| Subject: UNOTIL's Daily Media Review
23 September 2005
[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 Friday, September 23rd 2005 National Media Reports President Gusmão on UN Reforms and the MDG’s Timor-Leste President Xanana Gusmão has said that even though there has not yet been any reforms to the United Nations system, the UN is considering two different models for reform, one involving an increase in the number of permanent members in the Security Council, and one which involves a rotating system, where additional members can participate in meetings, without the right to vote or veto. Speaking to journalists at the Nicolau Lobato International Airport on Wednesday upon his return from the United Nations General Assembly meeting on the Millennium Development Goals held in New York last week, Gusmão explained that the many members of the UN are consulting each other to decide on the most suitable reform model that is acceptable to all parties. Commenting on progress toward the Millennium Development Goals established in 2000, the President said that many nations are still struggling to resolve internal conflicts, and thus have been unable to focus on other concerns such as combating serious illnesses. (TP) Vice Minister Magno: No Negative Impact Due to Absence of Ambassadors Even though Timor-Leste has not yet nominated two new people to fill the Ambassador’s posts of Malaysia and Australia, this does not impact negatively on Timor-Leste, according to Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Adalgiza Magno. Speaking to journalists at the International Airport on Thursday, Magno explained that this process is in the hands of the President, and it is up to him to nominate the Ambassadors. She said that she hopes these posts will be filled soon, because even though there is no negative impact as such from the unfilled posts, it is still better that they are not left vacant for too long. (TP) Two People Injured in Shooting in Border Region The undecided land border between Timor-Leste and Indonesia continues to affect the people of the border regions. Oecussi District Commander of the Border Patrol Unit Joaquim Asqueli has reported a shooting assault from residents of Nululat, West Timor, which injured two Passabe, Oecussi residents. The two victims were injured when bullets were fired from rifles carried by the Nululat residents, injuring one person in the throat and the other in the thigh. The two victims are currently undergoing treatment in Oecussi Regional Hospital, but they will need to be transferred to the National Hospital in Dili to have the bullets removed from their bodies. Commander Asqueli confirmed that his relevant commander is coordinating with the relevant TNI Commander to resolve the incident, and that cases of conflict between residents on both sides of the border have arisen three times so far in the month of September. (TP) F-FDTL Chief of Staff, Lere Anan: CPD-RDTL Creating Instability The activities of the CPD-RDTL in Suai are creating instability among the local population, according to the Chief of Staff of the F-FDTL, Colonel Lere Anan Timor. Speaking to journalists after returning from a visit to Suai, Covalima District, Lere Anan said that when conducting controls in the area during his visit there, he and his patrol received information from the local population that the CPD-RDTL are lying to and collecting money from the population, stealing animals, disturbing people at night, and in general creating a climate of fear. “We will try and find out their base, and gather some more information, but the F-FDTL is unable to take action against the group”, said Lere Anan. According to Anan, matters such as these are the realms of the police, as the F-FDTL only responds to external threats, or in an emergency situation. (STL) Clementino Amaral: Timor-Leste and Indonesia Should Address Border Conflicts Speaking to the media yesterday, Vice President of National Parliament’s Commission B in charge of Security and Foreign Affairs, Clementino dos Reis Amaral was quoted as saying that both Government of Timor-Leste and Indonesia should quickly resolve the [recent] border conflicts taking place in Ambeno, Oecusse District. “We notice that the relations between the two countries in the government and the state level have been very good. However, there are still small problems among the residents. Therefore, both Governments should have dialogue and find the solutions for the existing problems,” Amaral said. Amaral has been insisting both Government of Timor-Leste and Indonesia to always involve the residents living in the border areas whenever negotiating on border demarcation. This, he argued, any border conflicts would be avoided since the residents in the border areas are the only ones who know much better about the [real] situation in the field. Meanwhile, in a separate news it was reported that Amaral expressed his feelings of satisfaction yesterday with the fact that UN has shown its respect and confidence towards Timor-Leste’s National Police Force, PNTL by having 10 officers to be involved in the peacekeeping mission in both Kosovo and Liberia. Amaral urged the selected ten officers to work professionally in the two missions in which they are going to offer their services. With professionalism shown by officers, he said, will create a good image of Timor-Leste in the international arena. (STL& Diario Nacioal) MP Lopes: PM Alkatiri Has Got No Evidence to Accusation Opposition Party (ies) Over the Incident During Xefi Aldeia Election The Secretary-General of Democratic Party, Mariano S. Lopes told media (22 Sept) that the PM Mari Alkatiri has got no evidence to accuse opposition party/ies of being involved in tearing the picture of Fretilin candidate for Xefi Aldeia election during Xefi Aldeia election process in Becussi Kraik/ Becora, STL reported. He added that the opposition party/ies did not exist and that it was only the civilian population who were to vote. MP Mariano Sabino Lopes made the above statement to the media on Thursday, Sept 22nd at the National Parliament’s. “I think those accusations have got no grounds, the incident (of tearing picture) was maybe because of the injustice treatment towards the voters or the voters felt that they have not been treated unsatisfactorily during the election process but not because of the opposition(s),” Lopes clarified. It was further reported to use the incident as a reflection for STAE and those in power to better prepare election. Since there have been many incidents (of manipulations) have occurred during the election, such as, in Liquica district where the voting box (es) for was (were) left open where the secrecy of the voters were not guaranteed. He stressed that PM Alkatiri should use appropriate terminology to refer to some one instead of using (his/her or their) political function(s) since those political affiliation(s) do not exist at the Day of Election. (STL) Minister of Justice, Sarmento: Timor-Leste Expects to Implement Three Decrees on Code of Conducts The Minister of Justice, Domingos Sarmento, told media that the three decrees that cover the code of penal, the process of penal code and the civilian code process that his ministry currently is preparing are only queuing to be applied to improve the judicial system as well as Timor-Leste as a country, Diario reported. He furthered that the National Parliament had approved the three decrees and that the President of the Republic has also promulgated them. The only awaiting aspect would be legislative authorization to the government to turn the three decrees into the code of penal, the process of penal code and the civilian code process. The report also mentioned that the justice ministry is also waiting to present the referred three decrees to the Council of Minister for its better consideration/observation. (STL, p 1) Regional Media Reports British Buy-up Pumps Oilfield THE prospect of a revitalised Laminaria/Corallina project has emerged with the decision by Santos to sell out of the undeveloped Kuda Tasi/Jahal oilfields about 575km northwest of Darwin. The buyer of the 25 per cent stake is British group Paladin Resources plc, which in the past year has bought out Shell and BHP Billiton as partners with Woodside in the Laminaria development, once Australia's largest producing oilfield. Paladin has indicated it does not want to be a silent partner in the Timor Sea and its development interests are aligned with those of the project operator, Woodside (40 per cent) and secretive Japanese group Inpex (35 per cent). Depending on the results of a new seismic program beginning next month, Kuda Tasi could be producing well before Woodside's other Timor Sea prospect, the Greater Sunrise gas field. Santos told the stock exchange yesterday that it would receive 3.5 million Paladin shares - roughly 1 per cent of the British group's capital - valued at about $US19.5 million ($25.3 million) at the current share price and exchange rate, as well as a $US2.5 million reimbursement for current exploration spending. Santos will also receive $US3 million in cash under certain circumstances following any future oilfield development in the permit. "This divestment is in line with Santos's strategy to rationalise its portfolio and realise value by selling non-core assets," managing director John Ellice-Flint said. The Kuda Tasi/Jahal permit is in the joint petroleum development area (JPDA) of the Timor Sea between Darwin and East Timor. Ninety per cent of all revenues from the JPDA are assigned to East Timor. Last year the East Timor Government demanded that production be halted from Laminaria/Corallina until the maritime boundary dispute between Australia and East Timor was resolved. This demand is to be withdrawn when East Timor agrees to Australia's offer of about $13 billion in revenue in exchange for delaying boundary talks for 50 years. That agreement is set to be signed soon. Woodside has been reviewing whether it is commercially justifiable to tie back the Jahal and Kuda Tasi fields to the Northern Endeavour floating production storage and offloading vessel to help offset declining production in the nearby Laminaria and Corallina fields, which are just outside the JDPA. Ultimately, a development decision will depend on the terms of a production-sharing contract with the East Timorese Government. Paladin, which was formed in the 1990s by a group of former Clyde Petroleum executives, first moved into Australia late last year by buying BHP's stake in Laminaria and Corallina. This was followed in March when Woodside and Paladin bought out Shell's interest in the fields. Woodside now owns 66.67 per cent of Corallina and the Northern Endeavour floating production storage and offloading vessel as well as a 59.9 per cent interest in Laminaria. Paladin holds the remaining 33.3 per cent of both Corallina and Northern Endeavour and the remaining 41.1 per cent of Laminaria. (The Australian) Timor Leste Proposes RI to Represent Muslim World in UNSC Timor Leste continues to wish to see the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) membership expanded and proposes Indonesia to be a permanent UNSC member representing the Muslim world, a spokesman said. Timor Leste Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta made the statements in his address to the 60th United Nations General Assembly here on Wednesday. He said although his country was predominantly Catholic, it was seeing the need for the Muslim world to be represented in the council. "We believe Indonesia as one of the biggest Muslim nations in the world, a democratic country and the third most densely populated country in Asia has the right to be a permanent member," he added. He said Timor Leste also supported the bid of the G-4, namely Japan, India, Germany and Brazil, to become permanent members in the council. Horta also spoke about his country’s friendly relations with Indonesia and the establishment of the Truth and Friendship Committee to settle the human-right violations that occurred following a UN-sponsored people’s ballot in the former Indonesian province in 1999. He denied allegations that Timor Leste was more interested in developing friendship with Indonesia than in seeking justice over the past human rights violations and thus paving the way for the granting of an amnesty to those responsible for the abuses. Horta said his country was quite aware of the need to uphold the dignity and respect the rights of the victims of the past violations and was also convinced that in seeking justice it had to be sensitive to the need for striking a balance between justice and national reconciliation. The Timor Leste government was adhering to this stand also to prevent a continuous disintegration that could worsen the situation in the country. He also reported relations between Timor Leste and Indonesia had much improved and they had settled 90 percent of their borderline problems. (ANTARA News) National News Sources Timor Post (TP), Suara Timor Lorosae (STL), Diario Tempo (DT), Diario Nacional (DC), Seminario, Lia Foun (LF), Televisaun Timor-Leste [TVTL], RTL Radio Timor-Leste [RTL] These items do not reflect the positions or views of the United Nations. UNOTIL Public Information Office -End- [This message was distributed via the east-timor news list. Write info@etan.org.]
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