Timor-Leste Daily Media News

Govt presents strategies for security sector reform - Suara Timor Lorosa’e, 17 September

State Secretary for Security, Francisco Da Silva Guterres has presented strategies for making change to the structure of the Timorese National Police (PNTL) in the high level meeting held yesterday.

The state secretary said the PNTL was currently making amendment to the organic law for the police, career regiment for improving rules, staff welfare and ranking systems.

Guterres said he would inform president draft of the law about reforming the structure of the PNTL and would be discussed in the Council of Ministers’ meeting.

Guterres said model of the police would be defined after a joint workshop by the Timorese Defense Force (F-FDTL) and PNTL had been conducted.

He added the new PNTL commander would be appointed in the upcoming November and the promotion would be made by internationals from New Zealand, Australia Portugal and Singapore.

All police officers have the right to nominate themselves and this are the criterion to be followed by all the candidates.

Govt urged to take a courageous decision - Diario Nacional, 17 September

The Program Manager of the Luta Hamutuk (Struggle Together) organization, Merício dos Reis Akara said Tuesday (16/9) that if Woodside Company disagreed with the proposal of the government to build the pipelines from Greater Sunrise in Timor-Leste, then the government should be courageous to take decisions.

“From the outset the principle of Luta Hamutuk has been clear that the pipelines from the Greater Sunrise Gas and Oil fields have to be brought into Timor due to two main reasons.

According to Akara, the first reason was that the distance from Greater Sunrise to East Timor’s land was relatively closer than to Australia’s land.

And secondly, if the pipelines are taken to East Timor, then it would give a lot of economic benefits to the people of East Timor Akara said.

He also added the stubborn of the Woodside indicated that the oil company did not have willingness and therefore the government should stop the development of oil and gas in the Greater Sunrise with the company.

Akara urged the government to keep maintaining its current position to land the pipelines in Timor and that all components of the society should support the government’s efforts.

Timor-Leste still needs UN, says Fretilin president - Diario Nacional, 17 September

Former President of the National Parliament who is also the President of the FRETILIN party Francisco Guterres ‘Lu Olo’ said Tuesday (16/9) Timorese people and the state still need the presence of the UN forces here.

Lu Olo said the Timorese just came out of a big crisis and therefore the presence of the UN forces in there should be prolonged.

“I have different opinion from the Prime Minister but in terms of making decisions they have right to do so because they are leaders”, added Lu Olo.

According to Lu Olo, the UN forces and its police could leave the country if the defense and security institutions are already in the right tract and if the country is already stable.

He also explained that unless the defense and security institutions were used by politicians to attack here and there then it would be unreasonable to keep the ISF and UNPOL here in Timor-Leste.

An MP from the ruling CNRT party, Natalino dos Santos said he totally agree with the statement of the Prime Minister to send the UN forces home.

Dos Santos said that the East Timor’s Defense Force (F-FDTL) and the National Police (PNTL) are able to deal with security and defense of the country and therefore it is the now the time for the UN forces to leave the country.

Public Prosecution firmly to fight against SDSB gambling - Timor Post, 17 September

Deputy Prosecutor General, Ivo Jorge Valente, said although the Government had decided to reopen illegal gambling known as SDSB next month, yet the Public Prosecution was firmly fighting against this kind of gambling, because it breached the law. The Government’s decision of authorizing such illegal gambling was against the Timorese Penal Code, article 303, Valente said.

Valente said according to the law the SDSB gambling was a kind of illegal activity by the two companies in the country. Meanwhile, Director for National Investigation Development, Eugenio Pereira said the decision made by the Government was political decision, yet the police would keep maintaining law and order in the country.

PM should investigate his ministers, says Carrascalao - Timor Post, 17 September

Social Democratic Party (PSD) President Mario Viegas Carrascalao, said the ongoing inspection held by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, showing that he did not trust in some of the ministers in doing their tasks.

Carrascalao said the prime minister should not directly hold the inspection into the ministers’ works and it was better to be held by the minister for finance. Carrascalao stressed the inspection held by the prime minister and this showed him [PM] was suspecting his ministers of doing something wrong.

He added distrust could appear, because the state budget was not executed properly by some of the ministries.

Thirteen firearms of PNT yet to be recalled: Fernandes - Timor Post, 17 September

Timorese Police Operational Commander, Mateus Fernandes, said a recent audit report had found that thirteen of the police’s automatic weapons went missing during the country’s recent crises were yet to be recalled.

The commander said those weapons went missing were seven pistols, five HK 33 high-powered weapons and one caliber 12 high powered weapon.

Fernandes said many of the weapons went missing in the police headquarter during the country’s crises had been recalled by the joint operation command after the attempted assassination on February 11.

Fernandes added the police would make efforts to recall the referred weapons by cooperating with the residents.

Government decides to continue purchasing ships from China: PM Gusmão - Televizaun Timor-Leste, 17 September

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão said the Government was committed to purchasing ships from China to help support the country’s defense force for watching over Timor Sea.

“Looking at illegal fishing by foreigners in Timor Sea, the Government through the Council of the Minister has decided to buy ships from China to be used for watching over the country’s sea,” Gusmão said.

Gusmao said it was being the Government’s obligation to purchase the ships soon, although the policy was protested by certain people, as the country had lost plenty of riches from the sea.

He added the Government had cancelled to not buy ship from Australia, because it was too expensive.

East Timor to remember 25 years of Kraras Massacre- Radio and Televizasaun Timor-Leste, 16 September

East Timor is going to commemorate the Kraras Massacre taking place 25 years ago in the Kraras village in Vikeke on September 17, 2008 in Kraras Vikeke. Speaking to the local population, the President of the National Parliament Fernando ‘La Sama’ de Araújo said Timor-Leste had to honor those were slain during the massacre.

He added, the National Parliament would make September 17 as a national holiday to remember those who fell. The Ministry of Solidarity would provide also 50 solar cells the widows of Kraras, which is known as the village of widows. The massacre took place on 17 September 1983 and it is reported that around 50 people were killed by the Indonesian Armed Forces.

39 maladministration and corruption cases registered with public ministry, says Vice AG- Televizaun Timor-Leste, 16 September

East Timor’s office of the Attorney General said Tuesday (16/9) that around 39 cases of maladministration and corruption have been registered at the public ministry in order to be processed according the applicable laws.

Ivo Valente made the statement in relation to the recent press conference by the office of the Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman. Valente added that three of the cases were accusations and some of the accusations had been heard at the Suai District Court.

He informed that the cases are pending due to lack of human resources. However, he said, in the near future four national defenders would be appointed as definite public defender to quickly process the cases.

IDPs launched peaceful protest against MSS- Televizaun Timor-Leste, 16 September

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have been staying in Origado Barrack Kaikoli launched a peaceful protest against the Ministry of Social Solidarity Tuesday (16/9) demanding their quick reintegration.

The protest was done because earlier this year, the Ministry of Social Solidarity said the reintegration process for the IDPs in Obrigado Barrack would have been done in August.

Responding to the demand, the Secretary of State for Natural Disasters Jacinto Rigoberto de Deus had meeting with the representatives of the IDPs, assuring them that the verification team would start tomorrow with the IDPs living in and around Obrigado Barrack.

De Deus said the reintegration process for the IDPs at Hera Port finished today and the next is the IDPs from the Obrigado Barrack. An IDP representative said they have been in the camps for almost three years and now it is the time for them to go back to their houses.

The meeting of the representatives of the IDPs and the Secretary of State for Natural Disaster was also attended by Dili District’s PNTL Commander, Inspector Pedro Belo. The peaceful demonstration of the IDPs was closely monitored and secured by UNPOL, PNTL and International Stabilization Forces (ISF).

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