Subject: UNOTIL Daily Media Review 9 May 2006

UNOTIL

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review Tuesday, 9 May 2006

National Media Reports

Gleno riots: one member of UIR killed, one injured

According to media reports, one member of the Unidade Intervenção Rapida (UIR) was killed and one remains in critical condition following attacks by a group of 2,000 people in Gleno, Ermera District. Six members of UIR accompanied the Secretary of State for Region III, Egidio de Jesus Amaral, to Gleno, Ermera Sub-District, to check on government work activities when, a group of around 2,000 people besieged Amaral and police officers who took refuge in his office. Attempts by former Falintil Commander for Region IV Ernesto Dudu and a local priest failed to calm the protesters who demanded the shut down of the local government institutions. According to Timor Post, during negotiations with PNTL officers, alleged supporters of the “petitioners” wanted the six UIR members to be killed, accusing them of shooting their supporters on April 28 and assuming them to be from the Eastern part of the country. The crowd also demanded that they be disarmed. After not being able to calm the crowd down, the Operational Commander Ismail Babo together with Dudu and the local priest left the scene but returned later at which point Babo decided it was best to disarm the UIR officers as demanded. Soon after that, they were escorted out of the building into a waiting car which was stoned by the crowd. Two officers were stabbed when they fell out of the vehicle. According to the media, PNTL officers fired warning shots in the air to disperse the crowd and took one of the officers to the national hospital and the other to Gleno hospital where he died on arrival. Government buildings and three cars were damaged by the crowd, reported the media Tuesday.

In a separate article, STL reported the former Falintil commander for region IV from the South, Domingos Agusto, alias Deker, appealed to the people of Bobonaro District not to be vindictive and harbour hatred against the people of the Districts of Baucau, Viqueque and Lospalos because of recent rumours going around. Deker said the people of Timor-Leste could never be divided into two, adding that the problem raised by the ‘petitioners’ is within the F-FDTL institution and not between the people.

STL reported that F-FDTL Battalion I began cleaning Tasi-Tolu terminal area, affected by 28 April incidents. (TP, STL, DN)

Joint Declaration from 10 Districts

Timor Post reported on the establishment of a joint declaration from 10 Districts in which the population have decided to boycott the local government authorities as of Monday. The document, released on Monday, said the claim of regionalism, “east” and “west”, is not a social reality but is being fabricated by people hungry for power. The statement said that crimes committed in the name of regionalism have claimed the lives of young and old and that the State of Timor-Leste has yet to detain those responsible for the deaths of these people and who continue to provoke the situation. The declaration demands that the President of the Republic use his Constitutional power to disarm those still carrying guns to stop the killing of their own people and enable the Timorese to live in peace together with the State. They also demand justice and are asking for humanitarian assistance from the national and international communities to those that have fled to the mountains. Moreover, the declaration demands that human rights organisations, national and international, investigate the crimes that have been committed in relation to the recent turn of events. Secretary of State for Region III, Egidio de Jesus reportedly said the only point of the document he rejects is the boycott of the local government. RTTL reported de Jesus as saying the declaration is from a small group and does not represent the 10 Districts. (TP)

NP officially support the investigation commission

Representatives in the National Parliament voted in favour of the establishment of the Commissão Notavel or a “High Level Commission” formed by the State to look into discrimination allegations within Timor-Leste Defence Force. Francisco ‘Lu’Olo’ Guterres, President of the Parliament, said the vote is a way of reaffirming the Parliament’s will to the State and contributes to other sovereign bodies to help resolve the “petitioners” problem. (TP)

Regional Media Reports

Assets of East Timor’s oil fund stand at over US$500 million

Dili, East Timor, 08 May ­ The financial application of the East Timor state, from oil revenues, at the end of March stood at over US$508 million, the country’s Banking Authority, Autoridade Bancária de Pagamentos (ABP) said Thursday.

In a statement, the ABP said that the figure related to applications in US treasury bonds.

The assets correspond to the total revenues applied between January 1 and March 31, for which interest accrued totalled US$4.1 million.

The creation of East Timor’s Oil Fund is a means of the East Timor authorities ensuring the greatest possible transparency in managing oil and gas revenues.

ABP, which is the future central bank of East Timor, is, according to the law, the institution responsible for the fund’s operational management. (macauhub)

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


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