UNMIT assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the articles or for the accuracy of their translations. The selection of the articles and their content do not indicate support or endorsement by UNMIT express or implied whatsoever.  UNMIT shall not be responsible for any consequence resulting from the publication of, or from the reliance on, such articles and translations."


National Media Reports

No Impunity for Mari Alkatiri if Involved in Crime
The Chief of Commission A for the National Parliament, Ms. Fernanda Borges has stated that if the former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri is named within the hearing for Vicente da Conceicao, alias Railos, then Mr Alkatiri should respond.

"The impunity afforded to members of the National Parliament is invalid for personal criminal actions,?" said Ms. Borges. (TP)

Fretilin Requests President of Republic to Discharge Longuinhos Monteiro
The Fretilin Party bench in National Parliament had officially requested the President of the Republic to discharge the Prosecutor General, Mr. Longuinhos Monteiro due to his alleged abuse of power in relation to last year's crisis.

?Based on a telephone transcript, the Fretilin Party condemns him without impartiality,? said the Fretilin Party spokesperson. (TP)

Xanana Should Have Conviction to Resolve Reinado Case
The Social Democrat Party's parliamentary member, Mr. Mario Carascalao, said that President Xanana Gusmao should demonstrate his conviction to solve the Reinado issue to the public. (TP)

The PNTL Ready to Secure Government Sites if F-FDTL Return to Headquarter
The PNTL will secure the government sites if F-FDTL withdrew and returned to their headquarters.

"The PNTL is still in process of screening and under UNPOL supervision therefore PNTL could not decide it alone. PNTL will coordinate with UNPOL," said Mr. Afonso de Jesus, the PNTL Interim Commander. (TP)

President of Republic Sworn In State Counsellor Members
President of Republic, Jos?Ramos Horta has sworn in 12 State Counsellor members, whom will defend the nation?s interests.

?State Counsellor members will decide and make collective decisions to resolve the nation?s problems,? said the Chief of National Parliament.

Mr. Fernando ?Lasama? is one of the members. (TP)

Taur Matan Ruak Testifies In Court
The lawyer for both the F-FDTL General Commander, Taur Matan Ruak and Colonel Lere Anan Timor should have the opportunity to testify in court on 25 May 2006 case.

?The Court had heard witnesses from the PNTL side and the families of those who died at the the entrance of the Ministry of Justice.

The Court also needs to hear from Taur Matan Ruak, Lere Anan Timor and Maukalo?, said Arlindo Dias Sanches, the lawyer for F-FDTL officers. (DN)

Civil Society Asks for the Truth and Friendship Commission to be Dissolved
Civil society in Timor-Leste has asked for the Indonesian and East-Timorese Presidents to dissolve the Truth and Friendship Commission.

Civil Society representative, Mr. Francisco Vasconcelhos, declared that National Parliament has not ratified the Commission?s budget for the 2008 to 2012 period.

He said that the Commission?s does not meet the needs of victims in relation to justice for crimes against humanity.

He said the Government is spending money only for political interest and to spread the impunity virus. (DN)

International Media Reports

'Peacekeepers Without a Peace to Keep'

In his Week in Review piece yesterday, New York Times reporter Jeffrey Gettleman gets to the heart of the peacekeeping dilemma in Darfur.

The problem with Darfur is that it is not a Kosovo, an East Timor, or a Cyprus, all places where United Nations blue helmets have stepped between well-defined warring parties and stopped the bloodshed. Darfur is experiencing a different, messier kind of war.

Though often simplified, the situation in Darfur has become a chaotic free-for-all with many warring pieces, Arab versus Arab, rebel versus rebel, bandit versus bandit, all fighting one another in a desiccated, burned-out wasteland overrun with weapons and increasingly lethal for aid workers and peacekeepers.

If anything, Darfur resembles Somalia in the 1990s, when the failure of American-backed United Nations peacekeepers to subdue teenage gunmen in flip-flops ushered in 16 years of chaos that rages on today.

Also, unlike East Timor, Kosovo, and Cyprus, (and Sierra Leone and Liberia) Darfur has no powerful western backer willing to lead an intervention when things get completely chaotic. East Timor had Australia, Kosovo had NATO, Sierra Leone had the UK, and Liberia had the United States to bolster the peace with direct intervention at critical moments. No similar dynamic exists for Darfur. (To make matters worse, not only are developed countries not taking the lead, but they are being frustratingly slow in send the heavy equipment like helicopters and other 'force multipliers' needed to deploy the mission.)

Even if the mission does get off the ground, with no peace to keep what should UNAMID actually do? John Prendergast has some thoughts:

"Let's say a village has been attacked and the attackers are retreating," he said. "If there's good intelligence about who did this, then it's very important for the peacekeepers to engage them, whoever they are -- rebels, militias, the government -- so they and other groups know there is a cost to their actions."

The peacekeepers, he said, can't forget their core mission -- protecting people. "For example, they need to go on firewood patrols and protect the women collecting wood from getting raped," he said. "No, this isn't going to end the conflict. But it could at least end one of the most horrific subplots of this saga."

Well said.



NATIONAL NEWS SOURCES:
Timor Post (TP)
Radio Timor-Leste (RTL)
Suara Timor Lorosae (STL)
Diario Tempo (DT)
Diario Nacional (DN)
Semanario
Televisaun Timor-Leste (TVTL)