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

Friday, 18 May 2007

UNMIT ­ MEDIA MONITORING

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

National Media Reports

Weapons disarmed when the dialogue is going

In response to the letter of the president of republic, Xanana Gusmão on 14 May, the former commander of the Military Police, Alfredo Reinado Alves has called on the state to provide time for dialogue to solve the national crisis.

Reinado said that he will disarm for the talks and submit himself to the judicial procedure.

Mr. Reinado also said that the military and political operation against him should be stopped. (TP)

SRSG congratulates Horta’s victory

At a press conference held by UNMIT on Thursday (17/5) in UNMIT HQ Obrigado Barracks Dili, the SRSG Atul Khare congratulated President-Elect Ramos Horta on his victory in the second round of presidential vote.

The SRSG stated that President-elect Ramos Horta will be sworn in as the country’s second president at a ceremony in Dili on Sunday.

In congratulating the people of Timor-Leste on two peaceful rounds of the presidential election, the Special Representative of the Secretary General in Timor Leste, Atul Khare said he was confident that a new era of political consolidation had arrived.

“I am sure that Dr Ramos Horta will honor the pledge made to him by the 69 per cent of voters who had selected him as their preferred presidential candidate,” Mr Khare said.

I must also pay respect to Francisco Lu-Olo Guterres who has accepted his defeat graciously.

During both round of the presidential election, both candidates have conducted themselves with dignity, professionalism and have show respect of democratic principals.

As the new President, Dr. Ramos Horta will be well placed to guide the nation into a new phase. This era will see Timor Leste take its position alongside other nation states of the globalize world while retaining its political and cultural identity defined by its history.

At the United Nations, we look forward to working with Dr Ramos Horta and all citizens of Timor Leste to assist in this emerging and exciting time.” Mr Khare said. (STL and TP)

Lu-Olo and Alkatiri visited Rogerio in the Prison

The president and secretary general of Fretilin, Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo and Mari Alkatiri visited former Minister of the Interior, Rogerio Tiago Lobato yesterday in Becora prison Dili.

Lu-Olo said the visit was to inspect the condition of Rogerio Lobato and other prisoners in Becora. (STL and TP)

PD is ready facing the parliamentary election

The president of the Democratic Party (PD), Fernando de Araujo Lasama said that even if he did not get into the second round of presidential election, his party is going forward now.

“We will not step back. We move forward in competing with other political parties in the parliamentary election,” said Lasama on Thursday at the hotel Timor in Dili. (TP)

Clashes between martial arts are the political games

The president of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Antonio Ximenes has called on political leaders not to use martial arts gangs as part of their political games.

Mr. Ximenes said that the clashes were not raised by PSHT, 77 and KORK, others created it on behalf of the martial arts groups. (TP)

UN concerned Gang violence in Bairo Pite

The UN’s top envoy in Timor-Leste has expressed his concern over signs of a resurgence of gang fighting in the nation’s capital following group violence in the past 24 hours the day before yesterday.

The fighting, which included rock-throwing and arson, occurred Wednesday (16/5) between 6.30 and 7pm between two groups of approximately 100 people in the Bairo Pite area of Dili.

The fighting continued yesterday morning between 10 and 11 o’clock in the same area. A total of small four houses and a vehicle were burned.

Both yesterday and Wednesday, Malaysian and Portuguese Formed Police Units along with UNPol and the International Stabilization Force (ISF) attended and quickly brought the situation under control. Tear gas was fired.

So far there have been a total of 17 arrests. Nobody has been injured.

The Special Representative of the Secretary General in Timor-Leste, Atul Khare visited the area yesterday morning to talk with residents affected by the violence. He was accompanied by the UNPol Commissioner Rodolfo Tor.

“While the police - with the assistance of the ISF - took control of the situation very quickly I am concerned to see fighting between groups of young people,” Mr Khare said.

“People who commit criminal acts will be treated as criminals by the police. Claiming to act out of political motivation following last week’s election will not be tolerated” Mr Khare said.

“In the past 24 hours I have told all political leaders in this country that violence justified as political is unacceptable and I have their agreement.

“Specifically I have been in contact with the President-Elect, Dr Jose Ramos Horta, the President of Fretilin, Dr Mari Alkatiri and the President of the Democratic Party (PD) Fernando Araujo Lasama. They all agreed that any persons committing criminal acts who claim to be party supporters should be put in jail.” (STL)

International Media Reports

Some 5,000 families of ex-East Timorese refugees get houses

May 18, 2007

JAKARTA (Antara): Former East Timorese refugees get some 5,000 houses in East Nusa Tenggara's towns of Belu, Kupang, Timur Tengah Utara, and Timur Tengah Selatan.

The Indonesian Military, or TNI, handed over the houses to the government Wednesday to be distributed further to East Timorese, who prefer to hold Indonesian nationals.

The symbolic handing over was carried out by TNI Chief of Staff for General Affairs Lt. Gen. Endang Suwarya to Social Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah in a ceremony in Cebelo village, Kupang district, East Nusa Tenggara.

The construction of the 5,000 units of houses was started in November 2006 and was finished in April 2007.

Following the referendum in 1999 that made possible for the region to become an independent country, many of East Timorese were flowing to Indonesian territory to avoid violence carried out by pro-Indonesia militias. (**)

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