[Poster's note: Long repeats of international articles already sent out
to the east-timor list (info@etan.org) have been removed.]
UNOTIL
Daily Media Review
Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international
sources
UNOTIL Daily Media Review
September 27th 2005
National Media Reports
Princess Anne Visit Reflects UK commitment to TL
The visit of the United Kingdom’s Princess Anne, accompanied by her
husband Rear Admiral Timothy Lawrence, reflects the commitment of the United
Kingdom to the continued strengthening of democracy in this country, and the
continuing assistance for capacity building and development of Timor-Leste’s
state institutions, according to a press release issued by the British
Embassy on Monday. The Princess will begin her two-day visit to Timor-Leste
today and will meet with President Xanana Gusmão, President of the National
Parliament Francisco Guterres, and Minister for Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation Jose Ramos Horta. A special dinner will be held to honour the
Princess. The Foreign Minister, as the person who invited Princess Anne to
visit Timor-Leste, told journalists that the Princess is well known in many
places in the world as she very much supports efforts to overcome
humanitarian problems. He expressed his appreciation for her willingness to
visit Timor-Leste. While here the Princess will officially launch the BBC
World Service in Timor-Leste. (TP, Diario Tempo, STL, RTTL, Diario Nacional)
President Gusmão Holds Regular Meetings with Political Parties
Beginning last Friday President Xanana Gusmão has been holding his
regular meetings with all the established political parties. Several parties
met with the President last Friday, while on Monday the UDT and PST held
their regular meetings with him. After his meeting with the President, UDT
Secretary General Luis Rodrigues told journalists that the objective of the
regular meetings are to discuss political, social and economic issues of
current concern in Timor-Leste. According to Rodrigues, Timor-Leste is
currently experiencing a political crisis, which impacts on the economy and
therefore impacts on the lives of the people. He added that the President is
interested in holding a retreat next year for the political parties and
international agencies, so that they may discuss and analyse what they may
do more of to further assist development in Timor-Leste. (TVTL, TP, Diario
Nacional)
MP Goncalves: Provedor’s Office Violates Basic Principles
PSD MP Joao Mendes Goncalves has reportedly said that the Provedor for
Human Rights and Justice Sebastião Diaz Ximenes has violated basic
principles of justice which state that someone may only be condemned if
there is clear evidence and proof as seen in a court of law. Speaking in
Parliament’s plenary session on Monday, and related to the current dispute
between Akui Leong and Prosecutor General Longuinhos Monteiro, Goncalves
explained that the Provedor could not accuse the Prosecutor General of
corruption unless this has already been proven in a Court of law.
Additionally, he said that according to his knowledge, it is not within the
competence of the Provedor to be concerned with such a matter, as the
Provedor is empowered to investigate cases of suspected human rights abuses
as brought by citizens.
It is also reported that the President of the National Parliament
Francisco Guterres has also stated that the Provedor for Human Rights and
Justice has no authority to make public statements regarding alleged
corruption case that allegedly involved Prosecutor-General, Longuinhos
Monteiro, Diario Tempo reported. The report mentioned that Francisco
Guterres made the above statement after MP Leandro Isaac questioned him on
the public statement of the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice, Sebastião
Diaz Ximenes.
Speaking at a Press Conference the director of HAK Association, Jose Luis
was quoted by Timor Post as saying that the behaviour of the
Prosecutor-General, Longuinhos Monteiro is considered as an abuse of power.
Jose Luis made the above statement following an accusation by the
Prosecutor-General against the three lawyers of Akui Leong, Tome Xavier,
Rosentinho Amado Hei and Arlindo Dias Sanches.
In a separate article, Prosecutor-General, Longuinhos Monteiro, is
reported to have stated that as a citizen who has rights, he has the right
to defend himself both as an individual, his private as well as public life.
He then added that there has been much defamation against him. He then
clarified that acting as an individual he is trying to defend himself rather
than using his official position as Prosecutor-General. (TP, Diario Tempo,
STL)
Provedor Ximenes: Provedor’s Office Has Not Investigated Any Complaints
Diario Nacional reported Provedor Sebastião Diaz Ximenes as saying,
“since the opening of the Office of the Provedor, it has received complaints
which cover human rights issues and the abuse of power, discrimination,
information on corruption, collusion and nepotism. Despite receiving all of
the above information, the Office of the Provedor could not conduct any
investigations so far due to lack of human resources as a newly found
institution. (Diario Nacional)
PPT Lower ASDT Flag in Metinaro
It is reported that members of the People’s Party of Timor (PPT) lowered
the ASDT party flag in Metinaro sub-district before the recent village
elections, upon authorization from the Metinaro sub-district Administrator
and the Police. ASDT MP Maria Valadares told Parliament’s plenary session on
Monday that the reason for the lowering of the flag was to allow elections
to be held there. She explained that this is a normal procedure before
elections, but that she is disappointed that a member of another political
party, not ASDT itself, had been allowed to lower the flag. PPT President
Jacob Xavier told Parliament that members of his party had been forced by
the Administrator and the PNTL to lower the flag, with the reasoning that
for the Administrator or PNTL to do this themselves would be against the
law. (TP)
Prosecutor-General Swears in Four International Prosecutors
Prosecutor-General Longuinhos Monteiro will swear in four international
prosecutors today, STL reported. Speaking to the press on Monday, Monteiro
explained that after being sworn in, he would issue an internal decision for
deploying them to the district prosecutor offices. “There are a total of
five international prosecutors who are going to work at the Office of the
Prosecution.” Monteiro said. It was reported that two prosecutors would
carry out their work in Dili Prosecutor’s Office, two prosecutors in Baucau,
and the other prosecutor would cover the work both in Suai and Oe-cussi.
Longuinhos also informed that Head of UNOTIL, Sukehiro Hasegawa, President
of Court of Appeal Claudio Ximenes and Minister of Justice Domingos Sarmento
would also attend the swearing-in ceremony. (STL)
Regional Media Reports
Princess Anne and Indonesia's Yudhoyono discuss Aceh reconstruction
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Britain's Princess Anne
discussed reconstruction in tsunami-damaged Aceh during a meeting Monday,
the president said. Princess Anne, president of the Save the Children Fund,
briefly visited Aceh province on Sunday to see several British-funded
projects before flying to Jakarta. "She came to see the progress in
rehabilitation, in relation to children... their treatment and ways taken to
address their trauma," Yudhoyono told journalists after a meeting with the
princess. "She also came to see, in a comprehensive way, the progress in
general of the reconstruction in Aceh," he added.
Yudhoyono said the princess noted that many youngsters were left orphaned
by a December 26 earthquake and tsunami that killed 131,000 people in Aceh.
An additional 400,000 people were displaced. The United Nations food agency
said this week that recovery in Aceh had been slow and warned of a second
crisis unless action were taken to speed up the relief effort.
Princess Anne was accompanied by her husband, Rear Admiral Timothy
Laurence, and British ambassador Charles Humfrey. The British embassy said
that while in Jakarta, she would also meet senior government officials,
representatives of NGOs and members of the British community. She was to
leave the country on Tuesday.
From Jakarta, Princess Anne was to fly to East Timor for a two-day visit
there, East Timorese Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta told journalists in
Dili. He said the princess would meet President Xanana Gusmao and national
parliament chairman Fransisco Guterres. She would visit several
non-governmental organisations and attend the inaugural broadcast of the BBC
world service in East Timor. (AFP)
National News Sources Timor Post (TP), Suara Timor Lorosa’e (STL), Diario
Tempo (DT), Diario Nacional (DC), Semanario, 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
- Ends -
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