Subject: UNOTIL Daily Media Review 18 August 2006

Daily Media Review Friday, 18 August 2006

National Media Reports

Court of Appeals is independent + All citizens have right to interpret law

In response to Xanana’s statement made in June that current leaders of Fretilin were illegal and illegitimate, Akatiri said that the president has no competency to interpret law or even if he can he could not make any decision. After of Court of Appeals made decision that Fretilin’s leaders are legal and legitimate last Friday, he added that the Court of Appeal is an independent body and made its decision based on facts not opinions.

Lucia Lobato, MP from PSD party told the media at National Party that all citizens have right to interpret law and have right express their opinions but the court is the one would make any decision. (DN, STL)

International Troops are not serious about disarming civilian groups: Fernandes

Vice President of National Parliament (NP) Jocob Fernandes told the media at NP that political crisis in Timor-Leste is still tense because international troops are not serious about dealing with the armed civilian groups. “In the districts many armed civilian groups still carry weapons around but international troops are not serious about disarming them” said Fernandes. According to Fernandes the current situation would not help facilitate general election due to the civilian arms still around threatening people and political parties would not be brave enough to campaign their political programs. “We don’t know who still carries weapons around and how many weapons have been recovered by the international troops but when you see television some of weapons are not owned by PNTL and F-FDTL for example model SKS and GRM” said Fernandes. To follow general election schedule internationals must work with PNTL and F-FDTL to disarm armed civilian groups because they know people who are involved in crimes Fernandes added.

Government will hold open debate about future of Defense+ Zacarias Costa & Nelson dos Santos are candidates for an ambassadorship in New York

After weekly meeting with the President Xanana Gusmao at the Palace of Ashes, Prime Minister Ramos Horta told the media that reformation of PNTL and F-FDTL must be discussed seriously and the government will hold open debate in National Parliament so that civil society can be involved in discussion about the future of F-FDTL. TP reported that Horta’s weekly meeting with the president also discussed the national budget which has been approved by the National Parliament and also the government will hold an extraordinary meeting with the civil society and 13 district administrators to see the implementation of the budget fiscal year 2006/2007. In the meantime Horta also mentioned two candidates Zacarias Costa & Nelson do Santos for as possible new UN Ambassador candidates, to replace Jose Luis Gutteres who was appointed as Foreign Minister last month. Horta explained that he had discussed with the President of Republic to choose one of them to be a new ambassador. (TP, STL)

Longuinhos should announce result of Alkatiri’s hearing

MP from Fretilin Party, Osorio Florindo told TP that Prosecutor General Longuinhos should announce result of Alkatiri’s hearing because people are waiting to hear who is the most responsible for this crisis in which thousands of thousands people have lost their properties and live in IDP camps. “People are waiting the result of the hearing and why still not been announced?” asked Florindo. Florindo also asked Prosecutor General to investigate Rai Los and Labadaen groups who gave evidence of weapons distribution in this country. MP from UDT party Alexandre Corte-Real also agreed that in order to accelerate the process of Rogerio Lobato and Mari Alkatiri’s case, Prosecutor General should investigate those people who were involved this crisis. (TP)

TV Monitoring News Report, 18 August 2006

1. Fretilin Party is ready to compete in the 2007-General Election

After the decision of the Court of Appeals that considered the Second Fretilin Congress held on 17-19 May 2006 with hands-up vote system was legitimate and legal, despite the disagreement of Fretilin Reformists on that decision, Fretilin under the leadership of Lu’Olo and Mari reportedly told journalists that they are ready to compete in the coming General Election.

Lu’Olo, the president of the party, reportedly told the media that the Second Fretilin Congress which allowed hand-up vote system will not have any impact on the 2007 General Election. This is because the congress itself was legitimized and legalized by the Court of Appeals.

2. Prime Minister, Dr. Ramos Horta, receives the Regional Director for Asia of the World Food Programme, Anthony Banbury

It is reported that after the meeting with Mr.Banbury, Dr. Horta reportedly told journalists that he was very happy with World Food Programme that has been implemented in East Timor since 1999. He also reportedly told the media that as the result of that feeding program, the government fully supported the start of a pilot project of the Primary School Students Feedings Program which was initiated in three districts.

3. UNOTIL reportedly hosted a meeting for all Political Parties to collect information and exchange ideas in relation to the draft of electoral law.

In order to reduce the chance of manipulation in the 2007 General Election, UNOTIL reportedly conducted a meeting which participated by all parities’ leaders. After the meeting, the president of UDT, Joao Carascalao reportedly told journalists that security was his main concern. Then, he requested the state to equally support all parities.

In addition, Elizario Pereira, the Fretilin representative reportedly told journalists that the objectives of the meeting was not to discuss the substance of the electoral law but to exchange ideas on two drafts of the electoral law that proposed by both Fretilin party and opposition parties. Then, he added that it was within the competence of the National Parliament to elaborate and discuss the substance of the drafts in detail.

3. The government is looking for proper measures/strategies to execute the budget says Vice Prime Minister, Dr. Rui Maria de Araujo

Answering e journalists’ question on the purpose of a meeting in the council ministry, the Vice Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araujo reportedly told the media that the government was looking for proper measures/strategies to execute the budget that was approved last Monday. He also reportedly stressed that the present government was doing some analysis on the measures/strategies for the area of defense and security.

Regarding the condition of IDPs, Mr. Araujo said that in order to convince IDPs to return home, the government should ensure that there must be intensive patrols. The patrols have to be intensified by the police and military and if necessary, there should be permanent police or military posts set in the areas that are considered unsafe.

4. PNTL commander, Paulo Martins reportedly chaired a meeting that aimed to reconcile the members of PNTL who were separated during the crisis.

Mr. Martins reportedly told journalists that the objective of the meeting was not to accuse each other but to find the leadership failures which caused the separation. He said he, the Minister of Interior, the President of Republic of East Timor, and the Prime Minister, they would like to reconcile all members of PNTL and discover where their weaknesses are in causing the ongoing crisis. This is the third meeting and they planned to continue in the future.

International Media Reports

Local generosity

Friday, 18 August 2006

ONE thousand educational health books have been sent to Timor-Leste thanks to a community effort, combined with the generosity of Excell Printing in Pambula. The books are designed to educate the people of Timor-Leste about the life-threatening health risks they face. The health book is the result of an amazing journey that began with Sister Joan Westablade on her return to Timor-Leste with the peacekeepers in 1999. Prior to 1999, Sister Joan had worked in health, welfare and education in Timor-Leste alongside a number of Japanese nuns, who had had a clinic at Notael. The Japanese Sisters had taken slides illustrating prevalent health issues amongst the East Timorese people. Upon request Sister made a tape (spoken in Tetum) to go with the slides. [] Both the tape and the slides were well accepted and Sister Joan left them with the Japanese Sisters.

In the 1999 onslaught this whole clinic was trashed. On returning to the site of the clinic at Notael in 1999, Sister Westablade began sifting through the debris in the hope of finding something of worth. She almost gave up hope of finding anything salvageable when she noticed one slide buried in the rubble of what was once the clinic. This one slide gave Joan the motivation to search more extensively for other items that may have been buried. After sifting for some time through the battered and at times unrecognisable remains of items that represented hours of work, Joan located all the slides that accompanied the tape she and the Japanese Sisters had collated. "The slides literally rose from the ashes", said Sister Joan.

Since that day in 1999, Sister Joan and the other Sisters based at the Mary MacKillop Institute for East Timorese Studies in St Marys, Sydney, have continued to work on the health issues of the Timor-Leste people. The slides Sister Joan had retrieved formed the basis for a Health Book that aimed to reach all schools and health clinics across the country. Two of the Sisters based at St Mary's, accepted an invitation to make presentations in Bega and Merimbula for International Women's Day in March 2006. The decision to travel to Bega by Sister Irene and Sister Rosie resulted in another milestone being reached in health education in Timor-Leste.

Allan Mogridge of EXCELL Printing, Pambula, attended the Sisters' presentation at Rotary in Merimbula where literacy, numeracy and other educational books produced by the Sisters at St Mary's were displayed. Allan discussed the printing of books with another community member, who wished to remain anonymous, on the night. During the next week the community member visited EXCELL and asked Alan if he could print as many Health Books as possible for a donation the community member had made. Alan Mogridge and the staff at EXCELL printing decided the publication of the Health Book was something they all wanted to support. Before going to print, Alan decided to extend the print run to 1000 books in full colour at no extra cost. "I hope this support represents a model for other businesses in the Bega Valley to follow. The work being carried out by the Sisters at the Mary MacKillop Institute for East Timor Studies, Bega Valley Advocates for Timor-Leste and Rotary is exemplary and worthy of any support we as a community can offer," Mr Mogridge said. (Bega District News)

National News Sources

Timor Post (TP) Radio Timor-Leste (RTL) Suara Timor Lorosae (STL) Diario Tempo (DT) Diario Nacional Seminario Lia Foun (LF) Televisaun Timor-Leste [TVTL]

These Items Do Not Reflect the Position or Views of the United Nations. UNOTIL Public Information Office

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