| Subject: UNOTIL's Daily Media Review
28 September 2005
[Poster's note: Long repeats of international articles already sent out to the east-timor list (info@etan.org) have been removed.] Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources UNOTIL Daily Media Review Friday, September 30th 2005 National Media Reports 374 PNTL officers stationed at Polling Centres 374 National Police will be stationed at polling centres around Dili for today's round of village elections. PNTL Dili District Commander Eugenio Pereira told Timor Post that each polling station will be equipped with 2-3 police officers. (TP) PM Alkatiri: Indonesia not involved in Timor Gap Negotiations According to Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, the demands of the Association for Those Who Care for West Timor (YBTB) that Indonesia has the right to participate in the Timor Sea Border negotiations are unfounded. Responding to journalists' questions upon his return from Washington yesterday, Alkatiri said that he does not understand why Indonesia would have the right to be included in the negotiations, as according to international law this matter does not concern them. On a different matter, in response to the declaration from the President of the Timor Lorosae Lawyers Association that foreign lawyers working in Timor-Leste's sovereign institutions is illegal, Alkatiri said that anyone who claims such should not be a lawyer, and should study the law. "Study the law first before speaking", said Alkatiri, explaining that the legislation governing the Public Administration provides for foreign law specialists such as lawyers to assist Timor-Leste. (TP, TVTL) Church expresses concern over moral education for young people The Catholic Church has expressed its continuing concern over the development of education in Timor-Leste, in particular that of moral education and the means of teaching it, such as in schools. Speaking to journalists after his meeting with President Xanana Gusmao on Thursday, Bishop Dom Alberto Ricardo da Silva, accompanied by the Vicar General Apolinario Aparicio said that as many young people are now involved in prostitution, the Church is currently prioritizing ways of improving the moral education of young people in schools. He affirmed that the objective of the meeting with the President is to analyse the development process in Timor-Leste so far, and to "put their heads together" to think of ways to further improve this process. The two religious figures added that other matters of current concern for the Church include agricultural development in order to improve the lives of the people. (TP, TVTL) BPU patrols and knowledge of agreement essential to peaceful border In order to secure and stabilize the situation at the border between Indonesia and Timor-Leste, the Border Patrol Unit must follow the guidelines as already established by the two governments, and there also needs to be a strong information campaign launched among the Indonesian border communities. Speaking to the media at Passabe, Oecussi, last Monday about the recent conflicts in the border areas, Vice-Commander of the BPU Inspector Jaimito Hei said that the TNI and BPU conduct regular patrols as normal, in accordance with the agreement between the two countries and based on the border lines on the new and old maps, and there are no problems between the two forces themselves. He said that the forces themselves know the location of the conflict areas as designated on the new maps, but that it is now important for the communities on either side to be aware of the new border lines, otherwise each community will continue to demand access to conflict areas. Independent MP from Oecussi Antonio Lelan also complained that the Indonesian border communities are not yet aware of the results of the accord between the Indonesia and Timor-Leste recently signed in Bali, and this is contributing to conflict in the area. (TP, STL) National Parliament To Investigate Tibeselo Case Speaking to the media on Wednesday, President of National Parliament's Commission B in charge of Security and Foreign Affairs Faustino da Costa was reported as saying that the Commission would now set up a team to be sent to Oecussi District in order to investigate the Tibiselo case. According to da Costa, the information that Commission B received from the populations, revealed that both populations in Tibeselo (Oecussi) and in Kefamananu (West Timor) were engaged in land dispute in the border area due to the fact that the area is fertile for cultivating agricultural products. "I notice that the case is very sensitive. Our obligation is merely to assess the situation, " said da Costa. Moreover, da Costa said that the case would then be presented directly to the Government and Parliament of Indonesia by National Parliament's President Francisco Guterres "Lu-Olo" during his visit to Jakarta, scheduled for next Monday, adding that it would be the right moment for the Parliaments of the two countries to take measures in settling the matter. (STL) Minister Bano: Korea Accepts 200 Workers from Timor-Leste Minister of Labour Arsenio Bano stated on Thursday, upon his return from the visit to South Korea, that the Korean Government would accept 200 Timorese workers to work in the area of construction, STL reported. The plan to send Timorese workers to Korea, Bano said, has been prepared for the last two years, adding that it has been a successful effort due to the fact that now Korea has agreed to accept the workers. However, he said, the Korean Government requested that the workers should learn Korean language in order to work there. STL also reported that during his visit to Korea, Bano and his Korean counterpart discussed the possibility of the extension for work period through employment permit system, which provides the possibility for Timorese women to go and work in Korea. (STL) PNTL arrest man suspected of stealing RTTL solar panel in Maliana Timor-Leste National Police or PNTL was reported to have arrested a 38 years old suspected of stealing an RTTL solar panel in Maliana, reported STL. According to PNTL investigation officer for Bobonaro district, Jacinto Selestino, the suspect had stolen the solar panel 14 times arguing that there was nobody there at warehouse of RTTL in Bobonaro district to look after the equipment. Officer Seletino repeated the statement of the suspect who declared that he did not steal the equipment but he was just securing it in his house and would return when people will be looking for the equipment and he would use the opportunity to ask for a job. Meantime, the Bobonaro district chief of RTTL, Jonas Lopez, confirmed that the statements by the suspect are incorrect and suggested police take the suspect to the court since what he had done was a criminal act which had caused further damage to the stolen solar panel. (STL, TVTL) Regional Media Reports Timor-Leste sets up petroleum fund The Timor-Leste government has established a petroleum fund for long-term management of its hydrocarbon reserves with a starting balance of $250,000. Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said the fund, modelled after a Norwegian program, is estimated to grow to more than $5 billion by 2025. All revenue from the country's petroleum resources will flow into it. (Oil & Gas Journal) Nexus acquires Crux field in Timor Sea Nexus Energy Ltd., Melbourne, has acquired 100% of Crux natural gas-condensate field in the Ashmore Cartier section of the Timor Sea from Mogal Marine Pty. Ltd. for $10 million (Aus.) plus $2 million in shares. The field, in Permit AC/P23, south of Skua field, has estimated reserves of 48 million bbl of condensate and 1.3 tcf of gas. A group led by Japan's Nippon Mitsubishi Oil discovered the field in June 2000. Nexus, which is seeking partners, hopes to develop the field with a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel. The proposal calls for production of 600 MMcfd of gas, removal of liquids at a rate of 16,000 b/d to be stored in the FPSO, and reinjection of dry gas. (Oil & Gas Journal) 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 - [This message was distributed via the east-timor news list. Write info@etan.org.] etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan ETAN welcomes your financial support. For more info: http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm
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