[Poster's note: Long repeats of international articles already sent out to the east-timor list have been removed.]

UNMISET Daily Press Review

Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources

Daily Media Review Thursday, 10 March 2005

Xanana and SBY sign Truth Commission Agreement

The President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Timor-Leste President Xanana Gusmao yesterday signed the agreement for the creation of the Truth and Friendship Commission, which will investigate crimes committed during and after the 1999 referendum. The Commission will begin its work in August and work for a minimum of two years. Speaking to reporters, Indonesian President Yudhoyono said that the Commission is a viable means of resolving lingering problems between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. President Xanana reinforced that the aim of the Commission is not to decide who is guilty, but to expose the truth, so that Timor-Leste may better confront its future as an independent nation.

Meanwhile, the Coordinator of HAK Association, Jose Luis Guterres, said that the position of human rights activists in Timor-Leste has always against the establishment of the Commission because of the belief that it will block the justice process for perpetrators of the 1999 crimes. He said that the Commission will perpetuate the chain of impunity in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. (Timor Post, STL)

UNDP provides equipment for Suco elections

The United Nations Development Programme has delivered some important equipment for the second phase of the village chief elections. The equipment was handed over by UNDP's Timor-Leste Country Director, Naheed Haque, to the Director of the Technical Secretariat for State Administration, Tomas Cabral. Included among the equipment were 2000 voting boxes, 20,000 ties for the voting boxes and 200 voting booths. The amount of assistance totalled $120,000

The village head elections are also receiving assistance from USAID in the form of posters, pamphlets, banners, computers, printers, office equipment, and radio and television announcements. (STL)

Decrease in projects after UNTAET mission

Julio Alfaro, Director of the company Rosario, said that since the departure of UNTAET there has been a decrease in the number of projects. He said that the economy has been 'stuck' for some time now, compared with the UNTAET period when there was a lot of money around for reconstruction projects. He said that at the time he was engaged in projects with UNDP, UNOPS, UNICEF, ADB and the World Bank, and was able to employ up to 1000 people. Alfaro said that in order to develop the economy here, Timor-Leste must decrease its reliance on imported products, particularly from Indonesia. He said that many of these products can be made locally. (STL)

Portugal provides assistance to F-FDTL

Portugal has provided assistance to the F-FDTL in the form of army rations and uniforms. The equipment was handed to the Commander of the F-FDTL, Taur Matan Ruak, by the Portuguese Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Joao Ramos Pinto, in a ceremony yesterday. Matan Ruak said that the rations and uniforms would be given to those army personnel still undergoing training at the Instruction Centre at Metinaro. (Timor Post)

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