[Poster's note: Repeats of international articles already sent out to the east-timor list (info@etan.org) have been removed.]

Friday, 27 April 2007

UNMIT ­ MEDIA MONITORING

THE UN INTEGRATED MISSION IN TIMOR-LESTE DOES NOT VOUCH FOR THE ACCURACY OF THESE REPORTS

National Media Reports

PD Supports Ramos Horta

The president of the Democratic Party (PD), Fernando de Araujo Lasama, during the signing of an accord between PD and Horta on 26/4, said that PD all across the 13 districts has decided to support presidential candidate Jose Ramos Horta during the second round of the presidential election. He said Horta has the capacity to lead the country and is able recognizes different people and political parties. (DN, TP and STL)

Government waiting for the official letter from PR to halt operations on Alfredo

Deputy Prime Minister Estanislau Aleixo da Silva said that the government has not received any official letter from President Gusmão requesting to halt the operation on Alfredo.

"The government is waiting for the official letter from the president of the republic," said Aleixo on Thursday (26/4) at the Palacio das Cinzas in Caicoli, Dili, after meeting with President Gusmão. (DN)

Horta: "I want to be the president for the poor"

Presidential candidate Jose Ramos Horta's second round of campaigning began on Wednesday (25/4) in Manufahi, Dotik Village sub-district Alas, where he said that if he is elected president he would make peace and poverty reduction a priority. (DN)

UNMIT will rehabilitate damaged roads

The UN Special Representative of Secretary-General in Timor-Leste, Atul Khare, stated that UNMIT would look into ways to rehabilitate the roads in order to ensure the road safety and minimize traffic accidents. (DN)

Horta asking ISF to halt the operation on Alfredo

Prime Minister Horta asked the ISF to cease the operation to capture fugitive Reinado. By continuing the operation, the ISF would be challenging the decisions made by the president and the prime minister. (TP)

PDC calls for changing the president of the court of appeals

The Christian Democratic Party (PDC) proposed to replace the president of the court of appeals. PDC said that the current president makes inappropriate decisions.

The PDC president mentioned that no decisions have yet been made on 50 cases which had been presented to the court. (TP)

Alkatiri: Xanana and Ramos Horta should be removed

Fretilin's Secretary-General, Mari Alkatiri, said that removing Xanana and Horta would solve the country's crisiss.

"Xanana and Ramos Horta will not resolve the crisis, but rather will increase the crisis," said Alkatiri during Francisco Lu-Olo's campaign in Manatuto on Wednesday (25/4). (STL)

UNMIT: Political Parties should not involve children in politics

The UN Special Representative of Secretary-General in Timor-Leste, Atul Khare, appealed to all political parties not to involve children in political activities.

"I have met with the CNE and STAE and asked them to encourage all political parties and leaders to avoid involving children in political activities," said Khare at a press conference on Thursday (26/4) at the UNMIT HQ in Dili. (STL)

STAE and CNE asked to be credible

The Chairperson of Joint Commission of Monitoring for Election (KOMEG), Fr. Agostinho de Jesus Soares, at a press conference on Thursday (26/4) at the Elections Media Center (EMC) in Caicoli Dili, stated that STAE and CNE should be credible and impartial to avoid manipulation during the run-off presidential election.

KOMEG also identified some PNTL members involved in the counting process at the polling centers. "Some PNTL members in some districts did not show their professionalism and independence and some used their uniforms and weapons to vote," said Fr. Agostinho. (STL, DN and TP)

PNTL case in Viqueque is under investigation

The chief of the investigation commission for the Viqueque case, Clementino dos Reis Amaral, reportedly said that Committee B of the National Parliament will proceed to investigate the involvement of PNTL members in cases of intimidation of the population in Uatolari, Viqueque.

He stated that the commission consists of eight members. (STL)

International Media Reports

All losing E Timorese candidates back Ramos Horta for presidency

Last Update: Thursday, April 26, 2007. 10:00pm (AEST)

East Timorese Prime Minister Dr Jose Ramos Horta has become the clear favourite to win his country's presidential election, with all of the losing candidates from the first round directing their supporters to vote for him.

Dr Ramos Horta will contest a run-off election on May 9 against the Fretilin party candidate Francisco Guterres, known as Lu Olo.

Neither man won a clear majority in the first round of voting two weeks ago forcing the second ballot.

The country's electoral authorities have also confirmed that East Timor will go to the polls a third time on June 30 for parliamentary elections to choose a new government

The presidential hopeful who placed third in this month's first round election in East Timor has urged his supporters to vote for Dr Ramos Horta in next month's presidential run-off.

The support from Fernando de Araujo, who picked up 19 per cent of the vote in the April 9 ballot, improves Dr Ramos Horta's chances of defeating parliament chief and Fretilin party candidate, Francisco Guterres, in the second round poll on May 8.

Mr de Araujo, 42, enjoys the backing of many young Timorese who saw him as an alternative to the present leadership dominated by the older generation.

"I ask all my supporters to vote for Ramos Horta because we have the same programs and I guarantee that he would be an independent and responsible president," Mr De Araujo said after signing an accord with Dr Ramos Horta.

Two other losing candidates with significant support have also given their backing to Dr Ramos Horta.

Dr Ramos Horta, a Nobel Peace prize winner, urged the international community to help improve security in East Timor and send more electoral observers.

"I am already satisfied but what makes me angry is when I see people who are illiterate, very poor, the only thing they have is the right to vote, and even on that the only thing they have every five years, they are intimidated, they are attacked and abused," he said after a meeting with foreign ambassadors.

Campaigning for the run-off, which began on Tuesday, has been peaceful but the United Nations police and international troops have been patrolling the streets in case of trouble. The drawn-out elections have raised concerns about fresh instability in the impoverished nation, still suffering from deep divisions five years after independence. - Reuters

NATIONAL NEWS SOURCES:

Timor Post (TP) Radio Timor-Leste (RTL) Suara Timor Lorosae (STL) Diario Tempo (DT) Diario Nacional Semanario Televisaun Timor-Leste (TVTL)

UNMIT MEDIA MONITORING www.unmit.org