Timor-Leste Daily Media News

Fretilin accused of fomenting instability

2008-08-20T17:28:00.002+09:00

Fretilin accused of fomenting instability – Timor Post
PSD MP Fernando Gusmão has accused Fretilin of fomenting instability through their submission to the Court of Appeals over the constitutionality of the rectified budget. Mr Gusmão said this showed the party has no intention to contribute to the development and stability of the country.

In response, Fretilin MP Estanislau da Silva said that Fretilin has always worked to develop the nation and free the people from poverty. Mr da Silva further said that Court of Appeals did not make a decision on the Economic Stabilization Fund, but on the decree law creating the fund.

PR Horta demands respect over budget promulgation fiasco

2008-08-20T17:28:00.001+09:00

PR Horta demands respect over budget promulgation fiasco – Timor Post
President Ramos-Horta has demanded that MPs respect him as the Head of State. The President made these remarks in relation to comments made over the recent promulgation fiasco. The President warned MPs that he would retaliate if provoked.

UNMIT commemorates 5th year of de Mello’s death

2008-08-20T17:27:00.002+09:00

UNMIT commemorates 5th year of de Mello’s death – Suara Timor Lorosa’e
The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) yesterday commemorated the 5 year anniversairy of the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad Iraq that killed many UN staff, including former Special Representative of Secretary-General (SRSG) Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Mr de Mello had led the United Nations Transitional Administration of East Timor (UNTAET). The commemoration included a minute of silence led by Acting SRSG Finn Reske-Nielsen and was attended by President José Ramos-Horta, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão among other high level Government members.

AMP rejects ISF presence

2008-08-20T17:27:00.001+09:00

AMP rejects ISF presence – Suara Timor Lorosa’e
Some Government MPs have rejected the continuing presence of the International Stabilization Forces (ISF), arguing that the ISF is no longer needed given the increasingly stable security environment.

CNRT MP Eduardo Barreto said that he believes its time for the ISF to go. Democratic Party MP Gertrudes Moniz said that it was time to hand over full responsibility of national defense to the national forces. Social Democratic Party MP Fernando Gusmão said that he had full faith in the PNTL and F-FDTL to maintain peace and stability.

Falantil Day celebrated

2008-08-20T17:26:00.000+09:00

Falantil Day celebrated- RTL
To commemorate FALINTIL Day celebrated today (20/8), The President of the National Parliament Fernando Lasama appealed to all Timorese citizens to honour the legacy of heroes who had contributed and sacrificed so much for the Independence of the country. A Fretilin MP also appealed to the PNTL and F-FDTL to maintain the integrity of what the heroes had sacrificed for by contributing to the betterment of the country.

Telecommunications Decree Law prepared

2008-08-19T09:02:00.001+09:00

Telecommunications Decree Law prepared – Timor Post
The Minister of Finance Emilia Pires has confirmed that the Government has created a decree law for communications which would allow another telecommunications company to compete with Timor Telecom. Minister Pires said that the new policy would allow for constructive competition.

Alkatiri doubts ability of AMP to deliver pipeline to TV

2008-08-19T09:02:00.000+09:00

Alkatiri doubts ability of AMP to deliver pipeline to TV – Diario Nacional
Fretilin’s Secretary-General Mari Alkatiri said that he doesn’t believe the Government will be able to convince the Australian Government to create a pipeline to Timor-Leste. According to Mr Alkatiri, the Government’s words cannot be backed with concrete action as there does not exist any current mechanism or law to create such a pipeline.

Prosecutor-General defends secrecy around report

2008-08-19T09:01:00.001+09:00

Prosecutor-General defends secrecy around report- RTL
The Prosecutor-General, Longuinos Monteiro, has defended the decision of the Public Ministry to not publicise the report on the 11 February events as the investigation is sill ongoing. Mr Monteiro said that the report would be revealed once the investigation had ended and the evidence presented to the courts.

Gov won’t tolerate PNTL who break the law

2008-08-19T09:01:00.000+09:00

Gov won’t tolerate PNTL who break the law- TVTL
The Minister of Defence and Security has said that he will not tolerate PNTL officers who break the law. This comment was made in relation to the performance of an officer who had organized some youth to attack the police station in Fatumeta on 17 July 2008. The officer responsible was suspended for forty five days during which he did not receive a salary. The Minister said that these measures were part of the reform the Government wanted to initiate in the PNTL.

PNTL officers suspended for misuse of funds

2008-08-19T09:00:00.000+09:00

PNTL officers suspended for misuse of funds- TVTL
The Minister of Defence and Security has suspended eight PNTL officers who were found to have misused funds during the Joint Operation Command. The officers have been suspended for three months and will have their salaries reduced. The Prime Minster said that the decision to suspend the officers was based on the results of an investigation into the Joint Operation.

PM: Gov will be responsible for the 12 Nov victims

2008-08-19T08:46:00.000+09:00

PM: Gov will be responsible for the 12 Nov victims – TVTL
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão said that the government will take into consideration the demands of the victims and the families of the massacres that took place in the Santa Cruz cemetery on 12 November 1991. The PM promised that the Government would support efforts to find the sites were victims of the massacre were buried.

Acting SRSG Finn: UNPol still marks presence in TL

2008-08-18T08:58:00.000+09:00

Acting SRSG Finn: UNPol still marks presence in TL – Suara Timor Lorosa’e and Diario Nacional
The Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Timor-Leste Finn Reske-Nielsen said that after handing over powers to the PNTL, UNPol will still continue backing the national police force. Mr. Reske-Nielsen said that currently, the UN SRSG had not recommended reducing the numbers of the UN Police. As such, the executive powers of policing in Timor-Leste were still being held by the PNTL.

Alkatiri: PGR has to ‘out’ February 11 protagonists

2008-08-18T08:57:00.000+09:00

Alkatiri: PGR has to ‘out’ February 11 protagonists – Timor Post
Former Prime Minister and Secretary-General of Fretilin Mari Alkatiri is strongly demanding that the Prosecutor-General publicise the results of the investigation into the events of February 11. Mr. Alkatiri said that it is very important for the public to know why Alfredo had to die in President Horta’s residence, and who was responsible for shooting the President.

The former Prime Minister said that even though Alfredo has died, his death is still mysterious. Mr. Alkatiri has further questioned why not one person was injured in the Prime Ministers convoy despite many shots been taken at the convoy.

Oliveira: Gov violates human rights

2008-08-18T08:56:00.002+09:00

Oliveira: Gov violates human rights – Timor Post
The Association of Human Rights has said that they believe human rights violations against prisoners to have occurred in Timor-Leste, including against those rebels who are being detained in preventive prison in Becora with no judgment. The Director of Human Rights Association José Luis Oliveira said that the Dili District Court has detained many people in prison but the trial process is taking a very long time.

He also said that while many international judges have been contracted by the government to undertake the trial process, they however have not carried out their duties properly as many cased are still pending, including the February 11 cases. He said that he believes this to be a human rights violation by the Government.

Horta asks ISF should stay in TL until December

2008-08-18T08:56:00.001+09:00

Horta asks ISF should stay in TL until December – Timor Post
President José Ramos-Horta has asked the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to stay in the country until December. The President said that such requests were made based on an internal security evaluation made by the National Parliament and the United Nations. The President also said that Timor-Leste still needs the presence of the ISF while reducing the United Nations Police force.

Julio Tomas Pinto: F-FDTL, PNTL and ISF will continue collecting illegal weapons

2008-08-18T08:55:00.000+09:00

Julio Tomas Pinto: F-FDTL, PNTL and ISF will continue collecting illegal weapons – Televizaun Timor-Leste
At a trilateral meeting held yesterday, the State Secretary of Defence Julio Tomas Pinto said that while many weapons had already been handed over, the PNTL, F-FDTL and ISF would continue their cooperation to continue collecting illegal weapons. Mr Pinto also said that an ultimatum would be given for those suspected of keeping illegal weapons as according to intelligence data collected from the PNTL and F-FDTL, there are many people still hiding weapons. As specified, the deadline of the weapons collection campaign ended on 15 August 2008.

Horta: I had signed the rectifying budget before going abroad

2008-08-18T08:54:00.000+09:00

Horta: I had signed the rectifying budget before going abroad – Televizaun Timor-Leste
The following text is the statement made by President Horta prior to his departure for China and The Philippines. The Statement shows that President Horta did indeed state that he had promulgated the rectifying budget.

“I know that I will be returning today on 15 August 2008. I signed it [the budget] very quickly because I had to leave very urgently and because I thought that the Court of Appeals had to make a decision in a very short time. Also, I did not want this law to be pending on my return. So, at that time I signed a lot of things and there were a lot of meetings in my office so my staff forgot and gave me the documents to be signed and their obligation was to deliver those documents to the National Parliament (NP). And my idea was to give opportunity to the Court of Appeals to make up its mind. I put forward my concern about the rectifying budget but it was not my prerogative to veto the budget from the government because it was debated in the NP and when the NP approves a budget, I am not entitled to veto it. Regarding the petition from the opposition parties, it was only about the decree lawfor the economic stabilization fund; it was not about the economic stabilization fund,” he said.

Elections cancelled for Chefe Sucos, Chefe Aldeias and Conselho do Sucos

2008-08-15T17:19:00.001+09:00

Elections cancelled for Chefe Sucos, Chefe Aldeias and Conselho do Sucos- RTL, Timor Post and Suara Timor Lorosa’e
The President of CNE Faustino Cardoso said that the National Commission of Electoral (CNE) will not be holding elections this year for Chefe Sucos, Chefe Aldeias and Conselho do Sucos. Mr Cardoso said that the elections were being stalled by a lack of time, funding and preparation.

Weapons Collection Campaign ends

2008-08-15T17:18:00.004+09:00

Weapons Collection Campaign ends– Timor Post and Diario Nacional
The Operational Commander of PNTL Mateus Fernandes said that during the weapon’s collection campaign, the public had voluntarily handed over traditional weapons to the operation team in every district. Separately, the State Secretary for the Council of Ministers Agio Pereira said that the Council of Ministers will have a congress with the Prime Minister to announce the result of this campaign and whether there is a possibility for extending the campaign.

Salvador Martins: ready to pay gambling tax

2008-08-15T17:18:00.003+09:00

Salvador Martins: ready to pay gambling tax – TVTL
Salvador Martins ‘Mauhoka’, a gambler in Dili, said that he would be ready to pay a gambling tax. Mauhoka, responsible for running the gambling game bola guling, said that he would agree to pay a gambling tax if a gambling law was passed in the country. He said that as a result of the Government clamp down on gambling, the 3000 people he employs will lose their jobs. Mauhoka is currently preparing a petition to ask the Government to reactivate gambling in Dili.

400 more IDP families return home

2008-08-15T17:18:00.001+09:00

400 more IDP families return home – TVTL
More than four hundred IDP families of the Minor Seminary of Balide IDP Camp have returned to their communities. The Minister of Social Solidarity Domingas Alves said that the decision of the IDPs to return home has contributed to the country’s future development. Separately, Camp Manager Antoninho dos Santos said that they are happy with the reintegration program of the Government but are still concerned about the safety of the IDPs once they return to their communities.

Illegal weapons handed over to PNTL in Viqueque

2008-08-15T17:17:00.001+09:00

Illegal weapons handed over to PNTL in Viqueque – TVTL
The population of Viqueque District have voluntarily handed over their illegal weapons to the PNTL District Commander Justino Menezes. The weapons included bullets, ammunition, hand grenades and riffles. Mr Menezes said that such traditional weapons were voluntarily handed over by people in each sub-district of the Viqueque. It is planned that all collected weapons will be destroyed on the anniversary of the Popular Consultation Day celebrated on 30 August.

PM asks public servants to use scholarship well

2008-08-15T17:16:00.000+09:00

PM asks public servants to use scholarship well – TVTL
The Prime Minister has said that public servants who were awarded with scholarship must study hard and return to their post successfully.The Prime Minister confirmed that the Government has sent fifty four public servants to study in Indonesia to help build their capacity to serve and develop the country. The Minister of Economics and Development João Gonçalves said that the training is very important for all public servants and wish the scholarship participants well.

Process to buy 65 luxury cars should be transparent

2008-08-14T09:16:00.000+09:00

Process to buy 65 luxury cars should be transparent- Diario Nacional

CNRT Chief Eduardo Barreto announced yesterday that he has asked the Finance Minister to present the document to purchase the 65 luxury cars to the public. Mr Barreto said that it was important that the details of the purchases be clarified.

Airport IDPs happy with recovery funds

2008-08-14T09:15:00.001+09:00

Airport IDPs happy with recovery funds- Timor Post

The majority of airport IDPs are happy with the Government’s recovery funds said IDPs Antonio Sarmento and Carlos Filipe. These former IDPs said that the money would go a long way to rebuilding their homes.