UNMIT – MEDIA MONITORING - Friday, 27 April 2007

National Media Reports

PD Supports Ramos Horta
The president of the Democratic Party (PD), Fernando de Araujo Lasama, during the signing of an accord between PD and Horta on 26/4, said that PD all across the 13 districts has decided to support presidential candidate Jose Ramos Horta during the second round of the presidential election. He said Horta has the capacity to lead the country and is able recognizes different people and political parties. (DN, TP and STL)

Government waiting for the official letter from PR to halt operations on Alfredo
Deputy Prime Minister Estanislau Aleixo da Silva said that the government has not received any official letter from President Gusmão requesting to halt the operation on Alfredo.

“The government is waiting for the official letter from the president of the republic,” said Aleixo on Thursday (26/4) at the Palacio das Cinzas in Caicoli, Dili, after meeting with President Gusmão. (DN)

Horta: “I want to be the president for the poor”
Presidential candidate Jose Ramos Horta’s second round of campaigning began on Wednesday (25/4) in Manufahi, Dotik Village sub-district Alas, where he said that if he is elected president he would make peace and poverty reduction a priority. (DN)

UNMIT will rehabilitate damaged roads
The UN Special Representative of Secretary-General in Timor-Leste, Atul Khare, stated that UNMIT would look into ways to rehabilitate the roads in order to ensure the road safety and minimize traffic accidents. (DN)

Horta asking ISF to halt the operation on Alfredo
Prime Minister Horta asked the ISF to cease the operation to capture fugitive Reinado. By continuing the operation, the ISF would be challenging the decisions made by the president and the prime minister. (TP)

PDC calls for changing the president of the court of appeals
The Christian Democratic Party (PDC) proposed to replace the president of the court of appeals. PDC said that the current president makes inappropriate decisions.

The PDC president mentioned that no decisions have yet been made on 50 cases which had been presented to the court. (TP)

Alkatiri: Xanana and Ramos Horta should be removed
Fretilin’s Secretary-General, Mari Alkatiri, said that removing Xanana and Horta would solve the country’s crisiss.

“Xanana and Ramos Horta will not resolve the crisis, but rather will increase the crisis,” said Alkatiri during Francisco Lu-Olo’s campaign in Manatuto on Wednesday (25/4). (STL)

UNMIT: Political Parties should not involve children in politics
The UN Special Representative of Secretary-General in Timor-Leste, Atul Khare, appealed to all political parties not to involve children in political activities.

“I have met with the CNE and STAE and asked them to encourage all political parties and leaders to avoid involving children in political activities,” said Khare at a press conference on Thursday (26/4) at the UNMIT HQ in Dili. (STL)

STAE and CNE asked to be credible
The Chairperson of Joint Commission of Monitoring for Election (KOMEG), Fr. Agostinho de Jesus Soares, at a press conference on Thursday (26/4) at the Elections Media Center (EMC) in Caicoli Dili, stated that STAE and CNE should be credible and impartial to avoid manipulation during the run-off presidential election.

KOMEG also identified some PNTL members involved in the counting process at the polling centers. “Some PNTL members in some districts did not show their professionalism and independence and some used their uniforms and weapons to vote,” said Fr. Agostinho. (STL, DN and TP)

PNTL case in Viqueque is under investigation
The chief of the investigation commission for the Viqueque case, Clementino dos Reis Amaral, reportedly said that Committee B of the National Parliament will proceed to investigate the involvement of PNTL members in cases of intimidation of the population in Uatolari, Viqueque.

He stated that the commission consists of eight members. (STL)

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