained to the people now that the process is at an end. He said that this could possibly done via conferences or workshops throughout Timor-Leste, and that Timor-Leste’s experience in this may also be taken to places such as Palestine, Kosovo, and Ireland. (TP)

MSA-UNDP sign SIMP accord

The Minister of State Administration Ana Pessoa and UNDP Chief Sukehiro Hasegawa on Friday signed an accord for the People Management Information Systems Project (SIMP), the objective of which is to continue the strengthening of the management of the Timor-Leste civil administration, and to increase the motivation, discipline and capacity of civil servants. At the signing the Minister announced her Ministry’s contribution of US $300 000 to the project, which will also be contributed to by the Government of Ireland in the amount of €500 000. The SIMP project will be under the direction of the National Directorate for Public Administration. Speaking to journalists at the signing, UNDP Chief Dr. Hasegawa said that he is very pleased with UNDP’s involvement in the project, in order to improve the public administration in Timor-Leste. He also thanked the Government of Ireland for their contribution. (TP)

President Xanana makes Cipinang film

President Xanana Gusmao will travel to Indonesia this coming Friday to make a film about his imprisonment in Cipinang Prison in Jakarta, as well as to celebrate the end of the Muslim fasting month with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Speaking to journalists after meeting with President Gusmao last Friday, Indonesian Ambassador to Timor-Leste Ahmad Bein Sofwan said that as the Indonesian President has become a close friend of President Gusmao, it is fitting that the Timor-Leste President pay him a visit on this day of celebration. He explained that the President himself had the idea to make a film about his time in Cipinang Prison, and that the Indonesian government supports the idea, as President Gusmao has provided great support to the reconciliation process. He said that it is important that the two countries accept past mistakes, and use them as lessons for the future. (TP, DT)

Hasegawa: Mission of Experts on Election to arrive in November

Speaking to the media after his meeting with President Xanana Gusmão last Friday, SRSG Sukehiro Hasegawa reportedly stated that a UN mission of experts on elections ­ the Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) would arrive in Timor-Leste in November to assess the preparation process for 2007 general elections. The deployment of NAM to Timor-Leste, Hasegawa said, was a response from the United Nations towards the request of the Government, which had been put forward by Minister of State Administration, Ana Pessoa Pinto. According to Hasegawa, while in Timor-Leste, NAM whose members have good knowledge on elections from South Africa and Spain, will meet with Government officials in order to discuss the elections needs. (Timor Post)

Ramos Horta: Canalization of Greater Sunrise Is Not Clear

It is reported that Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, José Ramos-Horta, through a press release issued last Friday, stated that the case of Greater Sunrise pipeline was not yet clear since there has not been an agreement whether it would be channelled towards Timor-Leste or towards Australia. Moreover, Ramos-Horta said that Timor-Leste’s Government is under the obligation to negotiate with the Australian Government on the draft agreement covering Greater Sunrise and also the critical agreement on maritime border. In addition, Ramos-Horta said that it is clear that the Government of Timor-Leste believes that it will make sense commercially if the pipeline is channelled towards Timor-Leste since it will reduce its distance of nearly 2/3. (Diario Tempo)

TVTL Monitoring

Timor-Leste and Indonesia finally come to an agreement regarding the border

On 28 October, the Ambassador Indonesia for Timor-Leste, Ahmed Bey Sofyan, met President Xanana Gusmão. After his meeting, Ambassador Sofyan told journalists that the Governments of Indonesia and Timor-Leste have agreed to finalize an agreement regarding the recent border incidents that took place in Passabe and Mota-ain. Ambassador Sofyan reportedly added that the recent border incident was happening due to delayed information received by both Governments.

UN to send electoral assistance mission to Timor-Leste for the General Elections in 2007

During his meeting with President Xanana Gusmão, SRSG Hasegawa reportedly stated that the UN will send a Needs Assessment Mission to Timor-Leste in mid-November in order to identify the types of assistance needed to the 2007 general elections.

Government and UNDP sign an MoU on Implementation of information system for personnel management

In order to increase the capacity of Timor-Leste’s civil servants, the Minister of State Administration, Ana Pessoa and SRSG Hasegawa, in his capacity as UNDP Resident Coordinator, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a view towards assisting the Government in implementing the personnel management information system.

CAVR will present its final report to the President of Republic on 31 October

During a press conference held by the CAVR in its office in Balide, CAVR’s President Aniceto Guterres stated that the Commission’s final report will be handed over to the President of the Republic on 31 October. Mr Guterres added that after the President Xanana Gusmão receives the report, he will submit it to the National Parliament. Mr Guterres added that CAVR will hand over its assets to the Government. Mr. Guterres also mentioned that the President of Republic will dissolve the CAVR after receiving the final report but he did not specify the exact date.

F-FDTL held disciplinary hearing

After the disciplinary hearing held on 28 October by F-FDTL, Lt. Col Falur Rate Laek reportedly stated that F-FDTL finally found the data which indicated that five of its members were involved in the attack at the Becora police station that took place last year. Mr. Falur added that the investigation is still underway as there are other F-FDTL members involved in the same case.

National News Sources

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

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