Timor-Leste Daily Media News

AMP and Fretilin have ways to recall weapons – Diario Nacional, 18 September

Following the recent news that the Timorese National Police (PNTL)’s weapons went missing during the country’s recent crises, MPs from both Fretilin and Parliamentary Majority Alliance (AMP) propose to cooperate with the residents and search into the residents’ houses.

Social Democratic Party (PSD) MP Mario Viegas Carrascalao said the police should cooperate with the residents in recalling the illegal weapons.

Carrascalao urged PNTL to make a strong appeal for the residents, saying those who did not want to hand in illegal weapons they would be given strong sanction.

Fretilin MP Francisco Miranda Branco said the security forces should search into the residents’ houses, so that people could uncover anyone who was still hiding weapons.

Internal conflict within KOTA is due to Tilman aligning himself with FRETILIN, says acting President – Timor Post, 18 September

The internal conflict within the KOTA party happens because the current KOTA President, Manuel Tilman, made unilateral decision to come into alliance with Fretilin, declared the acting President of the party, Pedro da Costa Ramalho.

According to Pedro, due to Tilman’s personal interest, he made alliance with the Fretilin party and because of this Tilman’s standing as president of the party was now questioned by the party’s followers.

He added the founder of the party was not Manuel Tilman but Pedro da Costa Ramalho.

Commenting on the political move, Manuel Tilman said that he would not allow the party to be taken by other irresponsible people.

Govt needs to regularize gambling – Timor Post, 18 September

A member of parliament from the PD bench, Vital dos Santos, said the government had to regularize gambling such as lottery (SDSB) to make sure that the gambling is in the right tract as gambling will also benefit the nation.

Vital added, the SDSB had to be legalized so that government can control it.

“I think (government) should regularize illegal gambling,” he said.

He also admitted that the current penal codes adopted, gambling such as lottery or SDSB was not allowed here.

He suggested the government to make a law especially to regularize the gambling in order to prevent illegal gambling.

Paulo denies PNTL’s weapons go missing – Timor Post, 18 September

Former East Timor’s PNTL Commissioner Paulo Martins disagrees with the information saying that during the 2006 crises many PNTL weapons were missing and they ended up in other people’s hands.

Paulo is now a CNRT’s MP in the East Timor’s National Parliament.

The actual Operational Commander of the PNTL, Mateus Fernandes, said that based on the recent audit into the weapons of the institutions, it was reported that 13 weapons were still missing.

However, Paulo said no single weapon missing when he was in charge of the PNTL.

He added when he was in charge, those who wanted to take revolver of weapon with them, they had to fill in a form which was to be kept by the administration of the PNTL.

“Weapons that were distributed by the former Interior Minister to Rai Los were not of the knowledge of the Command, for other weapons there was knowledge about them,” he said.

Asked about the missing weapons of the PNTL, he responded that he did not know anything about those 13 weapons.

“You should go and ask the commander of the PNTL or the logistics of the PNTL; that’s it,” Paulo stressed.

Meanwhile, PSD’s MP, Mario Viegas Carrascalăo said the government should take strong measures to make sure that missing weapons were collected provided that civilians having weapons was a very dangerous idea.

President Horta launches Kararas monument laying foundation – Radio Timor-Leste & Diario Nacional, 18 September

President Jose Ramos Horta has officially launched laying foundation of Kararas Massacre Monument yesterday in Bibileu, the eastern town of Viqueque.

During a speech marking the ceremony, President Horta said the state recognized all the tragedies occurred during the country’s resistance, yet no time for evaluating the existing data.

Horta said the massacre of Kararas in 1983 was part of the innocent people’s struggle to reach the country’s national liberation.

Horta also said there were insufficient data for the country to reach justice, however the state would make efforts to pay attention to the orphans and the widows by the war.

Horta called on the residents to respect as well the Indonesian soldiers who were killed in Kararas, as they worked under the Indonesian military regime.

The ceremony was also attended by the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative, Atul Khare, the Timorese Defense Force Commander, Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak, Government officials and diplomatic corps.

Recruitment for new F-FDTL soldiers will be cancelled, says defense secretary – Radio Timor-Leste, 17 September

State Secretary for Defense, Julio Thomas Pinto, said recruitment for the Timorese Defense Force (F-FDTL) soldiers in the upcoming October might be cancelled, because the law for the recruitment had not been approved yet.

The state secretary said this would a challenge for the Government to recruit new soldiers in this year.

Pinto said the decision would be made by the Council of Ministers. “It might be cancelled, if the Council of the Ministers decide to cancel it and then will cancel it and we will wait for next year,” Pinto said.

Pinto added if the recruitment would be made next year, they would not only recruit 150 or 300, but would recruit 600 new soldiers.

Joint marine team operates in southern coast – Radio Timor Leste, 18 September

Joint Marine Team consists of the Timorese Defense Force Naval Unit, the Timorese Police Marine Unit and a unit from Fisheries Department is currently doing operation in the southern coast of Manufahi to watch over Timor Sea from illegal fishing.

Director for Fisheries and Agriculture Department, Lourenco Dos Reis Amaral said the Joint Operation Team had removed to Ainaro, because fishermen informed that there were two suspicious boats appeared in the southern coast of Ainaro.

The Joint Operation Team started holding its operation on the ten of September and would end on Thursday (18/9).

President Horta receives credentials from Fijian ambassador – Televisaun Timor-Leste, 18 September

Fijian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Ratu Isoa Delemisi Tokoa, said the Fijian Government was committed to supporting Timor-Leste in the field of technique.

The ambassador made the comments yesterday after handing over credentials to President Jose Ramos Horta at the Presidential Palace in Farol.

Ratu Tokoa urged called on the Timorese Government to make an agreement with the Fijian Government to realize the support.

President Horta thanked the Fijian Government for its support by sending soldiers, joining the UN peace keeping force to be deployed in Timor-Leste.

Govt denies news about authorizing companies to reopen gambling – Televizaun Timor-Leste, 18 September

Minister for Tourism, Commerce and Industry, Gil Alves has denied the recent news that the Government had made decision to authorize Totoy Timor Draw to reopen illegal gambling known as SDSB.

The minister said the Government was yet to allow any kind of gambling to be reopened, because the Government was still discussing it.

Alves was responding to the recent comments made by certain people that the Government had allowed the SDSB gambling to be reopened, but it would be discussed profoundly by the council of the ministers.

Minister for Justice, Lucia Lobato, said the country had no law yet to regulate all kind of gambling, such as SDSB and Casino.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prosecutor General, Ivo Jorge Valente, said there should be proper laws to regulate such gambling and until now the gambling had not been legalized. 

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