Dili, Timor-Leste Local Media Monitoring, 31 January 2003
(Translation/compilation: Timor Post, Suara Timor Lorosae)
Government Will Not Dialogue With "Bandits": PM
After meeting with President Gusmão, Prime Minister Alkatiri told
the media
that the government would not be dialogue with "bandits who are members
of
Kolimau 2000".Alkatiri said that to abolish the group would not necessarily
mean to kill them, but to sentence those involved in crimes, reported
Timor
Post. He said any citizen has the right to be part of Kolimau 2000 if
they choose to,
provide it is not to commit crimes. The Prime Minister added that the
government would not hold any more dialogue and would instead focus on
drawing plans based on the necessity of the people. Referring to the release
of the investigation report on the events of 4th December 2002 and 4th
January, Alkatiri said "many political leaders are demanding the
government to
quickly release the result of the investigation which is good because
the
government has not forgotten about it". He added " it is taken
longer for the
commission to release their report because it needs to be investigated
carefully to avoid any future isunderstanding". He stressed that
eyewitness is
needed to testify against those suspected of involvement in the incidents.
The
Minister said he has given a mandate for the commission to investigate
in
dept the problems that led to Baucau incident on the 18th of November
thereafter. He said the government notified the President of more time
needed to have a comprehensive report. (TP, STL)
Hasegawa: FDTL to Act Throughout TL
The Deputy Special Representative of UN in Timor-Leste, Hasegawa said
"there are plans for Timor-Leste Armed Forces to perform their duties
from
East to West", reported Timor Post. The newspaper said that the UN
Representative made this statement during a visit to Hatolia, Ermera
sub-district on Thursday. Hasegawa said his visit there was to personally
listen to the aspiration and the concerns of the people and as well their
requests. During the meeting the residents requested DSRSG to allow the
permanent presence of F-FDTL because they fear for their lives and their
livestock have robbed "by the group Kolimau 2000," reported
Timor Post.
They stressed that if the government and UNMISET refuse to act then they
have two
alternatives: to come down to Dili and protest or create groups to act
against
Kolimau 2000. The newspaper reported Hasegawa as saying that he would
pass
their concerns to the government. Three representatives from that district
traveled back with him to Dili to meet Government representatives,
among them Prime Minister Alkatiri. (TP)
Dili, Timor-Leste Local Media Monitoring Update 29 January 2003
(Timor Post, Suara Timor Lorosae)
Police Found Weapons in Ossu
The Head of TLPS, Paulo Martins told the media on Tuesday that police
in Ossu,
Viqueque sub-district found a SKS gun purposely left on a road. He also
said
some FMJ 18 FMJ ammunitions and magazines were found in Bobonaro. Martins
said
that police detained two men from Kailako, accused by local residents
of
providing assistance to five militias who have fled into the country early
this
month. (TP, STL)
Kailako Residents Accused of Hiding Militias
Two men from Kailaco sub-district on Tuesday appeared at Dili District
Tribunal
accused of hiding five militias early this month. According to STL one
of the
accused said that on 31/12/02 he saw the five men in his cornfield and
invited
them to his house where they stayed until the 3/1/03. If found guilty
he may be
sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. The other man will be released for
30 days
because he was the one passed information to the police. (STL)
Lere Unaware of Kolimau Different Groups
F-FDTL Chief of State, Colonel Lere Anan Timor said he is unaware
of any
information about the three different groups of Kolimau 2000. Lere was
referring to an information presented at the parliament by MP José
Andrade of
Maliana District and reported by Timor Post on Tuesday. According to the
MP,
Kolimau 2000 is presently formed by three different groups. (TP)
Indonesia Did Not Support Militias
The Head of Indonesia Representative in Timor-Leste, Kristio Wahyono
said
that Indonesia was not behind the December 4th incidents and is not
interesting at creating problems in Timor-Leste which can lead to
destabilizing the relationship between the two countries. "Those
militias
involved in the incidents in Timor-Leste did so from their own initiatives.
It
is not the Indonesian government or security program to be involved in
these
matters", Wahyono told the media on Tuesday. According to him "
several
former militias returned to Timor-Leste before 4th December 2002.
And many of the returnees went back to West Timor through illegal check
points with
travel document," said Kristio Wahyono. He added that many Indonesians
have
visited Timor-Leste but not with the aim of destabilizing the country.
The
Head of Indonesia mission said the riots of last December
derived from "personal problems". (STL)
129 Suspects of Serious Crimes Are in West Timor
General Prosecutor, Longuinhos Monteiro said that 129 militias suspected
of
allegedly involved in 1999 violence are still living in West Timor. He
told the
media on Tuesday that since the establishment of the serious crimes panel
judges, the court processed 46 cases, which involved 141 militias' suspects.
Another 20 cases involving 129 people currently living in West Timor are
pending, according to him. (STL)
PKF support police operation in Lakalese
PKF soldiers assisted local police in the arrest of 13 people in the
village of
Lakalese (approximately 10km north west of Suai) yesterday morning. Members
of
the Singaporean Company, attached to the Thai Battalion, assisted the
local
police in a continuation of the operation that had led to the detention
of
seven people on Monday afternoon. Two of the seven people detained on
Monday turned
out to be witnesses and were subsequently released. The arrest of the
13 people
yesterday morning brings the number of people arrested on charges of extortion
in the last couple of days to 18. Those detained were transported to Suai
TLPS station where they are being held
awaiting transport to Dili for judicial processing. Commenting on the
arrests
that took place on Monday, the Commander of Sector West, Colonel Wayne
Bowen,
said that "the apprehension of this group was another example of
the success of
TLPS in policing Cova Lima District". Sector West Forces consist
of troops from
Australia, Thailand, Fiji and Singapore whose mission is to maintain a
secure
environment in order to support the RDTL government in defeating security
threats to its territorial integrity. Sector West troops will continue
to
assist the TLPS actively by maintaining security in the area.