UNMIT – MEDIA MONITORING - Tuesday 15 May 2007

National Media Report

F-FDTL is ready to have a dialogue with petitioners

After meeting with the F-FDTL commander, Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak, on Monday (14/5) at the government palace, the Vice Prime Minister, Estanislau Aleixo da Silva, said that F-FDTL is ready for a dialogue with petitioners to look at a peaceful manner to resolve the problem.

Mr. Estanislau said that the meeting would be an important and positive step to solve the petitioners’ case. (DN, TP and STL)

Alfredo’s case is an alternative of justice

Alfredo Reinado Alves’ lawyer, Benevides Correia Barros, said that Alfredo Reinado’s case is the alternative for people who are hungry for justice during this national crisis.

Mr. Barros also said that his client is 100% willing to engage in dialogue to come to a solution.

“Our client Reinado is willing to engage in a dialogue, however conditions need to be created”said Benevides on Monday (14/5) when assisting the plenary at the national parliament. (DN, TP and STL)

The final result of the presidential election

At a press conference held by CNE on Monday (14/5) in Dili, CNE President Faustino Cardoso Gomes stated that the results of national vote showed that Jose Manuel Ramos Horta got 285.835 votes (69,18%) and Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo had 127.342 votes (30,82%).

The presidential candidate, Jose Manuel Ramos Horta is waiting for the Court of Appeal’s approval to recognize him as the new president of the republic. (DN, STL and TP)

Mal Rerden: situation remains in calm

The commander of International Stabilization Forces (ISF), Brigadier Gen. Mal Rerden, reportedly said that the situation across the country remains calm after the poll last week.

According to Rerden, the people of Timor-Leste have accepted the results of a democratic process in a peaceful and calm manner.

Rerden added that even though the situation remains calm, ISF maintains its position to guarantee the security until the completion of the upcoming parliamentary elections. (DN)

Railos asks Rogerio to tell the truth about Alkatiri

Vicente da Conceicao Railos was pleased with the imprisonment of former Interior Minister Rogerio Tiago Lobato. However, he is disgruntled that Rogerio did not disclose information on the people who ordered him.

Railos called on Rogerio to tell the truth about the former Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri and his involvement in that case.

“I am very happy Rogerio is imprisoned, but I call on him to disclose Mari’s involvement in the weapons distribution case,” said Railos on Monday (14/5) via Mobile Phone. (TP)

STAE Director is ready to step down

STAE Director Thomas Cabral directly contacted the Vice Minister of State, Valentim Ximenes, on Monday (14/5) to say that he is ready to be discharged from his role as the STAE director.

In response to the declaration made by the Vice Minister of state Valentim Ximenes to investigate the STAE Director on charges of manipulation in Lautem district during the run-off presidential elections, Mr. Cabral declared that he challenged such declaration as the person to be investigated should be the electoral coordinator of Lautem district. (TP)

Horta wins, Fretilin moving with democracy

CCF Bonifacio Magno Pereira said that Fretilin accepts the victory of Ramos Horta in the presidential election, and Fretilin will work on the upcoming parliamentary election.

“We do not question this victory; it is clear that in a competition between two people, one should become the winner,” said Bonifacio on Monday (14/5) at his office in Caicoli Dili.

Furthermore, he added that Fretilin tried to identify its weaknesses as a lesson for the upcoming legislative election on 30 June. (TP)

International Media Reports

Rival gangs torch houses, fight in East Timor following election

DILI (AP): Gangs torched houses and fought in East Timor, wounding about 14 people, as violence broke out following East Timor's presidential elections, police and party officials said Tuesday.

The country's ruling party, whose candidate lost last week's polls, said its members were attacked by those of the winner, Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta. Police declined to say who the victims were.

"Seven houses were burned down to the ground and nine others were destroyed and about 14 people are confirmed as injured" in Viqueque and Ermera districts late Monday, following the formal announcement of Ramos-Horta's victory, said Police Inspector Jacinto da Conceicao.

All is calm as people return to Dili

Abdul Khalik, the Jakarta Post, Dili
15 May 2007

Life in Dili is normalizing several days after last Wednesday's landmark presidential election that handed Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta a landslide victory over Fretilin's Francisco Guterres "Lu-Olo".

"Things are looking good here. Many people have returned from their hometowns because they see nothing has happened so far. I hope this peaceful condition continues," said Renato de Aquino, a taxi driver in Dili.

Earlier, speculation was widespread that violence would erupt throughout Timor Leste should Fretilin's candidate lose the election.
Reports from the 13 districts across the country confirmed, however, that no major incidents had occurred, though minor brawling and stone throwing were reported in several districts, including Viqueque and Liquica.

Observers here associate the peaceful condition surrounding the presidential polling with growing democratic maturity among the Timor Leste people and their leaders. The presence of international forces, which have tightly secured strategic areas across the country, has also helped, they said.

Noted Timor Leste political and military expert Julio Tomas Pinto said Fretilin's quick acceptance of the election result, and the congratulations the party offered to Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta within only two days of the election, have dampened the possibility of clashes among supporters and inaugurated a new political culture in Timor Leste.

"From the beginning, I always believed that the Timor Leste people were mature enough to practice democracy. And they proved it. You see, they put their hopes in the election for a better future. It's the political leaders I'm worried about," he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

"But now I think they are beginning to show their maturity. You see, we are still learning about democracy. And it's a surprise that Fretilin could concede defeat that easily. As the country's biggest and most influential party, it must be hard (its members) to do that. I think we must appreciate it. I hope it will set an example for future elections," Pinto said.

He added that the public appeal made by Fretilin's leaders to party supporters to avoid violence demonstrated that they fully understood the negative impact such violence could have on their image and trustworthiness in the upcoming parliamentary election.

Dili-based political expert Nugroho Katjasungkana agreed that Fretilin's quick acceptance of the election result and the public's general wariness of stoking rumors had contributed to the relatively peaceful condition in Timor Leste.

"Clashes and violence were predicted to erupt in the eastern part of the country, where Fretilin supporters are a majority, but a significant number of Ramos-Horta supporters also live there. But that hasn't happened, thanks to the people's awareness of the importance of a peaceful election," he told the Post.

However, Aniceto Neves, an expert at the National University of Timor Leste, was wary of linking the tiny nation's peaceful condition with Fretilin's growing democratic maturity.

"From the beginning, rumors of the possibility of violence if Fretilin lost the election were issued by Fretilin's supporters themselves. They spread fear to get votes. But people voted based on what they thought were suitable for them. They didn't vote for Fretilin's candidate. This is their maturity," he said.

Indeed, most commentators agreed that the presence of international troops was the key of maintaining peace throughout the country. In addition, the awareness that Timor Leste's political leaders had of the fact that the international community was focused on the world's youngest nation further decreased the likelihood of major clashes.

"Supporters from all parties know that this time international forces will be tough on them if they initiate violence. I hope the condition can continue until after the parliamentary election because it will be the real test for the Timor Leste people and leaders to see if democracy has genuinely flourished in this country," Pinto said.

I am ready to surrender, says East Timorese army rebel

May 15, 2007 - 12:43AM
The Sidney Morning Herald

DILI: The fugitive army rebel Alfredo Reinado says he is ready to give himself up to East Timorese authorities after deciding he could get a fair trial.

Last August Reinado and 50 other inmates escaped from a prison where he was being held on charges of involvement in a wave of violence that killed 37 people and drove 150,000 from their homes.

"I see in [former interior minister] Rogerio Lobato's case no interference of certain leaders in the justice process," he told Reuters yesterday by mobile phone. "And now I have contacted my lawyers and sent a letter to our President, Xanana Gusmao, for a peaceful surrender to justice and returning the weapons to the authorities."

The Court of Appeal last week upheld a 7-year jail sentence for Lobato for his role in last year's wave of violence.

The Prime Minister, Jose Ramos-Horta, who won a landslide vote to become East Timor's new President last week, appears to have taken a softer line of late on Reinado, the country's former military police commander.

Mr Ramos-Horta said yesterday that he had met two bishops on Friday to discuss a peaceful surrender by Reinado, possibly this week.

"As we promised to him and to the people of East Timor that if he surrenders himself, including the weapons he seized, the Government and the state will treat Major Alfredo and his associates well and respect their dignity as human beings during the judicial process," Mr Ramos-Horta told reporters.

The former army major has been accused of raiding a police post and making off with 25 automatic weapons while on the run.

Mr Ramos-Horta said: "Major Alfredo has sent a letter to President Xanana which sounds like he is willing to surrender to the justice process, and I welcome his letter, and hopefully he can fulfill his promises in the next few days."

Reinado managed to evade a raid by Australian-led troops in March, which triggered a protest in the capital, Dili, by thousands of his supporters.

Separately, the National Election Commission said the turnout in the presidential election last week had been 81 per cent. Mr Ramos-Horta won 69 per cent of the vote. Reuters

Ramos Horta wants Australia TAFE training for E Timorese

Last Update: Tuesday, May 15, 2007. 5:00am (AEST)
ABC News Online

President-elect of East Timor, Jose Ramos Horta, says he wants several hundred Timorese to come to Australia to study at TAFE, to help boost the number of skilled workers in his country.

Speaking on ABC Radio National's Late Night Live program, the former prime minister said his nation is in desperate need of skilled workers, and TAFE can give young people opportunities not available in their own country.

He says he has spoken to the Australian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister about the plan, and got a positive reaction.

"If Australia will be generous enough to open up TAFE's around Australia to hundreds of Timorese, in five or 10 years from now, we will have thousands of people with good English, good vocational training," he said.

Dr Ramos Horta says his Government needs to support its own agricultural industry if it wants to begin to compete on the international market.

He says East Timor has all the resources to support itself, and it is now up to government to create trade opportunities and help local growers expand their businesses.

He says it is impossible for farmers to make a profit when products such as rice are cheaper to import than to produce locally.
"The country has tremendous potential, we have resources, the country can feed itself," he said.
"The state, the Government, must, at least for five or 10 years, subsidise our agriculture. We get our farmers to produce rice, or corn, and the state guarantees purchase on this, at a fair price."

Meanwhile, fugitive army rebel leader Alfredo Reinado says he is ready to give himself up to East Timor authorities.

Dr Ramos Horta says he has met with two bishops to discuss a peaceful surrender by Major Reinado - possibly this week.

Major Reinado has been on the run since Australian-led troops attacked his mountain hide-out in March.

Last August, Major Reinado escaped along with 50 other inmates from a prison where he was being held on charges of involvement in a wave of violence that killed 37 people and drove 150,000 from their homes.