East Timor Press Review

20 November 2002

Timor Post Coverage

· Citizens Have The Right To Speak About Issues That Affect Them: Bishop Belo

Bishop Belo has said that Timorese people have the right to talk about issues, which concern them as citizens. He urged citizens not feel intimidated about criticizing issues they were not happy about.

· TLPS Officer’s Pistol Snatched In Violent Clash

An angry mob attacked a local police officer and snatched his pistol in violent clashes in the village of Uailili near Baucau on Monday, TLPS Commissioner Paulo Martins told Timor Post. The incident happened when the police officer, only identified as Francisco, attempted to stop the mob from mounting illegal roadblocks to demand money from motorists who wished to use the road.

· Government Of East Timor To Decide On Out Come Of Jakarta Ad-Hock Tribunal

Dili court Chairman, Aderito Tilman, has said that the government of East Timor has the right to accept or reject the outcome of the Jakarta Ad-Hock Tribunal. The Jakarta Tribunal is currently trying cases of atrocities against humanity committed during Indonesia’s occupation of East Timor.

· Don’t Use Violence To Resolve Problems: Prime Minister

Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri has appealed to citizens to refrain from using violence as a means to resolve their problems. Referring to three incidents in which TLPS officers were attacked (in Dili, Baucau and Liquica), Mr. Alkatiri said that those who attacked the officers behaved like criminals. He emphasized the role of citizens in the fight against crime.

· “Ninjas” Terrorize Manufahi Residents.

A gang of masked men, calling themselves ‘ninjas’ attacked residents of Holarua village in Manufahi district, yesterday. Commenting on the incident, UDT Party Chairman, Alexandre Corte Real, said that the gang had a tendency to attack in the night when the residents were sleeping.

STL Coverage

· Bishop Belo declines to testify in Ad-Hock Tribunal

East Timor’s Bishop Ximenes Belo has said that he will not testify as a witness in the case in which a former Indonesian Army officer, Lt. Soedjarwo is being questioned for his alleged role in crimes against humanity in East Timor. Bishop Belo was summoned by the Jakarta Ad-Hock Tribunal to be a witness in the ongoing trial.

· Unknown People ‘Throw Bomb At Dili NGO’

Unknown people threw a plastic bomb at a building housing the Star Comoro PT NGO in Dili’s Comoro area yesterday. No casualties were reported.

· Same Diocese Construction Suspended

East Timor’s religious leader, Bishop Belo told STL that the construction of a diocese in Same had been suspended for three years to await approval from the Vatican. Bishop Belo said, a committee looking into the project in Dili had already contacted the Vatican twice on the matter.

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