Lawyers to pay an urgent visit to the Military Prison, Timor Post, 09 September

Lawyer for the case of May 25, 2006 massacre, Arlindo Sanches, said Monday (8/9) in a short time the advocacy team for the referred case will pay an urgent visit to the Military Prison in Tasi Tolu to directly observe the two suspects of F-FDTL, Raimundo Madeira and Armindo da Silva who have suffered for illnesses.

If during the visit found out that clients Raimundo Madeira and Armindo da Silva really suffered from illnesses and then the lawyers would take some measures to write authorization letter to the court in order to bring these two clients to the hospital for medical treatment, he said. "So far, we are not sure yet about our clients suffered from illnesses in the military prison. But I think tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we will pay a visit to the prison and find out that if they are sick and then we will find the way for them to get medical treatment," he said.


Widow of May 25 Massacre has not get salary yet, Timor Post, 09 September

A widows of May 25, 2006 massacre, Rosalina Ximenes, said Monday (8/9) she and her children with an ex-PNTL, Paulo da Costa, who died on May 25 Massacre in front of Justice Ministry, have not get any salary yet from the government. She said the government had violated the agreement made because the government promised to always look after the widow and orphans.

She said that her husband was shot by Timor Leste Defense Force in the military political crises and the government promised that if the situation turns into normality, it would pay attention to the widows and orphans, including to build permanent houses for them. However, in the reality the government never fulfils the promise made though the widows and the orphans have left IDP camp to their original place.

She felt sad because the person who she trusted passed away in the hard situation and the government did not put this in into consideration.


MSS and UNDP established a Dialogue Team for IDPs return- Suara Timor Lorosae, 09 September

East Timor’s Ministry of Social Solidarity and the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) established a Dialogue Team Monday (8/9) to facilitate safe return of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) into hosting communities in Dili.

The team, consisting of 26 people, is expected to find solutions to find solutions to existing social problems among the IDPs and local communities since 2006.

The minister of Social Solidarity Ms Maria Domingas Alves said dialogue is an important instrument to establish peace in the country.

“Peace is not the absence of war, conflict or violence but it is everyone’s fundamental right to take part in development, in speech, to get education and so forth,” said the minister.

Meanwhile, the UNDP’s country director Akbar Usmani said the dialogue team was formed to help local communities to accept the returning IDPs.

He also reiterated the continued commitment of the UNDP to support the process of dialogue for IDPs reintegration.

UNDP allocated around US$620 thousand for the project. The team is going to hold community dialogues to ease the reintegration of the IDPs into the hosting communities.


Many leaders involved in February 11th attempt, says a priest, Suara Timor Lorosae, 09 September

Leadership of the country starting from the Attorney General, Prime Minister, President of the Republic, including ex-Prime Minister Marí
Alkatiri are believed to be involved in the February 11 attempt which severely wounded PR José Ramos Horta and killed former Military Police Commander of the F-FDTL Major Alfredo Reinado.

“They all involved in a game where in the end they make a laundry where they put in their dirty clothes to wash in the single event,” said President of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Baukau Diocese Fr. Martinho Gusmão Monday (8/9) in Dili.

He said, the February 11th attempt was not more than a form of theatre on the East Timor’s side where leaders used various means available to get rid off it.

Gusmão added everyone has right to mistrust the leadership as there are indications that some principal actors of the event had to get medical treatment outside of the country though the ailment suffered is not so complicated.

“We may suspect them that they had dealings outside the country while they on the treatment; that is why everyone has right to suspect,” he commented.

Júlio Pinto not to attend the Congress in Hawaii, Suara Timor Lorosae, 09 September

East Timor’s State Secretary for Defense, Júlio Tomas Pinto, could not travel abroad to attend a security conference in Hawaii, US due to his health condition. A press release of the State Secretary for Defense said State Secretary for Defense would not attend the conference in Hawaii because his health did not permitted him.

He has been sick for one week; however, he is still coming to do the work; and therefore, he will not attend the conference in Hawaii but he delegated one director to represent him in the conference.

UN presented medals of honor to Brazil’s MP- Televizaun Timor-Leste, 09 September

The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Timor-Leste Atul Khare presented UN medals of honor to 6 Brazilian Military Police joining the United Nations Police (UNPOL) in the country. The presentation of medals was done during 186th celebration of national independence of Brazil held at the Hotel Timor, Dili Sunday (7/9).

Among the dignitaries presented during the celebration were Atul Khare, Zacarias Albano da Costa, Marí Alkatiri, Francisco Xavier to Amaral and other national and international figures.



FRETILIN held its first general assembly of militants - Radio Timor-Leste, 8 September

The FRETILIN party held its first general assembly of militants in Letemumu village of Quelicai sub-district, Baucau Sunday (7/9) to strengthen its structures at the grass-root levels.

A Quelicai-born FRETILIN’s Member of Parliament, Inacio Freitas Moreira, said the assembly was intended to elect the party’s local leadership.

“The seminar is aimed at strengthening the FRETILIN’s structure at the grass-roots levels to adequately respond to the existing challenges,” said Moreira.

He further added the strengthening of such structure is important to organize the party’s militants in the wake of incoming peace rally.
Around 200 delegates from 15 villages in Quelicai attended the assembly.

Former combatants and veterans challenged Govt on veterans’ law - Radio Timor-Leste, 8 September

Former combatants and veterans from the districts of Baucau, Manatuto, Lautem and Viqueque challenged the government of Xanana Gusmão to thoroughly explain the content of the existing law of former combatants and veterans of resistance to them as the law does not benefit them.

Spokesperson of the region Albino Saco made the statement Sunday (7/9) during one-day seminar in Baucau. They also questioned the process of drafting such law and urged the process had to be participatory in that it better reflects the needs of all former combatants and veterans of resistance in the country.


PNTL asked to take necessary measures against food company - Radio Timor-Leste, 8 September

East Timor’s State Secretary for Security Francisco Guterres asked the General Command of the National Police, known locally as PNTL, to take necessary measures against the company that provides bad quality of food to the members posted at various police stations in Dili.

Mr Guterres stated the Ministry of Defense and Security had appropriated budget to the PNTL for that purpose and that it is now the responsibility of the PNTL to take necessary measures against the company so that a change can be made in terms of good food quality for the members.

He reiterated, “The money has been allocated? so now they have to make decisions to make changes and I look forward to hearing from them about the results.”

33 PNTL members to attend one-week training on law and human rights - Televizaun and Radio Timor-Leste, 8 September

Around 33 members of the East Timor’s National Police are to attend a five-day training sessions on law and human rights organized by the Ministry of Justice and its partners at the PNTL’s District Training Center in Caicoli, Dili.

District Dili’s PNTL Interim Commander, Sub-Inspector Delfim da Silva, said there is a common perception in the community that the police are violators of human rights and the reason for the training is to dissipate such perception as the police carried out their tasks based on law and human rights.

The training had started Monday (8/9) and will end on Friday, September 12, 2008.

The training is attended by 33 members of the National Police, four of whom are women.

One-week training on law and human rights is realized through a joint cooperation of the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman, HAK Association, UNMIT’s Human Rights Unit, Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality, Fokupers, Rede Feto and the Police Academy.

Four of the 33 participants of the training are women.

F-FDTL to take part in a joint military exercise of the CPLP in Lisbon - Televizaun Timor-Leste, 8 September

21 members of the East Timor’s Defense Force (F-FDTL) had set for Lisbon Sunday (7/9) to take part in an annual joint military exercise of the states whose official language is Portuguese (CPLP).

The joint exercise is aimed at strengthening relations of the member states of the CPLP in dealing with terrorism and peace-keeping. The delegation led by Major Diaz Quintas is set to be in Alvério, Lisbon from September 16 until September 25 to join their counterparts from other seven member states of the countries who official language is Portuguese.


PNTL’s raids raised concerns among local population - Televizaun Timor-Leste, 8 September

The local population of the Faularan sub-village in Bebonuk, Dili strongly condemned the excessive use of power by the East Timor’s National Police Saturday (6/9) in capturing two local young men believed to be involved in local gang fighting.

The mother of the men apprehended by the PNTL, Marta Soares, said that the police got into her house without any arrest warrants and that the police acted like Ninjas.

The family’s door was smashed and its oratory was destroyed during the raid by the police.

According to Agustinha Ribeiro, a sister of the two young men arrested, the police came early in the morning around 6:30 with nine cars to seize two local houses in searching for the suspects.

District Dili’s PNTL Interim Commander, Sub-Inspector Delfim da Silva, said he did not anything about the raid.

Mr Da Silva appealed to the population to lodge complaints about the event but not to simply manipulate the flow of information in the society.

The local population urged the government to take the matters seriously.