| Subject: UNMISET Daily Media Review 28
March 2005
UNMISET Daily Press Review Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources Daily Media Review Monday, 28 March 2005 MP's comment on Horta's human rights surprise Member of Parliament Alexandre Cortereal from the UDT party has called on Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta to accept the results of the human rights monitoring in Timor-Leste. Commenting Ramos-Horta's shock at the recent report on the human rights situation in Timor-Leste, Corte Real said Ramos-Horta should be pleased with the report, particularly considering his background as a human rights supporter during the years of Timor-Leste's occupation by Indonesia. He added that Ramos-Horta should be cooperating with international human rights agencies in their monitoring activities, particularly since the National Parliament has ratified several international human rights conventions since 2002. Member of Parliament from KOTA party Manuel Tilman also expressed his disappointment with Ramos-Horta's attitude, saying that human rights workers here should not be concerned with capacity building only but also monitoring. (Timor Post) Fretilin wins by a small margin in Lautem Fretilin has won by a small margin in Lautem District's village and hamlet chief elections with a vote of nearly 53% and a seat in 18 villages. This was closely followed by independent candidates with a vote of 44% and a seat in 15 villages. Candidates from the Democrat Party did not win any seats in Lautem District. In one of the villages, the total number of abstentions was more than the number of votes for independent and Fretilin candidates. (STL) PNTL celebrates its fifth birthday Timor-Leste's National Police force (PNTL) celebrated its fifth birthday on Sunday in Aileu District. A ceremony was held at the Aileu sports field, attended by Timor-Leste's Prime Minister, President of the National Parliament, President of the Court of Appeal, and UNMISET representatives. (STL) Indonesia's claim on assets frustrates MP's Political figures claim demands by the Indonesian government for their assets in Timor-Leste are considered to be inconsistent with the friendly relationship that has been pursued by both governments since Timor-Leste's independence in 1999. Member of Parliament from ASDT Feliciano Alves Fatima speaking to STL said that the two governments should start from a 'zero option' basis meaning that neither government demands anything from the other. He said that the continued hold on this demand for assets has the potential to negatively affect the future relationship between the two countries. Alexandre Cortereal from UDT party also expressed his frustration, saying that it was the Indonesian military and its militia who destroyed the assets, therefore Timor-Leste has no assets to return. He expressed his opinion that a more worthy matter to pursue is that of the fate of former Indonesian civil servants (STL) UN should reduce Code IV alert in West Timor The United Nations should make a visit to West Timor to review the security situation there and reduce the current Code IV security alert, according to Pastor David Amfotis representing the West Timor and Timor-Leste border community in West Timor. Amfotis recently met with the United States Consul General in Surabaya and requested the Consul's assistance in reducing the Code IV alert status currently in force in West Timor. Amfotis said that the situation there is secure and peaceful, and that the local community is not afraid to move around. He said that the current peaceful situation does not warrant a Code IV status and that the high security alert affects the development of the region because investors are hesitant to invest there. However, according to UNMISET officials the UN Security Phase is set at Phase 3 in West Timor and not Phase 4 as reported in the newspaper. (STL, UNMISET)
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