| Subject: UNOTIL Daily Media Review 08-10
April 2006
UNOTIL Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources Daily Media Review Saturday & Monday, 08-10 April 2006 National Media Reports NGOs must be organised: Xanana President Xanana Gusmão told participants during the “Open Space” dialogue held last Friday and Saturday that all NGOs must be organised, as their role is important for the development of the nation as partners. Gusmão said, “it’s been four years since Timor-Leste entered the development phase and many goals have been achieved by the State but there are not yet mechanisms in place to serve the people to better their lives for the future”. He said the role of NGOs is crucial in being part of the development process therefore it is important that they sit and discuss the concerns of the population. The President underlined the purpose for NGOs to organise themselves as a way to also create conditions conducive to stability and focus their work in the rural areas as well. (STL, TP) Head of World Bank meets Bishop Basilio; Wolfwitz praises TL The Bishop of Baucau Diocese, Basilio do Nascimento, met with the President of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz in Dili on Saturday and according to media reports the Bishop said, “as President of the World Bank, he (Wolfowitz) wants to listen to opinions from the church, and to present appreciation and information”. Nascimento said meetings with people such as Wolfowitz is important in order to inform them, especially regarding the population living standards in Timor-Leste. In the meantime Paul Wolfowitz told the media upon his arrival in Dili that he was happy to see development progress in Timor-Leste although it is a fairly new country. Wolfowitz mentioned that he was interested to see how the Timorese govern, the transparency system, the petroleum fund and how the World Bank can assist in reducing poverty in Timor-Leste. On Sunday, he visited the market in Taibesse and the nearby community to see the living conditions of the people. According to the media, Paul Wolfowitz also attended Palm Sunday mass on Motael church in Dili accompanied by the World Bank Director in Timor-Leste, Elizabeth Huybens and other staff. STL reported the President of the World Bank as saying that Timor-Leste is listed in 9th place according to its performance as a post-conflict country, noting that many countries have reverted to conflict. “This is a great history. Within a few years, the people of Timor-Leste established its economy well and a shiny democracy that started from ashes of 1999. To maintain peace and stability, is a spirit testament that the people and the leader of Timor-Leste are hoping for,” said the President of the Wold Bank. He added that the Bank is proud to support whatever is needed despite the challenges faced by the country. (TP, STL) Hold Demonstration and URP Will Flatten Tyres: Lobato Minister of Interior, Rogerio Lobato said the government is taking measures to stop a demonstration by the 591 F-FDTL Petitioners and their supporters in Dili. Lobato said according to information received, the group is planning a big protest in Dili after Easter celebrations and said that the government doesn’t have other option but to station URP (Police Reserve Unit) at Ermera bridge and warn anyone wishing to proceed to take part in the demonstration that the tyres of their vehicles will be punctured because the situation in Dili has been calm and there no such thing as ‘east’ and ‘west’. According to Diario Nacional the Minister made the statement during Fretilin’s regional congress last Saturday in Baucau. He added that the issue of regionalism is a very sensitive issue and many of the party’s members from Atsabe, Atulia, and Cailaco are beginning to travel to Dili to start fighting. “We know who is behind all this, trying to tease our colleagues from F-FDTL. We are controlling those people that are going to Tasi Tolu quarantine to provide information for them. It is not from the opposition parties but from overseas”. The Minister added that problems such as this will continue up until the elections in 2007 therefore he appealed to members of Fretilin to be prepared and face this challenges as many people are trying to discredit Fretilin government. (DN) The government must increase Administration quality Assistant Director General of Ausaid for ASIA region, Michael Wilson said that if the government of Timor-Leste wants success in public investment development, it should improve the quality of budget management in order to achieve development. Wilson believes that the initiative of the Prime Minister for transparency and accountability is a base for Australia to debate about this important issue. Speaking to the press after his weekly meeting with President Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said the budget for the fiscal year 2006/2007 has increased and public investment will focus more in Dili due its central concentration of infrastructures and the maintenance of government’s assets. Alkatiri restated that another argument to focus in Dili is because of the high unemployment rate. This is why the government took the initiative to invest more in Dili. It is reported that in relation to the opposition’s declaration that the government does no have a national development plan even though they increased the budget the Prime Minister said the opposition and the government always have different ideas but the government has done much for the country and its people. “I know the position of the opposition,” Alkatiri added. (TP, STL) To solve the petitioners not only Rhetoric: After attending the NGOs conference at ex CNRT office, at Balide, East Timor Human Rights advocate Aderito de Jesus said that it is not too late if the Government, the National Parliament and the President of Republic want to take initiatives to solve the problem of the 591 members of F-FDTL petitioners, adding the leaders should take it seriously and not only rhetorically. De Jesus does not know what kind of mechanism the government will use to solve the problem due to the many cases still to be resolved within F-FDTL, citing as an example, the incident of 4th December 2002, Lospalos and Becora incident. On the same occasion, President Xanana said that mechanism to solve the problem of petitioners cannot be revealed as it is a mechanism used to maintain stability of the country. (TP) F-FDTL case resolved: Lere F-FDTL Chief of Staff, Lere Anan Timor said that in military terms, the problem of the “Petitioners” is now over and they are now considered civilians. Lere said the question now rests on the Military Commander to acknowledge whether or not the group committed a crime by abandoning the Armed Forces Headquarters and that issue should now be dealt with politically. (STL, DN) RTTL news headlines 07-04-2006 Workshop on NGOs’ role President Xanana Gusmao convened a two-day national dialogue on Friday and Saturday to discuss the role of NGOs in Dili. Speaking to journalists after opening the dialogue, President Gusmao said the dialogue was to look at the role NGOs can play in the development process. It was important, he added, to see how to foster cooperation amongst the NGOs, both National and International, and between the NGOs and the Government. Angelina Sarmento of the NGO FORUM stated that it was also important to define the partnership between the NGOs and the Government. Meanwhile, the Vice Minister for Development, Arcanso da Silva, praised the President’s initiative as positive. F-FDTL calls on 591 to return uniforms and more leave the military The Chief of Staff of the Defense Force, F-FDTL, Colonel Lere Anan Timor has reportedly called on the 591 F-FDTL petitioners to return their uniforms, RTTL reported. Speaking to journalists after attending the celebration of World day of Health in Dili, Lere told journalists that internal problems have already been dealt with and that if the petitioners have any further insistence, they should be addressed to the politicians. Meanwhile, RTTL reported that another four F-FDTL members from Loromonu have reportedly left their barracks and joined the 591, which brings the number to 595. The spokesperson for the petitioners, Gastaun Salsinha, told journalists that the four left solely in solidarity and were not being forced or dismissed by anyone. Regional Media Reports 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 Back to April menu |