Order ‘restored’ in East Timor

Gulf Times

Published: Wednesday, 6 September, 2006, 12:32 PM Doha Time

JAKARTA: Indonesia said yesterday that order had effectively been restored in East Timor even as Australia indicated more troops would be needed to keep the peace in the tiny territory than the UN envisaged.

East Timor “in essence has managed to restore order, although here and there we still see disturbances,” Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda said a day after security talks with his Australian, and East Timorese counterparts in Dili.

Some 3,200 Australian-led peacekeepers have been deployed in the East Timorese capital Dili since May, when the city was plagued by deadly clashes between rival factions in the police and military.

Sporadic violence has continued since and last week rebel leader Major Alfredo Reinado and 56 other inmates escaped from Dili’s Becora prison, heightening fears of more trouble to come.
The May violence left 21 people dead, and forced thousands to flee their homes.

Since the unrest, the United Nations, established a larger mission in the country, agreeing to deploy more than 1,600 international police to East Timor.

However Australia’s Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said yesterday, that the planned UN force for East Timor was too small.

Downer told national broadcaster ABC that while the UN had provided for just 350 troops, Canberra wanted to keep around 650 Australian soldiers in the impoverished half-island state.
Indonesia’s Wirajuda said that East Timor’s police force should be given additional international training.

“The way that countries such as Indonesia and Australia could help, is through capacity building for their (East Timorese) police force,” he said. – AFP
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Australian government criticized for sending 42 East Timorese home

Herald Tribune Asia Pacific
The Associated Press
Published: September 9, 2006


CANBERRA, Australia Lawmakers criticized the government Saturday for forcing 42 East Timorese who fled violence in the capital Dili in May to return to their homeland.

The 42 men, women and children were told Friday that they have until midnight Monday to go home, an Immigration Department spokeswoman said Saturday.

All of them, currently living in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Darwin, had made failed appeals to Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone for extensions of their humanitarian visas.

Paul Henderson, a Darwin-based minister of the Northern Territory Government, criticized the federal government for ordering the East Timorese out the day after announcing Thursday that an extra 120 Australian soldiers were to be sent to Dili because of escalating tensions.

"One arm of government is saying things aren't too good in East Timor and we need to send more troops over there and another arm of government is saying it's safe for these 14 to go home," Henderson told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio, referring to the 14 East Timorese who are residing in his home town.

The group was among 54 East Timorese rescued from Dili in May when Australia sent a battalion of troops to quell violence that killed at least 30 people and drove 150,000 from their homes.

The violence had snowballed from clashes between government security forces and soldiers dismissed in March by former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.

A dozen of the 54 who were initially given three-month Australian humanitarian visas had already returned to their homes voluntarily, the immigration spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

The remainder were given two-week extensions on Aug. 24, the spokeswoman said.

She declined to detail why the East Timorese were brought to Australia, citing privacy considerations.

"Because of their personal circumstances, they were particularly vulnerable given the political and security situation in Dili then," the spokeswoman said.

Vanstone had decided the remaining 42 should go home after considering the latest government report on security in East Timor, she said.

Prime Minister John Howard told Parliament on Thursday the level of violence in Dili had fallen in recent weeks.

But Australia was immediately sending an extra 120 troops because the escape of 57 inmates from Dili's prison on Aug. 30 had "escalated tensions," he said.

At the time of Howard's announcement, Australia had 930 military personnel and 180 police in East Timor.

CANBERRA, Australia Lawmakers criticized the government Saturday for forcing 42 East Timorese who fled violence in the capital Dili in May to return to their homeland.

The 42 men, women and children were told Friday that they have until midnight Monday to go home, an Immigration Department spokeswoman said Saturday.

All of them, currently living in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Darwin, had made failed appeals to Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone for extensions of their humanitarian visas.

Paul Henderson, a Darwin-based minister of the Northern Territory Government, criticized the federal government for ordering the East Timorese out the day after announcing Thursday that an extra 120 Australian soldiers were to be sent to Dili because of escalating tensions.

"One arm of government is saying things aren't too good in East Timor and we need to send more troops over there and another arm of government is saying it's safe for these 14 to go home," Henderson told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio, referring to the 14 East Timorese who are residing in his home town.

The group was among 54 East Timorese rescued from Dili in May when Australia sent a battalion of troops to quell violence that killed at least 30 people and drove 150,000 from their homes.

The violence had snowballed from clashes between government security forces and soldiers dismissed in March by former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.

A dozen of the 54 who were initially given three-month Australian humanitarian visas had already returned to their homes voluntarily, the immigration spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

The remainder were given two-week extensions on Aug. 24, the spokeswoman said.

She declined to detail why the East Timorese were brought to Australia, citing privacy considerations.

"Because of their personal circumstances, they were particularly vulnerable given the political and security situation in Dili then," the spokeswoman said.

Vanstone had decided the remaining 42 should go home after considering the latest government report on security in East Timor, she said.

Prime Minister John Howard told Parliament on Thursday the level of violence in Dili had fallen in recent weeks.

But Australia was immediately sending an extra 120 troops because the escape of 57 inmates from Dili's prison on Aug. 30 had "escalated tensions," he said.

At the time of Howard's announcement, Australia had 930 military personnel and 180 police in East Timor.

Finn Reske-Nielsen nomeado representante adjunto de Kofi Annan

Díli, 07 Set (Lusa) - O dinamarquês Finn Reske-Nielsen foi nomeado representante especial adjunto do secretário-geral da ONU em Timor-Leste, anunciou hoje a missão das Nações Unidas em Díli.

Actual coordenador da ajuda humanitária da ONU em Timor-Leste, Reske-Ni elsen iniciou já as suas novas funções, coadjuvando o japonês Sukehiro Hasegawa na Missão Integrada das Nações Unidas em Timor-Leste (UNMIT), criada pela resolução 1704, de 25 de Agosto passado, do Conselho de Segurança.

Finn Reske-Nielsen juntará à coordenação da ajuda humanitária os pelouros de apoio à actividade governativa e do desenvolvimento.

Uma das tarefas que irá controlar é o de garantir a reunião dos meios indispensáveis para a realização em Timor-Leste, em 2007, de eleições legislativas e presidenciais.

Entre 1999 e 2002, durante a vigência da Administração Transitória de Timor-Leste pela ONU (UNTAET), Reske-Nielsen coordenou a aplicação no terreno dos programas de assistência humanitária das agências das Nações Unidas.

Questionado pela Lusa sobre uma eventual substituição de Sukehiro Haseg awa na chefia da UNMIT, o gabinete de imprensa da missão da ONU respondeu não ha ver "oficialmente nenhuma comunicação em Díli ou em Nova Iorque sobre o assunto" .

EL-Lusa/Fim
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UNMIT Press Release - 7 September 2006

UNMIT Announces Appointment of Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Timor-Leste

DILI­ Finn Reske-Nielsen has been appointed as Deputy Special- Representative for the Secretary General (DSRSG) for Governance Support, Development and Humanitarian Coordination for United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT).

Mr. Reske-Nielsen took up his post immediately after arriving in Dili on last Sunday. As a member of the senior management team of UNMIT, Mr. Reske-Nielsen will be responsible for providing support and guidance to the 2007 presidential and parliamentary elections, governance support, donor coordination and resource mobilization, humanitarian assistance and HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Reske-Nielsen had previously served in the capacities of UN Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative in Dili. He will retain those functions in addition to his new role as DRSG. Those responsibilities include overseeing overall coordination of UN operational activities for development in addition to the coordination of UN humanitarian assistance to Timor-Leste.

Earlier this year, Mr. Reske-Nielsen participated in the assessment mission in Timor-Leste led by Special Envoy Ian Martin in which he assisted in the planning for the governance sector of the new mission.

SRSG Sukehiro Hasegawa welcomed the appointment of Mr. Reske-Nielsen as DSRSG. “I’m delighted to have the support of Deputy Finn Reske-Nielsen as the new mission takes shape, “he said. “Finn knows and understands Timor-Leste and the challenges that are ahead of him in his new role and, I’m sure he will work tirelessly to meet those challenges.”

Before coming to Dili, in 2002 Mr. Reske-Nielsen served as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. He held the same function in Dili from 1999 until 2002 under the aegis of the United Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) where, working in close cooper Before coming to Dili, in 2002 Mr. Reske-Nielsen served as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. He held the same function in Dili from 1999 until 2002 under the aegis of the United Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) where, working in close cooperation with then Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Sergio de Mello, he helped develop the overall design and coordination of UN agency programmes. At that time, Mr. Reske-Nielsen also designed and implemented in East Timor a range of recovery and longer-term development programs.

Previous appointments with UNDP include Deputy Representative in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and Assistant Resident Representative in Windhoek, Namibia. Mr. Reske-Nielsen has also held posts with United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Switzerland and Zambia and in the Department of Political Affairs of the UN Secretariat in New York.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Reske-Nielsen was an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Aarhus in Denmark where he specialized in theory of democracy and taught a range of topics including comparative politics and political theory. He holds a post-graduate degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the same university.


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Maldita insegurança!

Do Timor um blog do Publico.pt.

A marginal de Díli não está convenientemente arranjada mas, lá por isso, não deixa de ser bonita. Já não há muitos coqueiros mas, continua a haver os suficientes para que a praia junto das embaixadas mantenha o nome por que sempre foi conhecida, a Praia dos Coqueiros.
Lá mais ao pé do Palácio do Governo, defronte do Sporting e da Uma Fukun - a antiga Intendência do tempo português -, ainda se vêem os centenários gondoeiros a cujo sólido tronco se prendiam as amarras dos navios Índia, Timor e Niassa quando o porto de Díli ainda nem estava projectado. As carcaças enferrujadas dos navios do tempo dos japoneses dos quais eu, os meus irmãos e os nossos amigos demos uns quantos mergulhos quando éramos garotos e que jaziam à beira da praia, há muito foram removidas. As acácias vermelhas que embelezavam o jardim onde ainda hoje se vê o Monumento aos Descobrimentos Portugueses defronte do Palácio foram cortadas no tempo da ocupação indonésia e deixaram a praça mais nua, menos colorida.
De Lecidere à Praia dos Coqueiros, um bocado por toda a marginal, há hoje inúmeras bancas de venda de frutos, legumes, peixe. Apesar disso, é um passeio que se faz com prazer.
Mesmo quando vou ao centro de Díli com alguma pressa prefiro fazê-lo pela marginal, espraiar a vista pelo mar ora azul, ora esverdeado, pelas ilhas de Ataúro, Alor, Quissar, Lira, Veter que se erguem ao longe, cortando o horizonte… É muito mais agradável que a estrada interior!
Já me tinham falado dos incidentes no mercado que ocupa já uma rua inteira ao pé da Pertamina mas, aqui como em tudo na vida, persiste sempre o erro de que “essas coisas só acontecem aos outros.”
Esta tarde, ainda o sol não desaparecera por detrás de Alor, estava eu ainda deleitada com a paisagem, olhando em frente, guiando devagar, cuidadosamente, mal detendo um breve olhar nas bancas que se alinham junto à berma da estrada, quando, de repente, no passeio contrário vi um jovem empunhando um cano longo de ferro. Fixou o olhar ameaçador no meu jeep e avançou.
Não sei que me terá dado, mas talvez o susto me tenha levado a reagir mais depressa do que pensei ser capaz! Acelerei! Tinha os vidros fechados mas, mesmo assim, ainda me encolhi no assento, com medo da pancada.
O jovem rodeado de outros tantos aparentando não ter mais de 15, 16 anos, não foi suficiente lesto para me apanhar, bateu no ar e ficou-se num riso alvar, de quem nada mais sabe nem quer senão semear o terror, provavelmente ensaiando novo ataque a outro condutor tão absorto quanto eu!
Instantes depois, uns metros mais à frente, ainda me passou pela cabeça sair do carro e ir lá dizer-lhe umas verdades. Deve ter sido um instante muito breve, porque de imediato acordei e dei conta da asneira que estava quase a fazer…
Um bom bocado depois de dois copos de água, sentada na varanda da minha casa procurando a serenidade perdida, ainda eu sentia o coração a querer saltar-me do peito!
Maldita insegurança!

Angela Carrascalão Quinta-feira, Setembro 07, 2006
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Ex-PR cabo-verdiano confirma contactos representante especial Annan

Cidade da Praia, 08 Set (Lusa) - O ex-Presidente da República de Cabo Verde, Mascarenhas Monteiro, confirmou hoje à Agência Lusa a existência de "contactos" para vir a ocupar o cargo de representante especial do secretário-geral das Nações Unidas para Timor-Leste.

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Violência todas as noites

GNR disparou balas borracha para impedir ataque a campo deslocados

Díli, 08 Set (Lusa) - Efectivos da GNR intervieram hoje à noite (hora l ocal) em Díli, junto ao aeroporto Nicolau Lobato, para dispersar cerca de uma centena de indivíduos que atacaram o campo de deslocados ali situado, disse à Lusa fonte militar.


GNR deteve cinco indivíduos em noite marcada pela violência em Díli

Díli, 08 Set (Lusa) - A GNR deteve hoje cinco indivíduos em Díli na seq uência de incidentes graves registados durante a noite (hora local) em vários po ntos da capital de Timor-Leste, disse à Lusa o oficial de ligação da força portu guesa.

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President Xanana Must Reconcile Himself: Tilman

Daily Media Review
Thursday, 07 September 2006

National Media Reports

MP Manuel Tilman (KOTA) stressed that the important path to resolve the current crisis, is for President Gusmão to first reconcile himself, then with other competent political leaders such as the President of the National Parliament Francisco Lu’Olo Guterres, F-FDTL Commander Taur Matan Ruak and other commanders in the Armed Forces. Tilman said these individuals have the moral responsibility to reconcile among themselves and to resolve the problems since they are aware of the problems within F-FDTL. He further said the next step is for President Gusmao and his team to sit with each leader representative (lia nain) from Kabalake, Matebian and Ramelau and proceed with reconciliation according to Timor-Leste custom. Manuel Tilman hopes that this process will help the IDPs return to their homes, and that the justice process will follow. (TP) p1

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