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Subject: Timor Leste Daily Media News September 2 2008
<http://tl-dailymedia.blogspot.com/2008_08_31_archive.html> State secretary for cooperative and rural development resigns -- Suara Timor Lorosa’e, 2 September State Secretary for Cooperative and Rural Development, Papito Monteiro has officially resigned from his post in the Parliamentary Majority Alliance (AMP)’s cabinet. Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres, said Monteiro’s reason, resigning from the post was because his health condition did not permit him to continue. Guterres said also denied rumors mongering that the Monteiro’s resignation was under political pressure. UN will not leave Timor-Leste -- Suara Timor Lorosa’e, 2 September The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative, Atul Khare, said the UN would not ignore cooperation between the UN and Timor-Leste in seeking for solution to the country’s problems. “The SGRG made the comments yesterday after meeting with President Jose Ramos-Horta at the Palace of the President in Farol, Dili. “My meeting with the president is the regular one. I informed the president about result of the UN Security Council Meeting,” Khare said. He added all the UN Security Council members expressed appreciation to the Government’s good works in resolving problem of the IDPs and the petitioners. Parliament to set up national networks of anti-corruptions -- Timor Post, 2 September Timor’s Parliament has planned to set up network of anti-corruption which would help combat corruption practices in Timor-Leste and would help strengthen its role as sovereign state body to be responsible for the country’s development. “MP Cipriana Pereira from the Parliamentary Anti-Corruption Committee said in September midst the Parliament would hold a conference on setting up the proposed anti-corruption network. Pereira said the anti-corruption network was not an institution; it was a social and political force that would involve all components of the country.She added the anti-corruption network would be including public persecution staffs, NGOs, private sectors and the media. Gusmao and Alkatiri meet with President Horta -- Timor Post, 2 September Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri have met with President Jose Ramos Horta yesterday, talking on peace and stability within the country. After meeting with the president, Alkatiri said during the meeting they were sharing ideas and thoughts about general situation in the country, mainly about the problem of internally displaced people, the petitioners and other problems being faced by the country. “The president invited us to talk on general situation in Timor-Leste, mainly on the problem of the IDPs, the petitioners and other problems of the country,” Alkatiri said. Prime Minister Gusmao said the president’s initiative was a way to gather Timorese leaders for exchanging opinions to consolidate peace and stability in the country. The similar meeting would be held next time soon after President Horta has returned from overseas visit. Parliament can amend resolution of setting up international investigative commission -- Timor Post, 2 September National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) MP Aderito Hugo da Costa, said only the Parliament had the right to amend the resolution of setting up international investigative commission into the assassination attempt to President Horta on February 11. “Da Costa therefore rejected Fretilin’s request, urging the Government to make some changes to the approved resolution. “This is incorrect the Government is an executive body. Only the Parliament can amend the resolution as it is the legislative body,” Da Costa said. Commemorating International Day of Disappeared Persons -- Timor Newsline, 2 September Around the world, there are countless stories of people whose family members have disappeared without a trace, during armed conflict or situations of internal violence. The victims, civilians or military, might be killed and thrown into unmarked graves, they could be arrested at home or abducted off the street. Some disappear while fleeing combat or become separated from their families. They might be held in a secret location or killed in custody. Many are fallen soldiers, their bodies simply abandoned on the battlefield. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), often in cooperation with the National Society concerned, is currently working on the issue in dozens of countries on all continents, including Timor-Leste. It's a tragedy for the person who disappears, but it is a never ending torture for the families left behind, suspecting their loved ones are dead yet unable to mourn without any proof, hoping against hope for a miracle -- a secret prison or a new life in a foreign land. Many spend years, and their life savings, in a futile search. The pain may be compounded by poverty, as it is often the household bread-winners who go missing, their wives and mothers left to support the family. Many of their children are forced to drop out of school. Furthermore, the situation is often unclear for the families as it takes years to pass before declaring the person dead or absent. In the meantime, family members are unable to claim their inheritance, sell property, remarry or -- the most important - to hold funeral rites, to know a place where to pray, to cry and to mourn. In TL, the ICRC has registered more than 2000 persons who have gone missing in the period from 75 -- 99. The ICRC, according to its mandate, continues to remind all concerned parties in Indonesia and Timor-Leste that the families have the right to know the destiny of their loved ones. President Horta urges minister for social solidarity to create job fields -- Radio Timor-Leste, 2 September Minister for Social Solidarity, Domingas “Micato Alves, said President Jos amos Horta urging her to create job fields for the country’s youths. The minister made the comments yesterday after meeting with Horta at the Palace of the President in Farol, Dili. Micato said the Government would make plans to fulfill the president’s demand of creating jobs for the country’s youths. Micato said the president also pledged to build good relationship with the youths by constructing houses for them to live in. President Horta is scheduled to hold one-week-official visit to Cuba on September 2 and will return on September 11, 2008. Minister for development meets with PM Gusmao -- Televisaun Timor-Leste, 2 September Minister for Development, Jose Goncalves has met with Prime Minister Gusm talking on the Ministry of Development’s plans to the prime minister. The minister said the meeting was aimed at conveying the report on his ministry’s activities and annual budget plan of 2009. “I am here to present report of my ministry’s activities and annual budget plan of 2009,” Goncalves said. Again seven foreign ships spotted in Viqueque -- Radio Timor-Leste, 1 September Seven foreign ships have been spotted again in the area of Irabere in the sub-district of Uatukarbau in Viqueque last Friday (29/8). Head of Investigation Unit of the PNTL in Viqueque, Sub-Inspector Gaspar Pinto, said these ships were spotted last Friday. His part informed the National Police in Dili Monday (1/9) in relation to the presence of these foreign ships in the national territory. In July 2008 around 11 foreign ships were also seen in this area. Illegal fishing in the territory of Timor-Leste is a major problem for the half-island nation. Security forces remove IDPs forcedly -- Radio Timor-Leste, 1 September The UN Portuguese GNR police, Timor’s National Police (PNTL) and Timorese Defense Force have removed forcedly 52 families of the internally displaced people (IDP) from the former police dormitory in Caicoli, Dili. Man in Charge of the Land and Property, Antonio Freitas said the Government made this decision, because the IDPs did not abide by the notification issued by Government, asking them to have vacated the place by June 2, 2008. An IDP, Vendedor de Fatima, said he was very concerned about the decision of the Government, as the Government had never contacted the local authorities, such as village chiefs about this matter. Mr. Fatima added they were ready to leave the place, yet the Government should first create proper conditions before removing them. Local population handed in traditional home-made weapons -- Televizaun and Radio Timor-Leste, 1 September Local population in the sub-district of Don Aleixo continued to hand in traditional and home-made weapons such as lethal dart known locally as rama Ambon, spears, and swords to the police. The population also handed modern weapons such as bullets, unexploded devices (UXOs) and even military uniforms. Police Agent Ernesto de Souza said weapon collection campaign in the sub-district of Don Aleixo had been effective due to cooperation with local and community leaders. Dili District PNTL Commander, Inspector Pedro Belo informed the duration for the voluntarily hand in of weapons has been extended until September 7th, 2008. Meanwhile, in the vicinity of Bebonuk, a villager Armindo Tavares also handed in around 260 bullets. He said these bullets were brought from Indonesian forces to support Falintil during the independence struggle. Tavares suggested these bullets to be kept in the national resistance museum enabling young generation of the country to learn from the history of resistance. Spain to allocate €209,000 to human rights sector -- Televizaun Timor-Leste, 1 September The Spanish Government allocated €209,000 (about US$ 305,000) to the Timor-Leste’s Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman to develop economic rights and good governance. The pledge was made during a signing of agreement by the Representative of Spanish Commission in Timor-Leste, Francisco Lopes, and Timor-Leste’s Human Rights and Justice Ombudsmen, Sebastiao Dias Ximenes in Dili Monday (1/9). The agreement is the first made by the Spanish Commission in Timor-Leste with state institution of the country. Mr Diaz Ximenes thanked the Spanish Government for the commitment to support the institutional capacity building of the Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman. Justice Minister Launches Training for Prison Guards -- Televizaun Timor-Leste, 1 September Timor-Leste’s Minister for Justice Lucia Lobato has launched first one-month training for prison guards in Becora, Dili Monday (1/9) to develop the capacity of the guards. Ms Lobato said capacity development of the prison guards is very important and that in the near future a group of prison guards will be sent to Adelaide, Australia to do comparative study on how to deal with prisoners. The training is for the prison guards involve the Portuguese GNR and some other Timorese police inspectors. This one-month training is financially supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Portuguese government. SRSG Khare Meets with PR Horta - Televizaun Timor-Leste, 1 September The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General in Timor-Leste, Atul Khare, met with President of the Republic Jos amos Horta Monday (1/9) to exchange views on the current development in the country. Among the agenda discussed was the meeting UN Security Council New York where, according to Khare, member states of the Council congratulated the country’s authorities for the works done in relation to internally displaced persons (IDPs), the petitioners and the investigation into the event of February 11th.
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