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East Timor News Digest 10 - October 1-31, 2004
The Australian - October 1, 2004
Nigel Wilson, Energy writer -- Talks on a maritime boundary
between Australia and East Timor concluded on schedule in Darwin
yesterday after both sides agreed there was little chance of
early agreement on key terms.
It is understood no agreement has been reached on the amount of
money East Timor would receive if Australia's existing maritime
boundary were maintained, with the parties reportedly some way
apart.
A formal statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade said talks were productive. "The talks will resume
after the election at a time and venue to be confirmed. We are
continuing to pursue a creative solution," a DFAT spokeswoman
said.
"Creative solution" relates to the view of East Timor's Prime
Minister, Mari Alkatiri, that it could compromise on boundaries
or on revenue from Timor Sea resources development, but not on
both.
Australia has argued strongly that it will not cede its belief
that the border should be at the edge of the continental shelf,
which at some places is only about 80km from the East Timor
coast.
But East Timor wants the boundary set at the mid-point between
the two countries, or at least the lateral boundaries of the
joint petroleum development area in the Timor Sea recalculated to
include all of the Greater Sunrise gas reservoir and the
producing Laminaria/Corallina and Buffalo oil fields.
At issue is ownership of oil and gas reserves the UN estimates
could be worth $US30 billion over the next 30 years.
The Dili delegation to the Darwin talks, a continuation of
meetings in Canberra last month, was led by East Timor's
Secretary of State for Resources and Energy, Jose Teixeira, a
close supporter of Dr Alkatiri.
Mr Teixeira has previously expressed caution about whether a deal
could be achieved that would allow East Timor to ratify
previously negotiated arrangements before the end of the year
that could lead to early development of the Greater Sunrise gas
reservoirs.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he wanted the
negotiations to be concluded by Christmas.
The Labor Party is understood to have told East Timor that
resolving the boundary will be a priority if it is elected on
Saturday week.
Australia Associated Press - October 7, 2004
Karen Michelmore, Darwin -- Most Australians believe an
independent adjudicator should decide the location of Australia's
maritime boundary with East Timor if negotiations fail, a
national poll found today.
The Newspoll survey found 77 per cent of Australians supported
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) determining the boundary
-- which would divide up the Timor Sea's rich oil and gas
reserves -- if the dispute is not resolved amicably. Ten per cent
opposed the idea, while 13 per cent were undecided.
The survey was commissioned by businessman Ian Melrose as part of
a $2 million advertising campaign he is sponsoring in a bid to
pressure the federal government to agree to a fairer deal for the
impoverished neighbouring East Timor.
Greens senator Bob Brown today challenged Labor to pledge to
refer the dispute to the ICJ if it won government. The Howard
government had refused to allow the ICJ to settle the dispute, he
said.
"The Greens have advocated for some time that the ICJ should
adjudicate on the disputed maritime boundary between Australia
and East Timor to ensure that international law applies," Senator
Brown said.
"If it does, we know that East Timor, the poorest nation in our
region, will get a much fairer share of oil and gas reserves than
it has under the Howard government. East Timor needs its rightful
share of these resources to provide for its people -- to build
schools, hospitals and roads."
The poll was conducted by Newspoll in Australian capital cities
in the final weekend of the election campaign, with 700 people
quizzed.
"This poll shows that the Australian people believe that the ICJ
is the appropriate body to resolve any ongoing dispute," Mr
Melrose said.
"Yet two months before East Timor became a nation in May 2002,
the Howard government withdrew recognition of the ICJ's
jurisdiction over the matter.
"It's time for both the prime minister and Opposition Leader Mark
Latham to reconsider their position and commit to the ICJ being
the final arbiter of the dispute."
Mr Melrose has been airing television commercials to raise
awareness of the issue in marginal seats across Australia.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer last month said negotiations
over the boundary would likely be finalised by Christmas.
Woodside Petroleum warned in July its multi-billion dollar
Sunrise gas project in the Timor Sea would stall if the countries
did not resolve their dispute over the boundary by the end of the
year.
The boundary has been a major sticking point between the two
countries, with Timor Sea's oil and gas reserves estimated to be
worth $US30 billion.
West Timor/refugees
Justice & reconciliation
Aid and development
Indonesia
News & issues
International relations
Business & investment
Local media monitoring
Timor Gap
Timor Sea talks end in a stalemate
Australians support ICJ determining Timor boundary
Call for 'fair go' on oil revenue
Sunday Times - October 10, 2004
Peter Sweeney -- Australia has been called on to give a "fairer go" to East Timor over the oilfields issue. The Federal Government has been accused of "megaphone diplomacy" in its negotiations with its battling neighbour.
"East Timor stood up for Australia when it mattered most [during World War II] and now it's time for us to stand up for them," said Philip Glendenning, of the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education. The centre was formed by the Christian Brothers, who were founded by Edmund Rice in 1802.
"Australia-wide, our schools and community groups are concerned at how we are treating East Timor," Mr Glendenning said in a letter to Prime Minister John Howard.
"We recall with not much pride the support given by the Australian government to the Indonesian government in the lead-up to their invasion of East Timor in 1975.
"Our Government is presently receiving far more revenue from the oilfields than we provide in aid programs to East Timor. It makes any claim to generosity on our part a hollow travesty of the truth.
"The projected benefits to Australia from the yet-to-be-developed fields, such as Greater Sunrise, dwarf the current unjust advantage we have negotiated for ourselves.
"The issuing of exploration licences by Australia in territory that is closer to East Timor than Australia calls in question any pretence of sincerity on our part."
The Edmund Rice centre has called on the Government to negotiate a fairer maritime boundary, including seabed and water economic zones, with East Timor.
"People in East Timor live on around 50 cents a day and yet we have access to their resources," Mr Glendenning said. "We treat them very shoddily and it's hardly an example of good neighbourliness."
Lusa - October 18, 2004
Dili -- East Timor's future oil and gas revenues must have positive effects for the world's newest nation, which is taking measures to prevent the damage that similar oil bonanzas have inflicted on other states, Prime Minster Mari Alkatiri said Monday.
Alkatiri was speaking at the launch of public consultations on Timor's petroleum fund, set up in 2003 and modeled on a similar body created by Norway to manage Oslo's North Sea oil revenues.
"Experiences in other countries show that oil wealth can easily become a curse instead of a blessing. So that Timor can ensure proper management of its oil revenues, it is important that our people are well informed and that we manage to implement a strategy based on the widest possible agreement".
The Dili government says it will present its final oil fund proposals to Parliament to enable the new body to be operational by July, 2005.
Separately, the United Nations' representative for Timor, Sukehiro Hasegawa, has described the security situation in the nation as "calm", although state institutions are still "fragile".
Speaking in Lisbon after a meeting with Portuguese Foreign Minister Antsnio Monteiro, Hasegawa said Timor still urgently needs international specialists in sectors including law and order and justice to rectify its institutional shortcomings.
The Japanese diplomat said that UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has proposed that the current 630-strong UNMISET mission in Timor is prolonged to May, 2005.
After this date, "the Security Council will have to decide what type of presence Timor needs", said Hasegawa, adding that the UN would continue to support Dili through its specialist agencies.
Sydney morning Herald - October 26, 2004
Tom Allard -- East Timor is making a last-minute attempt to secure a $3 billion liquid natural gas processing plant and pipeline on its soil as negotiations over the Timor Gap oil and gas reserves resume in Dili.
The proposal comes on top of East Timor's demands for up to $5 billion extra in royalties from the Greater Sunrise oil and gas project and its attempt to reset the maritime boundary with Australia.
Timorese officials yesterday argued the plant would offer the fledgling nation new employment opportunities, a chance to diversify and modernise its economy and additional tax revenues.
The Resources Minister, Jose Teixeira, said through a spokesman that the Government would ensure all avenues were exhausted in pursuit of the pipeline and gas plant.
Officials said this meant the plant was formally on the table in the talks, which have broken down on several occasions amid charges from East Timor of Australian bullying, a denial of international justice and looming economic catastrophe.
Going into the Dili meeting, both sides expressed optimism that a deal could be completed before the end of the year, allowing Woodside Petroleum and its joint venture partners to begin the Greater Sunrise project, which will bring in an estimated $15 billion in tax revenue alone over 30 years.
The basic framework of the deal, Australian and Timorese officials say, is that East Timor will agree to defer talks on the maritime boundary in exchange for up to $5 billion in extra revenue from Greater Sunrise.
Progress was made at talks in Darwin last month, and the Prime Minister, John Howard, has spoken twice to his East Timorese counterpart, Mari Alkatiri, since Mr Howard's election victory.
"The discussions towards a creative solution have progressed well," a Government source said last week. Officials said Mr Howard was hopeful of a settlement before Christmas and recognised that a favourable deal for East Timor would be in Australia's security interests.
With an annual budget of $130 million, rising poverty and entrenched and widespread unemployment, East Timor faces a precarious future.
Successful talks on the oil and gas dispute would at least double, and possibly treble, its budget overnight. It would also give certainty to Woodside and allow it to move to the design and construction phase and find a foundation customer.
However, East Timor's push to be given the contract to host and operate the liquid natural gas plant and pipeline is a late addition to negotiations. Woodside wants to select the site on technical and commercial grounds alone.
Woodside has three possible locations for the plant -- East Timor, Darwin and a floating operation.
The Northern Territory Government has made a concerted push for the pipeline and plant. Darwin will begin processing gas from the Bayu-Undan field shortly.
While East Timor gets 90 per cent of the royalties from Bayu- Undan, it claims that most of the economic benefits accrue to Australia through the plant.
Weekend Australian - October 30, 2004
Nigel Wilson -- East Timor is demanding the Australian Government pay more than $2.6 billion in compensation for oil produced from Timor Sea fields since 1999.
The country, which describes itself as the world's poorest, also wants the companies that invested in developing the Laminaria, Corallina and Buffalo oil fields to pay at least $600 million in compensation for royalties it claims that it should rightfully have been paid.
The huge claim is set to further sour relations between the two countries following the collapse earlier this week of maritime boundary talks.
East Timor's Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri, said in Perth yesterday the country had a right to be compensated because the fields were in areas over which it claimed sovereignty.
"Our claim is clear because we believe that not only is Greater Sunrise within our area but that Laminaria, Corallina and Buffalo are in the area of Timorese jurisdiction," he said. "Surely, if it is ours, it is ours."
Dr Alkatiri was in Perth for a University of Western Australia geology seminar and for talks with representatives of Woodside and ConocoPhillips, the major partners in the Greater Sunrise gas project in the Timor Sea.
Woodside operates the Laminaria and Corallina fields, which earlier this decade were Australia's largest oil producers at about 140,000 barrels a day. Natural field decline has reduced production to about 40,000 barrels today.
Buffalo, originally developed by BHP Petroleum and now owned by the Nexen Energy group of Calgary in Canada, is scheduled to cease production by the end of this year.
In Dili on Wednesday, talks on a maritime boundary between the two countries collapsed after East Timor rejected an offer of about $3million to offset the smaller share of revenue it would garner from the the Greater Sunrise development under existing arrangements.
Woodside says it wants the East Timorese to provide legal and fiscal certainty by the end of the year, and has warned the project will stall.
The Dili talks were rocked when East Timor insisted development of Greater Sunrise must result in the gas being piped to a liquefied natural gas plant to be built in the country. This is the least likely of three options now being considered by the Sunrise partners.
Dr Alkatiri said East Timor was committed to develop Sunrise, but would not approve development if it prejudiced the country's aims.
He said East Timor would not be rushed into a decision because it did not believe the end-of-year deadline was real. "What we have been trying to do is defer consideration of the maritime boundary [but] the Australian Government is looking at money only," he said. "We are not looking at money but at sustainable development that will benefit our people."
Dr Alkatiri said he did not believe the dispute would damage long-term relations between the countries.
| West Timor/refugees |
Agence France Presse - October 19, 2004
Jakarta -- There has been a jump in the number of East Timorese refugees returning home from Indonesia, where they have been living since East Timor's bloody breakaway in 1999, the UN refugee agency said Tuesday.
About 56 have already returned home this month, a surprising jump from the 192 in the first nine months of the year, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regional representative Robert Ashe told AFP.
Non-governmental organizations and Indonesian authorities expect an even bigger number of people to register to go home in the coming months, said Ashe, who just returned from meetings in the refugee areas in West Timor.
He said it was hard to predict how many wanted to return, but, "I think it is clear, though, that there are more people interested in going back at the moment."
"It is a bit of a surprise. We had thought beforehand that most people had made the decision that they wanted to remain in Indonesia," he said.
Ashe said the apparent increase in number of people wanting to return could stem from the fact that the farmers among them no longer had the same access to land in West Timor as they had when they first arrived, he said.
About 200,000 East Timorese fled or were forced into West Timor by the Indonesian military and their militia proxies as part of a scorched earth policy following East Timor's vote in August 1999 for independence.
The United Nations alleges the Indonesian military and militia also destroyed close to 70 percent of all buildings in East Timor and murdered at least 1,400 people before and after the vote.
The UNHCR and Indonesia's National Co-ordination Agency agreed at the beginning of 2003 that 28,000 refugees remained in West Timor. About 500 returned to went home in 2003, Ashe said.
Most of those who remained living in squalid settlements in West Timor were former militia, military, police, government workers or their followers.
Since early 2003 the East Timorese in Indonesia have been no longer officially considered refugees and those who wanted it could attain Indonesian citizenship.
Impoverished and tiny East Timor attained independence in May 2002 after a period of UN stewardship.
| Justice & reconciliation |
Associated Press - October 29, 2004
East Timor on Friday indicted eight Indonesian soldiers and two militiamen for allegedly killing two UN election workers and attacking independence supporters during the country's bloody break from Indonesian rule in 1999.
The indictments bring to 391 the number of Indonesian military and militia members charged with human rights violations over the violence that left 1,500 Timorese dead and the half-island in ruins. The indictments were filed at the Special Panel for Serious Crimes in the capital, Dili.
Prosecutors alleged that Lt. Mohamad Roni and soldiers Joao da Costa and Domingos de Deus gunned down the two UN election workers during an independence referendum on August 30, 1999. The soldiers targeted the pair at a polling station in Atsabe, about 57 kilometers west of Dili, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors also said that five members of the Indonesian army, including three district commanders, joined two militia leaders in attacks on independence supporters. The seven allegedly killed six independence supporters between early May and Aug. 11, 1999, in Viqueque, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) west of the capital. Prosecutors say the killings were aimed at convincing voters to reject independence. But the referendum passed and East Timor became a sovereign country in May 2002.
De Deus remains in Dili but the other nine suspects are believed to be in Indonesia. Some 280 others are also believed to be in Indonesia, including failed Indonesian presidential candidate Gen. Wiranto, who was the country's military chief in 1999.
Indonesia is under no obligation to hand over the suspects, and has said it will not respond to earlier indictments. East Timor has not aggressively pushed to have the defendants returned to the country, saying that maintaining good relations with its large neighbor is more important.
Courts in Jakarta were set up to prosecute top Indonesians responsible for the violence, but rights groups have widely criticized the trials as failures. All 16 police and military officers charged have been acquitted, while two ethnic East Timorese civilians were found guilty.
| Aid and development |
Multinational Monitor - September, 2004
A labor dispute in Timor-Leste (East Timor) is putting the World Bank's "dream [of] a world free of poverty" to the test.
The dispute challenges the Bank to apply to itself the standards the institution claims to promote, including a commitment to rule of law, poverty elimination, fundamental labor rights and sustainable development.
On December 3, 2003, security guards and custodial workers at the World Bank headquarters in newly independent Timor-Leste went on strike after eight days of informational picketing. They were protesting a unilateral 30 percent wage reduction by their employer Chubb Protective Services, a multinational subsidiary of the conglomerate United Technologies Corporation, which had been contracted by the Bank. Chubb, which has a history of poor labor relations in a number of countries, sacked the 32 striking workers the next day.
The Timor Lorosa'e Trade Union Confederation (KSTL), which represents the striking workers, alleges that in December 2002, Chubb instructed workers to sign a new contract -- written in English, a language that many did not understand -- cutting their monthly wages from $133 to $94. Using threats of termination to coerce signatures, union representatives say Chubb offered no explanation at the time for the cut. KSTL officials say they were bounced back and forth between Chubb and the Bank in its protracted efforts to negotiate a resolution -- with each shifting blame to the other.
Since the strike, the fired workers and their families have struggled to support themselves. Some have returned to work for Chubb, where, according to KSTL, company staff has warned rehired workers not to engage in union activity. The union has also alleged that "termination without reason, termination without warning, unpaid overtime, discrimination on salary, and recruitment without contract" characterize Chubb's operations in Timor-Leste.
The union says Chubb has violated articles 50, 51 and 52 of Timor-Leste's constitution, providing for the "right to work," "right to strike and prohibition of lock-out" and "trade union freedom," and that it has also violated Timor's Labor Code. "We condemn" Chubb's "exploitation and violation of workers' human rights," say the Chubb workers in a statement.
In a letter to United Technologies Corporation and Chubb Protective Services, the World Bank reminded the companies that it "supports the promotion of the International Labor Organization's (ILO's) Core Labor Standards and expects its contractors to follow such in accordance with the applicable national law. The World Bank recognizes the important role the core labor standards can play in advancing economic, social and human development." One of the core labor standards is the right of freedom of association and collective bargaining.
Despite this reminder, the Timor-Leste workers say the Bank has evaded responsibility for its subcontractor's treatment of workers at its own facility.
The Bank insists it "is not a party to the dispute between Chubb and its employees, and the Bank has no right to direct a settlement of this dispute, or direct Chubb to re-hire any particular person." Global pressure has forced multinational corporations like Nike to accept accountability for the actions of their subcontractors, however, and the unionists and their supporters say no less should be expected of the Bank.
Part of the dispute is rooted in the Bank's policy to promote, rather than require, respect for the ILO's core labor standards. Thus, like many of its borrowers, the Bank in Timor-Leste has voluntarily opted out of the very policies it claims to encourage.
This labor dispute also raises questions about the Bank's commitment to poverty elimination. The first of the UN Millennium Development Goals, which the Bank has actively endorsed, is to "eradicate extreme poverty and hunger," with extreme poverty defined as living on less than one dollar a day. The Bank itself contends that a dollar a day represents an absolute poverty line. At $94 per month, the new Chubb wage would support about three people at the absolute poverty line, but most of the sacked workers are the primary wage earners for larger families.
In a letter to global unions which have contacted the Bank in solidarity with the Timor-Leste workers, the Bank contends that it "requires that Chubb provide its employees with fair wages, leave and medical benefits." Chubb must "pay salary and benefits commensurate with industry averages for the area, that meet or exceed local labor codes and guidelines, and which are benchmarked against government pay scales, where applicable." However, the workers say that if a "fair wage" is interpreted as a living wage, then in Timor-Leste, the Bank is choosing an impoverishing market wage. An unskilled worker should be paid $109-$160 per month, according to an August 2003 international nongovernmental organization voluntary salary scale.
"Chubb's normal business practice is to offer employees terms and conditions that are consistent with local regulations," says the company in a statement. "Our employees in East Timor were offered a competitive market rate as well as free medical service for themselves and their families.
During a dispute over pay in the last year, some workers took action, which Chubb believes to have been illegal." The company says it "is confident that its actions were both legal and fair."
Chubb also reports that it sold its Timorese business to a local manager at the start of September.
The East Timor Action Network and several labor organizations, trade unions and union federations have protested Chubb's actions to United Technologies Corporation and the World Bank. In the meantime, KSTL has taken its case against Chubb to the Dili District Court, where it is now being heard.
[Karen Orenstein is Washington Coordinator of the East Timor Action Network.]
| Indonesia |
Kyodo News - October 6, 2004
East Timor Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta on Wednesday extended the former Indonesian province's congratulations to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on winning Indonesia's presidential election.
"We Timor Leste (East Timor) congratulate the elected president Bambang Yudhoyono," Ramos-Horta said, adding Yudhoyono would be a "good leader for the region and will be a good friend of East Timor."
Ramos-Horta, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 for his campaign for the East Timor people, also praised Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri for her efforts to normalize relations between East Timor and Indonesia.
"She is the one who led the effort to the process in Indonesia to have a direct presidential election. It was her. So, she left a very positive legacy," Ramos-Horta said.
East Timor, which was a Portuguese colony before being invaded by Indonesia in 1975, gained independence on May 20, 2002, after more than 24 years under Indonesian occupation and two-and-a-half years under UN administration.
Lusa - October 22, 2004
Dili -- Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, returning to East Timor from Jakarta Friday, said he had held successful talks with Indonesia's new president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
"We were clear", Alkatiri said of his talks with Yudhoyono on debarking at Dili airport. "We said we had outstanding [bilateral] issues, but no problems. We have outstanding issues to be resolved, but no problems exist".
Alkatiri, who met with Yudhoyono in Jakarta after the newly elected army general was sworn in as Indonesia's president Wednesday, also said he had delivered an invitation from President Xanana Gusmco, who is on an official visit to Germany, for Yudhoyono to visit Dili.
The Indonesian leader "demonstrated interest in visiting East Timor", but no date had been set, the prime minister added.
East Timor gained its independence from Indonesia after nearly a quarter-century of occupation following an UN-sponsored plebiscite in 1999 that was accompanied by a scorched-earth campaign launched by pro-Jakarta militias.
Also on the foreign policy front, Alkatiri reaffirmed his intention of proposing that the eight-nation Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), to which Dili belongs, hold a summit in the East Timorese capital.
He has said such a meeting could involve neighboring Southeast Asian states as a means of the CPLP "affirming [itself] in the world" and promoting "technical, economic and trade cooperation".
The prime minister also said an investigation was under way to determine the origin of a live grenade found by children on a beach beside his Dili residence Thursday. "Fortunately nothing happened", Alkatiri said, adding that, while he had been "the target", the "victims would have been the children".
Tempo Interactive - October 25, 2004
Denpasar -- The president of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao, rejected [the idea] he was not close to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and that this would be problematic for bilateral relations. On Saturday (23 October) in Legian, Bali, Xanana said that he was optimistic that the close relations they had established would continue in the future.
Xanana then said that his willingness to become the president of Timor Leste when the 2001 elections were held was partly due to SBY's encouragement. "One day SBY called me when I was in Jakarta and he asked me to become president for five years to ensure good relations with Indonesia," he said. At the time, SBY was the coordinating minister for political and security affairs in Megawati's cabinet.
Xanana felt the need to explain that to indicate he was close to SBY and not only with certain other people. If there was an impression before the Indonesian elections that he was closer to Wiranto as presidential candidate, Xanana said that was only because of the frequent meetings he held with Wiranto. According to Xanana, Indonesia and Timor Leste no longer have crucial problems. The only problems are border problems, which are more technical and geographic in nature. In other areas, he said, the only remaining consideration would be further closer cooperation.
[From BBC World Monitoring.]
| News & issues |
Lusa - October 12, 2004
Dili -- East Timor has launched an official website to promote tourism in the world's newest nation.
The new site www.turismotimorleste.com has versions in Portuguese and English and contains key facts on Timor's history and culture, as well as information on accommodation and specialist holidays including hiking, diving and bird watching.
In his welcome to the site, State Secretary for Tourism, Environment and investment Josi Teixeira describes tourism as the "world's peace industry" and says Dili aims to boost the sector to "ensure sustainable development".
Australian Magazine - October 16, 2004
Bruce Loudon -- At the time, the authorities dismissed it as a straightforward case of journalists tragically caught in the crossfire.
Just before dawn, 29 years ago today, five television journalists reporting on Indonesia's incipient invasion of the Portuguese colony of East Timor were killed at the hamlet of Balibo. Since then, the deaths of Australians Tony Stewart, 21, and Greg Shackleton, 27; New Zealander Gary Cunningham, 27; and Britons Malcolm Rennie, 28, and Brian Peters, 29, have been mired in political controversy.
For it has taken all this time -- and the liberation of East Timor from Indonesian subjugation -- to penetrate the curtain of bureaucracy thrown up around events on that fateful day. Tony Stewart's brother Paul, a Melbourne journalist/ musician who was working for Channel Seven at the time, explains: "Successive governments will forever be damned for their cover-ups and inaction. It should be remembered that it was not only five journalists who died during the Indonesian invasion and subsequent occupation, but many Timorese as well."
What, then, are the facts as they have emerged? On the day, the five at Balibo were in direct line of Indonesian forces advancing into East Timor.
The Portuguese colony was in ferment following the April 25, 1974, "Carnation Revolution" in Lisbon led by young officers of the Movimento das Forcas Armadas, who were determined to end Portugal's colonial commitments. Indonesia wanted to exploit the unrest and grab control of East Timor rather than see it handed over to what it regarded as leftist guerilla insurgents.
The impending Indonesian invasion was hardly a secret. Whitlam's government was aware of it. There was a nod and a wink. Canberra made it plain to Jakarta that while it voted for a UN resolution condemning Indonesian action, it did not want to get involved in East Timor.
The attack on Balibo was launched before first light on October 16 -- and one of the more startling revelations to emerge over the years has been that Australia's embassy in Jakarta was made aware of the impending attack three days before it was launched. Yet no warning was passed on to the "Balibo Five", who had been deployed to report the invasion.
It seems they, too, were acutely aware of the impending danger. They had scrawled the word "Australia" on the house they were occupying, and drawn an Australian flag on the wall, clearly in the hope that this would reinforce their claims to neutrality and their role as independent reporters.
Four inquiries into their killing have been held since 1975. The UN, too, during the time of its rule over East Timor following Indonesia's expulsion, held an investigation. Three Indonesians, one a senior general who went on to become a government minister, were recommended for indictment over the killings, but that, too, got nowhere.
However, what seems clear now is that, far from being "caught in the crossfire", the five were deliberately killed by Indonesian special forces not in the house where they were staying, but at another nearby. And that afterwards there was a cover-up not just in Jakarta but in Canberra, too.
Today, the renovated "Balibo Flag House" stands as a memorial to an inglorious episode in relations between the two countries -- and a constant reminder of the sort of risks reporters run as they seek to cover the world's trouble spots.
Sunday Telegraph - October 24, 2004
Luke McIlveen -- Hundreds of Australian soldiers were used as guinea pigs by the army in tests of an anti-malaria drug which has psychotic side effects while they were serving in East Timor.
An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph reveals that the soldiers were ordered to take the drug, Larium, by the army as part of tests to observe side effects, which can include depression and paranoia. But the soldiers claim they were not fully informed of the possible adverse reactions and some are planning a class action against the army.
Members of the 2RAR battalion and 4RAR commandos have suffered family breakdowns, paranoia and suicidal thoughts after taking Larium, also known as Mefloquine. One young soldier, who received three service medals in East Timor, took his girlfriend hostage at gunpoint soon after his return. Other soldiers have experienced illnesses such as kidney disease and migraine.
Brisbane firm Quinn and Scattini is set to launch a class action against the army on behalf of personnel who took Larium while in East Timor. "We believe liability will be found in these cases," lawyer Simon Harrison said.
Army officials admitted using soldiers as guinea pigs but claimed the tests involved "dozens rather than hundreds" of soldiers. The defence department refused to detail the number of soldiers who have taken Larium but it conceded that the drug is used as a back-up to other anti-malarial drugs.
But the department denied that Larium has any side effects, despite it being sold with warnings and that the Therapeutic Goods Administration has reported adverse reactions. In addition, the US military conducted an investigation into its use after two soldiers on the drug murdered their wives.
Soldiers interviewed by The Sunday Telegraph estimate the number of Australian soldiers on Larium is close to 400. Some were told to take the tablets while others were offered the choice between taking Larium weekly or another drug daily.
Army top brass admits Larium is still used as an alternative to the first choice malaria drug, Doxycycline. "The Australian Defence Force considers that Mefloquine (Larium), a drug approved by the Australian Therapeutic Drug Administration, is a suitable drug to use in the prevention and treatment of malaria," said Rear-Admiral Brian Adams, head of the Defence Personnel Executive. "We acknowledge that any drug may have some level of risk but in this case we worked on the basis that the consequences of malaria justified the controlled use of Mefloquine for those people unable to tolerate Doxycycline."
A spokeswoman for Roche Australia -- which manufactures Larium -- said the company's medical director was overseas and unavailable for comment. A Therapeutic Goods Administration spokesperson said the product information that comes with Mefloquine in Australia has clear statements about psychiatric side effects.
Sunday Mail (Queensland) - October 31, 2004
The Chief of Army has admitted more than 1300 troops who served in East Timor were given an anti-malarial drug with potentially devastating side effects.
It also has been revealed hundreds of our soldiers in Timor were used to test an unauthorised drug being developed by the US Army.
Troops were told the mystery drug would leave calcium deposits on their eyes but were assured these would "disappear after about six months".
Army chief Peter Leahy was forced to disclose the real number of troops used as guineapigs after it was revealed hundreds of them suffered depression and psychotic episodes as a result of taking Larium.
His account of the clinical trials conducted on 1351 soldiers directly contradicts that of the military's medical chief, Air Commodore Tony Austin, who said the number was in the "dozens rather than hundreds".
"All drugs have some side effects and no drug is risk-free but the risk of death from malaria is much greater than the risks associated with taking the anti-malarial drugs prescribed in the ADF," Lieutenant-General Leahy said in a signal sent to every member of the army last week.
He said the studies showed the soldiers from the 1RAR, 2RAR and 4RAR battalions suffered nothing more serious than "sleep disturbance".
He said the trials occurred in 2001, but the Sunday Mail has confirmed Larium was used on troops in East Timor from 1999 until 2003.
More than 250 current and former soldiers are suing the army for loss of income, mental trauma and family breakdown. It will be one of the biggest class actions against the military. Brisbane legal firm Quinn and Scattini also plans to begin a product liability suit in the US Supreme Court against the makers of Larium, pharmaceutical giant Roche.
Our troops also tested the unauthorised malaria drug Tafenoquine which left soldiers with calcium deposits in their eyes. The drug was not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and soldiers from the Townsville-based 1RAR battalion were told the research was being done on behalf of the US Army and health giant GlaxoSmithKline.
"We know from the examinations in the soldiers that deposits disappear after about six months," senior army medical officer Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Nasveld said in a letter to troops after the trials.
"We do not believe these deposits have any long-term effects on your eyes or your vision."
Army chiefs in Canberra said the trials were voluntary, but soldiers have described how they were ordered to take the drug or stay at home.
Private Jason Rule, who served in the 1RAR battalion in East Timor in 1999, said his army career was ruined by the Larium pill he took every week for six months.
"We were in no doubt if we didn't take the Larium we would not be going to East Timor," Mr Rule said.
"I had to get out because it was doing my head in. I have outbursts of anger, can't sleep and that sort of thing," he said.
His story was backed by fellow 1RAR Private Duncan Carter, who did two tours of East Timor in 2000 and 2003.
Mr Carter who left the army in March said he suffered anger problems, stomach disorders and long periods of paranoia.
"We have to speak out because the army is not going to address the problem unless it is forced to take responsibility," he said.
| International relations |
Kyodo News - October 7, 2004
East Timor Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said Wednesday his country is to participate in the ASEAN Regional Forum for the first time in Laos next June.
The decision was endorsed by members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a meeting in New York of the heads of the diplomatic missions of the 10 ASEAN members Brunei, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar.
ARF is Asia's top international security forum and brings together ministers from ASEAN and their counterparts from Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia and the United States. North Korea and other countries with regional interests are often invited as well.
| Business & investment |
Far Eastern Economic Review - October 21, 2004
East Timor believes that the Starbucks seal of approval will give its key coffee industry a fillip. The world's leading retailer of speciality coffee on October 10 launched its first single-origin coffee from East Timor at Starbucks branches around Australia and New Zealand, a company spokeswoman said.
The brand, dubbed Timor Lorosa'e, is expected to eventually go on sale at the firm's more than 8,000 branches worldwide -- a first for a single-origin coffee from the fledgling country. The Seattle-based company signed a deal in late September to buy the organically grown Arabica from Cafi Cooperative Timor, a major exporter representing 20,000 farmers. "We've gone out and achieved international recognition, and that's good for the future of East Timor's coffee industry," said CCT's senior agricultural adviser Alistair Laird.
East Timor Agriculture Minister Estanislau da Silva agreed, telling the Review that the move will increase farmers' incomes and "help to develop this industry, to improve agronomic practices." He said that Starbucks, which has long purchased blends from East Timor, would be paying between $1.26 and $1.41 a pound for the single-origin coffee as a so-called "fair-trade certified" product, adding that this was almost three times more than farmers could currently expect.
Jakarta Post - October 22, 2004
On the sidelines of his visit here to attend the inauguration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri talked on Wednesday with The Jakarta Post's Veeramalla Anjaiah and Adianto P. Simamora. The following are excerpts of the interview.
Question: What do you think of a retired Army general, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, becoming Indonesia's new president?
Answer: Let me first congratulate Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Jusuf Kalla for their victory in the first-ever direct presidential election. I would also like to congratulate all leaders of Indonesia, particularly Ibu Megawati Soekarnoputri, for the successful democratic election process.
President Susilo is not new to us, we have met him several times already and know him very well. I can describe the President as an open-minded person, and very competent in his duties. I am sure he will become one of the best presidents of Indonesia. We are ready to work with him in the interests of both countries, and strengthen our relations further.
How does Indonesia figure in your country's foreign policy?
Indonesia is one of the most important countries to us. East Timor is a very small country dwarfed between two big countries in the region: Australia and Indonesia. What we are looking for are the best possible relations with Indonesia. These ties are based on our historic, political, economic and geostrategic interests.
What about economic relations?
They are good. Some Indonesian companies have already been operating in East Timor. By end of this year, we will have a new package of laws, especially investment laws. These laws are intended to attract foreign investment. I think many Indonesian businesspeople will come to East Timor to invest. Indonesia is one of our biggest trade and economic partners.
What is your government's stance on the verdicts handed down in cases of human rights abuses in East Timor?
As the Prime Minister of East Timor, I don't want to make any comment on courts in foreign countries. It would not be appropriate of me to comment on Indonesian courts.
As far as the courts in East Timor are concerned, I can tell you that more people have been convicted. So far, these courts are administered by personnel from the United Nations, not from East Timor. I think, these courts have not achieved 100 percent success in dealing with serious crime. But, they have been doing a good job. And now we are approaching the end of the UN's presence in East Timor. We have already begun some discussions on how to administer these courts once the UN has left the country. We have to do something to continue the legal process.
Still, there are some contentious issues, like Indonesian assets and the demarcation of borders. What is your government's stance on these problems?
Relations are very good at the highest levels. Of course, we are aware that some issues are still pending. We have held a series of talks on reaching a land-border agreement and they are in the final phase. We are yet to reach an agreement on maritime boundaries. We have many avenues to resolve these pending issues. And we have this issue of assets. We are working on it. We need a particular kind of approach to resolve it.
Could you tell us about the around 400 Indonesians who are staying at a mosque in Dili? How you are going to settle this matter?
There are around 400 Indonesians staying at the mosque. They are illegals. They don't want to be legalized, but they claim they are East Timorese. Our foreign affairs, labor and human rights offices are working with them, trying to implement our laws in our country. I am sure that if the same situation happened in another country, they would have been expelled from the country by now. Since it is the holy month of Ramadhan, we stopped pressurizing them. They are still there.
Being a Muslim prime minister in the predominantly catholic East Timor, how do you feel and what kind of difficulties do you face?
Personally, I am a Muslim, though not a leader of the Muslim community in East Timor. I have been telling the people that as a politician and as a prime minister, I have no religion. I did not get this job because of my religion. I got it because of my involvement in the struggle for freedom, and my position in the ruling party. I am the prime minister of both Muslims and Christians, and the entire population of East Timor for that matter.
There is no discrimination against Muslims, who are the minority in East Timor. The Catholic church is very tolerant and the Muslim community has always been integrated into society, while maintaining differences in religion and some rituals. The 400 Indonesians, who are staying at the mosque, refused to integrate with East Timorese society. That's the problem. The spirit and sense of tolerance in East Timor is really very high.
| Local media monitoring |
Mr. Eusebio Guterres, a member of the National Parliament from Commission C said that Australia must be presented to the International Court if it violates Timorese rights in the Timor Sea negotiations. He advised the government to seriously consider a case.
Mr. Antonio Ximenes of the Democratic Christian Party said that he would be very proud if the government forms the position of Forestry Officer in order to help preserve Timor-Leste's forests. This formation would be prevent random cutting and burning of trees; he noted that this is a response to Timor Leste's current forestry problems.
The administrator of the Venilale Sub-district of the district of Baucau, Mr. Julio Tome da Silva, said that the Respect Project is now 50 % done and is focusing on road rehabilitation. Of the original budget of $ 9.990,00, $4.000,00 has been spent in the last year.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
The government of Australia contributed two containers of medicine to Timor-Leste through local NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations). The NGOs are currently cooperating with the Ministry of Health, said the Deputy director of Ngo Forum, Ms. Dinora Grandeiro. She added this medicine will be distributed to several groups in Timor-Leste, such as Pante Costas, Ojetil, the Atauro Vikele Group, SMP I Paulus Iliomar, Ermera students, the Lawana Primary School and others.
The introduction of helmet regulations was well received by the communities in Dili although some people are still not wearing helmets, said Mr. Sejario Martins, chief of the traffic division.
According to Martins' analysis, many motorcycle riders have died from traffic accidents thus far; for this reason, it is now obligatory for everyone to wear a helmet when they are riding on the road. Those who violate the law will be fined.
The supervisor of Timor Leste National Logistic Center (CLN-TL), Ms. Maria Ximenes, said that this year only yielded 300 tones of rice in three districts of Timor-Leste: Maliana, Manaturo and Covalima. Since the qualities did not meet certain requirements, buyers would not buy 100 tones as what they had planned before. She added that the price stated was $0.13 per kilogram.
Timor Post
Responding to the creation of Financial inspectors, the head of Democrat Party (PD), Mr. Rui Menezes noted that political willingness is required from each party in order to eradicate Corruption, Collusion and Nepotism (KKN) in Timor Leste. He added that the newly created Financial inspectors will help regulate the financial system.
Dili residents are now using firewood to cook instead of kerosene as the price has gone up dramatically, said Mr. Antonio Dias, a market vendor from the suco of Beira mar, the sub-district of Dom Aleixo. Mr. Dias noted that the price of kerosene has gone up recently by $0.25 per liter to $0.75 per liter. Many residents are now using firewood.
The Ministry of Health is not only concentrating on HIV/AIDS in Timor Leste but also the reduction of malaria through the distribution of mosquito nets to the communities, noted Mr. Ivo Irene da Costa Freitas, of the Social Communication Protocol. According to the data collected from the Ministry of Health 88 out of 1000 children died from malaria.
Mr. Ivo added that apart from the distribution of mosquito nets, the Ministry of Health is also increasing education efforts in affected communities.
Suara Timor Lorosae (STL)
The Electricity is now on again in the district of Baucau after eight months, said Paulino da Costa, an electricity technician. He noted the National Electricity Department has repaired several broken generators and now the power works for six hours per day. This puts the city at the same level of power availability as the rest of Timor-Leste, except Dili. He also added that there are plans for District EDTL to transport a new generator from Dili in order to provide additional power.
Vox Populi
According to regulation No. 10/July/2001, CAVR's mandate will end on October 7, 2004. When the Final Report is not completed according to the deadline, and in order to present a qualitative report on its tasks during its two years mandate (2001-2003), CAVR will present its request for extension of mandate to the National Parliament.
Fr. Jovito de Araujo do Rego, one of CAVR's National Commissioners, announced in a press conference (Wed, 15/9) that CAVR will request a six months extension of the mandate if the Final Report cannot be finalized according to the established deadline (October 04). This extension will give CAVR more time to draft a qualified report to fulfill expectations and hopes.
The drafting of the Final Report, which started on April 4, will be resumed from November to December 2004 if it is not completed timely. Time is needed for editing the chapters and for translating it from English to the official language of Portuguese. The2000 page report, written in English and Indonesian, will consists of 13 chapters including annexes.
At the end of its mandate CAVR will annotate all archives that will be used as references in future. The Commission will establish a team to take care of the archives and the office. The archives room will be named Quarto Santa Cruz [Santa Cruz Chamber], named after the 1991Santa Cruz massacre. Beside managing the archives, the team will be also responsible for developing the former prison (currently being used as CAVR's office) as a Human Rights Centre.
Hugo Fernandes, stated that the main constraint to the timely completion of the Final Report is the language barrier, as all the information gathered by the Commission from "statements, researches, public hearings" were provided in Tetun, English, Portuguese, and Indonesian. As the Final Report was to be written in Indonesian and English, all information gathered had to be translated into these two languages. The other constraint was the difficulty of interviewing key people.
Hugo declared that if the report is finalized according to the established deadline (October 7, 2004), then additional time will be required for editing.
Timor Post
A Memorandum of Understanding of US$ 1,2 million was signed in the Ministry of Internal Affairs by the US representative in Timor Leste (Mr. Grover Joseph Ree), the Vice-Minster of Internal Affairs, Mr. Alcino Araujo Barris and the UNDP representative, Mr. Sukehiro Hasegawa and it was also assisted by the PNTL Director, Mr. Paulo Martins. The aim is to strengthen the capacity of PNTL in the future, especially the Rapid Intervention Union (UIR), Reserved Police Union (URP), Patrolling Frontier Union (UPF) and Maritime Police Union (UPM).
The US representative, Mr. Grover Joseph Ree said that this was very important progress for the government of Timor Leste. Now the PNTL must work to build its capacity and become professional to serve the Timorese community. Mr. Sukehiro Hasegawa also said that in order to serve the community, police have to be professional and well trained as well as consistent in delivering their services.
Timor Post
Justino Aparmcio Guterres: Tertiary Education Institutions that do not fulfill criteria will not be accredited. This was announced by the Director General of Tertiary Education, MECYS, Justino AG during the Dili Institute of Technology's (DIT) orientation period for novices on Monday, 4/10/04: "When the Education Law enters into effect, all tertiary education institutions, including the TL National University, that do not fulfill the criteria will not be accredited. In this regard, I urge all tertiary education institutions to improve their resources and increase the education quality in order to qualify for accreditation."
An Education Law is really needed in TL in order to regulate the accreditation issue. A team of international experts on education is currently assisting the government in the draft of the higher education law. Justino also stated that the accreditation process of tertiary education can be started now, even if the education law is not yet approved.
The MECYS will instruct 19 tertiary education institutions in TL to provide their curriculum system and other requirements to fulfill for the accreditation such as the departments/courses available, quantity and quality of teaching staff, quantity of students, facilities like laboratories, library etc.
These institutions will or will not be accredited based on the fulfillment of these requirements.
There are around 25% of Timorese youth who don't get access to higher formal education. The government is striving to resolve this situation, and it's policy now is to give greater priority to professional and technology education.
TL's position on Timor Sea is not so strong, as the 30 years agreement signed by governments of Australia and TL two years ago, and will lead to the loose of TL's sovereignty over this area. Whenever this area, which is still in conflict between several nations, is continuously explored during this 30 years, then it will remain a no-man's-land. Any country may explore its resources. In case, during this 30 years, nothing is done to confirm its sovereignty over this area, then TL will lose it. Based on this, we can't say our position over the Timor Sea Agreement is strong.
The new Australian PM that will replace John Howard in the future will not say that the Timor Sea Agreement will end, as this agreement has been ratified by parliaments of both countries. The agreement will persist when there's no revision requested by both countries.
Whenever the new Australian PM agrees to renew the agreement, then it will bring advantages or disadvantages to TL, depends on who from TL negotiates with Australia. The first negotiation was performed by only one person that was Mari Alkatiri. Even Ramos Horta did not participate in the negotiation.
During the CNRT ruling, it has been agreed that a negotiation team will be established to negotiate with any country concerned. Everything changed. The negotiation was performed by only one person, and thus no one can say that our position on this issue is strong.
Another option is to make a new negotiation with Australia in order to explore onshore mineral resources. This will bring advantages to TL, such as creation of employment. Under Portuguese rule two companies, Timor Oil Co. and Prope Hill Corporation, had started onshore mineral exploration in Suai, Same, Aliambata, and Watulari. These two companies have expressed their willingness to return and explore the mineral resources in their former sites. As the government has a different policy in this regard this could not take place in the near future.
The generator in the district of Los Palos has been stopped for two weeks as it has not had a sufficient fuel supply, said the district administrator, Mr. Abilio Quintao.
This problems is being escalated to the National Electricity Department and there will be fuel delivered temporarily for the duration of one month to the district of Los Palos, Mr. Quintao noted. He also proposed that the National EDTL provide maintenance equipment in the future.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e
The government of Japan through the UNDP-Respect program will implement a Reforestation in the Park of Peace Taci Tolu which will be carried out by an NGO named International Development Center of Japan (IDCJ-TL). The total fund for the implementation is US$150.000, noted Mr. Abel Lacanlale, District Program Manager of the UNDP Respect Program.
Mr. Lacanlale added that this park is considered historical and important towards the independence of the nation, following the visit of the Catholic leader Pope II and the celebration of the first Timor Leste independence day.
There will be 40 hectares of land reforested in January which is technically supported by the local community of Taci Tolu and a local NGO named SANTALUM, and it will be monitored by the UNDP team. This project will also involve the ex-combatants, veterans, youth disabilities and the most priority will be given to Taci Tolu residents.
In the same article, Mr. Naori Miyazawa, IDCJ Country Project Manager/Environmental Specialist noted that this fund is also contributed to by the Japanese International communities, such as America to support the development of Timorese communities, especially in agriculture sector.
The President of Timor Leste, Mr. Xanana Gusmao asserted that he will use his competency to dismiss CPD-RDTL groups because they do not obey the constitution which is applying and also opposed the transition of UNTAET and UNMISET as well as the definitive government of Timor Leste. He said this in relation to the statement made the political manifests of CPD-RDTL that currently Timor- Leste is still under the governance of International communities, which means that it has not achieved the full independence.
In the same article, the president also advised the members of CPD-RDTL to participate in the government national program, such as the census and to take part in the election of 'chefe suco' or 'head of the village'.
Timor Post
This was stated by Horta during the UN SC meeting in New York. In his speech Horta also spoke about TL's current situation, reform of the UN especially in the Security Council, and assistance to developing countries by developed countries.
In regard to the reform of the SC, Horta, backed up Indonesian membership in the SC as Indonesia, in terms of population, is the fourth biggest in the world, number three in terms of democracy, and number one in religious and civilization representation. This will help keep an equilibrium in the SC as most country members are from nations with a Christian majority. In the last 50 years, the Islamic world has been discriminated in SC. Islamic countries, especially Indonesia, welcomed the Timorese position as it's the only country defending its membership.
On December the SG will receive recommendations from experts to reform the SC and on New Year of 2005, the matter will be decided. SC permanent country members welcome the reforms but are reluctant to lose their privileges and power.
During his stay in New York Horta has also lobbied for the TL membership in ASEAN.
In a business dialog between the government and businessmen, Vice-Minister for Development and Environment, Abel Ximenes stated that the objective of the National Development Plan (NDP) is to provide a better life for all people in TL, to reduce poverty, and to improve national economy. The constitution stipulated that economic agents, such as the public sector, the private sector, and cooperatives, play an important role in the achievement of these objectives.
In the public sector, the government make public investments, such as building roads, creating a good business environment, making laws and providing security and stability for businesses in the country.
In the private sector, businesses play an critical role. Businesses can create job opportunities, and reduce unemployment in the country. Every year around 15,000 people enter the labor market. To assist businessmen in developing their business the government has established five Business Development Centres in Baucau, Dili, Maliana, Maubisse and Oecusse. These centers provide knowledge and capacity building support for businessmen and people interested in developing a business. "If you choose to be a wealthy businessman then don't be shy to be a wealthy man".
Rui Meneses PD spokesperson stated that the National Parliament's control function is weak.
The opposition in parliament 'walked' out during ratification FY03-04 budget as they protested the budget approval procedure as wrong, politically and technically . The FY03-04 report has not been submitted to parliament, but PN is politically driven to approve FY04-05 budget, which, according to the ethics of national financial management, is wrong and is a bad precedence for good financial and political practice. Every budget approval or revision must be discussed in the donor meeting before submission to parliament.
The mid-year review of annual budget reflects TL's budget instability although it may be used as a way to avoid fictitious programs.
TL's budget relies on Timor gap oil and gas revenues, donor support (TSP) and the tiny national fiscal income. At this moment, it relies heavily on Timor gap oil and gas revenues as donor support has decreased. This has a negative impact on the budget, and thus, a mid-year revision is required for its consolidation.
Corruption is a hot issue in the Timorese community. Formally, either the government or the parliament, haven't done anything to restore public confidence to this two sovereignty institutions. The government organizes workshops on transparency and accountability prior to donor meetings, only to show that it is committed to solve these two issues, which is adverse in practice.
If no efforts is taken and there's no political will to eradicate corruption, then it will become a serious social problem that destroys every sector, as corruption is a big constraint on economic development.
The TL President greeted the new Indonesian President SBY, and took the opportunity to warn him on the existence of pending issues, such as the border issue between the two countries that would need to be resolved through dialog, in the spirit of fraternity and friendship.
The elected President, aged 55 years got 60.6 % of votes against 39.4% got by Megawati in the second round of presidential elections that took place on 20/09/04.
In the letter sent to SBY, Xanana expressed that TL and Indonesia have "adequate capacity to resolve the issues through constructive dialog, in order to achieve a comprehensive and mutually acceptable agreements".
To XG, the election of SBY represents "a clear proof of expression of trust by the people of Indonesia to their best and illustrious son, to realize their aspirations and expectations of the Indonesian nation."
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
It was reported from the district of Suai that Xanana's dialogue which was meant to be conducted in the community center was flunked due to the lack coordination between the local leaders and the communities in that area.
The aim of the dialogue was to hear and exchange information regarding the election of the 'chefe suco' or 'head of the village'.
It was also reported that since there were not many attendants, the President had a dialogue with students from primary school and secondary school instead. The president was informed about the educational difficulties which are faced by students.
The community of Loro sub-village, the village of Betano, the sub-district of Same, and the district of Manufahi are facing difficulty with access to clean water noted Mr. Domingos da Silva, head of the sub-village.
Although, many projects have reached the area there has not been one specified for clean water.
He added that this problem has been forwarded to the district department but as of yet there has been no response. After 52 houses were burnt in an incident between two martial arts groups in Sorukraik (part of the Ainaro district), the community has received assistance from 92 donors.
The assistance includes material to help reconstruct houses, such as: iron sheets, nails, timbers as well as medicines and food.
The deputy of the district administrator, Mr. Manuel Pereira said that they also received solidarity assistance from nearby residents.
Ministry of Education, culture, youth and sport will recruit 120 new teachers Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
According to the Ministry of Education , Culture, Youth and Sport's plan there will be 100-120 new teachers recruited, said the vice-general director, Mr. Antonio Pires.
The aim of this recruitment is to fulfill education needs from Primary School to Senior High Schools.
Commenting on the recruitment, Mr. Anival do Rosario, the Vice- Director of SMU 4 Setembru UNAMET, said that the Education Ministry must focus on the quality of the teachers which it will be recruiting, and must also to focus more on recruiting new teachers for Primary Schools.
Correction to media monitoring for September 15 Timor Post -- Association (ETAA) will undertake a Portuguese course starting next week which will be conducted by Camoes Institution, said the Chief of ETAA.
This is to anticipate the use of Portuguese and Tetum in court hearing. This course is in cooperation with a few organizations such as: JSMP(Judicial System Monitoring Program), the Asia Foundation and a European union which is based in Belgium. The paper mentioned that this course will go for 2 months.
Corrected: The Asia Foundation is not directly supporting the Portuguese course for judges but works with the Camoes Institution in some of its activities.
Timor Post
In response to CPD/RDTL's statement that 'the government is not dared enough to dissolve their organization', Franscisco Xavier do Amaral, President of ASDT, declared that 'they will face the consequences if remain defiant to the government and refuse to adopt to the current developments'.
Mr. Amaral also stated that he has asked CPD/RDTL's leaders, Aitahan Matak and Olegario to transform and legalize their organization into a political party, which was refused. Mr. Amaral stated further that CPD/RDTL may not participate in the coming chefe de suco elections, but they are reminded not to prevent other people from participating in it.
When asked about government's promise to dissolve CPD/RDTL after UNTAET's and UNMISET's missions ended, Mr. Amaral stated that the government may have some weakness, and the government may have provided some kind of support in the past that makes the government standing in a difficult position.
At the end Mr. Amaral, again, suggested that CPD/RDTL legalize themselves.
In order to avoid traffic jams in Dili, the government is planning to build new roads. The first plan is to build a road linking Bebora bridge, Tuana laran, and Matadouro. Dili District administrator, Ruben Bras, told the press during law dissemination program in Metinaro.
This new road plan is expected to reduce traffic jams at the Bebora road by distributing traffic to the alternative road. Another road project in the repair stage is the Aimutin-Aitarak Laran road. The street behind Heliport will be reopened to avoid traffic jams in the surrounding area.
Ruben explained, there are two types of road construction. The first one is implemented at the national level, by the Public Works department. The second one, implemented at the District level, such as Respect Project, linking national roads to village roads.
Further to the socialization of helmet use, Dili District, in coordination with Land Transport Directorate, will implement compulsory use of safety belts for drivers.
Additional traffic signs will be deployed in Dili. In order to reduce accidents, a number of traffic lights will be rebuilt. The government is currently discussing the funding of the project with the Tasmanian state government which has expressed their willingness to assist in this project.
Other issue presented by Ruben was street trading activities. Sweeping operation for street traders will be restarted soon, and goods confiscated from traders during the operation will be donated to orphanages or destroyed.
The district administration will also control animals which are still wandering in the streets. This operation was stopped a few months ago due to lack of personnel, transport, and funds to implement it in a regular basis.
With regard to city gardens' rehabilitation, Ruben stated that he will turn his attention to this issue soon after the animal sweeping operations is successfully completed.
Taibesse market traders, feel uncomfortable with the current situation of the market's public toilet, as it doesn't fulfil the criteria of a clean and safe plac. They, therefore, demand the government's , especially Ministry of Health and Dili District administration, to solve this matter soon.
During UNTAET's administration a toilet was built, but it was not equipped with water. Due to this situation people dispose waste in any unsuitable place they can find which is endangering the community's and market consumers' health.
There are all kinds of waste furnished in this market and there's no proper mechanism to solve waste disposal. The traders request a team from the MoH assess the sanitation situation of the market. A proper toilet equipped with water is needed urgently by the traders in Taibesse market.
The CPLP (Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries) representative for Guinea-Bissau, Jose RH declared that he is afraid the political and military tension may deteriorate, however he underlined that there's optimism to reach an agreement in the evolution of negotiations, and at this stage, there's no need for the presence of an international peace keeping force.
There's a lot of issues to be solved such as reform in the armed forces, improvement of the economic situation, unemployment, power sharing, and demand of the Balantas (majority etnic group in Guinea).
RH stated that the country is in a very critical and serious situation, and he's afraid it will deteriorate. Information collected in previous meetings in Bissau show that, beyond 'serious problems in terms of economical and social" issues, Guinea is facing much more serious issues of political and military nature. In the military stage there's a serious situation: lack of leadership in the armed forces. In the political stage, the numerous Guinean parties are not fulfilling their responsibilities to contribute to peace and stability in the country.
The CPLP representative told the press: 'that Guinea will be completely forgotten and isolated by the international community, if Guineans themselves are not up to'. RH also stated that are still people who persist in the strategy of pressing the government which is not acceptable by CPLP and the international community, especially when use of force is involved. Acts of violence aimed at transforming or altering the democratic process in course in Guinea-Bissau will not be supported.
When questioned about the military rebellion taken place on Wednesday by a group of military members may be considered a coup detat, RH responded that according to information collected so far showing at this direction. Regarding reform in the armed forces, RH stated that all parties are in agreement, including military officers. According to the CPLP representative, everybody agrees that the armed forces should be professional, disciplined, and less numerous.
RH expressed his hope for no more violence. The team is in contact with the military and requested the military officers to remain moderate and have a good sense for the whole process.
Budget management, either coming from donors or from TL's domestic revenue, according to the WB and IMF is good and transparent.
Development of a strong economic, state, and government institutions made TL the world's model, stated the PM after participating in the WB and IMF annual meeting in Washington.
The government's agenda after restoration of independence on May 20, 2002 was to strengthen state and government institutions, security and stability.
Development of infrastructure, agriculture, and the economy was gradually improving.
TL is now entering a development stage that requires lot of funding. Therefore, TL human resources managing this fund should have the required capacity. This will avoid future generations of debt burden.
Although TL is participating in the WB/IMH annual meeting in Washington, this country is not yet willing to borrow from the two institutions. TL requested the WB to conduct a feasibility study on this matter and according to the study TL is not yet in a position to request loans.
PM Alkatiri stated that the meeting was positive for TL as the meeting addressed world economic development. TL will cooperate with WB and IMF in technology, although it has no plan to borrow.
The increase in oil prices also became a topic of discussion during the meeting that attracted the attention of many participants. Increase in oil prices will have a impact on world economic development.
Although TL will receive lot of funds from the Timor Sea, the macro-economics development is very difficult and it can't avoid this impact. Therefore TL is trying to employ a sound fiscal policy in order to manage the macro-economic development in order to reduce or soften that impact.
While in the USA, Alkatiri had a meeting with the UN GS, Kofi Annan, and the UNDP chairman to discuss the end of the UN mission in TL. The security council will meet in November to decide this issue.
The TL's governments position is clear that it still needs the UN and the international community's technical support
On the international tribunal, Alkatiri stated that he had not mentioned this issue, but discussed it with a UN commission conducting a study on all processes in the Serious Crimes Unit.
Surar Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
42 members of Manu Tasi Fishing Cooperative from the district of Viqueque received 15 motorized boats in order to strengthen their capacities, said Mr. Fransisco Amaral, head of the Cooperative.
This assistance comes from GTZ in order to introduce technology to the fishing industry. Mr. Amaral also said that they have proposed a capacity building program to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery .
In relation to the training, Mr. Cesar Jose da Cruz, noted that fishing is very important to sustain the economy of fishermen in Timor Leste, as long as it is under control, not by using any type of chemical substance in catching process.
The government of Timor Leste must pay attention to children abandoned on the road and put into practice the constitutional right that everyone has the right to study, said Mr. Filipe de Oliveira, a resident of Dili.
He noted that children are the future of the nation, and therefore they cannot be left abandoned to become involved in child labour, such as washing cars in front of restaurants as well as begging for money.
In a different place, Mr. Abel Alves on behalf of parents said that in this difficult situation they can just educate their children according their strengths.
Two head of the villages/chefe do suco (Maulau and Manelobas) in the sub-district of Maubessi, the district of Ainaro were presented to the Yayasan Hak as they are suspected of keeping funds of US$ 1.000 which was donated by the CEP project for widows in those two villages.
Responding to this case, Mr. Fernando da Costa from the Yayasan Hak, said that he has received this case before by some windows and they intended this case to be resolved through the judicial system.
He added that it is thought that the district administrator was involved in the theft. Mr. Fernando da Costa from the Yayasan Hak promised that this case will be presented to the court as requested by the widows.
The government of Timor Leste is negotiating with the state government of Tasmania regarding the existence of traffic lights in Dili town, noted the district administrator, Mr. Ruben Bras.
He said that the installation will be take place in some intersections as soon as the state government of Tasmania approves the proposal and that this installation is a result of the high number of traffic accidents occurring in Dili.
In the same article, Mr. Bras also said that there will probably be an obligation for every driver to wear a seatbelt when they are driving on the road.
Timor Post
A meeting was held in Bali between the two security authorities of Timor Leste (Frontier Patrolling Unit) and the Indonesian Resort Police in order to continue providing security for both Indonesia and Timor Leste.
Participants from Timor Leste were the commander of the National Police, Mr. Paul Fatima Martins, Khairudin Mat Yussuf, UNPOL, and several PNTL counselors. Mr. Martins noted that the meeting to discuss the continuation of providing security systems as was established by the PKF (Peace Keeping Force) along the border.
A display of local production entitled "Expo Popular III" runs from October 11 -- October 16 at the Borge da Costa Park, Motael, Dili. Mr. Mateus Ego, coordinator of HASATTEL, said that this expo is part of the International Food Day celebrations. He described that the aims of the display are to learn about and develop the agriculture sector in Timor Leste, to strengthen the relationships among the agricultural organizations, to demonstrate the appropriate methodology and technology as well as to display local productions for public, to give the chance for criticism and recommendations in order to improve agricultural politics in Timor Leste.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
In order to achieve a balanced and qualitative number of personnel, the Ministry of Interior, the TL Police Academy, and PNTL General Management and District Stations have selected 50 candidates for the TOT at the Comoro Police Academy.
The opening ceremony of the training was held on Monday (Oct 11, 04) at the Comoro Police Academy. It was attended, among others, by the Minister of State Administration, Minister of Interior and his deputy, the Australian and United Kingdom ambassadors, and PNTL superintendent Paulo Martins.
The TOT was supported by the governments of Australia and Britain. This assistance was an implementation of a joint agreement on capacity building for PNTL between the two countries and TL signed in 2003. This program is scheduled to be implemented throughout four and a half years and began in June 2004.
The duration of TOT is 12 months and divided into 3 stages. The first stage will last for 3 months, the second stage for 6 months, and the third for 3 months.
The training will be implemented from Oct 11 to Dec 10, 2004. It is divided into four classes with ten to 15 participants each. The first class will last from Oct 11 to 22 with 15 participants. The second and third classes will start on November 2-12 (15 participants) and November 15-26 (10 participants) respectively. The last class will start on November 29-December 10 (10 participants).
After completion of the training, participants will receive a Certificate II for trainers. The evaluation process is rigorous, therefore police members graduating from this course will have good qualifications and are expected to bring a change in the PNTL.
This course was designed and developed by TL Development Agency and Australian Federal Police.
Businessmen affiliated with the TL Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) expect that 'the Kupang meeting between TL CCI and Indonesian KADIN will bring more benefits to TL, especially to facilitate marketing of TL products to Indonesia," CCI chairman Franscisco Lay told STL at his residence in Comoro.
The government of TL and Indonesia have signed a joint agreement to facilitate the marketing of TL's products into eastern Indonesian markets. The agreement granted free tax to Timorese products exported to eastern Indonesia.
It is hoped that the Kupang meeting will establish cooperation between TL and Indonesian businessmen on this issue. This meeting will also discuss Indonesian investment in TL.
Most products in TL are imported from Indonesia. With Indonesian investment in TL, it is expected that at least 40% of revenues will remain in TL.
'The people are tired of the government's promises given during their open governance to the districts. Many promises were made but nothing was done. The people here do not want to hear any more promises from the government' Duarte Castro, a Maubisse resident told STL.
When asked for his comments on this issue, UDT parliamentarian Alexandre Corte Real, stated that 'when the government is promising something to the people, it must keep its promises because the people trust their leaders and keep waiting for the realization of the promises. It is better not to promise anything if you cannot fulfill it.'
Dr. Manuel Tilman, KOTA parliamentarian, shared the same opinion as Alexandre. He stated that when the government promises something, it must do so on a strong basis.
Estanislau da Silva from MAFP had a meeting with Manufahi District Agriculture Department civil servants on Friday October 5th to discuss growing vanilla and other fruits that could bring more benefits to the people.
Estanislau stated that vanilla growing takes about three years from plantation until cropping. Many people have requested funds from the Minister to start vanilla cultivation but have no knowledge on this matter. Earlier efforts at vanilla planting have failed. Therefore, the Ministry will provide training to improve their knowledge.
The minister informed meeting participants that there are many request from international businessmen to import TL agricultural products. This could not be satisfied as TL farmers are not able to produce in large quantities.
During the meeting, the Manufahi district administrator and the Alas sub-district administrator presented the problem of teakwood exploration in their areas. They stated that there are groups, speaking on behalf of the people, together with the government, made negotiations with foreign companies to explore teakwood in their areas which had no transparency at all. This issue has created conflicts in the local community.
The Minister stated that is better for the people to delegate the negotiation and exploration of teakwood to the government because it will bring better price for their teakwood. The teakwood mat also be marketed inside the country.
There are also groups who requested loan facilities on behalf of the communities, but the real beneficiaries of the proposals submitted to the lender never received or knew about the loans. The minister responded that he and his department will not interfere in this matter. He asked all people concerned to solve their own problems.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
The WB and IMF annual meeting took place in Washington on October 2-3, 2004. This meeting was attended by high ranking government officials, and private sector and bank leaders around the globe.
At the meeting, the South East Asia Constituency (SEAVG) in two Breton Woods Institutions (BWI) that organized the meeting on October 1, 2004, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) of the Rotation Scheme 2004-2007 for the WB constituency. The signing of this MOU puts an end to the discussion on job allocation in SEAVG started in 2002.
The SEAVG constituency at the WB consists of 11 country members, respectively Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga and Vietnam.
At the IMF this SEAVG constituency has 12 country members including the 11 above mentioned countries, plus Cambodia.
For Indonesia, this annual meeting has a special significance, as their representatives holds key positions in SEAVG both at the World Bank and IMF.
Important agendas being discussed at these two institutions are Enhancing Fund Surveillance and Strengthening Crisis Prevention, Role of Fund in Low-Income Countries, Aid Effectiveness and Financing Modalities, Strengthening the Foundations for Growth and Private Sector Development, and Voice and Participation of Developing and Transition Countries.
Meanwhile, after the WB-IMF annual meeting the International Development Association (IDA) Replenishment 14 also conducted its annual meeting in Washington. IDA is one of the international finance institutions at the WB Group, that provides grants and very soft loans to its country members. The Borrowing country is charged only 0.75% per annum with a 20-40 year payback period.
The government of the Federal Republic of Germany through its representative in Timor Leste, Mr. Joachin Broudren Groger and the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mr. Olimpio Branco signed a MOU of Euro 27 Million as an assistance from Germany to the people of Timor Leste.
This fund will be used for construction of a ferry by an Indonesian company in Surabaya (PT. Pal), providing management training for the staffs and also in the agriculture and water sectors.
The article mentioned that this ferry connects Dili, Atauro and Oecusse.
President Xanana: Chefe de Suco Elections will Strengthen Pillars of Democracy Timor Post During the Open Presidency visit to Viqueque, the TL President urged the people of this district to participate in the Chefe de Suco and Conselho de Suco elections in an orderly and successfully manner, as the elections are an important step ahead in the strengthening of democracy pillars.
Xanana Gusmao (XG) who spoke to around 2000 people, stated that the benefits of independence should be enjoyed by the whole population of TL, not just those Dili. He also stated that the development process takes time and people are urged to participate in this process.
"Although it's slow, we should not lose the vision of the future, and by organizing ourselves we have started the process of nation building, and sometime in the future we may see the changes".
TL is a small country and big mistakes and problems may arise. Suco authorities elected will work to avoid the worsening of problems.
Sub-district administrators are urged to be more pro-active and to make frequent visits to sucos to ensure that all processes run smoothly.
Regarding the CPD/RDTL's claim of the illegal use of an emblem on the electoral card , XG stated that CPD/RDTL together with Abilio Araujo, Christiano, and Indonesian assassin general, Zacky Anwar had met at the Mahkota Hotel in 1998/1999 to establish Partido Nacionalista de Timor. XG noted that the independence process was not started by CPD/RDTL or Christiano but it was started by Xavier and Alkatiri.
CPD/RDTL claimed that TL is yet to be a sovereign state; therefore they could only be arrested by police after the end of the UN mission in TL.
XG warned that although the UN mission will end by 2005, police may arrest and beat CPD/RDTL members, even if this is a democratic state.
Regarding widows, the disabled, and orphans, XG stated that it's written in the Constitution that the government will look after this group of people. The Friday Meeting program with all people concerned was stopped due to lack of funds.
Regarding the issue of L7 and the interior minister, XG stated that the individuals concerned will speak out about this issue.
Regarding youth concerns on employment, XG stated that businessmen and companies prefer to use foreign labor because they are diligent, punctual, obedient and disciplined, which is in contrast to TL labourers .
XG urged the youth to keep a mentality of self-improvement and transformation.
Timor Post
Joao Mariano Saldanha, Director of Timor Institute for Development Studies (TIDS) stated that the reelection of John Howard and some of his previous cabinet members especially foreign affairs minister, Alexander Downer, will not change the TS negotiations.
According to Joao, Australia may offer some concessions such as an increase of TL's share in revenue, but in principle will not change its policy on the negotiations. There are different points of view in TL on the Timor sea issue.
Some say its better to negotiate the exploration of mineral resources beneath the sea first, than maritime boundaries next, because it takes a very long time to settle a dispute on boundaries issues. Australian companies keep going on with exploration activities and in a determined space of time all the resources will vanish before an agreement is reach.
Negotiating exploration of mineral resources, instead, will bring revenue benefits in the short to medium term to TL, while negotiating maritime boundaries.
Joao stated that, pragmatically it's a good idea to negotiate exploration of resources first, but its better to negotiate maritime boundaries first. At this point the Australian position is to negotiate exploration of resources in the first place.
The Alkatiri administration and UNTAET made a mistake when they signed the contract with Australia, due to the shortage of funds at the time.
The Bayu Undan revenues, when managed properly, are enough for TL to meet its budget requirements and foreign aid may be reduced.
Joao stated that exploration of TS resources may be delayed for a later time when TL's economy become more strong. This will be a positive point in the negotiation later.
In order to increase the staff's capacity to operate an ambulance in serving the community, the Ministry of Health (MoH) organized ambulance training. The training is provided for three days starting on October 12-14, 2004. After the training the paramedics will receive a certificate.
The training was sponsored by Rotary Club Australia in cooperation with the MoH, in this case the SAMES. Rotary Club Australia provided this training voluntarily. The MoH provided transportaion and food for the participants.
The 13 participants were recruited from the 13 districts of TL.
Rumours of corruption at the national parliament must be deeply investigated Timor Post Rumors about corruption at the national parliament must be investigated deeply, otherwise this scandal will decrease the reputation and credibility of this sovereign institution.
Valentim Ximenes, a docent from the TL national university stated that when cases like this are not investigated and clarified, people will lose trust in the organs of sovereignty and will not respect the laws.
In order to clarify if corruption is taking place, an investigation must be undertaken. The national parliament has established a commission to investigate this issue.
East Timor News
The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday Timor-Leste needs to make full use of oil and gas wealth to boost its economy.
Having gained independence from Indonesia in May 2002, Timor- Leste continues to suffer from serious underemployment, the IMF said in its annual economic assessment of the country. The agency conducts a survey on the state of the economies of each of its member nations on a yearly basis.
The IMF said the country will continue to be dependent on financial aid from the international community as it tries to balance its budget. But it also said Timor-Leste must tap into its oil wealth to "meet pressing investment needs for infrastructure and human capital development
At the same time, however, the IMF said Timor Leste should save at least some of its energy income for future use, while the country attempts to develop non-energy related industries.
Over the long term, the non-oil tax base should be broadened in order to avoid excessive reliance on oil/gas revenue, the IMF said.
Timor Post
A MOU was signed in Memorial Hall between the government of Germany and Timor-Leste for a donation of $11 million to construct a ferry which connects Dili and Oecusse, said the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mr. Olimpio Branco. In order to build the capacity of the staff, this fund will pay for staff training and maintenance. Mr. Branco also said that this project will be carried out and managed by Timorese people.
The Prime Minister of Timor Leste, Mr. Mari Alkatiri visited (Tuesday, 12/10) the Expo Popular III of Local Production in Borga da Costa Park, Motael, Dili. The aim of his visit was to directly observe the local productions in the Expo and to strengthen the cooperation of civil society, producers and related organizations. At the same time, Mr. Alkatiri also thanked all the NGOs who are cooperating with the communities in the 13 districts of Timor Leste.
Lusa
The government of Timor-Leste will submit the Petroleum Fund law to public consultation, and it expects to see the law approved in mid-2005, The Prime Minister told Lusa. The establishment of the Petroleum Fund was announced in November 2003, and it aims to safeguard the revenues from onshore and offshore mineral explorations in Timor-Leste. It's also a fund reserve that integrates the budget process, and will be subject to rigorous control mechanisms in order to ensure accountability and to prevent overspending. The Petroleum Fund is based on the Norwegian model in the sector, with the objective to maintain the real value of the petroleum resources.
In relation to Timor Sea negotiations, The Prime Minister stated that there is no deadlock, but recognized that there's still a lot to do in order to reach an agreement. This announcement was made a day after (Tuesday, Oct 12) the IMF noted the fact that Timor-Leste will face significant economic challenges emphasizing that initial oil and gas revenues will be substantially lower than predicted. The IMF stated that the challenges to be faced require that Timor-Leste authorities handle structural problems, including fragile infrastructure, low productivity, and an under-developed judicial system for business activities with serious institutional and capacity limitations.
The IMF directors agreed that Timor-Leste authorities will be required to speed up their efforts to develop a dynamic private sector, strengthen institutional capacity, and use the oil and gas revenues effectively in order to improve the perspectives of growth and poverty reduction. The continuation of international aid will be essential to achieve those objectives.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
International judges currently undertaking hearings or trials in Dili District Court do not understand the laws or subsidiary laws in effect in Timor-Leste, Benevides Correia, Liberta Legal Aid Institute deputy manager and Chairman of the Timor-Leste Lawyers Association told STL.
Benevides stated that conducting hearings or trials in the absence of a lawyer, or in closed public hearings, damage the legal system in Timor-Leste. According to the KUHP, every suspect has the right to be assisted by a lawyer, from the beginning to the end of the legal process.
Fact shows that international judges undertake hearings in which suspects are not accompanied by lawyer. This is also against UNTAET Regulation No. 25/2001 article 6, that stipulates: the suspect has the right to contact his family, to be assisted by a lawyer, to choose a lawyer and to remain silent.
But from 2003-2004 the legal system has suffered a setback. Benevides is concerned that international judges will leave behind a bulk of problems when their contracts in Timor-Leste end.
Teachers in Rialau, Letefoho, Same are currently facing a lack of teacher guidebooks/reference. Jacinta Nunes, a public Primary School teacher at Rialau, stated that infrastructure is also a problem for them. The school has only three classrooms, so that classes must divided between morning and afternoon sessions. Despite these deficiencies, the learning process in this school is fairly good. Jacinta expects that the government of RDTL, especially the MECYS, will solve this problem in the near future.
Meanwhile, the Manufahi district Education Interim Superintendent, Pedro dos Reis, stated that all schools in Manufahi are facing the same problem. He stated further that beside guidebooks for teachers, there are also shortages in textbooks for pupils, in natural and social sciences, and geography. Regarding the latter, Pedro stated that pupils are still using books with contents related to Portugal or Indonesia and none is related to Timor-Leste. The MECYS has a plan to develop textbooks on Geography with contents about Timor-Leste's geography, history, culture, etc.
The Government of Australia has provided $18,000 through AUSAID for the rehabilitation of the MAFP third regional office in Maliana. This regional office will cover four surrounding districts: Bobonaro, Covalima, Liquiga and Ermera. The MAFF will appoint directors for this regional office, in order to facilitate coordination of the development process from Dili to all the districts. The construction of the project was implemented by a local contractor, Nascente Nova. The building is equipped with office space, a conference room and rest rooms.
The Australian ambassador to Timor-Leste, Ms. Margaret Toomey, present in the opening ceremony, noted that 80% of Timor-Leste's population (around 740,000) is living in rural areas. The government of Australia is glad to assist the MAFF in the establishment of this regional office, in order to facilitate the department's staff in the performance of their duties to support farmers and increase food security.
"Lamak Laran Group must be thankful to the community who criticize them. Without the critics, the group will not involve people who did not participate in the first phase of the project in the coming second phase," said the Viqueque Development Officer, Mr. Antoninho Gregsrio.
Antoninho stated that the project went well, but lacks transparency and consultation with the community, which elicited protest from the Lamak Laran community. A national team is currently conducting an evaluation of the project.
The man in charge of the Lamak Laran Project, Augusto da Costa, declared that it was just a protest by single individuals who wanted to discredit his group, not the community. He stated that the project was completed well according to plan.
Marito da Costa of Water Supply and Sanitation, who supervises the project, stated that the project was conducted well, as they monitored every stage of the project.
Lusa
The Portuguese ambassador in Dili, Joco Ramos Pinto presented his credentials to President Xanana Gusmco yesterday. Ambassador Pinto is replacing Mr. Rui Quartim Santos who served from May 20, 2002 to June 13, 2004.
In his interview, Ambassador Pinto stated that Portugal will increase its support for the economic and social development of Timor-Leste. He emphasized that the objective of Portuguese cooperation with Timor-Leste is to assist in the sound development of the country, in close cooperation with Timorese authorities who define the priority and pressing needs of the country. He also stated that Portugal is the biggest donor and partner of Timor-Leste since the end of Indonesian rule, having donated $350 million.
President of Timor-Leste, Mr. Xanana Gusmco stated that the Timorese people and authorities are thankful for the Portuguese support provided for its diplomatic representatives in Lisbon, New York, Canberra and Brussels.
Portugal has also assisted in the payment of Timor-Leste's entry fee to the International Finance Association (IFC), a World Bank institution that assures access to foreign private investment, amounting to $600,000.
Timor Post
The Ministry of Health received 40.000 mosquito nets from the United States government through USAID. 20.000 nets have been distributed in the first phase, and the rest will be given in a future period, noted the US ambassador in Timor-Leste, Mr. Grover Joseph Rees. Mr. Rees said that 47.000 Timorese are affected with malaria each year and that 150 are killed annually. This distribution aims to prevent the increasing number of infections among children and pregnant women, he noted. The donated nets are impregnated with insecticide.
Electricity consumers who disconnect the 'prepaid' system will be imprisoned and fined US$ 500-5000 based on the Electricity Law No. 03, said the secretary of the Electricity and Water Department, Mr. Egidio de Jesus. In order to prevent illegal disconnection practices in communities, a team has been established by the Electricity Department to introduce control at the district as well as the sub-district level.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
The Minister of Health, encouraged all Timorese communities, especially youth to quit smoking as it is dangerous for their health. The Ministry of Health does not allow smoking on its premises, and the Minister of Health stressed that he would like other organizations to do the same.
Vox Populi
The Timor Sea (TS) negotiations have deviated from the main issue of maritime boundary by focusing on the oil/gas production share. The issue of Australian assistance to Timor-Leste after the 1999 referendum is being used by Australia to legitimatise its illegal occupation over the Timor Sea.
Demonstrations and protest have taken place, not only in TL, but also in Australia. Australian community supporting TL's right over the TS come from NGOs, such as Mary MacKillop from the Institute for East Timorese Studies, businessmen and opposition parties, and the Timorese community in Australia organized under the Timor Sea Justice Campaign.
Not much information is disseminated to the Timorese people. Vox Populi failed to get more information from a key negotiator, Jose Teixeira.
Prior to Timorese independence the Australian government presented Timor-Leste with 90% of oil and gas revenues from Timor Sea, against 10%. This has been repeated: Australia will present a Christmas gift to Timor-Leste from the Greater Sunrise productions that will start its operations at the end of this year.
The Timorese government should keep using the legal method, internationally accepted, in negotiations on maritime boundary. If the government offers too many concessions, and ignores the Maritime Law principles, than it will be a bad precedence for the future.
Timor-Leste will suffer a big defeat. It will lose the revenues from its mineral resources and the boundaries between the two countries will remain unresolved.
The government should also listen to the people's aspirations on this matter. It should not give up the country's sovereignty merely because of a budget shortage. Its expected that there will be a positive solution for Timor-Leste.
Australia, as a big and democratic nation, with the highest standards of human rights practice will respect Timor-Leste's rights on sovereignty over the territory in conflict. Australia is urged to return to use the UNCLOS and the International Maritime Court to solve this matter.
Timor Post
The Prime Minster, Mr. Mari Alkatiri noted that the government will pay attention to building roads in the sub-district of Soibada, the district of Manatutu. This will be a national road with big circulations from the north to the south of Timor-Leste which is used by religious events each year.
In the same article, the Prime Minister also asked the Church, which involves itself in national development and mental transformation, to assist communities in looking at traditional issues which cause poverty in their lives.
The 'prepaid' electricity system required by the Timor ? Leste Electricity Department (EDTL) is causing discontent among communities. This makes them refuse the system, said Mr. Antonio de Jesus Marques, a resident of Bekussi (Dili).
Mr. Marques also said that the cost for the ?prepaid? system is more than their daily income, and therefore he recommends the government review the system prior to its application.
Entering 2006, capacity in the National Hospital of Guido Valadares (HNGV) will be increased based on the needs of international doctors who are attending the communities in Timor-Leste, said the Vice-Minister of Health, Mr. Luis Lobato.
This includes rehabilitation of the current buildings at the Hospital. There is an offer by international doctors to the Ministry of Health to train local doctors to become specialists. Mr. Lobato noted that this offer is a positive one, which the Minister of Health needs to consider.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
The commissioner of National Election Commission (CNE), Mr. Marito Reis said that the commission is currently having financial difficulties with recruiting vocal points to be located in the districts to assist in electing the chefe de sucos/head of the villages.
The first election will be conducted in four districts: Oecusse, Suai, Maliana, and Viqueque. The reason is the start of the rainy season, forcing farmers to work on their farms. The remaining districts in Timor-Leste will have their elections after the rainy season.
Timor Post
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, Mr. Estanislau da Silva said that the investment of corn production will be focused on the southern part of Timor-Leste in the coming rainy season. Mr. Da Silva noted that this investment will be prioritized on corn production that is to be exported internationally. The project involves foreign and local investors, Mr. Da Silva said. He added that seeds are currently being tested and selected by the Ministry.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
The President of RDTL, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmco will only bow to CPD-RDTL, if this political organ becomes a political party and wins a future election. "I urge to CPDT-RDTL, if it is still talking about politics, to please create a political party, and I only bow to it if later they win in the election and restore the 1975 Constitution and use the national symbols of 1975". The President asked that, if the CPD-RDTL said that the national symbols that are now used by the government are illegal, is the CNRT itself illegal?
The population of Gariwai, which is composed of five aldeias/sub-villages, (Bahamori, Waturao, Maukale, Kairiri, Waibiana, Darsula, and Gariwai vila), is running short of potable water and is calling for government attention. Jose Boavida da Costa, a Gariwaian villager, stated that every night the population, collects water at the main point in Gariwai, equipped with pushcarts.
Currently, there are five water points in Gariwai, namely, in Bahamori, Waturao, Maukale, Kairiri, Watuwa. Population from aldeias Wailili, Bahamori, and Maukale usually collect water from the main water point, which can be collected only during daylight, as this water point operates on a solar pump. It will be very difficult to the people to get water during the rainy season because there is less sunlight. As a result, people have to come to the centre of Gariwai to collect water.
Residents have complained about this problem to the chefe de suco/head of the village, and a proposal has already been submitted to the local and central government. The government ought to take the problem that are now being faced by the people as the primary concern in order to reduce the people?s burden.
The executive director of the cooperative of Manu Tasi in the district of Viqueque, Mr. Francisco Amaral, said that it is difficult to sell fish in Viqueque because they are difficult to store. Ice is lacking, and transportation to the market is difficult, he noted.
The constraints that are faced by the cooperative have been sent to the local government and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), the group that handles the fishery, will help to provide transportation with 10 bicycles and one motorbike.
Mr. Amaral said that "Till now there is no clear information to us, the fisherman of Manu Tasi Viqueque. So, the fishes that are caught by the fisherman are only sold to Dili. We wish to sell the fishes in Viqueque, but we do not have the preservative tools to store the fish, and there is no market for selling them", said Mr. Amaral.
Responding to Mr. Amaral's complaint, Mr Augusto Castro the Operational Manager of GTZ said that, the 10 bicycles and one motorbike are currently available in the central office of Baucau, but 10 bicycles have not been installed yet because of procurement difficulties.
Timor Post
The Annual Budget Report of the FY2003/2004 which was submitted to the National Parliament last week stated that the there is a large increase in internal income. It notes that while people may not get money and the economy may not run smoothly, people are punctilious, and will pay their taxes willingly or grudgingly. Particularly they will pay an indirect tax.
Dr. Manuel Tilman a member of National Parliament who is also the vice president of the economy commission said, "Direct or indirect taxes are going up, which means that we get a lot of money. For example, last year our prediction for 2002/2003 was only $45 million and more, but later on our forecast for 2003/2004 was that we can only get more than $37 million. But, at last we got more than that at $67 million and more." He said that the last FY2003/2004 the taxes that was collected in the interior was very much.
If the Dili city does not maintain standards of sanitation there will be adverse effects, particularly on the health side. There are some places in Dili that you can find the feces of pig such as Bidau, Mascarenhas, Caicoli, Bebora and Bairo Pite, and many drains are full of litter. Andre da Costa one of the members of the community in Bairo Pite said the he was sad that the government needs to be reminded to continue operation of pigs that the owners do not want to confine.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
The President of the National Parliament, Mr. Fransisco Guterres noted that cooperation between the parliaments of Timor-Leste and Switzerland is very beneficial in terms of building the working capacity of parliamentary members. Sharing information among them will improve work performance and allow them to undertake more responsibility, he added. It is planned that the government of Timor-Leste and Switzerland will establish a bilateral relationship.
After suffering without a water supply for months, the community of Ira Lafaek sub-district, in the district of Los Palos, is now consuming clean water as part of an effort made by the Water and Electricity Department, said the State Secretary of Water and Electricity, Mr. Egidio de Jesus. He noted that many in the community are proud of the creation of the water system built with $27.000 in assistance from CFET. Mr. De Jesus asked the community to be responsible regarding the maintenance.
Currently, the economy in Ainaro is going well because the government and the local population cooperate, said the deputy of the district administrator, Mr. Manuel Pereira. He noted that to improve the economy even more, the population should not just depend on the government but must contribute and support the government?s programs themselves. Mr. Pereira also affirmed that farmers in Ainaro are trained in agriculture conducted by NGOs and the UNDP in order to improve farming techniques to enable them to export their production when the chance comes.
In Maubisse, the District Administrator, Mr. Joao de Araujo Corte Real proposed a Development Centre building noting that Maubisse is a central location for four districts (Ainaro, Same, Suai and Aileu). The district administrator said that a seminar had already been conducted by the Vice-Minister of Development and Environment, Mr. Abel Ximenes, with some businessmen regarding the proposal. As a district administrator, Mr. Ximenes fully supports the proposal as this would help the community sell their agricultural production and help them improve their family economies.
Timor Post
The Ministry of Health has stated medications in qualification 12 can be sold in the open market based on Health Law No. 12/2004, which was promulgated on September 17 by the President of Timor- Leste, Mr. Xanana Gusmao and the Minister of Health, Mr. Rui Maria de Araujo, said Mario Ribeiro, head of the Pharmaceutics Department.
Medicines that can be sold include: Paracetamol, Acid, Acetylsalicylic, Losaun de calamine, povidonaiodo, Clorhexina, Dimetilpolisiloxane, Dimeticone, antacids, Colotorius, vitamins, shampoos Anticaspa and preservatives. The medicines that cannot be sold to the public are categorized as generic (Antibiotic, Antalgine, Ampiciline, and Amoxilin).
He also added that the Ministry of Health has trained some nurses and clinics to issue prescriptions for certain types of medication.
University students in Dili -- UNDIL, TNTL and UNPAZ -- noted that infrastructure development has not fulfilled the needs of the population. The issue was raised in a meeting held in the Dili Gymnastics Centre (GMT).
The students said that much of the population in the districts have difficulties transporting their local production for marketing due damaged roads that have not been maintained by the government.
The students recommended the government allocate a budget to rehabilitate more roads and bridges instead of spending it for what they deemed to be unimportant issues.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
Dr. Liborio da Costa, the director of Baucau Hospital said that the hospital is currently facing a lack of clean water, which is used in surgery, as well as in the toilets.
Currently, the hospital has been ordering water tanks, but no budget was originally set aside for these tanks. The water tanks cost $250 each month.
The problem has been escalated to the Health Ministry and the Water Department and the resolution will depend on the remaining Ministry budget.
Vox Populi
One of the alternatives that is available to settle serious crimes in Timor-Leste is to expand the CAVR mandate. So far the CAVR in Timor-Leste only handles minor cases of serious crime; the serious cases are handled by a special panel (including killing, sexual abuse and war crimes). Of course the alternative is to make the CAVR's task to consider the settlement of many cases that are now accumulating in the hand of the special panel and Unidade Crimes Graves. The justice issues that are faced by the Timorese people now, particularly those issues that are categorized as blatant abuses of serious crimes cannot be processed through reconciliation. Currently, there are appearing many ideas that the big abuses of serious crime can be solved via reconciliation. I appreciate this idea but I personally said that not all big serious crimes can be solved through reconciliation.
Our ability to solve issues committed in the past depends on the capabilities of the court. If there is an international tribunal in TL, it would probably only pay attention to the crimes that were committed in 1999. All militia members or crimes may not be brought before the court, but most likely several Indonesian generals ? those who committed crimes ? might be brought to the court. The reason is that those who committed big crimes have a commander. Therefore I personally would like to say that not all abuses of big serious crimes have to be brought to court. And all crimes cannot be solved through reconciliation, but only some may be settled through the process of community reconciliation (PRK), so that both process are mutually equipped to prevent impunity.
So to solve all these issues, the process of the national and the international tribunals are still to continue. The tribunal?s door is always open for these issues as well as for serious crime issues.
It needs categorization of the crimes, such as serious, very serious, and somewhat serious.
As an institution, CAVR will investigate, and will make an effort to find justice for the serious crimes that were committed in the past.
Then CAVR will issue a specific recommendation regarding these issues. I hope that all of us will be patient while waiting for the coming recommendations.
Timor Lorosae (STL)
The government of Thailand through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in the Commercial Division officially invited the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Timor Leste (CCI-TL) to participate in the International Expedition which will be held this year in Thailand, said the head of External Delegation on Commercial Division, Mr. Noppadol Kuntamas.
The Expedition will allow the government of Thailand to get to know the agricultural potency of Timor and should strengthen the cooperation between the two countries. More specifically, it will showcase Timorese crops such as coffee, vanilla and coconut.
Timor Post
State Secretary of Public Work, Mr. Joao B. Alves said that the national road that connects Baucau and Viqueque is included in the annual fiscal year program.
The rehabilitation of this road has been delayed due to the administrative delays as well as the fact that it requires a significant amount of money, Mr. Alves noted. It is estimated that this project will take about 120 days.
Three markets which have been prepared by the local government of the Dili district are available for the local population to develop their lives, but are not available for non-local market vendors said the Dili Market Manager, Mr. Basilio H. Guterres.
There will be an immediate announcement released in order to apprise all non-local market vendors to vacate the Comoro, Becora and Taibessi markets in Dili. These three markets are open for small businesses with capital of less than $5000.00.
Jakarta Post
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono received East Timor Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri during his busy second day in office on Thursday. Susilo and Alkatiri met for around 30 minutes to discuss various topics, including those related to border issues, assets and economic cooperation between the two neighbors.
Alkatiri also conveyed an invitation to Susilo to visit East Timor in the near future, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda said. Later in the day, Susilo held talks with South Korean special envoy Kwon Chin-ho. Both had attended Susilo's inauguration as the country's sixth president on Wednesday.
ABC Asia Pacific
East Timor's president, Xanana Gusmao, has called for Germany to increase the amount of financial aid it provides to the country. President Gusmao's comments came in a newspaper interview published ahead of a meeting in Germany with the foreign minister, Joschka Fischer.
The United Nations mandate in East Timor is due to end in seven months' time, and President Gusmao says he hopes Germany will increase its current development aid of about $US3.5 million. He says Germany's current level of aid puts it outside East Timor's top 10 donor nations. President Gusmao says the situation in East Timor is now peaceful and stable, with the big challenges now social and economic development.
Timor Post
Timor-Leste and Australia began talks on the Timor Sea dispute in Hotel Timor today to define an acceptable maritime boundary between the two countries, the President, Mr. Xanana Gusmao said. President Gusmao said that he hoped this meeting will result in a sensible solution for both countries. This meeting will go on for three days with the delegation from Timor -- Leste: State Secretary of Natural Resources and Energy Politic, Mr. Jose Texeira, including Commander Nuno Antunes and a Portuguese Specialist in International Law. The delegation from Australia: Representative of Doug Chester Company and General Secretary of Australian Foreign Affairs.
Development does not depend on roads, but infrastructure improves living conditions and provides a facility for the community to work, said the Prime Minister, Mr. Mari Alkatiri after an inauguration ceremony for a new road that connects the sub- district of Uatulari, in the district of Viquque and the sub- district of Quelecai, in the district of Baucau. The Prime Minister noted that the road will allow the community to achieve the development in their lives as long as they effort into their works. Prime Minister Alkatiri was thanked in the communities in Baucau and Viqueque for helping build the 37-km road at the cost of $258.000,00.
It is very important that Timor-Leste cooperate with Indonesia in the area of education., said the Minister of Education, Youth, Culture and Sport, Mr. Armindo Maia. Mr. Maia said that he wants to arrange a meeting with the Indonesian Minister of Education in order to talk about the continuation of cooperation between the two nations in the education sector. About 1000 Timorese students are studying in in Indonesia, primarily in Jakarta, Malang, Denpasar and Kupang.
The government of Timor Leste has not controlled the kerosene prices, causing people to use firewood instead, said Mr. Antonio Soares, a Dili resident in Becora. Mr. Antonio noted that kerosene prices are not stable either in markets or small kiosks, varying between $0.50 to $0.80 per liter. Mr. Soares insisted the government to establish a national standard price, as the prices are too high.
Suara Timor Lorosa' (STL)
The National Police of Timor Leste (PNTL) will hold a dialogue with all martial arts leaders on October 27 2004, said the PNTL Operational Deputy, Mr. Ismail da Costa Babo. He noted that the aim is to discuss the violence which has happened. It is planned that this dialogue will involve government leaders, such as the President, Mr. Xanana Gusmao, the Prime Minister, Mr. Mari Alkatiri, the President of the Parliament, Mr. Fransisco Guterres and others. Mr. Paulo Martins, PNTL Commissioner, said that this dialogue is to get input from all the martial arts leaders in order to prevent continuation of the incidents which have occurred.
The Alola Foundation provided 654 scholarships to undergraduate students, including this year and last year, said the Scholarship Project Coordinator, Ms. Marquita Soares This scholarship is given to students who have a good academic record and are prioritized for those who have financial difficulties. She added that a student would be entitled to a scholarship if they have a 75% in the final result of their study.
Timor Post
The president of the National Parliament, Mr. Fransisco Guterres, alias Lu Olo, warned that NGOs to provide their services as non- profit organizations and serve the community without interfering with government policy. He said this in relation to criticisms made by some NGOs regarding budget allocated by the government on purchasing firearms for National Security. Mr. Fransisco also said that the government took this decision to anticipate any instabilities that might happen in the country.
Although the Primary School no. 4 Kuluhun passed the school year 2000/2004 successfully, there are still difficulties faced by the school in terms of the small number of Portuguese teachers and lack of textbook supplies and other facilities such as students' desks, said the Director Rita da Concecao Rodrigues. She noted that these situations affected the students' punctuality in coming to school. Ms. da Concecao added that the Ministry of Education has not paid any attention to the difficulties that the school is currently going undergoing.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
Task Team Leader of the World Bank for the Small Enterprise Project (SEP), Mr. Bernard Drum, arrived in Dili on October 25 together with his team. The team plans to stay in Timor-Leste until November 6 to hold meetings with the government, small businesses and cooperatives, said Mr. Abel da Costa Freitas, Vice-Minister of Development and Environment. Mr. Drum and his team will also conduct field trips to certain districts: Liquica, Bobonaro, Suai, Manufahi, and Aileu. Mr. Abel noted that the aim of this visit is to closely observe, monitor and evaluate the all activities included under SEP II.
Head of Viqueque District Health, Ms. Maria F. Belo said there is only one laboratory at the district level, but each of the four Clinic Health Centres in the sub-districts of Uatolari, Uatocarbau, Ossu and Lacluta (CHC) do not have their own laboratory. Ms. Belo added that there is one NGO, Global Fund, that provides support in the district and funds multi-skill training in the Dili national laboratory to four staff members who are to be placed in the district CHCs.
East Timor News
East Timor has raised the stakes in negotiations with Australia over a permanent seabed boundary between the two countries. The tiny nation is demanding that production of the vast Greater Sunrise field be based in East Timor. Talks have resumed in Dili this week to resolve the dispute over oil and gas revenues in the Timor Sea.
The two countries are inching towards an agreement that would most likely see East Timor give up its boundary claims in return for more revenue. But officials in Dili are now demanding that all production of the Greater Sunrise field be based in East Timor, with a massive seabed pipeline built to bring the gas onshore. They have yet to decide how they will develop Greater Sunrise field and have warned the project could stall for years if the two governments do not agree by Christmas.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri stated that the government of Timor -- Leste will continuously attempt to get the Timorese rights over Timor Gap including the Grater Sunrise field. Mr. Alkatiri noted the Timorese delegations are trying to determine the maritime boundary in order to define the owner, as both countries are claiming their rights to it.
The Prime Minister added that the government firmly stands on its position to build strategies to get what is considered to belong to the nation. He also said that the negotiations are ongoing, yet it have not reached any significant results.
The task team leader for the World Bank's Small Enterprise Project (SEP), Mr. Bernard Drum, expressed his intention to increase the budget assistance for the project in Timor Leste. SEP is doing well for the reconstruction of the nation, and the budget will be increased to fulfill needs and maintain management, Mr. Drum said this after a meeting held with the Prime Minister, Mr. Mari Alkatiri, the Vice- Minister of Development and Environment, Mr. Abel da Costa, and the World Bank Country Manager, Ms. Elisabeth Huybens.
Mr. Moisis da Costa, a staff member at the emergency unit in the National Hospital of Guido Valadares (HNGV) said that the number of patients coming in increased dramatically in October. He noted that there were about 80-90 patients each day compare to last month, which was 40-50 per day. Generally, the patients suffer from diarrhea, asthma and hypertension, although Mr. da Costa mentioned that the number of malaria cases this month decreased.
Thus far, the Ministry of Justice has not issued certificates either for lands or houses, stated the Minister of Justice, Mr. Domingos Sarmento, SH. He said this in response to the use of land and property certificates as a warranty to get credit from some commercial banks in Timor Leste. He affirmed that the Ministry of Justice is not involved with the credits given by the banks. Mr. Sarmento added that those certificates issued by the Indonesian government would be collected by the Ministry in order to release new ones under authorization of the government of Timor Leste.
Ministry of Justice staff are now undertaking a Portuguese language course that started on October 26, which is carried out by Camoens Institute said the Minister of Justice, Mr. Domingos Sarmento. The course is divided into 3 levels: 1 for beginners, 2 for intermediate level, and 3 for advanced students. The number of staff taking the course is 63. Apart from the abovementioned, Camoens Institute is also delivering the same course for judges, panels, and public defenders. Mr. Sarmento added that the aim of this course is to enable all staff to use Portuguese in the workplace.
Timor Post
A meeting was held at the Memorial Hall on Tuesday, October 27 between government representatives and members of the Diplomatic Corps in Timor Leste. The government representatives were Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak, Minister of Planning and Finance, Ms. Maria Madalena Boavida, State Secretary of Solidarity, Mr. Arseno Paixao Bano, among others. The Prime Minister said that the aim of this meeting was to disseminate information regarding general issues in Timor- Leste, especially the development of veterans' conditions.
The Portuguese government gave Timor-Leste assistance of Euro 750.000-950.000 to be allocated to children in Dili, Quelecai, and Baucau, the Dominican Sisters, and to professional training places such as those in Tibar, Baucau and Natarbora. The assistance was given directly to the State Secretary of Labour and Solidarity, Mr. Arseno Bano. Mr. Bano thanked the government of Portugal for assisting TL towards its development in difficult times. Mr. Bano also said that this assistance will strengthen the cooperation between the two nations in serving the communities in social aspects as well as providing professional training.
Timor Post
KOTA party head Mr. Manuel Tilman protested in National Parliament in response to the Vice-minister of the Ministry of Planning and Finance, Ms. Aicha Basserawan's explanation that the revenues from the Timor Sea should to be invested outside of Timor-Leste to minimize the risk and pressure on the domestic economy. Mr. Manuel Tilman said that the budget needs to be invested internally in order to boost the population's living conditions and to create job opportunities for the unemployed.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
Yesterday, the Ministry of Health set aside a special day for motherhood in Timor Leste. This was celebrated with a parade around Dili. Along the parade route, flyers about motherhood safety were distributed to the public. Mr. Carlos Tilman Boavida, head of health promotion, said that the aim of the parade was to promote safe deliveries to pregnant women in the communities. He said that it is most important to build trust between the communities and health workers, whether from the public or private sector.
Suara Timor Lorosa'e (STL)
This year, 30% of F-FDTL candidates were failed in the selection process because they were suffering from tuberculosis (TBC). According to the F-FDTL Brigadier, Mr. Taur Matan Ruak, TBC could possibly be caused by being overworked and having unbalanced exercise and nutrition. In the same article, Mr. Taur recommended that all young people take care of their health because they are the future of the nation.
Mr. Flavio da Silva, a member of the National Parliament from the Fretilin Party said that the government must create market facilities to organize all the vendors who are now selling on roadsides in Dili and in front of the Dili Exhibition Centre (Ex-Merkado Lama). Vendors still break rules stated by the government to sell in the three markets already established by the government, Mr. Flavio noted. He also said that the district administrator should pay close attention to this issue.
Timor Post
The rector of Universidade da Paz, Mr. Lucas da Costa suggested that the money from Timor Sea should be invested in Timor Leste. Mr. Lucas said that the money can be used for development in health, education, and infrastructure, such as the rehabilitation of the International airport, and the money can also be use for the extension of the International Port in Dili. He also said that the money can provide employment opportunities for young people by enabling them to experience independence.
[Compiled by David de Araujo Receptionist World Bank, Dili Office.]