UNMISET PRESS RELEASE
Consultation meeting on justice sector:
'Significant achievements but many challenges remain'
(Dili, 30 September) -The Deputy Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in Timor-Leste, Sukehiro Hasegawa, said that there have
been significant developments in the justice sector over the past 18 months
but many challenges remain to be addressed. The DSRSG was speaking at
the
opening of a consultation meeting which was held today in Dili. The aim
of
the meeting, jointly sponsored by UNMISET and UNDP, was to review the
progress already made and to identify the support that will still be needed
for the institutional development of the sector, and for the serious crimes
process, during the remainder of UNMISETs mandate and beyond.
The DSRSG
highlighted the establishment of both the District Courts and the
Court of Appeal, the appointment of judges, and the continued training
of
PNTL and within the prison system as some of the achievements of the past
year and a-half. But he cautioned that the justice sector still faces
many
challenges and tasks if stability is to be ensured. Immediate tasks include
the problem of excessive delays in the Courts, the recruitment of
additional administrative staff, continued and consistent training for
those in the justice sector, including judges, the drafting and approval
of
key legislation, and the establishment of independent and transparent
oversight mechanisms for prisons and for the government.
UNDP presented
a programme package for strengthening the justice system in
Timor-Lestefor consideration by the meeting. The programme, with an
estimated cost of just over U$ 3 million over 3 years, makes proposals
for
what needs to be done in areas in the Ministry of Justice, including the
Ministry, the Judicial Training Centre, Public Defenders and Prisons,
the
Courts and the Public Prosecution Service. It also details the assistance
being provided by partners such as UNMISET, UNICEF, Portugal, USAID, Asia
Foundation, ASF[Avocats sans Frontières],IFES [International Foundation
for
Election Systems], Malaysia and IDLO [International Development Law
Organization]. UNDP itself, Norway, Belgium and Denmark are helping to
fund
the programme but it still has a funding gap of nearly US 2 million.
The Vice-
Minister of Justice [Manuel Abrantes], the President of the Court
of Appeal [Cláudio Ximenes], and representatives from across the
justice
sector took part in the consultation, alongside development partners and
other UN member states with representation in Dili, NGOs, academics and
private lawyers.
- ENDS -