[Poster's note: Repeats of international articles already sent out to the east-timor list (info@etan.org) have been removed.]

Friday, 29 December 2006 Tuesday, 2 January 2007

UNMIT MEDIA MONITORING THE UN INTEGRATED MISSION IN TIMOR-LESTE DOES NOT VOUCH FOR THE ACCURACY OF THESE REPORTS

National Media Reports

PM Ramos Horta will candidate TMR to be the next President

Speaking to journalists after attending a Christmas party at the Ministry of Education, PM Ramos-Horta reportedly said that he would support the candidature of the commander of F-FDTL, Brigadier Taur Matan Ruak (TMR), to be the next President if the current President of the Republic, Xanana Gusmão, refuses to run for re-election in 2007. Questioning the reasons for the candidacy of TMR, PM Ramos Horta said that TMR was the proper leader to be in the president¡¯s post. He said ¡°TMR has good leadership from the 24 years during the resistance period, and also since 1999, until we faced the East Timor ongoing crisis. TMR has shown a lot of courage during these three periods. Nobody has such courage as he does, stressed PM Ramos Horta. However, questioning on whether or not PM Ramos Horta would declare himself as a candidate, he said that he would not even though the people want him. (DN, TP, STL)

The forthcoming elections will be held prior to the end of the NP mandate: Lu¡¯Olo

President of the National Parliament, Francisco Guterres Lu¡¯Olo, was quoted recently in Diario Nacional as saying that the 2007 General Elections will be held before the end of the mandate of the National Parliament - 20 May 2007. He added that some political parties tried to hold the NP regiment [which said the mandate of NP ends on 15 September] to interpret the constitution which obviously stated that 20 May 2007 is the end of the NP mandate. (DN)

Police Members who are now with Fugitive Major Alfredo Reinaldo have not given any response to return to PNTL HQ

Speaking to journalists after visiting the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) HQ in Fatu-hada, the Vice Minister of Interior, Agustinho "Somoco¡" Sequeira reportedly said that he had issued a called-letter for the second time to the members of PNTL who are now still with the fugitive Major Alfredo, but, as yet, there has been no response. The letter was sent twice to request those police members to present themselves to the Ministry of Interior and follow up on the process to re-activate.

RTTL news headlines

Horta: 2007 the year for Development

Before entering the New Year 2007, Prime Minister Horta conveyed his message to the people that 2007 will be a year of Development. At the same time, Mr. Horta also admitted that security will still be problem for the country; it needs a least one more year to recover. On the same occasion, Mr. Horta bowed to work for economic recovery and improved security in order to restore peace, stability and tranquility and to ensure a safe and secure atmosphere for the coming national elections.

Solving crisis through National Unity

In the occasion of dialogue between the people in the area of Santa Cruz, Gama the organizer of the Dialogue said that National Unity is one way to solve the present political and security situation of the country. Therefore the people of Timor-Leste must be united and put behind the false propaganda of Loromonu and Lorosae. On the same occasion, the chefee Suku of Santa Cruz said that the present crisis will be solved if discrimination issues and the cases of the petitioners are addressed first. One of the youth members also said that the actors of the crime should be persecuted and that the youth should not be blamed for their sins.

IDPs support the plan of the Government

The coordinator of IDPs at Airport Niculao Lobato said that the IDPs are all supporting the plans of the Government and they are willing to cooperate in the best interest of the country. They also expressed their doubts of the effort of the government to address the problems of the IDPs. He said that the Government is demanding that the IDPs return to their homes but the security problem is still very fragile and the murderers and the actors of violence are still free. We came to these camps because we were afraid to die, so we will not return to our places if security is still a problem, added one of the IDPs.

International 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]

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