[Poster's note: International and other articles already sent out to the east-timor list (info@etan.org) have been removed from below.]

UNOTIL Daily Media Review

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review

Saturday 29, Monday 31 July 2006 National Media Reports

PNTL Should Maintain Impartially: Barris

Minister of Interior, Alcino Barris has appealed to members of PNTL not to favour groups and political parties, as impartiality is important to maintain law and order. Last Wednesday and Thursday Barris travelled to districts of Oecussi, Bobonaro and Manufahi together with the representative of European Union, and the international forces. He added the Ministry of Interior is currently working on the program for the reintegration of PNTL officers and to assist those who will not rejoin the PNTL. (TP)

Head of Village Rejects Reconstruction

The Head of Village from Bidau said the fifteen small trading shops along the road in Suku Bidau; Lecidere would not be reconstructed according to the decision of the authorities. Jaime da Silva Soares, the chefe sucu of Bidau said the population couldn’t build houses as the area is a state owned property and he asks the population to respect the decision. Soares added one team from the government will conduct research on the area referred and he had already submitted a report to the sub-administrator to collect data and pay the people who had lost their goods as a result of the burning. He added the houses along the road belong to the State therefore the area would be cleaned up and replaced with gardens according to government plans. (TP)

Timor-Leste Still Needs GNR

Prime Minister Ramos-Horta said the demands by the protesters for the withdrawal of the Portuguese elite police, GNR is not justifiable because the people making these demands want to commit violence against the defenceless innocent people. Ramos-Horta said GNR will continue in Timor-Leste due to their good work and he appealed to the population to maintain calm and not provoke each other and allow time for the international community to proceed with the investigation (of the 28 April cases) and for the Prosecutor General to keep an eye on the justice as demanded. He also appealed to youths with bad intention stressing the population have suffered too much since April up until now and the State does not tolerate burning and killings therefore he said youths with such bad intention should think twice. The Prime Minister also appeals to stop the protest as it is destabilizing the country adding that Timor-Leste belongs to all and its name has sunk in the international community due to the recent violence.

In a separate article Brigadier Mick Slater said if small groups want to destabilize the country they would have to face the international forces from four nations, adding the troops will try to work with the youths and convince them the nation needs strong youth to carry the country forward. On the detention of Alfredo, Slater said he was detained due to the weapons he had in the house and the protest in favor of Reinado had to be stopped because they did not have the authorization from the government. (DN, TP)

Indication of Corruption on Execution of State Budget

MP Alexandre Corte-Real, member of Commission C of the Parliament in charge of Economy and Finance said the State quarterly budget for 2005/2006 between January –March, has indication of corruption because most of the projects have not been completed but the report says 85% of the budget have been executed. Corte-Real cited as an example the project of the Airport, which has been claimed as completed but in reality half of it still not complete and he says that, worse, more money has been allocated for the mentioned projects for the new budget for the fiscal year 2006/2007. (TP)

Border Market Scheduled For Operation By September

The meeting between Timor-Leste Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta and the President of Indonesia, Susilo Yudhoyono resulted in an agreement to resume the border market operation and implementation of border pass for families living close to the border between the two countries. The Prime Minister also told the media during a press conference on Friday that the Indonesian President also supports the World Bank project to rehabilitate the road between Oecussi and Motaain. The Minister also said many Indonesians have shown interest in investing on the Timor Oil exploration. (DN)

RTTL news headlines 28-07-2006

Horta returns from first PM overseas trip

The Newly sworn-in Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta returned from his first overseas visit as PM to Indonesia and Malaysia on Friday. Speaking at a press conference upon arrival, PM Horta stated that he had held a friendly meeting with the Indonesian President in which they agreed a border demarcation and border passes regime to be implemented by August. Commenting on the demonstration to free Major Alfredo Reinado by some youths, Horta called on the youths not to threaten the state and the government. Among the banners at the demonstration was one reading “Alkatiri + Horta = no different.”

Alfredo Reinado serves preventive detention

Following the hearing at the international detention center Caicoli, seven of the men arrested with Major Alfredo Reinado were set free. Reinado along with thirteen of his men, meanwhile, were put under preventive detention. RTTL reported that Reinado and his men were charged with illegal possession of weapons and in connection with a shooting incident in Fatuahi on 23 May. Reinado’s lawyer, Benevides Correia, told journalists that among those detained with Alfredo were some F-FDTL petitioners. Rejecting the criticism that the international forces, particularly the Portuguese GNR, had acted unfairly, Australian Brigadier Mick Slater stated that Alfredo Reinado was arrested for breaking the law of Timor-Leste.

International Media Reports

E Timor rebel leader faces attempted murder charge

Last Update: Friday, July 28, 2006. 5:35pm (AEST)

By Anne Barker

One of the key rebel leaders behind East Timor's recent violence has been charged with attempted murder. Major Alfredo Reinado was arrested on Tuesday. Major Reinado led a band of about 20 military police officers into the mountains behind Dili in late May, in support of the nearly 600 soldiers sacked from East Timor's army earlier this year. It was their sacking that sparked the recent months of unrest. Major Reinado and his men were involved in a gun battle with police on May 23 in which two people were killed. Australian soldiers arrested him and 20 other men on Tuesday and seized a quantity of illegal weapons. He has been charged with several offences including attempted murder and embezzlement of military property.

Prosecutors say 13 of his men also face charges, but the remaining seven have been released. (ABC online)

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

These Items Do Not Reflect the Position or Views of the United Nations. UNOTIL Public Information Office - END –

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