Friday, 10 November 2006

UNMIT ­ MEDIA MONITORING THE UN INTEGRATED MISSIION IN TIMOR-LESTE DOES NOT VOUCH FOR THE ACCURACY OF THESE REPORTS

National Media Reports

International Forces Will Leave If Not Required: PM Horta

Following his address to the National Parliament on Thursday on the 100 days of governing Ramos-Horta who is also the Minister for Defence told MPs that the international forces continue to be present in the country because the national forces are still weak. But the Prime Minister stressed that once the police starts to function properly the forces can start to withdraw from the country, adding there is no limit for the presence of the forces. He said the Malaysian government had to withdraw its troops because they did not have the funds to pay for the troops. Ramos-Horta added that Malaysia hopes to continue to provide assistance if the UN Security Council decides to send peacekeepers. In a separate article in STL, the Prime Minister appealed to the Military Police, Major Alfredo Reinado and Vicente da Conceição "Railos" to surrender weapons still in their possession or have the police and the international forces chase and detain them. The Prime Minister said once they surrender their guns, he personally will ask the international forces to provide security for them but according to the latest information he has received, Railos has moved from his area. (STL)

Claudio Ximenes Present Justice Officials

The President of the Court of Appeal, Claudio Ximenes, has presented six justice officials who have arrived in Timor-Leste from Portugal under the cooperation program accord between Portugal and UNDP's Justice Program to assist the judiciary system. (STL)

Survey On Reconstruction Of Houses

Deputy Minister of Public Works, Raul Mosaco said the government is now holding a survey at the suku level to identify houses that were destroyed during the crisis, based on data collected from the Hera, Metinaro, Obrigado Barracks and Lecidere IDP camps. Mousaco said a team from his Ministry has also checked three state locations previously used by the police in areas like Taibessi and Caicoli to set up the new neighbourhood. He said discussion is still taking place on the latter. (TP)

International Media Reports

Friday, November 10, 2006. 9:32am (AEDT) UN increases patrols in E Timor

The United Nations says it has increased police patrols in East Timor's capital Dili to prevent unrest. Almost 1,000 UN police officers are now working in the country, with about 50 patrols operating around the clock in Dili. More than 900 Australian troops remain in East Timor to assist the Government and the United Nations to restore security after civil unrest broke out in May. (ABC)

E Timor PM asks foreign troops to stay November 9, 2006 - 7:44PM

East Timor's Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta says the worst period of violence in his country is over, but is asking Australian and New Zealand troops to stay to keep peace. Australia led a force of 3,200 foreign peacekeepers to East Timor in late May after the tiny country descended into chaos following the sacking of 600 mutinous soldiers. Fighting that pitted East Timor's police and military against one another spiralled into rioting and looting in the streets of the capital, Dili, leaving about 30 people dead and 150,000 displaced. There are currently about 1,000 Australian troops in East Timor. "The worst moments have passed and police authorities are now better equipped," Ramos Horta said in a speech marking 100 days of his premiership. But he said the presence of foreign troops was in the best interest of East Timor because they were already familiar with the country and people. "The Australian and New Zealand military forces are going to continue in Timor-Leste to collaborate with the UNPOL (United Nations police) operations," he said. The United Nations has agreed to send 1,600 international police to East Timor and proposed a military force of 350 troops under its command. The prime minister said he acknowledged concerns in parliament about the command arrangements between international troops and UN police. "We are negotiating a trilateral accord with the United Nations and Australia, its intention to regulate the functions of the military forces and establish a high level coordination mechanism in which all parties are represented," he said. Sporadic violence has continued in East Timor and last month fighting flared in Dili between armed youths, killing up to four people and briefly shutting down the main airport. The territory of around a million people voted in a 1999 referendum for independence from Indonesia, which annexed it after Portugal ended its colonial rule in 1975. East Timor became fully independent in 2002 after a period of UN administration. (Reuters)

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