Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation East Timor

 From UNMISET

LOCAL MEDIA MONITORING

August 1, 2003


STL

FRETILIN'S PRESIDENT SAYS NO EXTRAORDINARY CONGRESS

The Speaker of the National Parliament and President of the Fretilin Party,
Mr Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo, said that his party has no intention at
holding an extraordinary congress. Mr Lu-Olo made this statement on
Wednesday to clarify rumors that the Fretilin Party will hold an
extraordinary congress in order to reduce conflict within the party. The
article said that there are rumors that the ruling party was split into two
blocks as the result of the Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri's unwillingness to
accommodate some political views within the party's interest, the
Immigration Law and the eviction of Mr Mario Carrascalao from his house.


PRESIDENT XANANA GUSMAO WARNS POLITICIANS

President Xanana Gusmao yesterday met with community members of Ossuala,
Vemasse's Sub District - District of Baucau. During the meeting President
Xanana reiterated that members of the National Parliament do not use the
Parliament as a laundry to wash their dirty clothes. Mr Xanana said
Parliamentarians should debate the real life difficulties faced by the
community. (This is a Portuguese term of phrase that means the Parliament
is not the right place to discuss small inconsequential matters).

ANICETO G. LOPES RECIPIENT OF THE MAGSAYSAY AWARD

The Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation has announced
that seven individuals from India, Japan, the Philippines and East Timor
will receive the Asia's most prestigious prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
The East Timorese recipient, Aniceto Guterres Lopes, Chairperson of the
Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation, has been awarded for
Emergent Leadership. Mr Guterres Lopes is being recognized for his
courageous stand for justice and the rule of law during Timor-Leste's
turbulent passage to nationhood.


TIMOR POST

PRESIDENT XANANA SAYS CPD-RDTL IS NOT A LEGITIMATE INSTITUTION

President Xanana Gusmao yesterday told the community of Loelubu's Suco, Sub
District of Vemasse ? District of Baucau - that the CPD-RDTL (Conselho
Popular de Defesa ? Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste) is not a
legitimate institution. He said this means it cannot speak on behalf of the
people. President Xanana said that if the CPD-RDTL wants to be recognised
it must follow the existing legitimate process. The President said this in
response to a CPD-RDTL's militant request to convey their message to the
United Nations to hand the sovereignty of Timor-Leste over to East Timorese.


TIMOR-LESTE'S AMBASSADOR TO USA AND UN WARNED POLITICIANS

On Wednesday the Ambassador of Timor-Leste to the United States and United
Nations, Mr Jose Luis Guterres, warned Timor-Leste's political leaders to
speak out carefully. Mr Guterres said that political leaders statements and
comments could influence an international opinion regarding the political
and security situation in Timor-Leste. Mr Guterres spoke to reporters at
Nicolau Lobato International Airport after accompanying the President of
the United Nations General Assembly's visit to Timor-Leste.


LUCIA LOBATO SAYS LU-OLO ACTS AS GOVT. SPOKESPERSON

A Parliamentarian member from the Social Democratic Party, Mrs Lucia
Lobato, yesterday said that the Speaker of the National Parliament is
acting as the Government spokesperson. Mrs Lobato said that when a member,
at the Opposition Parties criticizes the Government, the Government that
should respond, but it is the Speaker of the National Parliament who often
responds on behalf of the Government.


PRIME MINISTER SAYS "OPEN GOVT." IS TO HEAR PEOPLE'S VOICE

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri yesterday told the community of Nitibe Sub
District- District of Oecusse during the "Open Government" visit that the
people are the Government's strength, therefore the Government is trying to
keep close with the people, listening to the people's voice in all districts.


 From UNMISET on 08/01/2003 06:02PM -----


Dili, August 01 2003

Daily Media Review


The Extension of UN Mandate Not Related to Economy and Security Reasons

The Director of East Timor Study Group (ETSG) João Mario Saldanha, told the
media on Thursday that economy and security are not the reasons for UN
(UNMISET) to extend its mission in Timor-Leste. Instead UN sees Timor-Leste
as its main project because it is the first time that UN is involved in a
nation building, which started from scratches. Saldanha is of the opinion
that UN would like to extend its mandate because the 1-year old Timorese
government still faces difficulty governing the country and it's policies
are not accommodating enough. He said the development of Timor-Leste so far
is going well but there are small things that have not gone as the Timorese
wished. He said the fact that there are international judges including
Portuguese judges in the judiciary did not contribute to a better system.
He said another area of concern is police and good governance. One of the
examples given is the interference of the government in the judicial
system. The Executive Director of ETSG is concerned that the extension of
UNMISET will not stop the chaotic development in public policy unless the
UN agencies are able to point out to the Prime Minister the shortcomings of
being implemented by the government. (TP)

Ambassador Guterres: Timorese Leaders Should Be Careful With Statements

On his departure to the United States on Wednesday, Timor-Leste's
Ambassador to the UN, Jose Luis Guterres, said the Timorese leadership
should be more careful with their political statements especially aon the
stability of the country because it can have an impact on world opinion
about the situation in Timor-Leste. (TP)

President Gusmão: CPD-RDTL Is Not A Legitimate Organization

During his meeting with the population of Leolubu, Vemase sub-district,
President Gusmão said that CPD-RDTL is not a legitimate organisation
therefore its members should not speak out of behalf of the people and
respect the political process. Gusmão said the people representing this
organization should stop being stubborn and register the organization. The
President made this remarks when a person from the audience identified
himself as a CPD-RDTL member and asked Gusmão to request the UN to hand
over total sovereignty to Timor-Leste. (TP)

TL Prioritizes Bilateral Ties with Indonesia

Timor-Leste government is currently more preoccupied with bilateral ties
with Indonesia than to bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against
humanity during 1999, said Tiago Sarmento a Timorese lawyer. He said that
although justice has been pushed aside by the government to safeguard
diplomatic relation with Indonesia, these issues will continue to be raised
in the next 20 to 50 year. Tiago Sarmento was commenting on Foreign Affairs
and Cooperation Minister José Ramos-Horta's statement earlier this week
when he said that the Timor-Leste government did not see justice for crimes
against humanity committed in 1999 as a priority for Timor-Leste had
achieved justice by becoming independent. (TP)

Timor-Leste's Legal System Faces Chaos

Radio Australia on its Friday AM program reported that Timor-Leste most
senior judge, Claudio Ximenes has ruled that the new nation's legal system
should be based on Portuguese law, not Indonesian law. The statement was
made during his verdict on an appeal by a Timorese militiaman convicted of
involvement in murders and a massacre during the 1999 vote for
independence. Claudio Ximenes said the decision was based on legal argument
and said past cases will not be re-tried unless there were appeals.
Meanwhile Dionisio Soares from East Timor's Jurist Association said the
UNTAET regulation did not clarify which existing law should be adopted as
organic law but it clearly defines which Indonesia law should not be
followed. He is concerned that Ximenes's decisions will have social
implications in areas such as land and property claims under Indonesia law
which could now not be recognized by the current government. Meanwhile the
Special Panel on Serious Crimes Unit had issued a statement indicating
it'll continue to abide by Indonesian law. The Director of Asian Law Centre
and Associate professor of Law at Melbourne University, Tim Lindsay said a
political decision needs to be made now in order for the judicial system to
move forward.

Indonesian Occupation Likened to Cambodian Genocide

An expert on the genocide in Cambodia has drawn parallels with Indonesia's
policies in Timor-Leste. History Professor Ben Kiernan says both Cambodia
and Timor-Leste suffered civil war- - then genocidal policies from 1975 to
1980 - - and ultimately intervention by the United Nations.

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