UNOTIL Daily Media Review
Friday, 03 March 2006

National Media Reports

President Requests Government To Help Resolve F-FDTL Case

President Xanana Gusmão has asked Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri to nominate Government representatives to sit on the Investigating Commission for the F-FDTL case. Speaking to journalists after his weekly meeting with the President on Thursday, Alkatiri explained that the main issue discussed in this week's meeting was the F-FDTL case, and that the President expressed his desire for the Government to also sit on the Commission to assist in finding a solution to the case. He said that the intention of the Government involvement would not be to question the competency of the F-FDTL Commanders, but to consider the political issues involved. He reiterated that the Commanders would still deal with the technical matters concerned, such as disciplinary actions.

Related to the claim made by Chief of Staff Colonel Lere Anan Timor that some political parties are behind the F-FDTL case, MP's Francisco Xavier do Amaral and Maria Paixao have requested that Timor identify which parties he means. Amaral said that his party is not interested in such matters and stated also that the ethnic conflict between the East and the West of the country has existed for a long time. He said that the issue is one of some concern, because "where there is smoke there is fire", and that the fire should be put out quickly. Paixao also said that she would like to know which parties in particular are involved, but stated on behalf of her party
that PSD is not interested in becoming involved in the issue because they trust that the F-FDTL Commanders will be able to resolve the situation.

(Diario Nasional)

Institutionally F-FDTL Cannot Leave The Headquarters: Alkatiri Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri reportedly said using the term lorosae-loromonu (east-west) is a big mistake. Speaking to the media following his meeting with President Gusmão, Alkatiri stressed that F-FDTL would not affect Fretilin as people from the East died in the West and vice-versa. "This is not against Fretilin, but it is against the state politics and against this constitution,"

STL also reported the President of Timor Lorosae Lawyers Association, Benevides Correira Barros as saying that the investigation commission should include the UN and expatriates because F-FDTL is still working with
international advisors. Barros is of the opinion that the "independent investigation team should be composed of the President of the Republic, members of the church, international advisors and the UN". (Timor Post, Suara Timor Lorosa'e)

Timor-Leste Still Need UN Assistance: Alkatiri Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri reportedly said that Timor-Leste still needs the technical assistance of the United Nations and that money alone is not enough. Alkatiri added that discussion is still taking place on the type of assistance regardless of the size of the mission. " This mission is
already small. If there is another mission, it'll be smaller than this one. Therefore they are not coming to govern Timor, no, but to provide assistance," Alkatiri said.

Timor-Leste Minister of Foreign Affairs José Ramos-Horta is currently in the USA and met with the congress on Wednesday to discuss the future mission of the United Nations for Timor-Leste and the possibility of his
candidature for the UN Secretary-General, reported Lusa. According to this news agency, Ramos-Horta told the Portuguese radio program, Voice of America that "I am reflecting about the possibility of candidature". He
added, "I am listening to friends in the congress; I'll continue my consultations in New York, Lisbon and Paris," indicating that he would have to make a decision by the end of April or beginning the month of May.

President Xanana Will Nominate New Prosecutor: Alkatiri President of the Republic, Xanana Gusmao is scheduled to nominate another Prosecutor-General to replace Longuinhos Monteiro, who has already
completed his mandate, reported STL on Friday. Prime Minister Alkatiri said the President will nominate a person he trusts for the position and propose it to the Government. The Minister also said that the Government is
planning to establish a Superior Council from the public servants that would be in charge of the proposals for the Government to carry out its duties. (Suara Timor Loro Sa'e)

Radio Televisaun Timor Leste News Headlines

President asks support of the Government and Parliament President Xanana Gusmao has reportedly asked the support of the Government and Parliament in dealing with the problems of F-FDTL. Speaking to journalists after over an hour-long meeting with the President, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri stated that the President wants to see the Government involved in finding a solution for the problem. Alkatiri added that the team comprised of the Government, Parliament and President would only look at the political aspect of the crisis, while abandoning their
Headquarters is a disciplinary matter to be dealt with by the Institution. He dismissed the claim that the crisis could affect foreign investors.

Ninja and Militia infiltration in Liquica A 21-year-old man was seriously injured in Liquica Sub-District and is
hospitalised in Dili. The man was reportedly attacked by unknown individuals on Wednesday night after attending a church service. Meanwhile, the Sub-District Administrator of Maubara, Liquica, Felis da Costa rejected
the claim that there is a militia infiltration in his sub-district. Da Costa reportedly protested the restrictions the Police applied in banning the population from going out at night, arguing that it infringes upon the liberty of the population in the rural areas. Liquica PNTL District Commander, Raimundo de Araujo, reportedly said that the operation was aimed at collecting data about militia infiltration in the Sub-District and it would remain in place.

Regional Media Reports

International communities expect CTF report on human rights The international communities including the United Nations are expecting the outcome of the investigation by the Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) into Human Rights violations in Timor Leste, former chairman of Human Rights Commission at the UN, Nugroho Wisnumurti, said in Nusa Dua on Thursday.

"The international communities including the UN are looking forward to the result of the CTF`s work. Therefore, as Indonesian people we have to help and give inputs to the CTF to make the outcome of its investigation
trustworthy," Nugroho said.

He made the statement on the sidelines of a 7th Canada-China-Norway Symposium on Human Rights, conducted in Nusa Dua, Bali, from March 2-3.

According to Nugroho, the alleged Human Rights abuse in Timor Leste is one of the international concerns and thus the satisfactory result of the KKP investigation is highly awaited.

For the CTF to be able to carry out its task optimally, Nugroho expressed hope that all parties should lend their significant support and assistance to the commission.

"The United Nations and the international communities are taking a 'wait and see' stance towards the effects of the Commission of Truth and Friendship investigation," Nugroho said, assuring that the commission would
work professionally and independently.

In an effort to disclose possible Human Rights violations in Timor Leste, Nugroho added that the UN would fully refer the case to the CTF and not interfere with the commission's task and responsibility.

The CTF was set up by the state leaders of Indonesia and Timor Leste in their bid to strengthen the friendship and good relations between the two countries in the future.

The objectives of the decision are to find out the truth about various incidents before and after the UN-sponsored referendum in the former Indonesian province in 1999, to create a lasting reconciliation and friendship, and to ensure that the similar incidents will not happen again in the future. (Antara News)

Almost 600 troops involved in 'strike' against poor conditions

Nearly 600 troops from the East Timor Defence Force (FDTL) are now involved in a protest over poor conditions and promotion rules and are refusing to return to barracks until an independent inquiry hears their grievances,
various media have reported.

Lieut. Gastão Salsinha, a leader of rebel troops, was cited by Timorese media Thursday as saying that 593 soldiers are now in a "non- political" dispute against discrimination and access to promotion.

Lieut. Salsinha said that in recent days about 200 soldiers have joined an original group of about 400 rebels in their protest.

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, after his weekly meeting with President Xanana Gusmão the same day, told Lusa that his information was that only 403 FDTL members continued to be AWOL.

Alkatiri added that he and Gusmão, along with parliamentary speaker Francisco Guterres, would continue to seek solutions to Timor's three-week-old military crisis, which began Feb. 8 when some 400 troops left their barracks.

In comments to Lusa, a source in the Timorese presidency said that 587 FDTL troops were still AWOL and President Gusmão has written to the high command of the 1,740-strong force for discipline to be rapidly restored internally.

In response to the original protest by the disgruntled troops last month, which began at his presidential palace, Gusmão urged the soldiers to return to duty and pledged a government inquiry into their complaints.

An official committee of lawmakers and senior military commanders was set up to hear the grievances of the rebels, but never began its work due to the non-return to duty of the protestors.

The majority of the Timorese servicemen involved in the dispute are former Fretilin guerrillas who fought against Indonesia's 24-year occupation of the half-island territory until 1999.

Dili's head of state was a former Fretilin commander before his capture in 1992 by the Indonesian military and imprisonment until just after Timor's historic independence vote in 1999.

Meanwhile, Australia has suspended its cooperation with Dili while Timor's military crisis continues without resolution. Canberra, which trained the FDTL along with the Portuguese military, has recalled its army instructors.

It was not known if any similar measure has been taken by Lisbon, which currently has 14 military instructors in Timor.

The FDTL presently comprises two light infantry battalions and two reserve battalions. It also has a small naval service with about 100 personnel and two Portuguese-supplied patrol launches.

Timor's small Armed Forces are designed to tackle border incursions from Indonesia and slow down any repeat full-scale invasion until the arrival of overseas assistance. (Lusa)

These Items Do Not Reflect the Position or Views of the United Nations.

UNOTIL Public Information Office

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