Subject: UNOTIL Daily Media Review 09 June
2006
UNOTIL Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources Daily Media Review Friday, 09 June 2006 National Media Reports It’ll not be easy to dissolve Parliament: Guterres Speaking to the media on Thursday, the Speaker of the National Parliament, Francisco Guterres stressed that it would not be easy to dissolve the Parliament and the Government as the country’s laws and constitution must be considered reported Suara Timor Lorosae (STL) on Friday. Guterres added that the demands of Major Tara are not simple because they do not follow the constitution procedures. “We must have faith in the law and the constitution. Therefore their demands cannot leap over the constitution and the laws currently in force,” said Guterres. He believes that the protesters would not boycott the government and the Parliament activities if their demands are not met. “From my point of view, these people do not think this way, because their intention is to resolve the problem that has arisen. I also believe and hope that they will contribute to resolving the problems with goodwill and through dialogue and not through boycotting the government’s activities,” he said. On the same occasion, Francisco “Lu’Olo” Guterres pointed out that according to the country’s Constitution, an early election is not foreseeable due to the proximity of the time to the general elections. Guterres added that another factor for not holding an early election is the absence of electoral legislation for both the parliament and the presidential elections and the budget approval. Francisco Guterres also stressed that his party, Fretilin, does not have weapons or ammunition to distribute to the people. Guterres said the guns currently being distributed are those of Polisia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL). He added these guns are the ones currently used by Alfredo and Tara, adding his party has not distributed guns to the militants who have become the victims as per information received that Fretilin HQ buildings in Ermera have been burned and damaged. He said two cars belonging to the party were being driven between Gleno and Ermera late in the night and gunshots were fired along the main road. The Speaker of the Parliament stressed that when the President of the Republic declared a State of Emergency on May 30, Fretilin took the event seriously as a national crisis affecting everybody and oriented its militants not to react to the situation and wanted it to be resolved by the President and the Prime Minister as stated by both and support the government in order for the problem to be resolved. (STL) Rogerio must answer in court: L-7 Former Falintil members for region II, Cornelio Gama who is also known as L-7, reportedly said the former Minister of Interior, Rogerio Lobato must answer in court when the situation in Timor-Leste returns to normal. L-7 said it is clear the former Ministers of Interior and Defence did not have the capacity to be responsible for PNTL and F-FDTL, adding that Rogerio Lobato is responsible for the destruction and the deaths in Dili. On the presence of the international force in Timor-Leste, L-7 says they must work closely with F-FDTL in order to resolve the problem adding that the presence of the forces also shows the incapability of the Timorese government and minimizes its own forces. He added that on behalf of former Falintil members he would like the leaders to sit and dialogue in order to find a solution to the crisis in the nation in order to enable the population to live in peace and harmony. (STL) RTTL News Monitoring 9 6 2006 New Minister of Interior Calls Second Meeting RTTL reported Minister of Interior, Alcino Barris stating yesterday, Thursday that a second meeting was called with all PNTL District commanders and Inspectors. Barris said only officers from nine districts attended the meeting. He said those from Baucau, Viqueque and Lospalos were not present citing many are still too scare to return to work and many have said they lack transport to return to Dili. The new Interior Minister said he wants PNTL Operation Centre and Dili District to be functional again and work closely with the International Forces regain the trust of the population. Two Inspectors, Quintiliano and Jorge Monteiro have been appointed as PNTL Liaison Officers and from F-FDTL, Lieutenant Filomeno Paixão. Security Coordination Meeting Presidente Xanana Gusmão held a meeting with Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and Minister of Defence, Jose Ramos-Horta yesterday to discuss the security coordination with the International Forces, reported RTTL Friday morning. According to RTTL, Minister of Defence, Ramos-Horta reportedly said an agreement was reached that the Portuguese elite police GNR will operate in the area of Comoro Bridge and other areas would be under the operation of the International Military Forces of Australia, New Zeland and Malaysia. The Minister said that once the situation is back to normality, GNR would be responsible for Dili while the International Military Forces will take over the mediation between F-FDTL and groups of Major Alfredo. Brigadier Slater: Australian Military Commander Brigadier Slater, Australian Military Commander of the International Forces reportedly stated that since the operation, Australian Forces have not yet disarm either F-FDTL or Major Alfredo groups rather captured the use illegal weapons. International Media Reports Timor Leste Update Friday, 9 June 2006, 3:56 pm Press Release: World Vision New Zealand Scoop Independent News Timor Leste Update Immediate concerns for World Vision in Timor Leste are food distribution and the spread of disease with respiratory infections, fever and diarrhoea among the most pressing health threats. World Vision has partnered with WFP and is delivering up to 12 metric tonnes of food each day, collecting rubbish and operating three mobile health clinics. About 1000 patients have been treated. Other work will include psychosocial support to displaced children and families, as well as the creation of temporary shelters. World Vision has the largest base of local staff on the ground among the International NGOs in Timor Leste. Currently, 58 staff are working on the emergency health services (mobile clinics) while 12 other regular staff are helping in the compound. Two assessment teams were formed and will go to East (Bacau and Viqueque) and West (Aileu and Bobonaro) districts to conduct assessments. ENDS Portugal and Australia at odds in Timor Lisbon (ANTARA News, 8 June 2006, 18:22) - The East Timorese government has brokered a "provisional" agreement to coordinate police and military peacekeepers after Australian soldiers were perceived as preventing Portuguese police from acting in areas under their control, media reports said Thursday in Lisbon. The agreement would allow armed Portuguese and Malaysian police to maintain order in areas controlled by Australian and New Zealand peacekeepers, according to a Timorese government source quoted by the Portuguese news agency Lusa. The agreement, negotiated by Timorese Defence Minister Jose Ramos Horta, was pending definitive approval from the four countries. Portuguese reports said Australian peacekeepers had refused to receive two people detained in Dili by the Portuguese paramilitary National Republican Guard (GNR), which has 120 officers in East Timor. The Australians told the Portuguese they could only deal with police officers who were disarmed and accompanied by Australians. The Portuguese took the detainees to a temporary GNR barracks. (*) These Items Do Not Reflect the Position or Views of the United Nations. UNOTIL Public Information Office Back to June menu |