Subject: Timor Leste Daily Media News October 9, 2008

Timor-Leste Daily Media News

http://tl-dailymedia.blogspot.com/

F-FDTL’s recruitment cancelled, says Taur - Suara Timor Lorosae, 9 October

Timorese Defense Force Commander Brigadier Taur Matan Ruak stated Wednesday (8/10) that the recruitment of new officers for the Defense Force is cancelled due to certain complicacy in the new military law.

“The recruitment is cancelled because there is a failure in the law which initially says that there is compulsory military service,” Taur explained.

He added that the recruitment would be resumed next year once the change is made in the military law.

In January 2006 there were 1,435 soldiers registered but as the ‘petitioners’ were formed around 715 soldiers left the military base and then sacked accordingly.

He said that the Defense Force is prepared all the time to take defense responsibility of the county.

Taur says OK to Fretilin’s peace march - Suara Timor Lorosae, 9 October

Timorese Defense Force Commander Brigadier Taur Matan Ruak stated Wednesday (8/10) that the people should not be concerned about the forthcoming peace march organized by Fretilin as Fretilin wants also the development of the country.

“Don’t ever be concerned about this because every one of us want to develop the country,” Ruak said after having a meeting with the President of the Republic.

He explained that the Constitution guarantees the right of every one to demonstrate but this right has to be exercised according to the law.

Taur believed that there will be no violence during the peace march.

He added that the security situation in the country has returned to normal and therefore the F-FDTL members will be withdrawn from the stations where they were posted after the February 11 incident.

Timor Telecom Company disagrees with policy of having new operator - Timor Post, 9 October

Timor Telecom Company (TT) has said its disagreement with the policy made by the Government inviting new operator to compete with them. TT Company has sent an official letter responding the Government’s request of having dialog with TT Company.

A member of TT Ocar Lima said although the Government had planned to invite other companies, yet the companies would refuse because numbers of telephone users in the country were lower.

The Government should actually look at the contract made by the former government with TT Company and said if the Government keeps asking new operators coming to invest, he would resign from TT.

Xanana Gusmão should pay attention to corruption not long march: Carrascalão & Branco - Timor Post, 9 October

Social Democratic Party (PSD) MP Mario Viegas Carrascalão and Fretilin MP Francisco Miranda Branco urged Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão to pay attention to corruption not the long march by Fretilin.

The MPs made the comments yesterday at the Parliament House regarding, the prime minister’s recent concerns about the long march as a threat for the Government.

MP Carrascalão said the important issue the Government should prioritize was corruption, as combating corruption in the country could improve the country’s image.

MP Branco said the report of International Transparency found corruption practices in the country and that Gusmão should prioritize this issue and said should not consider the long march as threat for power.

LUTA-HAMUTUK urges Government to review contract for Manitoba Company - Radio Timor-Leste, 9 October

LUTA-HAMUTUK NGO has urged the Government led by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão to review contract for the Manitoba Company that is currently responsible for electricity maintenance in the Capital Dili. A researcher from LUTA-HAMUTUK, Helio Pereira Guimarães made the comments during a press conference held yesterday.

Guimarães said the current power outage in the Capital Dili was the fault of the Manitoba Company, as the company had not worked properly in the maintenance.

LUTA-HAMUTUK called on the Government to halt contract for the Manitoba Company, if there would be no changes.

He added the state budget spending for the maintenance would never bring any profit to the country’s people and that the Government should take a concrete action to the company.

F-FDTL officers hold tactic practices of operation - Televizaun Timor-Leste, 9 October

The Timorese Defense Force (F-FDTL) officers held tactic practices of military operation after participating in a joint military training for the Portuguese Language Countries in Portugal.

The 12 of F-FDTL officers on Tuesday (7/10) were involved in the tactic practices of operation to identify and observe hideout of an armed group.

Those F-FDTL officers chose the hill of Gagaplamu, Atabae sub district, district of Bobonaro as the hideout of the armed group or being the target of the operation.

Trainer Major Reis said the defense force officers were training about raiding the hideout of an armed group and they were trained about tactic of raiding an ambush.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Mario Batistas said was pleased with the training, because it would help them in commanding a team military in an operation.

Lieutenant Helder da Costa said during the training they were learning about making plans and learning about maps.

Council of Ministers approves proposed law on setting up anti-corruption commission - Televizaun Timor-Leste, 9 October

The Government has approved proposed law for the establishment of an anti-corruption commission in Timor-Leste through the Council of the Ministers’ meeting.

The proposed law was approved to help support the commission in combating corruption appeared and promoting culture of transparency, accountability and integrity of the country.

The Council of the Ministers also approved an organic law for the works of the national intelligence which would help provide information for the sake of national security.

Apart from this, the Council of the Ministers also learnt and analyzed over an organic law for the Ministry of Planning and Finance including commission of inter-ministerial of economic development.

Horta is not the Constitution and the law, says FRETILIN - Suara Timor Lorosae, 9 October

FRETILIN’s bench leader in the National Parliament Aniceto Longuinhos Guterres said Wednesday (8/10) that the President of the Republic should not identify himself with the Constitution and the laws in relation to the Fretilin’s plan to stage a peace march.

Guterres said as the President, she should know that the Constitution guarantees every citizen’s right to assemble and demonstrate and therefore the President should not impede the peace march.

He added that as President, Horta should make the AMP government accountable, they government that he himself appointed to rule the county.

“As the head of the state, he may have concerns about the peace march,….but the march itself should not be impeded,” he said.

He explained that the peace march itself would be an event where the people can exercise their fundamental rights.

Guterres argued that in democratic country like East Timor no one should restrain peace march and that if there are any concerns about security, then security institution should be in place to ensure law and order.

Asked about the infiltration of the third party in the peace march, he said that the involvement of the third party is likely to happen, the concern of the people should be on how to deal with it but not to be over-concerned about the party organizing the march.

Meanwhile MP Manuel Tilman of KOTA said that the peace march itself everyone’s freedom to express his or her opinion as it is guaranteed in the Constitution.

He said that KOTA would participate in the peace march.

NZ and Australian Ambassadors meet with PM Gusmão - Televizaun Timor-Leste, 8 October

New Zealand and Australian Ambassadors have met with Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão talking on the country situation, mainly about maritime security of the country.

The Australian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Peter Howard said the objective of meeting with the prime minister was to talk on security situation in the country.

“In particular we talked about maritime security,” Howard said.

In regard to a new policy of the deployment of the International Stabilization Forces (ISF) to help resolve illegal fishing in the country’s sea, Howard said the details will be discussed with the State Secretary for Defense, Julio Tomãs Pinto.

There will be no other crises appear, says Brigadier Ruak - Radio Timor-Leste, 8 October

Timorese Defense Force Commander, Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak, said there would be no other crises appear within the country.

The Commander was referring to the rumors mongering that there would be another petition makers with the Timorese National Police (PNTL).

Ruak said there would be no problem appears in the PNTL, because the police officers and commanders were capable in resolving this matter.

“What I have seen here is so many speculations, saying there would be other petition makers by certain police officers. I do believe that nothing would happen,” Ruak said.

He added Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, state secretary for defense and security had held meetings with the defense force and police talking on the issue.

Government to watch over long march by Fretilin: PM Gusmão - Radio Timor-Leste, 8 October

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, said the Government he was leading would watch over the long march would be held by Fretilin party in the upcoming November, so that the people could remain calm.

The prime minister made the comments today (8/10) after informing President Jose Ramos Horta on the country general situation.

Gusmão said he was not concerned about the Fretilin’s plan of holding peace rally, yet was only concerned about stability in the Capital Dili, because he wanted all the people could live in peace and remain calm.

In regard to the rumors mongering that there would be another petition makers within the police force, Gusmão said he had held meeting with the police officers and commanders for preventing problem.


Back to October Menu
September
World Leaders Contact List
Main Postings Menu