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REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA DE TIMOR-LESTE

MINISTÉRIO DOS NEGÓCIOS ESTRANGEIROS E COOPERAÇÃO

31 May 2006
For immediate release

DR RAMOS-HORTA’S EFFORTS TO RESTORE NORMALCY

Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Nobel Peace Laureate Dr José Ramos-Horta, has praised the Australian, Malaysian and New Zealand troops for the superb job they have done in just a few days.

“Their deployment has been remarkable,” Dr Ramos-Horta said.

“Of course there have been hic ups. In this kind of operations that can be expected. For those at the receiving end of fear and violence each hour that passes until order is restored is an hour too long. But they’ve have done a superb job.”

Dr Ramos-Horta said that the last 30 hours or so have been the calmer Dili has experienced for some time.

“Last night for the first time in a week or so, people were actually able to sleep without being woken up in the middle of the night in fear for themselves and their loved ones and that is the result of the work, often unseen, of the forces of friendly countries that so promptly came to our rescue,” the Foreign Affairs Minister said.

“Of course fear is still palpable in Dili and much needs to be done so that peace of mind is restored and people feel confident they can return to their homes and resume their activities.”

Outside Dili and in the remaining 12 districts there is little evidence of disruption although there is concern about what’s happening in Dili.

As well, Dr Ramos-Horta this morning made an impronptu visit to Suai District where he met with the UN MLOs (Military Liaison Officers) the local authorities including Police, Border Patrol Units and Administration to tell of the situation in Dili but, particularly, to assess the situation in the district. He then addressed some 300 of the Suai population.

“I told the civil servants that it is important to continue to serve the public and not to be distracted from their duties, as the administration is a public service.”


Dr Ramos-Horta said that the UN Military Liaison Officers (MLOs) do a superb job in the sensitive border areas.

Meanwhile Minister Ramos-Horta has continued in his efforts to reassure the population that calm is being restored and ensure that the displaced Timorese are being looked after. As part of this, for the second time in three days, he visited Dom Bosco College where he was enthusiastically received by the thousands of Timorese seeking refuge there. He gave them an assessment of the situation and spoke about national unity and being a proud Timorese.

Dr Ramos-Horta has also taken a number of initiatives to help bring the capital to normalcy.

Yesterday he visited Electricidade de Timor-Leste Dili’s main power station to ensure that this vital service was properly protected and running in order that power continues uninterrupted. At the same time he also helped arrange protection to Timor Telecom, another vital service in the sector of communications.

Dr Ramos-Horta has continued to liaise with the representatives of the oldest institution in the country, the Church, and this morning met the Bishop of Dili, Dom Ricardo who has played a very constructive role in helping to calm the population of Dili.

Soon after he initiated discussions to have banks resume their activities.

“It is important to the resumption of normal life that people and businesses have access to money. I’m pleased that BNU/CGD are already open to the public.

“In contacts with the management of the ANZ Bank I was assured that their ATM was going to be operational today and a limited service to larger clients (UNOTIL, Church, NGOs, etc) is to be made available very soon,” Dr Ramos-Horta said.

On a lighter note, late last night on his way home Dr Ramos-Horta decided to stop at the popular Carlos Restaurant on the beach to have a meal with cabinet office staff and Australians protecting him. It was the first proper meal for all of them for quite a while.

Dr Ramos-Horta praised the restaurant’s proprietor, Carlos, for continuing to operate his restaurant throughout this period.

“What is more remarkable is that Carlos was supposed to be in Portugal on holidays but decided to stay because as he puts it “ you don’t leave when the country needs you most’,” Dr Ramos-Horta said. – ends.


For further information please contact:
Chris Santos, Assessor de Imprensa/Media Advisor