Activities in Baucau District Court Stop
(Suara Timor Lorosae, Front Page headline)
The Baucau District Court is no longer hearing cases after the assault,
late last week, of two judicial officers by unidentified youths. The two
judicial officers were Judge Pedro de Oliveira and Public Prosecutor Basilio
Sequira. According to an STL source, all judicial officers at the district
court will only return to work if their safety could be guaranteed by
Civpol. Judge Pedro and Basilio, after they were assaulted, reported that
more youths came to their house later at night to threaten them for reporting
the matter to Civpol. The STL source said court officers requested Civpol
for personal protection, but the answer they received was disappointing.
"Civpol said they could only guarantee security at the Baucau District
Court. They, however, could not provide personal security for the court
officers when they went home," said the source. Because of that, said
the STL source, Baucau District Court officers are planning to leave the
district and seek protection in Dili.