| Subject: UNOTIL's Daily Media Review
27 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 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 - etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan ETAN welcomes your financial support. 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