UNMIT Daily Media Review 19 January 2007

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

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

PM Ramos-Horta told the media on Thursday following the launch of the Consolidated Appeal for Timor-Leste that he considers people who are selling humanitarian aid as opportunists. In response to claims that there have been threats in the camps at Obrigado Barrack and Jardim, (near Seaport) for those people who wishes to return to their homes, the Prime Minister said the government has requested the UN to stop materials assistance to people wishing to continue to live in the camps and rather support those who have returned to the districts. Ramos-Horta further said the government would be careful in distributing food from now and together with UNMIT are studying better solutions for the IDPs situation in Dili. Speaking to the media in Hotel Timor, after the launch of the appeal, the Minister for Community Reinsertion, Arsenio Bano said the government is requesting an additional 2 million dollars to continue with the reintegration program for the next few months. Meanwhile the Minister for Public Works, Odete Victor said the IDPs who did not have a house in Dili and were occupying houses illegally, prior to the crisis have two options, either to move to the new neighbourhood established by the government or return to the districts. (STL, TP)

Political and military observer, Julio Tomas Pinto reportedly said the proposals of Prime Minister Ramos-Horta and MP Leandro Isac for two militaries to be candidates for the presidential elections can be interpreted as a political campaign to obtain votes for the upcoming elections. Pinto said both F-FDTL Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak and Alfredo Reinado must be left in their positions and focus on their problems, stressing that Ruak must focus on the military issue of this country which needs to be resolved and Alfredo on his case with the judicial process. (TP)

MPs Alexandre Corte-Real (UDT) and Manuel Tilman (KOTA) have stated that Salsinha Gastão, the ‘petitioners’ spokesperson must be responsible for the disturbances of April 28 last year because some of his members were involved in the damages of government cars and buildings. Both were responding to the Provedor of Justice and Human Rights, Ximenes Dias who stated that Salsinha had no connection with the violence and damages of 28 April 2006. (TP)

Francisco Guterres “Lu-Olo” , Speaker of the House, said amnesty should not be given to people involved in crimes in April and May 2006, adding there might clemency but not for those who took the lives of others. Lu-Olo affirmed that such people must face a proper justice proceeding in accordance with the law of RDTL.

Prime Minister Ramos-Horta has reiterated he does not have plans to meet with Major Alfredo Reinado for the time being. He said all the information regarding Alfredo he will acquire through the commission, which has been set up by UNMIT, the Government and F-FDTL to find a solution to Alfredo Reinado’s case. On the other hand, Major Alfredo had stressed his intention to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss his status.

After the launching of the Consolidated Appeal Process for Timor-Leste IDPs in Hotel Timor, SRSG Atul Khare said during a press conference that the extension of aids to the IDPs is not creating dependency but to support the return, settlement and integration of the displaced people in their communities. Mr. Khare said the appeal is a joint effort by UNMIT and the Government of Timor-Leste to help the IDPs in the country. On the same occasion PM Ramos-Horta informed that most of the humanitarian assistance would be allocated to the districts and in the capital Dili, only vulnerable people are entitled to assistance.

During an interview, the Director of STAE, Tomas Cabral said that STAE is going to establish 500 voting stations throughout the country. The polling stations would be announced 30 days before the elections. Cabral also said towards the end of January, STAE will hold registration to all the people in preparation for the up-coming national elections, as it is necessary for all the voters to register to estimate the numbers of people that will participate in the presidential and parliamentary elections.

East Timorese rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, who is still on the run from jail, is negotiating a possible surrender to face charges of attempted murder.

Reinado has been on the run since he broke out of Dili's Becora jail with 56 other inmates in late August.

His charges follow a gunfight between soldiers and police not far from the jail in May.

He has consistently refused to surrender, even though authorities including Australian forces in East Timor - have known his whereabouts for much of that time.

But in recent days, United Nations (UN) officials and East Timor's Government have held talks with the rebel leader to try to persuade him to hand himself in and allow proper judicial processes to decide his fate.

East Timor and the UN have also launched an appeal to help resettle about 100,000 people displaced by last year's violence in Dili.

About 15 per cent of the country's population were displaced during the violence last May. (ABC NewsOnline)

Organizations support the Department of Defence's operations in Dili, East Timor, can now access voice services to Australia over satellite data links with an agreement between MyNetFone and Ursys.

The logistics command centre located inside the Australian Defence Force compound at Dili airport can now make MyNetFone VoIP calls via satellite connection provided by Ursys' Linux-based routers. MyNetFone Managing Director Andy Fung said Ursys has now connected all major teleports operating in Australia into the MyNetFone service delivering business quality voice calls from any location within the satellite footprints covering Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia.

Ursys business development manager Garry Millar said one customer is an air services logistics company which provides "essential support" to the Australian presence in Timor. Ursys CEO Grahame Cover said to run business quality voice services over satellite, the voice packets need to be compressed and prioritized via a secure tunnel back to MyNetFone's platform.

"This has the added bonus of zero packet loss and low traffic congestion resulting in business grade call quality," he said. (COMPUTERWORLD, THE VOICE OF IT MANAGEMENT)

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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