UNMIT Daily Media Review 23 January 2007

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

President of the National Parliament, Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo said the pamphlet [letter] claimed to have been written by a Cuban doctor called Rodriguez Paralta and addressed to Major Alfredo Alves is cheap propaganda with the aim of deceiving the families of the Timorese medical-student candidates preparing to leave for Cuba. Lu-Olo said claims by the doctor that Timorese students are also studying communist and revolution ideologies are false political propaganda to try and arouse the concerns of the parents of the students. (DN, TP, STL)

The EU President, Durao Barroso appealed for a national dialogue in Timor-Leste in a letter addressed to the President of the Republic and the Timorese Prime Minister. In the letter Barroso encourages a national dialogue that should include Fretilin and its Secretary General, Mari Alkatiri. The documents are expected to be delivered to the two Timorese leaders this week by the EU special representative to Timor-Leste, Miguel Amada, who is presently in the country. (DN)

Testifying in the court on Monday in relation to Rogerio Lobato's case, Eusebio Salsinha chief of staff to former Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato, stated he received orders from Lobato at the time to take guns to Labadain and his group in Manutali with the intention to strengthen PNTL, especially the Reserve Police during the emergency situation and not to kill the petitioners. Salsinha said the weapons were given to Labadain for being a former guerrilla with experience on the use of heavy weapons. The testimony of Paulo Martins, former PNTL Commander had been adjourned to 31 January. STL quoted Eusebio Salsinha acknowledging that he handed over HK33 guns to civilian by order of the former Minister of Interior. In a separate article, Marcos Piedade, Labadain said many illegal weapons are still in circulation in Ermera Districts. Labadain said 12 out of 32 distributed to the civilians included himself, by Eusebio Salsinha, have been handed over to the authorities. He said he would also like to see justice to Fretilin as members of this political party were involved in the distribution of guns within the party. (DN, STL)

About 441 people sought refuge in various camps in Dili following the weekend disturbances. Meanwhile 254 IDPs have decided to return to their homes and will continue to receive assistance from the government, said Minister of Labor and Community Reinsertion, Arsenio Bano. (DN, TP)

MP Francisco Miranda Branco (Fretilin) said he is starting to question the presence of the international forces and UNPOL in Timor-Leste as they are more concerned with spending time at the beach than responding to the crisis situation. Branco told the media Monday that many people have complained to him that security in Dili is at a minimum because the presence of the international forces and UNPOL are more visible on the beaches than seen performing their duties in troubled areas in Dili. He further said that if the referred forces are spending more time doing tourism on the beaches it is better for them to pass the security responsibility onto the national police. The MP said that with minimal security he doubts that the population would participate in the general elections. In the meantime, the Speaker of the Parliament, Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo, said the international forces and UNPOL must detain and take measures against anyone breaking the law. Director of East Timor Institute of Security (ETIS), Julio Tomas Pinto is critical of the UN Police saying it lacks maximum capacity and the Ministry of Interior should be more aggressive to attend to the problems. Pinto pointed as an example the killings in Ailoklaran on the weekend where he said the UN Police only observed and did not react to the problem. He said this behavior shows that the UN Police can not act and do not have the strength to do so therefore he is of the opinion, the problem of Timor-Leste must be resolved by the Timorese to completely stop the violence. The Director of ETIS suggests the government and UNPOL work together to urgently look into measures to respond to the current situation. The President of the Republican Party, JoÃ£o Saldanha said the situation in Dili as it is now is the failure of the Ministry of Interior and the UN but his party would contribute to the security by working together with the government and the UN to speed up a solution to the problems. Saldanha stressed that one main factor is the collection of illegal weapons before the elections as it can be a threat to the population. He further said if the Ministry of Interior will not work seriously with the UN the situation in the country may explode. He appealed to the UN and the Ministry to adopt different measures to pacify the situation. (TP)

F-FDTL Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak launched the first volume of the nation's defence strategy development plan for 2020 in Dili on Monday. Speaking to the media following the launch, Ruak said the book is about the type of armed forces Timor-Leste would like to see in 15 years time and it involves a defence force that would also be responsible for the borders, and that can attend to external problems as well and participates in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. The 150-page book was put together with a team comprised of military officials from Australia, Portugal and F-FDTL. (STL, DN)

Participating in the Economic Development Conference in Hotel Timor yesterday, the Foreign Minister and Cooperation of RDTL Mr. Jose Luis Guterres appealed to all people to cooperate in restoring peace and stability in the country in order to attract foreign investors, said Guterres adding that foreign business will boost the economy of Timor-Leste. The Foreign Minister also said that soon Timor-Leste will open embassies in the Philippines and Thailand.

Witness Marcus Piedade also known as Labadain wants to change his present lawyer who is of Portuguese nationality to a Timorese Lawyer due to language problems. He explained that he cannot speak Portuguese and he does not feel comfortable telling all his problems to the lawyer. Both Labadain and Railos are willing to face the court at anytime and anywhere as long as their presence will facilitate the justice in the country, said Labadain.

Manuel Tilman, Member of Parliament and President of the Political Party KOTA, has considered the election as the best option to resolve the present political and security crisis in this country. He appealed to all the people to participate in the up coming Presidential and Parliamentary elections, stressing that through the election the people would be able to change the leaders who are not working well for this country. He said those who do not wish to participate in the elections don't love this country.

Speaking to the participants of a mini Congress of PSD yesterday Mario Carrascalao said that he is willing to run for President of RDTL in the up-coming election but it would have to be his own decision or a request from his party. He stressed that he does not want anyone to force him and will not allow other people to use him to campaign for their own interest.

East Timor unrest SKY News, Another two East Timorese have been hacked to death on the streets of Dili this week, in a reminder that gang violence can erupt at any time, despite the presence of Australian and New Zealand troops.

37 people died and more than 100,000 were forced to flee their homes, during the bloody clashes that occurred last year.

Almost 1,000 ANZAC personnel are deployed in the emerging nation, charged with maintaining law and order under difficult and trying conditions.

As well as ground forces, the Australian Defence Force is also providing helicopter patrols, and light armoured support vehicles.

While the growing unrest in the troubled nation, a food crisis appears to be looming with more than 25,000 people still living in makeshift tent camps.

Australia, East Timor and the United Nations are preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding on security cooperation in East Timor.

Reporter Kim Landers says Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has today met new UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in New York.

He says the two discussed a new security agreement covering Australian and international forces operating in East Timor.

"It doesn't change the nature of the force, but what it does is it puts on to a more formal setting the relationship between that force and the East Timorese and the United Nations," said Mr Downer.

Mr Downer says he also discussed Iraq and encouraged the United Nations to mount a renewed effort to bring about political reconciliation in the war-torn country.

East Timorese rebel leader Alfredo Reinado has warned that Australian troops will be killed if they try to force him to surrender.

He made the threat on Friday at his camp in a village four hours' drive west of Dili, where he is under restricted movement.

United Nations (UN) officials and East Timor's Government have held talks with Reinado in recent days to try to persuade him to hand himself in to face charges of attempted murder.

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

The rebel leader's charges follow a gunfight between soldiers and police not far from the jail in May.

Reinado says he cancelled a meeting with the UN last week because UN and Australian troops were trying to arrest him.

"I think they are so powerful, they're well-trained as they are and I'm ready for it, as I am myself also," he said.

"This is my country. I am proud to be die for my country, to defend the right of my country and my people.

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

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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