Notícias Lusófonas
25-09-2006
O ministro de Estado e da Administração Interna de Portugal parte hoje para Timor-Leste, onde vai chegar na próxima quarta-feira. É a mais alta figura do Estado português a visitar o país desde Fevereiro.
Durante dois dias, António Costa vai visitar os 127 militares do sub-agrupamento "Bravo" da GNR e os 15 elementos da PSP que ali se encontram colocados.
O ministro faz-se, aliás, acompanhar dos mais altos responsáveis pelas duas forças - o Comandante Geral da GNR, Mourato Nunes, e o Director Nacional da PSP, Orlando Romano.
Tal como a RR avançou no final da semana passada, o Governo timorense vai propor que o contingente da GNR seja reforçado para o dobro.
Até que o assunto seja discutido entre Executivos, a Guarda Nacional Republicana faz um balanço muito positivo da sua actual missão. O Comandante Geral Mourato Nunes esteve em Timor há 15 dias e ficou agradavelmente surpreendido.
Na visita de Antonio Costa, o governante vai encontrar-se com as principais figuras politicas do país, entre elas o Presidente, Xanana Gusmão, e o Primeiro-ministro, Ramos Horta. Está ainda também previsto um encontro com a comunidade portuguesa.
.
terça-feira, setembro 26, 2006
Ministro português está a caminho para visitar militares e polícias
I'll give up if PM goes, says Reinado
Mark Dodd
September 25, 2006
AUSTRALIAN-TRAINED East Timorese army rebel Alfredo Reinado has broken more than a week of silence to proclaim his innocence of charges that he fomented political violence.
From his hideout in the country's remote central highland, Major Reinado told The Australian yesterday he would only consider turning himself in if there were a leadership change in Dili. He said he did not trust the intentions of interim Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta and called for the restoration of democracy in East Timor and a new government "that would serve the people".
Major Reinado, who led a mass prison breakout with 56 other inmates from Dili's Becora jail on August 30, said he was still being chased by UN police.
A secretive network of supporters was on hand to alert him if danger was close, he said.
Australian Federal Police serving under UN command in Dili have been trying to apprehend Major Reinado, but say their numbers are spread too thin and that they lack sufficient resources to do the job.
Major Reinado denied being in contact with President Xanana Gusmao since breaking out of prison, although he said he stayed in touch with the so-called petitioners, a group of former soldiers seeking military reform whose cause he supports.
In a telephone interview kept deliberately short due to concerns of electronic eavesdropping by Australian security services, Major Reinado angrily rejected the criminal charges he faced in connection with a fatal May 23 shooting incident.
He said the gun battle in which two people were killed, including a government soldier, had been provoked by the East Timor Defence Force, and he had only fired in self-defence.
"I was being attacked. I have the right of self-defence to protect myself and my men," Major Reinado said, referring to a small group of armed police paramilitaries who were with him during the firefight.
Arrested in Dili by Australian soldiers on July 25, Major Reinado was later charged with attempted murder and armed revolution, charges he claims were concocted by a corrupt and politically influenced judiciary.
.
LNG push fuels Darwin's hopes
September 23, 2006 12:00am
The Australian
By Rick Wilkinson
THERE'S a growing sense of excitement in Darwin as the petroleum industry moves into a new wave of exploration and appraisal of gas prospects in the Timor Sea.
Australia's most northern city may soon rival the north-west of Western Australia as an important hub in the supply of gas for export and domestic use.
The main push is being driven by the upward spiral in global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG). But more recently, the possibility has arisen of a window of opportunity in Australia's domestic market - particularly in the south-eastern states - as doubts continue to surround the PNG-Queensland gas pipeline project.
ConocoPhillips Australia is the biggest LNG player in the Timor Sea, and it is keen to expand its existing 3.5 million tonnes per year liquefaction facility at Wickham Point by adding a second and perhaps a third train.
Other players with significant holdings in the region include Santos, the Japanese companies Inpex and Osaka Gas, Woodside, Shell, ENI of Italy and the Australian junior Methanol Australia.
But surprisingly the companies that hold the most Timor Sea acreage are a group of seven "dark horses" belonging to the stable of Melbourne-based entrepreneur Geoff Albers. Between them, these companies - Auralandia, Natural Gas Corp, Australian Oil & Gas Corp, National Oil & Gas, Australian Natural Gas and Nations Natural Gas - hold 100 per cent of eight permits.
Five of these lie in the eastern Timor Sea and occupy strategic positions in and around the acreage and existing gas discoveries held by all the major operators north and north-east of Darwin. The Albers Group intends to run preliminary surveys over the areas.The common goal for each player in the eastern Timor Sea is to prove up sufficient accessible gas reserves to support development projects that could come on stream in a 2012-2015 timeframe.
Frontrunners ConocoPhillips and Santos have geared their joint exploration/appraisal program to the mooted expansion at Wickham Point. Currently the LNG plant is being fed from the Bayu-Undan gas field in the joint petroleum development area between Australia and East Timor.
However, reserves in that field are not sufficient to supply a second train and the two companies have embarked on an initial two-well drilling program across two permits 400km north-east of Darwin. The first, now drilling in NT/P69, is a well called Barossa-1.
Despite the name it is an appraisal of a gas discovery called Lynedock originally made by Shell in 1973, but eventually relinquished by that company in 1998 in the belief that the reservoir was too "tight" to sustain commercial production. New leaseholders ConocoPhillips and Santos (with 60 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively) are hoping to find more permeable reservoir in the structure.
Barossa-1 will be followed by an appraisal of the partnership's 2005 Caldita gas discovery in adjoining permit NT/P61. No reserves have been publicly announced for either field, but Caldita-1 flowed at 33 million cubic feet of gas a day on test, which suggests a significant hydrocarbon column.
Santos (in partnership with Shell and Osaka Gas) also drilled a well called Evans Shoal South-1 in NT/P48 during the middle of this year which found gas in primary and secondary objectives. However, mechanical problems prevented testing and the group is still evaluating the downhole logs.
A 1988 BHP Petroleum discovery at Evans Shoal about 17km to the north in the same permit is estimated to contain 6.6 trillion cubic feet of gas. Unfortunately, the find has up to 27 per cent carbon dioxide content and, to a greater or lesser extent, this appears to be a common bugbear in all the east Timor Sea discoveries so far.
The gas liquefaction process will not tolerate carbon dioxide, which means its removal is an added cost in any field development equation.
Subject to results at Barossa and Caldita, Santos and ConocoPhillips are believed to be considering a pipeline connecting both these fields (and possibly Evans Shoal/Evans Shoal South as well) with the Bayu-Undan field facilities in the central Timor Sea. Carbon dioxide could be scrubbed out at this point and injected into the depleting Bayu-Undan reservoir while clean gas is sent down the existing pipeline to Wickham Point.
One Timor Sea explorer for whom carbon dioxide is less of a problem is Methanol Australia. This company has won environmental approvals for a proposed development which involves the production of LNG and methanol in two separate but adjacent plants to be built on offshore platforms in the relatively shallow water (70 metres) of Tassie Shoals about 350km north-east of Darwin.
Carbon dioxide in amounts up to 25 per cent is an acceptable ingredient in the gas supply for the production of methanol, and preliminary talks have been held with other explorers to take gas from the carbon dioxide-prone fields nearby.
Methanol Australia is also keen to find low-CO2 gas for its parallel LNG project. The company is pinning its initial hopes on two prospects (Epenarra and Blackwood) which lie immediately west of Tassie Shoals in its 100 per cent-owned permit NT/P68.
Epenarra-1, to be drilled next year, is a follow-up to a nearby gas find called Heron made by Arco back in 1972. Blackwood, also to be drilled next year, is a promising exploration target a little to the north.
Potential supply sources for the Methanol Australia and ConocoPhillips/Santos development proposals lie solely within Australian waters. Two other possible east Timor Sea gas projects will rely on international negotiations. The first involves Japanese company Inpex, which has 100 per cent of a discovery called Abadi that lies in Indonesian waters just north of the sea boundary with Australia and not far north of the Barossa/Lynedock field.
Early estimates suggest a gas reserve of around 5 trillion cubic feet. This figure is being clarified with a three-well drilling program now under way. Although in Indonesian waters, Abadi is very remote from that country's gas infrastructure and Inpex sees another option in attaching the field to the end of the possible Barossa-Caldita pipeline to Darwin and Wickham Point. The idea has added attraction because Inpex is already a stakeholder in the LNG plant through its 12 per cent share of Bayu-Undan.
However, this scenario depends on agreement and arrangements with the Indonesian Government.
The other political "football" is the Woodside group's (Woodside, ConocoPhillips, Shell and Osaka Gas) Greater Sunrise gas discoveries that straddle the Australia/JPDA boundary with East Timor.
Woodside has consistently said that the development is stalled until legal, regulatory and fiscal certainty can be guaranteed -- looking unlikely in the near future given the unrest in East Timor.
Some $250 million has already been spent on feasibility and commercial studies for Greater Sunrise, so there would be no need to begin again if those guarantees were given. Nevertheless, there is still some divergence within the field consortium itself.
Not surprisingly, ConocoPhillips is keen to see a pipeline to hook into the Bayu-Undan route to Wickham Point. Shell is more in favour of a separate line to a new onshore LNG plant - the most likely site being Glyde Point about 40km north-east of Darwin.
Up till now the main focus of all these development proposals has been export LNG. Recent doubts cast over the PNG-Australia gas pipeline project may also open up the Timor Sea to Australia's domestic market.
ENI's Blacktip field in the Bonaparte Gulf (with 1 trillion cubic feet of reserves) is already slated for supply to markets in the Northern Territory.
But an early candidate for larger volumes from the Timor Sea might be Alcan at the Gove alumina complex, which has currently organised to take PNG gas. In time, there could also be market opportunities in the country's south-east.
Non-arrival of gas from PNG in 2009/2010 would leave a shortfall of 40-50 petajoules a year of supply to the Australian market. Some of this will probably be taken up by the rising tide of coal bed methane projects and new gas conventional developments in the Gippsland, Otway and Cooper basins.
But in the longer term, the old idea of reversing flow in the Amadeus-Darwin pipeline and connecting it to the south-east grid by closing the Amadeus-Moomba gap may be revisited.
In any event, Timor Sea gas seems likely to be a key component of Australia's gas equation in the years to come.
.
Comunicado - Autoridade Designada do Mar de Timor
TSDA MEDIA RELEASE
25 September 2006
U.S District Court clears Timor Sea Designated Authority of Claims brought by Oceanic Exploration
The Timor Sea Designated Authority (TSDA) is delighted to announce that all claims filed against the TSDA by Oceanic Exploration have been dismissed.
Among the claims raised by Oceanic Exploration on June 2004, were allegations that the TSDA award of Production Sharing Contracts to ConocoPhillips and its joint venture partners was invalid due to bribery, coercion or fraud. Such allegations were vigorously denied by the TSDA.
On 21 September 2006, the TSDA received a Court Order from the United States District Court for the District Court of Columbia dismissing claims made by Oceanic Exploration and its subsidiary PetroTimor against the TSDA.
Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in his decision wrote:
“This Court is precluded from instructing the governments of both East Timor and Australia that they should disrupt a decade of economic investment and development in their own valuable natural resources, and instead afford companies, like plaintiffs Oceanic, an opportunity to compete or bid for concession rights. Accordingly, the act of state doctrine bars this Court from adjudicating any of the plaintiffs’ claims against the TSDA.”
“I am extremely pleased with the outcome. The Governments of Timor-Leste and Australia ratified the Timor Sea Treaty which gave rise to the Production Sharing Contracts awarded to the ConocoPhillips consortium. It was not, as Oceanic Exploration allege, the bribery of a foreign government office and the TSDA in order to obtain a commercial contract”, said Niny Borges, the Acting Executive Director of the TSDA.
.
Continua a insanidade do costume
Major Reinado diz que só volta com garantias de que não será preso
A partir das montanhas timorenses, o foragido Major Alfredo Reinado falou à Rádio Renascença e disse que só aparece com garantias escritas de que não voltará para a prisão.
Entregar-se é uma hipótese fora de questão. Vinte e sete dias após ter fugido da cadeia, onde se encontrava por posse de material de guerra, o Major garante que não tem armas, mas que não lhe faltam meios para se defender, caso alguém tente capturá-lo.
"Armas não é uma solução para defender, [mas] todos temos direito a defender a vida", disse.
Nesta conversa telefónica com a RR, a partir do local onde se encontra escondido, Reinado defendeu-se das acusações que lhe são imputadas, afirmando que não cometeu qualquer crime e que saiu da cadeia depois de cumprir os 30 dias a que foi condenado. E, mesmo assim, "deu mais três dias".
Não confia na justiça por estar, em seu entender, manipulada pelos políticos, mas admite conversar com estes. Ainda assim, só se as condições forem colocadas por escrito: "A data, o que vai acontecer, qual o acordo".
Segundo contou, está acompanhado por 14 homens, todos antigos militares.
.
Mascarenhas Monteiro recusa cargo
RR
O ex-Presidente cabo-verdiano António Mascarenhas Monteiro anunciou hoje que recusou o convite de Kofi Annan para representar o secretário-geral das Nações Unidas em Timor-Leste.
25/09/2006
(15:54) "Tomei a decisão de desistir [do cargo] por uma questão de honra e dignidade, de auto-respeito e por respeito ao povo cabo-verdiano que me elegeu duas vezes" para Presidente da República, afirmou Mascarenhas Monteiro em conferência de imprensa na Cidade da Praia.
Mascarenhas Monteiro não quis revelar quais as partes que mostraram reservas em relação à nomeação para o cargo de representante especial do secretário-geral da ONU em Timor-Leste, mas afirmou tratar-se de "partes externas a Timor" e referiu "potências fortemente envolvidas que têm forças no terreno".
.
segunda-feira, setembro 25, 2006
Breaking news
Senhores jornalistas, já que vos demos a notícia em primeira mão, agora por favor, investiguem pelos canais formais, por favor.
.
Mascarenhas Monteiro aceita ser RESG das Nações Unidas em Timor-Leste
António Mascarenhas Monteiro recusou ser o RESG das Nações Unidas na nova missão em Timor-Leste, UNMIT, devido às presões exercidas pela Governo australiano junto de outros países seus aliados e junto do Secretário-Geral das Nações Unidas.
A Austrália, os Estados Unidos da América e a o Reino Unido condicionaram a escolha de Kofi Annan, pelo que Mascarenhas Monteiro considerou não ter condições para exercer as suas funções no melhor interesse do povo de Timor-Leste sem estar sujeito a interesses de outros países.
O golpe continua...
.
domingo, setembro 24, 2006
Em 2004...
Smith, Anthony L. "East Timor: Elections in the World's Newest Nation"
Journal of Democracy - Volume 15, Number 2, April 2004, pp. 145-159
The Johns Hopkins University Press
Abstract
East Timor has emerged as the world's newest nation-state after belatedly achieving its full independence on 20 May 2002. Transition to statehood has also been accompanied by a transition to democracy. Since the 1999 Referendum in East Timor, in which the vast majority of East Timorese opted to leave the Indonesian state, East Timor has experienced elections for a Constituent Assembly and for a President.
East Timor has adopted a semi-presidential model of government similar to that of Portugal or Mozambique. A much commented on political rivalry between East Timor's President, Xanana Gusmão, and the ruling party, Fretilin, need not be threatening to democratic practice within East Timor if it remains in the realm of policy debate—which it has so far.
Despite the paucity of free and fair elections in East Timor in the past, the general public, still largely without formal education, appear to have embraced democratic practice.
As with any newly democratizing country, especially one that faces the myriad of development obstacles that East Timor does, this fledging democracy will continue to face challenges in its development.
.
De um leitor
"Abilio Mausoco ou Abilio Audian como e conhecido nao passava dum ganster de Bairro virado policia e agora acusa o Presidente Xanana como se a palavra dele tivesse mais credibilidade"
Rai Los não é flor que se cheire e no entanto a sua palavra foi suficiente para que Xanana exigisse a demissão de Alkatiri...
H. Correia.
.
Dos leitores
Respeitosos cumprimentos!
Em primeiro de tudo, Eu queria expressar o meu sentimento profundo a todos que neste lugar trabalham fortemente para a comunicacao social que elevam uma verdadeira situacional informativa.
Eu gostei bastante de ler a edicao de timoronline, porque falam as coisa sempre com clareza e verdade conforme acontecimentos. Agradeco tambem ao GNR que defendem muito bem esta nossa soberania, como um Estado de Dierito. A preocupacao de GNR esta' no nosso coracao, sempre com actoacoes correcto em comformidade com a Lei e Ordem.
Aproveito esta oportunidade agradeco tambem ao Irma Margarida que e' sempre recordarnos-nos as tentativas dos agressores nesta nacao que cedo ou tarde vao ser derrotado.
Por ultimo, um abraco forte a todos.
Aileu, l9 de Setembro de 2006.
Alfredo da Silva
.
De um leitor
Quanto mais tempo passa, mais admiração tenho por Taur Matan Ruak. Foi um herói durante a luta contra a ocupação indonésia e está a agir de novo como um herói depois da independência.
Ele soube manter o sentido do dever, o respeito pela lei e pelos supremos interesses da Pátria.
Obrigado meu General!
AL
De um leitor
...Mascaranhas Monteiro distinguiu-se precisamente por ter sido uma figura importante na democratização do seu país na época em que se fez a transição da ditadura de partido único marxista-leninista herdada de 1975 para o sistema multipartidário onde as pessoas são livres de se organizarem politicamente como quiserem.
Os partidos da oposição em Timor também têm que aprender que estar na oposição não significa "ser do contra" só pelo prazer de ser do contra, e que é preciso ter uma postura construtiva, e não um paroquialismo de horizontes limitados e de olhos fechados para o mundo. Deveriam ficar contentes por ter uma individualidade prestigiada de um país da CPLP a representar a ONU, já que neste momento isso pode ajudar a fazer aparecer algum equilíbrio contra as tendências hegemónicas da Austrália. Ou ainda não perceberam que Timor-Leste é hoje um país muito menos independente do que era há uns oito meses atrás?
Como os timorenses não conhecem a história desses apoios ao partido Fretilin, nem a história recente dos PALOP, só poderiam vir a ter reservas em relação a Mascarenhas Monteiro se o senhor João Gonçalves fizesse algum tipo de campanha para pôr as pessoas contra ele.
Talvez pudesse arregimentar também para a campanha a Frente Nacional de "Justiça e Paz" que era para termos mais uma vez a população a fugir para a montanha de colchão às costas e putos estúpidos a atirarem pedras a quem viesse defender as qualidades do homem em público...
.
Notícias
Tradução da Margarida.
Trabalhando juntos para promover o diálogo, regresso e reintegração
Oganização Internacional da Migração (OIM) - 22 Set 2006
Esta semana o OIM e a ONG BELUN sua parceira local, iniciou um fórum para o diálogo chamado “Vem e partilha os teus pensamentos juntos”, patrocinado pelo Centro de Resolução de Conflitos Internos da Universidade de Columbia para deslocados e comunidades da aldeia de Hera, 20 km fora de Dili.
Facilitatado por líderes da igreja e mediadores de conflitos da BELUN, o forum incluiu representantes dos sete campos geridos pela OIM nas comunidades de Hera, as seis comunidades à volta de Hera funcionários do governo dos Ministérios do Trabalho e da Reinserção, Educação e Administração do Estado. Esteve também presente um representante da UNPOL, a força de polícia internacional, para escutar as necessidades de segurança da comunidade.
Com base na sua experiência de campo do passado em gestão de campos e avaliação de conflitos comunitários, a OIM e a BELUN organizaram o diálogo comunitário como parte da do seu apoio à estratégia liderada pelo Governo para o regresso e a reintegração da população deslocada, chamada "Simu Malu." Trabalhando em colaboração com os líderes da comunidade de Hera e os gestores dos campos de deslocados, o diálogo centrou-se no começo do processo elaborado pelo Governo de reviver as relações comunitárias e de reconstruir os níveis de confiança entre os afectados pelo conflito.
Desde Abril de 2006, a crise política em Timor-Leste causou a fuga de mais de 150,000 residentes da capital Dili para a segurança de campos improvisados à volta da capital ou para casa de familiares em áreas rurais. O re-estabelecimento da lei e da ordem melhorou com a presença de tropas e polícias internacionais, mas violência esporádica contra campos de deslocados e no interior das comunidades continua a atrasar o regresso de deslocados às suas casas.
Em Hera tem permanecido um ambiente tenso para os deslocados e as comunidades através dos últimos quatro meses de conflito. Violência de gangs frequente e ameaças contra a segurança têm prolongado a deslocalização de aproximadamente 8,000 aldeões, ao mesmo tempo que perturba as actividades diárias e o sustento económico da inteira comunidade.
Apesar da tensão entre os aldeões, consultas alargadas da OIM e da BELUN com deslocados e as comunidades hospedeiras revelaram a disponibilidade da comunidade para se reunir colectivamente e discutir a sua situação corrente. Trabalhando com o Governo, a iniciativa da OIM e da BELUN possibilitaram aos líderes da comunidade e representantes usar o forum de mediação para vocalizar as suas preocupações relacionadas com o regresso, e para levantar questões aos líderes do Governo sobre o apoio futuro para o processo do regresso e de reintegração.
O forum teve resultados positivos porque os participantes desenvolveram uma lista de passos de acção para discussão futura de todas as partes do conflito. Algumas incluem a realização de diálogos semanais entre todos os líderes comunitários, deslocados e funcionários do governo local; trabalhar com a polícia internacional para criar melhores mecanismos para a segurança e para reportar incidentes e a continuada colaboração com o Governo, OIM e outras organizações para apoiar a educação, agricultura, e outras necessidades identificadas no interior das comunidades.
"O diálogo em Hera foi um ponto de arranque com sucesso para o processo de mais longo prazo de regresso e reintegração. Mas reconhecemos que comunidades como Hera continuarão a necessitar de apoio do Governo e de agências internacionais para manter diálogo regular e frequente na reconstrução de mecanismos para a comunicação e na procura de soluções sustentadas do conflito," diz o Chefe da Missão da OIM Luiz Vieira.
…
Tradução da Margarida.
O enviado da ONU na partida avisa Timor-Leste do perigo de “buraco negro” no conflito
Centro de Notícias da ONU - 22 Setembro 2006
Na última conferência de imprensa que deu hoje depois de ter estado quatro anos em Timor-Leste, o enviado de topo da ONU avisou os líderes do país que a pequena nação do Sudeste Asiático podia ser chupada para um “buraco negro” no conflito que se seguiu à erupção de violência mais cedo este ano e entre tensão continuada, especialmente na capital Dili.
Sukehiro Hasegawa, o Especial Representante do Secretário-Geral, disse que tinha repetido este aviso em discussões com Timorenses nas últimas semanas, durante as quais viajou a seis sub-distritos. Mas acrescentou que as discussões mais recentes lhe tinham dado razões para optimismo.
“Sublinho a importância dos líderes nacionais e do povo deste país fazer tudo o que for possível para evitar cair no que chamo de armadilha de conflito. É um buraco negro – uma armadilha de conflito – que tem o potencial de engolir as pessoas para um conflito do qual será muito difícil saírem,” disse.
“Em resposta às vossas perguntas sobre qual foi o pior momento da minha estadia aqui, com tristeza digo que foi a mais recente crise política e de segurança. Porque ensombrou muito do bom trabalho que este país conseguiu com a assistência da ONU … [Como resultado do diálogo que tenho tido] durante os últimos dias, estou mais confiante do que antes que Timor-Leste tem uma boa possibilidade de evitar esta espécie de armadilha de [conflito].”
Descrevendo a situação de segurança como “muito frágil e volátil,” especialmente em Dili, Mr. Hasegawa disse que estava “muito preocupado” com sinais de que as perturbações nos campos ce deslocados estavam a tornar-se organizadas.
Também confirmou que a Comissão Especial Independente de Inquérito para Timor-Leste que está a investigar a violência de Abril e Maio, que levou à morte de 37 pessoas e à deslocação ide mais de 150,000 outras, é esperado emitir as suas recomendações dentro de duas ou três semanas.
“Uma vez que o relatório seja publicado, o povo e os líderes Timorenses terão a oportunidade de discutir o que na verdade pode ser feito para avançarem … Gostaria também de salientar que em todos os distritos que visitei nas duas ou três últimas semanas, a lei e da ordem mantiveram-se, e a administração civil funciona – e que acham necessário que a reconciliação talvez deva começar ao mais alto nível nacional.”
Mr. Hasegawa sublinhou que era “criticamente importante” que as eleições presidenciais e parlamentares do próximo ano se realizem de maneira livre, justa e credível, e re-afirrmou o compromisso da ONU à nação que assistiu na independência da Indonésia em 2002.
“O processo de construção da paz e da nação não é só um exercício que precisa de tempo, mas requer também mudanças na cultura da governação e na mente das pessoas. E esta é uma parte muito difícil na construção da nação. Portanto, penso que a ONU se engajará muito, em fazer uma diferença e mudanças no processo de governar este país mesmo com a instalação de uma nova cultura de governação democrática.”
.
Notícias
ABC - 23/09/2006, 12:13:57
East Timor may need more Portugese police
East Timor's Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta says he might ask Portugal for more police if Dili's request for a United Nations peacekeeping force is turned down.
Portugal sent 120 military police to Dili in June to help contain a wave of deadly violence and looting.
The police are part of an Australian-led multinational task force that also includes troops from New Zealand and Malaysia.
The violence began after then-prime minister Mari Alkatiri dismissed 600 soldiers in an army of 1,400 when they protested over suspected discrimination against soldiers from the west of the country.
The international force deployed to East Timor formally handed over their authority to the UN last week.
…
Radio Australia - 23 September 2006 (Sublinhados da responsabilidade da Radio Australia)
Viewpoint: Australia's failure to rebuild weak states
Anna Powles, author of report on Australian intervention efforts,
After unrest this year in East Timor and Solomon Islands, there has been criticism of Australia's efforts to help rebuild weak states in the region.
Australia has 1,900 troops in East Timor as part of the international mission to stem violence there, and leads the regional assistance mission, RAMSI, in Solomon Islands.
But according to a study for security think tank the Kokoda Foundation, the breakdown in East Timor and the riots and arson in Solomon Islands in April show that past interventions have been seriously inadequate.
Anna Powles from the Australian National university is the author of the 'Security Challenges' study for the Kokoda Foundation. She discusses some of the shortcomings of Australia's state building efforts.
I think in both cases [East Timor and Solomon Islands intervention efforts], both have been very much dressed up as successes. Timor under... Interfet and subsequent UN missions and certainly RAMSI, they have both in all cases been considered to be extremely successful, sort of the poster children of state building and so on.
And I think that has obscured a great deal - that extremely important phase after the troops moved in and so on and after law and order is secured, in actually dealing with the peace building issues. And neither the interventions in Timor or in the Solomons, in my view, have successfully addressed many of the issues that have come out of the conflict.
What issues have they not faced?
For example, in the Solomons, the issue of the conflict itself, the causes of the tension between 1998 and 2003, those issues have not been addressed. And certainly RAMSI's always said that they're just there to create the space for these issues to be brought to the table and that's certainly true. But there needs to be much more done in terms of actually addressing these issues in a proactive way and acknowledging that they're part of the state building process, rather than just handing it over to the Solomon Islands government.
Is part of the problem though, that in both cases the governments in power didn't want to confront the past? Certainly the Solomons government did not want to look back, and in Timor, the new East Timor government did not want to be seen to be provoking Indonesia?
Absolutely, true in both cases. But I think the events of April and May have shown that there are simmering tensions there. Certainly in my research in the Solomons, it was very, very clear that the issues around the conflict and the issues of peace and security had not been resolved and there's a very strong emphasis amongst villagers and community members for those issues to be addressed.
If the government's not willing to address them, then they look to RAMSI or to the intervention mission. There is an expectation which certainly RAMSI has played on an awful lot as well, as the intervening power.
What lessons then should intervening powers draw from this point that you make - that law and order does not equate to peace and stability?
In the first instance, getting guns off the street is absolutely fundamental and RAMSI did a fantastic job early on and similarly in Timor as well with the intervention there. But unless peace and security is established and that's a much longer process and that involves addressing the causes of conflict and involves reconciliation.
That very much needs to be an integral part of the rebuilding stage, because law and order simply does not mean that peace and security exist. And again, the events in the Solomons this year indicate that, because many of the people who were participating in the demonstrations came from a particular area of settlements and communities in Honiara where they very strongly felt that peace and security had not been achieved.
What sort of thinking needs to take place about reconciliation, and community building or nation building?
I think there needs to be a much greater emphasis on those issues that you've mentioned, the reconciliation, nation building, addressing the issues of the conflict prior to the Indonesian invasion in 1974 civil war for example. Any intervention force that goes into Timor does need to pay much greater attention to engaging its local populations to get a much stronger idea of what Timorese from various different areas geographically as well as politically, want for their country and to very much engage with the Timor nation as a whole.
And to stay longer, is that another part of the deal? Was the United Nations too eager to get out of East Timor? Was Australia too satisfied with what it had achieved in the Solomons over two years?
Certainly, that's what some people argue, but I think also what one has to take into account is a responsibility on the part of Timorese and Solomon Islanders to take charge of the process themselves.
I think external intervention missions are very wary of staying too long and that again begs the question of the whole exit strategy issue, which is a big issue in the Solomons and obviously will be a big issue if the UN goes back into Timor. And that means that in the planning for any such mission, there needs to be a very, very clear idea of what they can and want to achieve.
...
Agência Ecclesia - 23/09/2006, 12:17
D. Ximenes Belo inaugura exposição «Sol Nascente»
Lucros revertem em favor de missões católicas em Timor.
D. Ximenes Belo, Bispo emérito de Díli e prémio Nobel da Paz em 1996, vai inaugurar em Gondomar a exposição/venda de pintura “Sol Nascente”, de Odete Medeiros. O acto terá lugar no próximo dia 30 de Setembro pelas 17h30.
Todos os lucro da venda da exposição revertem para as missões capuchinhas em Timor Leste. A exposição estará patente na Biblioteca Municipal de Gondomar, de 30 de Setembro a 14 de Outubro, período durante o qual haverá, no mesmo espaço, livros relacionados com a temática das missões que ao ser adquiridos, revertem igualmente para melhorar a vida dos missionários e do povo de Timor.
Esta iniciativa é organizada pelo G.A.M. (Grupo de Acção Missionária), organismo católico que existe desde o último trimestre de 2005 e tem promovido diversas actividades com vista à colaboração com as missões dos Capuchinhos, nomeadamente em Timor Leste, onde actualmente os religiosos têm um grupo de missionários que lutam pela formação de jovens e que diariamente apoiam o povo timorense, acolhendo milhares de refugiados.
Segundo nota enviada à Agência ECCLEISA, a pintora Odete Medeiros, artista gondomarense, tendo conhecimento das acções deste grupo missionário, quis associar-se a esta causa.
...
Notícias
Agence France-Presse - Saturday, September 23, 2006
E Timor may ask Portugal for more police: Ramos Horta
East Timorese Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta has told Portuguese radio his country might ask Portugal for more police if Dili's request for a United Nations
(UN) peacekeeping force is turned down.
"Maybe Portugal could make another contingent of its military police available to East Timor. They would then become part of the international police force," Dr Ramos Horta told Lisbon-based Radio Renascenca.
"It would be an option which could compensate a refusal to send blue helmets to East Timor on the part of the UN Security Council."
Portugal, the former colonial ruler of East Timor, sent a contingent of 120 military police in June at the country's request to help contain a wave of deadly violence and looting by factional divisions in the fledgling nation.
The police are part of an Australian-led multinational task force that also includes troops from New Zealand and Malaysia.
The violence began after then-prime minister Dr Mari Alkatiri dismissed 600 soldiers in an army of 1,400 when they protested over suspected discrimination against soldiers from the west of the tiny country.
The international force deployed to East Timor formally handed over their authority to the UN last week during a ceremony in Dili.
East Timor has asked for a UN peacekeeping force and UN secretary-general Kofi Annan last month recommended 2,000 UN troops.
…
UNMIT website - 22nd September 2006
Transcript of Press Conference with SRSG Hasegawa
Final remarks before departing Timor-Leste
In attendance:
SRSG Sukehiro Hasegawa, DSRSG Finn Reske-Nielsen, Police Commissioner Antero Lopes, Local and International Journalists, UNMIT Colleagues
Date: 22nd September 2006
Venue: UNMIT Conference Room, Dili, Timor-Leste
SRSG Hasegawa:
I would like to start my last press conference as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General here in Timor-Leste. I am very pleased to have here my Deputy SRSG, Mr. Finn Reske-Nielsen, who is also the Head of the Transition Team. And from my departure today, he will act here as the Officer-in-Charge and acting SRSG until the arrival of the new Special Representative. I will make a very brief statement and then respond to any questions you may have.
The security situation indeed remains very fragile and volatile, especially here in the capital city of Dili; and this stands in contrast to the situation in six sub-districts I have visited during the course of the last few weeks. In Baucau, Lospalos, Viqueque, Suai, Maliana and Ainaro, the PNTL [Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste] maintains law and order more or less satisfactorily. Whereas here in Dili we continue to witness stone throwing, and attacks on IDP camps and also some communal violence. Indeed, I am very concerned at signs that disturbances at the IDP camps are becoming organised. So, certainly we can discuss this and we have with us here today acting UNPOL Commissioner, Mr. Antero Lopes. So if you are interested in asking specific questions on this, he will respond to you.
During the last two days, I have had opportunity to meet with the key leaders of this country including President Xanana Gusmao yesterday evening for several hours, Prime Minister Ramos-Horta, this morning President Francisco Lu’Olo Guterres of the National Parliament, and former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, yesterday. And in all the meetings that I had with them I stressed the importance of the national leaders and the people of this country to do everything possible to avoid falling into what I call conflict trap. It is a black hole –- a conflict trap -- that has the potential to suck the people into a conflict from which it will be very difficult to get out. I made this plea based on my own personal experience of visits and also my own assignments in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Somalia, and Rwanda where I have been closely associated with peacekeeping and peace-building operations. The United Nations plays a very crucial role in trying to avoid this kind of movement by first establishing the truth, then helping to achieve justice for all, and then reconciliation.
As you know, the Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor Leste is completing its investigations and the Commission’s report containing the findings and recommendations will become available in about two to three weeks. It should be stressed that this is a first step in a three-phased approach. It aims at establishing facts about what happened in April and May of 2006. Once that report is published, the Timorese leaders and people will have the opportunity to discuss what indeed can be done to move forward. To assist the pursuit of justice the United Nations (particularly UNDP here, with Mr. Finn Reske-Nielsen also acting as Resident Representative) has made major efforts, including the successful recruitment of several judges and prosecutors. I believe that this Independent Commission will make appropriate recommendations about how their recommendations can be followed up, if necessary, with additional judicial personnel being recruited.
And then I think we can engage in national dialogue for reconciliation. Here I would like to stress that in all the districts that I have visited over the last two-to-three weeks, there has been maintenance of law and order, and the functioning of civil administration –- and they find it necessary that perhaps reconciliation should indeed be initiated at the top national level. And in my meetings with leaders, they expressed their understanding of this importance and indeed showed willingness to engage in dialogue along with the justice process that has to proceed.
As this country should indeed move forward on its own self-reliant efforts for achieving peace and stability, I find it critically important that the presidential and parliamentary elections are held in a free, fair and credible manner. I think for this purpose, in my view, that the secretariat for the preparation of electoral activities, STAE, should as much as possible be an independent body. And I am quite confident, with the certification, verification process that the United Nations will carry out and the massive support that the United Nations will provide, that if this preparatory work and administration of the elections are carried out by STAE as an independent body, I think there will be increased credibility of the elections. I recommend highly that this be so preserved.
So, I think I will stop here and be pleased to invite any questions you might have.
Question:
[Inaudible] … referring to the selection of the next Special Representative of the Secretary-General? (LUSA)
SRSG Hasegawa:
The Secretary-General is now going through the careful selection process for a new SRSG. He considers it of the highest importance to identify and recruit a person of considerable stature and experience to carry out the important function of the SRSG here in this country. And I expect that he will complete that selection process shortly and will make his announcement.
Question:
From your point of view, how do you evaluate the East Timor crisis as the Head of UNOTIL? (Timor Post)
SRSG Hasegawa:
The recent crisis has been a very valuable lesson not only to Timor-Leste itself and its leadership, but to the international community. The Secretary-General himself clearly stated that the United Nations left Timor-Leste perhaps a little too early and I think that lesson has very much been learnt by the international community. Therefore the Security Council has decided in its Resolution 1704 to establish this new integrated mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT). I think the new integrated mission has an opportunity to make a major contribution to re-building this somewhat fractured society. So I am confident that this [crisis] will prove to be temporary setback and that Timor-Leste will bounce back to constitute a viable democratic society.
The process of peace-building, nation-building is also not only a time consuming exercise, but it also requires changes in the culture of governance and mindset of people. And this is a very difficult part of nation-building. So, I think the United Nations will be engaged, very much, in making a difference and changes in the process of governing this country even with the installation of a new culture of democratic governance.
For example, in the area of security, particularly in the management of PNTL, the UNPOL Is playing a very decisive role in screening some of the PNTL officers based on their past behaviour. And this entails in fact a very clear new commitment that the culture of impunity cannot no longer be tolerated.
Question:
Could you please explain the progress and failures of the Mission? (RTTL)
SRSG Hasegawa:
One of the major achievements made during the UNOTIL period, which lasted for one year, has been the transition from the mission-funded institution-building exercise to what we call a development assistance framework – a more sustainable framework of institutional building.
The recent security crisis tends to overshadow other achievements. When I came here we had 100 what we call ‘critically important advisers’ who were funded by the Security Council and 200 ‘development advisers’ funded by UNDP. All those posts that were funded by the Security Council have now been transferred to UNDP, the World Bank, IMF and other development institutions. Secondly, although you may not recognise it as a critically important achievement, is the fact that the key state institutions have indeed been established, with the assistance of the United Nations. These include the superior councils of defence and security and also the Council of State that played a very crucial role in the recent crisis. Thirdly, we have had significant assistance provided to the Inspector-General’s office that has produced reports. Now, with Prime Minister Ramos-Horta’s commitment, indeed these cases are being pursued. And I would like to stress that the nation building process takes time and that results will gradually materialise in the long run.
I would like to just add to these accomplishments that we have made major progress in promulgating the principle of human rights, that human rights training has been carried out over a period of three to four years and that this country has committed itself very clearly to that principle.
Question:
During your four years of assignment in Timor-Leste, could you tell me your what is the worst time you have faced and what is the best moment you have faced? (AP – Local Journalist)
SRSG Hasegawa:
I think the best time that I faced was the period moving into perhaps last year, where we had a special General Assembly session for the new Millennium. I think there was a momentum for the county to try to formulate its own strategy to achieve many of the Millennium Development Goals, such as increased net school enrolment, reduction in infant mortality rates and so forth. I think there was a commitment to it on the part of the government. I was engaged very much in discussion with the Prime Minister then, Mr. Mari Alkatiri. I think he took it very seriously and went to New York and the General Assembly and made a speech which was regarded as one of the finest speeches delivered by any Head of Government.
If I can identify a second area, which is perhaps a frustrating area, it is the [slow] building up of capacity of the Judiciary. I think this is due to the very low level of capacity that existed when this country became independent. And also there was a high level of expectation that national judges, prosecutors, and defence lawyers could indeed perform. Therefore, in my recent discussions with judges and prosecutors – national and international – I have stressed the importance of their not only acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills but also maintaining their own integrity. I believe and I am confident that the national judges, and prosecutors, and defence lawyers can handle most of the ordinary crimes. It is cases that are of a highly political nature that pose a major challenge to them. Therefore, I find it quite logical and reasonable that the international judicial personnel are brought in to assist this country during this transitional period.
And in response to your question of what is the worst moment of my tenure here, is sadly, it is the most recent political and security crisis. Because it has overshadowed much of the good work that this country has achieved with the assistance of the United Nations. And as I said in my opening statement, I have called upon the key leaders of this country to be fully aware of the danger that they may fall into the black hole of conflict trap. I was very pleased to see the understanding and appreciation by these leaders of the need to avoid this kind of trap.
For example, as a first step when the Commission of Inquiry report is published the leaders will have a responsibility to make sure that these findings and recommendations are received as the first step in a process of truth finding -- to establish the facts about what happened in April and May. And these findings and recommendations should not be used as a means to tell their followers that their expectations were not met. As a result of my own dialogue that I have had with these leaders during the last few days, I am more confident than before that Timor-Leste has a good chance of avoiding this kind of trap that they may fall into.
Question:
You mentioned that during your visit to the districts, the people in the districts say that there should be dialogue … among the leaders from the top. Do you accept this idea, or do you have any other points of views? And the second question, so perhaps you can also inform us after this mandate here as the SRSG, what is your new endeavour; what is your new task? (STL)
SRSG Hasegawa:
I think that leaders of this country should indeed listen to their people. I think in a democratic society that this dialogue should take place, and I think in fact in Timor-Leste we have had a lot of progress in this area. I did not mention it to you earlier, but there was the Open Governance Forum that was successfully held by the government of former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. At the same time here in Dili there are many different factors that resulted in the conflict in April, May, extending into June. And therefore it is indeed prudent for the national leaders to wait and to see and read the report, because the situation was so complex that none of them, or none of us, had the full picture of what was happening. And when you talk about the engagement of the national leaders, certainly I very much commend and appreciate Prime Minister Ramos-Horta’s very active engagement for the last few months in visiting the camps, in visiting many, many district levels. And I think he went to Oecussi yesterday immediately after he returned from his overseas trip.
Now with regard to your second question, in fact I look much younger than my actual age. I would say that I may be close to what they call one generation or several years older than my colleague Mr. Finn Reske-Nielsen. I have received offers from two universities in my country, Japan, to teach at the undergraduate and graduate school level. But indeed it is also true that some of my countrymen think I am still young -- by their standards -- so therefore I should stay on in the United Nations.
Okay, unless you have any other questions, it is already 11:00 o’clock and I appreciate very much your association with me during these last four years. Timor-Leste is a country that many people around the world want to come to. And I think it is very timely that there is a change from one team to another, and the United Nations has a very smooth transition and we will continue to support this country to overcome the current crisis and to establish sustainable peace, stability and development.
Obrigado Barak.
…
Rui Nabeiro quer apostar no mercado chinês
Macau, China, 23 Set (Lusa) - O patrão da empresa de cafés Delta disse hoje à Lusa que quer apostar no mercado de Macau e da China mas recusa projecções de exportações sublinhando que a companhia tem de estar "preparada para responder ao mercado".
"Não vamos fazer projecções de que queremos exportar esta ou aquela quantidade. Temos é de estar preparados para enfrentar os desafios e para responder aos apelos que o mercado nos fizer", afirmou Rui Nabeiro à Agência Lusa em Macau.
O líder dos cafés Delta está em Macau integrado na comitiva do Baixo Alentejo que participa na Feira Internacional de Macau e no Fórum para a Cooperação Económica entre a China e os Países de Língua Portuguesa, participando hoje tarde na inauguração de um café que irá servir a tradicional "bica" com as cores da sua empresa.
"É um primeiro passo que estamos a dar e ainda é muito cedo para dizer como vamos trabalhar. Enquanto estiver em Macau vou aproveitar para conhecer o mercado e começar a delinear uma estratégia que depois vamos aplicar passo a passo", disse o empresário.
"O mercado é forte e tem uma grande potencialidade e por isso vamos preparar a nossa acção para começar a trabalhar", acrescentou Rui Nabeiro.
Na região asiática, Rui Nabeiro tem também negócios em Timor- leste, onde comprou este ano cerca de 800 toneladas de café que será exportado para Portugal, onde é torrado e embalado, um negócio que espera que "continue" mas que poderá ser "prejudicado pela situação instável do país".
"Em Timor-Leste temos cerca de 50 funcionários mas a situação de segurança é tão frágil que nunca sabemos o que vai acontecer", afirmou, salientando que a Delta "está interessada em continuar" naquele país mas que as questões de segurança podem prejudicar todo o trabalho.
JCS-Lusa/Fim
…
UNMIT Daily Media Review - Friday, 22 September 2006
National Media Reports
TP - Timor Post
DN - Diario Nacional
STL - Suara Timor Lorosae
RTTL - Radio e Televisao de Timor-Leste
Youth Group Commemorates Peace Day
The International Day of Peace has been commemorated in Timor-Leste with messages from Members of Parliament appealing for peace, especially now that that the country is going through a crisis. Youth for Unity, Transparency and Justice (UJTJ) commemorated the day distributing white flowers as a sign of peace, to passers-by in various areas in Dili. According to the coordinator, João ‘Choque’ da Silva, over one hundred people wearing white t-shirts with the message ‘Peace World’ participated in the event by walking, cycling and driving very slowly to Lecidere, the venue where the event started. The theme for the event was “Love yourself, Love others and Love your country’. On this day, the International Day of Peace, Da Silva appealed to all the youth to stop the violence and make peace adding if people choose to be quiet and refuse to speak up and make peace it would be impossible for the Timorese to find peace. He says as per the group’s banner “We Must Make Up And Make Peace”, that means people must stop the violence, stop provoking each other, and stop throwing stones at each other and peace would slowly return. (STL, TP)
President Establishes Traditional Structure
President Xanana Gusmão has nominated the Vice-President of the National Parliament, Francisco Amaral, Dili Administrator, Ruben Braz and President of National Unity Forum, Marito Reis to be part of the traditional structure. The aim of the mandate of the traditional structure is to coordinate with the ‘keepers of the sacred customs’ to discuss the sacred custom in order to minimize the political crisis Timor-Leste is facing. The thee nominees would be responsible for different zones of the territory with Marito Reis in charge of the Eastern part, Francisco Amaral for the Central part and Ruben Braz for the western part of the country. The establishment of the structure has been consulted with the Bishop of Baucau Diocese, Don Basilio do Nascimento who said all Timorese must make every effort to stabilize the country rather than having other people doing it. (STL)
Ramos-Horta Not Allowed To Form Cabinet
Despite demands from various civil society groups that Prime Minister Ramos-Horta cannot make changes to his government cabinet because Fretilin does not allow it, MP Joao Gonçalves (PSD) is reported as saying that Fretilin is stopping the changes because they want the cabinet of the former Prime Minister to remain the same to show they were not to blame for the crisis. But in reality, added the MP, those that continue to work lack maximum capacity to carry their work. On the other hand, he also said, Prime Minister Ramos-Horta must govern according to Fretilin, because he was selected for the job by this party. In a separate article, Jose Luis de Oliveira, the Director of Fundasaun Hak, said the demands by FNJP for government reshuffle is rational as the structure of the first constitutional government and then the second, shows that many ministries are un-functional due to impoverished capacity. But he said it is the responsibility of the National Parliament to look into it and act rather than be MPs with focus on only one political interest. De Oliveira said the MPs must reflect that groups like FNJP emerged as a result the Parliament are not doing its work correctly. He said he disagrees with the demands of FNJP to dissolve the Parliament as it would not help the current situation. FNJP has demanded the reshuffle of the government, judicial system, limited function for the Parliament and recuperation for PNTL and F-FDTL institutions. (TP)
RTTL News Monitoring Report
22 Sept 2006
PM Ramos Horta: International Commission of Inquiry:
RTTL reports that PM Ramos-Horta stated that the International Commission of Inquiry has carried out investigations for some leaders in relation to the crisis. He said that the result of the investigation would be submitted to the National Parliament and General Secretary in October. Horta said that the Commission of Inquiry was not a court and that people involved in the crime must bear responsibility. Regarding international peace day, the PM stated that he was very pleased to see that young people had celebrated the day. He said that the celebrations by youth had given political leaders reason to reflect on the ongoing crisis situation.
Ernesto Fernandez-Dudo ex-commander of Falintil:
Ernesto Fernandez Dudo stated that to end the current situation/crisis representatives from the country’s 13 districts need to sit together to solve the crisis. Dudo also stated that the government must continue to search for the remains of those who were part of the resistance.
João Choque, a youth:
João Choque stated that we must create peace. He said that for 24 years the youth had suffered under Indonesia’s occupation, and that now was a time for unity and peace. He said that some people wish to live in peace and unity and some people still do not want to live in peace. Choque said it is important for the youth to stop throwing rocks at each other, to stop burning houses and looting.
...
Jogos da Lusofonia: Comitiva de Timor-Leste totaliza 101 pessoas
Díli, 23 Set (Lusa) - Timor-Leste envia uma delegação de 101 pessoas aos primeiros Jogos da Lusofonia, a realizar entre 07 e 15 de Outubro, em Macau, onde competirá em todas as modalidades, disse hoje à Lusa o presidente do Comité Olímpico Nacional.
Segundo João Carrascalão, além dos atletas, Timor-Leste inclui na sua delegação um grupo cultural, composto por 18 elementos, "para se dar uma mostra viva da passagem, durante 450 anos, de Portugal por Timor, porque há muita coisa que Timor absorveu, nas danças e canções, que fazem também parte da cultura portuguesa".
"É importante que os países da Lusofonia também tenham um conhecimento melhor do que Timor é", acrescentou.
Relativamente à componente desportiva, João Carrascalão reconhece que Timor-Leste "não está de forma nenhuma preparado para competir ao mesmo nível das outras selecções".
A crise político-militar desencadeada em Abril passado afectou os trabalhos de preparação e condicionou os treinos dos atletas.
"Além da falta de infra-estruturas desportivas, a crise afectou a preparação dos atletas. Teve um impacto muito negativo.
Grande número dos atletas vive, à semelhança de outros sectores da população, em campos de deslocados e outros tiveram que fugir para as montanhas e houve mesmo quem tivesse sido apanhado no fogo cruzado durante os confrontos e tivesse morrido", acrescentou.
Por essa razão os treinos decorrem de forma condicionada, porque os atletas receiam ver-se envolvidos nos confrontos entre grupos rivais.
"Além das dificuldades de alimentação e assistência, a crise teve um impacto bastante negativo e a tarefa de juntar atletas não foi fácil. Mas a perspectiva de participar na primeira edição dos Jogos da Lusofonia, e depois nos Jogos da Ásia - a realizar a partir de Dezembro, em Doha, Qatar -, tem sido um incentivo para que se faça um esforço maior ainda", disse.
Outro aspecto condicionante da participação de Timor-Leste são as condições financeiras exigidas para a deslocação.
"Até agora tenho garantido financiamento para equipas de futebol e futsal, voleibol feminino e voleibol de praia, e do grupo cultural. Desta vez o governo vai dar uma ajuda. Não é suficiente, mas vou pedir também apoio a empresas privadas. Para Timor representa um grande esforço", salientou.
João Carrascalão observa que Timor-Leste apostou forte nos Jogos da Lusofonia, de que foi um percursores do movimento pelo que, defendeu, "impunha-se nestes jogos inaugurais uma presença condigna de Timor".
A iniciativa de realização dos Jogos cabe à Associação dos Comités Olímpicos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa (ACOLOP), criada em 2004 em Lisboa.
Nesta primeira edição dos Jogos participam representações desportivas dos nove membros efectivos da ACOLOP (Angola, Brasil, Cabo Verde, Guiné-Bissau, Macau, Moçambique, Portugal, São Tomé e Príncipe e Timor-Leste) e os três membros associados (Guiné-Equatorial, Sri Lanka e Índia).
Durante 12 dias de competição, já que a 04 de Outubro tem início o torneio de futebol, no qual compete a selecção olímpica portuguesa, vão decorrer 48 eventos.
Os Jogos reúnem oito modalidades desportivas: atletismo, basquetebol, futebol, futsal, taekwondo, ténis de mesa, voleibol de praia e voleibol.
EL-Lusa/Fim
...
Tradução da Margarida.
A necessidade de reforma do Conselho de Segurança é maior do que nunca, diz Annan quando urge acção
Centro de Notícias da ONU
Quinta-feira, 21 Setembro 2006
Como parte dos seus esforços para apressar o processo de reformas da ONU, o Secretário-Geral Kofi Annan disse que o Conselho de Segurança de 15 membros deve mudar para reflectir a nova realidade das relações internacionais, e apelou a todos os Estados Membros para encontrarem uma solução de compromisso para resolver o impasse.
“Nenhuma reforma das Nações Unidas estará completa sem a reforma do Conselho de Segurança. E, na verdade, enquanto o Conselho se mantiver sem reforma, o processo total de transformar a governação doutras partes do sistema está prejudicado pela percepção duma desigual distribuição de poderes,” disse num jantar oferecido pelo Paquistão e pela Itália.
“Pelo bem dos povos do mundo e das Nações Unidas, não podemos permitir que continue o impasse actual … Discutiram a questão durante muito tempo, e, de facto, no ano passado foi assunto de debate intenso e de discussões entre vós. A necessidade é clara e nunca foi maior.”
Mr. Annan também enfatizou que se o Conselho não for reformado é difícil ver como pode responder aos pedidos dos Estados Membros, especialmente para a manutenção da paz, acrescentando que o seu número mais do que quadruplicou somente nos últimos 10 anos. Correntemente, há cinco Membros permanentes do Conselho com o direito de veto: China, França, Federação Russa, Reino Unido e os Estados Unidos.
“O mundo mudou dramaticamente desde 1945, e o Conselho de Segurança também deve mudar,” disse.
“Hoje temos mais de 90,000 [capacetes azuis da ONU] destacados, e se tivermos de responder aos mandatos que o Conselho de Segurança nos deu para o Líbano, Timor-Leste, Sudão – isto é, Darfur – o total subirá para perto de 140,000 tropas. Não será fácil erguer um tal número de tropas de países que se sentem inadequadamente representados no Conselho que decide esses mandatos.”
Lamentou que ao mesmo tempo que “virtualmente toda a gente” concorda na necessidade de alargar o Conselho, os Estados se tenham “entrincheirado” no apoio a várias opções que foram esboçadas para a reforma e apelou a que repensem as suas posições.
“Os países nos dois lados da divisória beneficiariam se se pudesse encontrar uma solução de compromisso. Todos sofrerão se o impasse continuar … Tenho esperança que todos os membros façam um esforço novo e urgente para explorar novos caminhos. Os povos do mundo estão à espera.”
Em Março do ano passado, Mr. Annan emitiu um relatório intitulado Em Maior Liberdade, no qual endossou dois modelos para a reforma do Conselho. O primeiro modelo contempla seis lugares permanentes – dois para cada, África e Ásia, e um para cada, Europa e Américas, sem a criação de nenhum veto. No segundo modelo não há nenhum novo membro permanente com veto, mas cria uma nova categoria de oito lugares de quatro anos, renováveis, e um novo lugar de dois anos não-permanente (e não-renovável) dividido entre as maiores áreas regionais.
...
Tradução da Margarida.
Soldado da Nova Zelândia ocupa posição chave da ONU em Timor Leste
Scoop
Sexta-feira, 22 Setembro 2006, 10:06 am
Comunicado de Imprensa: Governo da Nova Zelândia
Hon Phil Goff
Ministro da Defesa
22 Setembro 2006
Declaração aos media
Soldado da Nova Zelândia vai ocupar posição chave da ONU em Timor-Leste
Um oficial das Forças Armadas da Nova Zelândia foi nomeado para o cargo de Oficial-Chefe da Ligação Militar com a Missão Integrada da ONU em Timor-Leste (UNMIT).
"O coronel Graeme Williams ocupará o seu posto em Outubro," anunciou hoje o Ministro da Defesa Phil Goff.
"Enquanto Oficial-Chefe da Ligação Militar, a sua posição será vital para a Missão da ONU. O coronel Williams será uma fonte vital de conselho militar para o responsável da missão da ONU.
"Será responsável peta organização operacional, funcionamento e condução efectiva de 34 oficiais de ligação militares da ONU destacados na UNMIT," disse Mr Goff.
"A escolha do coronel Williams para esta nomeação reflecte a alta consideração em que é tido internacionalmente o pessoal das forças de defesa da Nova Zelândia.
"Reflecte particularmente bem as capacidades, habilidades e experiência operacional do pessoal de defesa de topo da Nova Zelândia.
"A Nova Zelândia deu um contributo significativo para a segurança de Timor-Leste desde 1999. Esta nomeação é consistente com o nosso comprometimento de há muito tempo com a paz e a segurança regional.
"O coronel Williams juntar-se-à a um oficial das Forças de Defesa da Nova Zelândia ligado à UNMIT e a um grupo de infantaria ligeira já destacado em Timor-Leste com a Combined Joint Task Force liderada pelos Australianos," disse Mr Goff.
...
sábado, setembro 23, 2006
De um leitor
"João Gonçalves receia que Mascarenhas Monteiro não seja aceite entre os timorenses por o identificarem com o tradicional apoio histórico dos movimentos de libertação africanos à FRETILIN"
João Gonçalves deve ser pessoa mui exigente e difícil de contentar, pois dá-se ao luxo de rejeitar um dos melhores amigos de Timor na comunidade internacional.
O fanatismo é tal que o impede de ver que Mascarenhas Monteiro não tem nada que ver com "movimentos de libertação africanos"
Ainda o homem não embarcou e já lhe estão a fazer a cama. Ai, que saudades do "imparcial" Hasegawa! Porque será?
H. Correia.
…
Folgo em ver que as exigências iniciais da "Justiça e Paz" (ex: dissolução ou limitação dos poderes do PN, demissão do Governo)foram trocadas por outras bem mais inofensivas, que aliás já estavam determinadas, como a organização das eleiçoes pela ONU. Assim, não foi nada difícil a concordância de Ramos Horta.
Resta saber o que é isso de "Painel Especial" para "julgar os autores morais e materiais da violência registada em Abril e Maio", sabendo que só os tribunais têm poderes para julgar cidadãos.
Quanto ao resto, nada de novo. A exigência de "demissão" do Governo definhou e foi transformada em mera "remodelação". Mas a remodelação que a "Justiça e Paz" deveria fazer urgentemente é a da sua própria "associação", como agora se intitula.
Queria fazer uma chamada de atenção ao amigo Lobão, para deixar de usar essa expressão "abandonou a cadeia de comando das forças armadas". Reinado é simplesmente um desertor e a única cadeia que ele abandonou foi a de Becora.
H. Correia.
.
De uma leitora
A luta que a oposição escolheu, pode ser muita coisa, mas não é uma luta entre a democracia e totalitarismo. É antes uma luta contra a democracia e que tornou Timor-Leste mais fraco, mais isolado e muito mais vulnerável.
Margarida
De um leitor
You Timorese should be very very careful. Learn some lessons from the Solomons, PNG.
This is not the first time Pacifi leaders have cried foul in this manner.
The Australian government, and any future Australian government will always want nothing short of incompetent and internally divided political leadership, unless it is leadership which is beholden and sub-serviant to them diplomatically and politically.
That is the new form of neo-colonialism.
That is why the not only invented but promoted and worked towards creating an "arc of instability" which serves as a defence rim for their introverted stability.
This is a medievil approach to defending one's realm: build a moat around you where fire and danger rages, and effectively a no man's land in a hostile global environment.
The thinking is as sophisticated as that. By doing so, they also achieve dominance: divide and rule. again not very innovative nor sophisticated but historically proven to be absolutely effective.
The trick is how to avoid this realising itself.
I think the wheels may be turning for you guys in Timor-Leste from what I am reading.
The United Nations will be the only way you will avoid this.
As a former Australian politician I know how this is done. I have seen how they behave in your country personally....on the ground.
You scare them when you behave independently, so keep them up.
…
Tradução da Margarida.
Vocês Timorenses devem ser muito, muito cuidadosos. Aprendam algumas lições das Ilhas Salomão, PNG.
Esta não é a primeira vez que líderes do Pacífico têm barafustado deste modo.
O governo Australiano e qualquer futuro governo Australiano, quererão sempre que haja governos incompetentes e lideranças políticas divididas internamente, a não ser que as lideranças lhe sejam subservientes e obedientes, diplomática e politicamente.
Esta é a nova forma de neo-colonialismo.
É por isso que não só inventaram mas promoveram e organizaram a criação de um "arco de instabilidade" que serve como um escudo de defesa à sua introvertida estabilidade. Este é o modo medieval de defender o seu reino: constrói um fosso à tua volta onde o fogo e a perigo prolifera, e efectivamente uma terra de ninguém num ambiente global hostil.
O modo de pensão é tão sofisticado quanto isso.
Ao fazê-lo, conseguem também dominar: dividem para reinar.
Novamente, isto nem é muito inovador nem muito sofisticado mas historicamente tem provado ser absolutamente eficaz.
O truque é como evitar que isto aconteça.
Penso que as rodas se podem estar a virar para vocês, em Timor-Leste, pelo que tenho lido.
As Nações Unidas serão o único caminho para evitarem isto.
Como antigo político Australiano sei como isto se faz. Vi pessoalmente como eles se comportaram no vosso país.....no terreno.
Vocês aterrorizam-nos quando se comportam independentemente, por isso mantenham-se tesos.
.
