East Timor Press Review

8 November 2002

· Speaking at the ceremony of the nomination for 110 Timorese Police officers to be members of INTERPOL, Minister of Internal Administration Rogerio Lobato said police must be loyal because they are the ones protecting the nation and its leaders, reported Suara Timor Lorosa’e.

· STL quoted Member of Parliament, Clementino Amaral of KOTA party as saying that Timorese refugees currently living in West Timor must decide within these 2 months to return because UNHCR and IOM will end their services at the end of the year and assistance for them will be much harder.

· Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Ramos-Horta stressed during his visit to Singapore that the warning put out by many governments on terrorist attacks in the region has drawn attention to foreigners not to travel to the region. Mr. Horta said those living in these countries will eventually leave because of the scary warning leaving an impact on the economy because they depend on foreign help.

· It is reported that Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Ramos Horta held a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart, Lee Yock Suan on Wednesday in which Mr. Ramos-Horta stressed that it is really important for Timor-Leste to become a member of ASEAN but needs the support of neighboring countries to support its membership.

· Rector of UNDIL, Lucas da Costa said the US$300,000 government travelling budget is a lot. He said the budget expenditure must be reviewed in order to see whether it has been spent properly, reports STL.

· STL reported that Juvenile Communication Forum would hold a training program on the rights and protection of children. The Forum assistant coordinator, Leonel Ximenes said the training will be for those juvenile who are now scattered without any education.

· Attorney General, Longuinhos Monteiro told journalist yesterday that he has set up an INTERPOL office in Timor-Leste and is in the final stage of completing it.

· Timor Post’s front-page headline read: Paulo Martins: ETPS will participate in UN mission in Africa. This daily also carried a photo of the transfer of national security from UN Police to Timorese during yesterday’s ceremony. Speaking at the event, Commissioner Paulo Martins said that the training received in the college from international police and through working with them, the Timorese have shown that they have the capacity and are now ready to take on higher responsibilities. Mr. Martins said various training have been offered to the Timorese police and 10 officers have been selected to participate in a protection for VIP course in Malaysia. The Commissioner also announced that 10 Timorese police officers will participate in the UN mission in Africa next year. He said the result of it came after his visit to New York last June when he told UN that the country’s police were ready to participate in other UN missions.

· Timor Post reported that Suai District Court’s Prosecutor might replace the vacancy left by Alcino Barros who has been appointed as Vice-Minister of Internal Administration. Attorney-General Longuinhos Monteiro gave a hint for the new Dili Court Prosecutor during an interview with this newspaper.

· Member of Parliament, Riak Leman of PSD stressed that residents of various eastern and central sub-districts are facing food shortages due to the long dry season. Mr. Leman said that most of the food like cassava, sweet potatoes and other vegetables have all been dried up.

· Chairman of General Forum Communication, Roberto de Fatima Magalhaes Soares announced that a local candle factory would soon be established in Timor-Leste.

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