UNMIT – MEDIA MONITORING - Wednesday, 07 February 2007

THE UN INTEGRATED MISSION IN TIMOR-LESTE DOES NOT VOUCH FOR THE ACCURACY OF THESE REPORTS


National Media Reports

Rogerio distributed guns to reinforce public order-PM Ramos-Horta’s statement in court

The Primer Minister Ramos-Horta in his statement at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday 2/2, said that Rogerio distributed guns to reinforce public order because, according to him, after the incident on 28 April, he travelled all night until morning around the city, in front of embassies to verify if the city was protected by the police but unfortunately he found none. Also, on the 29 April many PNTL officers abandoned their posts increasing the risk, according to rumours, that the petitioners were going to attack the government buildings. He said that the police wouldn’t have the capacity to establish law and order and that the former Minister of Interior, to avoid all this from happening, gave orders to give guns to civilians to restore order.

Horta said he doesn't know if the actions of Rogerio are politically correct or incorrect, but that a closer look should be taken at that stage of the situation. He also said he didn't believe that Lobato had intentions to destroy his country.

According to Horta, it was only on 28 May that the Commandant of PNTL Paulo de Fatima Martins informed him that the PNTL guns used by UIR on the border had been transferred to Dili. Martins did not explain clearly who gave orders and for what purposes the guns had been transferred to Dili.
Ramos-Horta said that the incident of 28 April 2006 in front of the Government building was with the intervention of a third party but he did not name that third party. (Timor Post)


The MUNJ wants the CPLP prosecutors to leave TL

Agosto Junior Trindade, the coordinator of the Movement of National Unity for Justice (MUNJ), told STL at the demonstration site that he would demand the President of the Republic to expel the international prosecutors Felismino Cardoso and Bernardo Fernandes from Timor-Leste within 24 hours and declare them as “persona non grata”. He also said that if the President of the Republic, the Public Ministry and UNMIT don’t take any measures in this regard, the MUNJ will conduct a huge popular action. (STL)


Longinhos admits Alkatiri case Closed

Timor Post reported today that the Prosecutors General Mr. Longinhos Monteiro in an interview with The Age, in Sidney-Australia, on Monday (05-02) stated that he is aware that the Public Ministry had notified the ex-Primer Minister Mari Alkatiri of the dropped charges against him due to of lack of evidence, but he said that the case can be reopened if new evidence emerges. (TP)

Recommendation of actual situation from NGO Forum

Timor Post reported that yesterday The NGO Forum in Timor-Leste, FONGTIL, PDHJ and JSMP gave recommendations to National Parliament, focusing on the security situation, assistance to victims, judicial processes including disciplinary and administrative actions, following the monitoring of the actual situation after the crisis.

In a press conference held in the FONGTIL office, Maria Vaconselhos, representative of JSMP stated that they welcomed the government resolution of 13 December 2006 regarding social assistance or a pension to families of PNTL and F-FDTL officers who lost their lives, became injured or lost their houses and/or belongings. The assistance will be carried out through the Ministry of Labour and Community Reinsertion.

Regarding the screening of the PNTL officers, the recommendations were presented to UNMIT and the Ministry of Interior to carry out one process only so as not to confuse the public and the PNTL officers and also to make public the screening process. Maria further stated that a re-evaluation should be carried out of both PNTL and F-FDTL to determine their involvement in the crises. This is important, she said, to gain the public trust and avoid discriminatory treatment to those two institutions.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Clementino dos Reis Amaral stated that the situation within the country lies within the Fretilin party because it’s the ruling party.

Asked about Maj. Alfredo leaving his station in Aifu, Ermera, Clementino said that this incident yesterday made the population panic but again it’s the responsibility of the Government, Fretilin, as the vice president of commission B deals with security and defence issues of this country. He said if the situation continue as it is, the up coming general elections will be affected.

Questioned about the notification letter from the Prosecutor-General in regard to former Primer Minister’s case, Clementino said that the information coming from the Prosecutor’s offices is confusing even to someone such as his self with knowledge of the Law. (TP)

90 per cent of the population in Lospalos starving

Member of National Parliament, Armindo C. Dias, told STL that 90 percent of the Lospalos population is starving because their crops such as corn and tapioca has been devastated by mice and grasshoppers and the lack of rain fall. So far a child has died as a result of this. He added that the people are resorting to coconuts and jackfruits for consumption. Another member of the Parliament, Rui Antonio, also reinforced that this year the population find a lot of constraint in food shortages especially the ones living around the coast.
They stated that all the data being presented to the Government through the Ministry of Labour and Community Reinsertion has produced no response. (STL)
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NATIONAL NEWS SOURCES:
Timor Post (TP)
Radio Timor-Leste (RTL)
Suara Timor Lorosae (STL)
Diario Tempo (DT)
Diario Nacional
Seminario
Lia Foun (LF)
Televisaun Timor-Leste [TVTL]
.