| Subject: UNOTIL Daily Media Review 4 May
2006
UNOTIL Compiled by the Public Information Office from national and international sources Daily Media Review Thursday, 4 May 2006 National Media Reports Rogerio & Dudu meet PM + Petitioners to revolt a rumour It is reported that Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato, ex-FALINTIL Commander "Dudu" and Ermera District Chief of Police, Arnaldo Araujo held an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri yesterday. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Lobato told reporters that they discussed the current situation. "The situation is normal, but there are many rumours", said Lobato. In response to the rumours that F-FDTL petitioners are now in Ermera District preparing to attack Dili, Araujo stated that the situation in Ermera is under control. An MP from Ermera District, Jacinto Maia, told reporters at the National Parliament that the rumour alleging that the petitioners who are now in Ermera wish to attack Dili is a lie. "They all went to Ermera because they all come from Ermera", said Maia. He pointed out that most of the petitioners want to come to Dili to resolve the problem, but that they feel insecure unless the Government can guarantee their security. (DN, TP) America sad about current situation in TL Related to the violence that occurred in Timor-Leste last Friday, US Ambassador to Timor-Leste Joseph Grover Rees said that the USA feels sad about what happened here, in particular the incidents of 28 April in which the demonstrators attacked the Government building and burnt houses and cars. After meeting Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, Rees told reporters that, "America is a best friend of Timor-Leste, so we feel as badly as Timorese do about what happened." He also said that he agrees with the path that the Government is taking to investigate the incidents of 28 April (DN, TP). DPHJ could not access site: F-FDTL Commander must explain In relation to the statement of the Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Silveiro Pinto, that his organization was prevented by the F-FDTL from accessing the site where it is rumored that people have been killed, PSD MP Lucia Lobato said that the F-FDTL Commander should explain why the DPHJ was prevented from doing his job. Previously the Government stated that five people were killed in last week's violence, however spokesperson for the petitioners Gastao Salsinha has claimed that that number has increased to 60 dead. "Let the Ombudsman's office do their job so that we can ascertain whether these rumors are true or false, said MP Lobato. Eurico Guterres to be jailed Former East Timor militia leader Eurico Guterres will begin serving a 10-year jail sentence for human rights abuses soon, after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal, Antara reported Wednesday. Eurico, the leader of the Aitarak militia group, would be taken from his home in East Nusa Tenggara to Jakarta on Thursday, the report said. Eurico received the sentence in 2002 after being found guilty by ad hoc human rights court for his involvement in the rioting after the East Timorese voted to separate from Indonesia in a 1999 UN-sanctioned referendum. His sentence was later reduced to five years on appeal but reinstated to 10 years by the Indonesia Supreme Court in March this year. Guterres is the only person of the 18 men indicted by Jakarta prosecutors over the 1999 Timor violence whose legal proceedings have ended with a conviction. (The Jakarta Post) 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 May menu |