Timor Gap

Australia-Timor border deal 'close'

Courier Mail - June 30, 2005

Karen Michelmore -- Australia and East Timor are close to striking a deal on a maritime boundary, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said tonight.

The East Timor Government was considering a draft deal, and it was likely there would be no need for further talks, he said.

"The officials have reached agreement and they've now referred it back to (the) ministers," Mr Downer said.

"But we await the decision of the East Timorese Prime Minister and ministers on whether they are happy with what the officials have negotiated.

"When we hear some positive messages from them, we'll take it back to our own Cabinet."

Mr Downer said he would meet East Timor President Xanana Gusmao in Sydney next week, but it the Easy Timor Prime Minister and Cabinet would make the decision on the deal.

Simply put, the dispute is over how the boundary between Australia and East Timor should be set.

Traditional international methods do so either by following the continental shelf or placing the boundary halfway between the countries involved. A change to the boundary will give East Timor more revenue from oil and gas reserves in the area.

Timor officials said three weeks ago that good progress had been made, but details had to be discussed.

Mr Downer described those issues as "drafting details". "They've got their own processes in East Timor to go through," he said. "I don't think my Cabinet colleagues will have too many problems with what my officials have negotiated."

Federal Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane told a gas conference in Darwin earlier this month that East Timor stood to earn an extra $US5 billion from an increased share of the revenues from the Greater Sunrise development.

That was on top of the 90 per cent share the nation has in the joint petroleum development area with Australia, worth $US14 billion over the next 20 years, Senator Macfarlane said.

The deal adopted the East Timorese principle of setting aside maritime claims on the sea bed for some 50 years in return for East Timor getting an increased share of Greater Sunrise revenues, he said.

Interview: Mari Alkatiri says Canberra deal in sight

Dow Jones Newswires - June 17, 2005

Veronica Brooks, Canberra -- East Timor's Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri, said Friday he believes Dili and Canberra can quickly finalize a revenue-sharing agreement covering Woodside Petroleum Ltd.'s (WPL.AU) stalled US$5 billion Sunrise gas project in the Timor Sea.

"Yes, I think it is possible this month," Alkatiri told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview.

He also said that East Timor is determined, in resolving a few outstanding "technical issues" in the text of the agreement, that the deal won't prejudice the impoverished nation's right to seek a permanent maritime boundary further down the track.

Alkatiri's comments offer greater certainty that the neighboring countries are on the cusp of completing a pact, contrasting with recent comments from East Timor President Xanana Gusmao that Dili shouldn't rush into settling the dispute over oil and gas revenues before the three-year-old nation can handle the royalties.

Earlier this month, Australia's Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane said the agreement needs to be signed urgently because Woodside, operator of the Sunrise project, is seriously looking at other development options.

According to Macfarlane, the deal thrashed out between the two countries last month in Sydney could deliver an extra US$5 billion in petroleum royalties to East Timor in addition to existing revenue arrangements.

In return, East Timor will agree to set aside negotiations on a permanent maritime border for 50 years.

But even if the deal is finalized this month, it will still take several months for the document to be ratified by parliaments in East Timor and Australia.

Alkatiri told Dow Jones Newswires the revenue-sharing treaty will help the East Timorese government eventually make much-needed investment in areas such as health, education and physical infrastructure.

As well, a portion of the revenues will be put into a petroleum fund, generating a perpetual stream of earnings that will support future generations of East Timorese.

And while conceding the yearlong negotiations between East Timor and Australia have been difficult, Alkatiri is "satisfied" with the end result.

"The relationship (between East Timor and Australia) is very good. We have managed to isolate outstanding issues from others," he said.

The key now is whether Woodside is willing to revive Sunrise, regarded as the richest prize in the Timor Sea.

A proposed liquefied natural gas export venture was shelved by Woodside late last year because of the uncertainty created by the maritime border row.

Perth-based Woodside insists that it won't proceed with further development studies until it obtains "fiscal, legal and regulatory certainty" over the project.

The company's current focus is its Browse project, located wholly in Australian waters. It is targeting a 2011 start that will export LNG to Asia, and potentially the US West Coast.

East Timor edges towards oil deal with Australia

New Zealand Herald - June 17, 2005

Michael Richardson -- It has been a rollercoaster ride of more than two years of sometimes acrimonious talks between Australia and East Timor on how to share energy reserves in the Timor Sea.

After the fifth round of discussions ended on May 13, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said the two countries were on the threshold of an agreement that would allow both sides to benefit from major offshore oil and gas projects.

But East Timor's Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has since said more talks may be needed to iron out remaining issues.

If some of the rhetoric that has been flying around is a guide, Australia has descended in recent months from the rank of Best Friend to Big Bully in its dealings with East Timor, which gained independence from Indonesia just over three years ago.

Some aid, religious, human rights and war veterans groups in Australia joined East Timor officials in accusing Prime Minister John Howard's government of being stingy and bullying a small, weak neighbour. Is that a fair description?

A key issue was whether to negotiate a permanent maritime boundary in the 600km of the Timor Sea that separates the countries and, if so, where to put the line.

The seabed in this area contains valuable oil and gas fields that are being exploited or explored by Australian and foreign companies, and may well contain even greater petroleum riches that have not yet been discovered or proven.

So the position of the boundary would determine how much of the tax and royalty revenue from development of these fields goes to Australia and how much to East Timor. A lot of money is at stake. The known energy reserves in the area are worth an estimated US$32 billion ($45 billion).

Linked to this issue is what kind of relationship should Australia, one of the world's richest societies, have with East Timor, one of the world's poorest. Australia, with New Zealand, played a major role in the United Nations operation in 1999 that helped protect East Timor after its vote for independence from Indonesia triggered mayhem by pro-Indonesian militias.

Since then, Australia has been generous with aid and other assistance. But East Timor's leaders argue that the key to their plans to shift the economy from heavy dependence on aid to self- reliance is an assured stream of oil and gas revenue from the Timor Sea

East Timor's leaders wanted a maritime boundary to be fixed halfway between their country's southern coastline and Australia's Northern Territory.

The country's former guerilla leader turned-President, Xanana Gusmao, put it this way last year: "How can we prevent poverty if we don't have the money? How can we reduce disease, how can we stabilise the country, how can we strengthen the democratic process, how can we strengthen tolerance?"

There is an interim arrangement between Australia and East Timor covering a large zone in the Timor Sea. East Timor gets 90 per cent of royalties from energy reserves exploited in this zone. This amounts to long-term revenue of about US$8 billion. Australia gets only 10 per cent of the royalties.

But the zone is positioned much closer to East Timor than to Australia because of an earlier deal Canberra worked out with Indonesia, which invaded East Timor in 1975.

The deal was based on a legal argument advanced by Australia that the seabed boundary between Australia and East Timor was naturally determined where Australia's continental shelf plunged into a trough 3000 metres deep about two-thirds of the way to East Timor.

Since then, international law has evolved and a median line has become the generally accepted principle in fixing seabed boundaries between close neighbours. Indeed, Australia accepted the equidistant approach in more recent seabed border negotiations with the Solomon Islands, New Zealand and France in the Southern Ocean.

Some of the oil and gas fields in the Timor Sea -- including Greater Sunrise, one of the biggest -- lie wholly or partly outside the joint development area in waters claimed by Australia and now East Timor.

If the latter could get the border placed at the half-way mark, many billions of dollars in extra tax and royalty revenue from these fields would flow to East Timor, not Australia.

Canberra was concerned that if it made major concessions to East Timor on the maritime frontier, its credibility with oil and gas companies would be undermined.

It was also worried that Indonesia would demand a renegotiation of its adjacent seabed boundaries with Australia in the Timor Sea that were fixed in the early 1970s, much closer to Indonesia than Australia.

Australia insists any solution must give the companies that plan to invest heavily in the Greater Sunrise project the fiscal, legal and regulatory certainty to proceed. The project was shelved in November but could be revived.

The preliminary deal thrashed out in the last round of talks would postpone for 50 years any agreement on a permanent maritime boundary. In exchange, East Timor would get 50 per cent of tax and royalty revenues, instead of 18 per cent, from the Greater Sunrise area. In essence, Canberra is offering Dili as much as US$7 billion.

Outlining the preliminary deal in an article he wrote for the Age in Melbourne on May 30, East Timor's Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta said the two sides were "on the cusp of securing" the fairest agreement possible on sharing the energy resources of the Timor Sea.

[Michael Richardson, a former Asia editor of the International Herald Tribune, is a visiting senior research fellow at the Institute of South East Asian Studies in Singapore.]

Alkatiri again denies energy resource deal reached

Agence France Presse - June 5, 2005

Lisbon -- East Timor's Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri repeated Sunday his denial that his impoverished country had reached a deal with Australia over sharing oil and gas reserves worth billions of dollars under their shared Timor Sea.

"Nothing has been signed yet. I am sure that sooner or later there will be an agreement. But I cannot agree that it be said that there is an accord before one exists," he told the Portuguese daily newspaper Diario de Noticias.

"There are certain details that need to be elaborated on how to guarantee our claims over our maritime border," he added.

Australian media and government officials have repeatedly said over the past few weeks that an agreement over the maritime boundary between the two countries has been concluded, with East Timor's cabinet reportedly set to vote on the agreement soon.

But Alkatari and other top East Timorese officials have said that only that the broad outlines of a possible agreement had been reached.

East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, broke away from Indonesia in May 2002 after a 24-year armed struggle. A 1972 boundary agreement between Australia and Indonesia gave Canberra two- thirds of the sea area between the two nations and most of its energy resources, estimated to be worth over 30 billion dollars.

East Timor, the poorest nation in Asia, started talks with Australia in April 2004 to establish the boundary at the mid- point between East Timor and Australia, giving it most of the resources.

Alkatiri carried out a two-day official visit to Portugal last week.

Transition & reconstruction

Australian troops leaving too early: academic

ABC News - June 13, 2005

An international relations academic says Australian peackeeping troops are being withdrawn from East Timor prematurely.

The Australian Defence Force will hand over control of its base in East Timor to the country's government during a ceremony today. The ceremony will mark the end of Australia's peacekeeping operations in the country. A small number of troops will remain as part of a defence cooperation program between Australia and East Timor.

Senior lecturer in international relations and strategy at the Australian National University, Michael McKinley, says there are ongoing security concerns in East Timor, due to the traumatic nature of its transition to independence.

"Although there's going to be a defence presence left in the country ... the peacekeeping presence could perhaps have been extended, particularly if there are any reservations whatsoever in the East Timorese Government about their ongoing security concerns," he said. "My understanding is that there are certainly some concerns still remaining."

Dr McKinley says the Australian troops could have stayed for another year. "For the sort of psychological security of the East Timorese and perhaps even as a general message to the residue of trouble making, I thought perhaps Australia might have stayed somewhat longer," he said.

The commander of the Australian forces in East Timor, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Cox, says he believes the country is being left in safe hands. "We came in here in a period of turmoil in 1999 with INTAFET and General (Peter) Cosgrove leading the 5,000 Australians then, and we're now leaving with economic prosperity now in place," he said.

Australia to end historic peacekeeping mission

Agence France Presse - June 12, 2005

Timor Leste -- Canberra will on Monday begin withdrawing its last peacekeeping troops from Timor Leste, signaling the end of a six-year mission that heralded a controversial new era of regional intervention for Australia and one of its largest military ventures since the Vietnam War.

In a ceremony to be attended by Timorese leaders, Australia will hand over a base at Moleana, a tiny town near the border with Indonesia -- the country whose violent backlash to Timor's independence prompted Australia's deployment.

Australia dispatched its military to Timor Leste in 1999 amid violent chaos that surrounded a UN-backed vote in favor of separating from Indonesia, which occupied the half-island former Portuguese colony in 1976.

More than 1,400 people were believed to have died and entire towns were razed as Indonesian troops and their local militia proxies rampaged until the arrival of peacekeepers led by up to 5,000 Australians.

However the deployment, a prelude to a new Australian foreign policy that has included military intervention in the Solomon Islands and a program to restore law and order in Papua New Guinea, led to a collapse in relations between Canberra and Jakarta that continues to resonate.

Monday's handover comes a month after the official end of the United Nations' military operations in Timor Leste, which had already been extended after two years of UN stewardship ceded to Timorese sovereignty in 2002.

Attending the ceremony will be Timor Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, the UN's special representative in the country, Sukehiro Hasegawa, and Australian army land commander Major Gen. Ken Gillespie.

Australian peacekeepers pull out of Timor

Australian Associated Press - June 2, 2005

Darwin -- The last of Australia's troops are preparing to leave East Timor as the peacekeeping operation winds down.

Australia's national commander in East Timor Lieutenant Colonel Brian Cox said 70 Australian army, navy and air force troops left Dili earlier this week.

A further 45 would return home to Australia in coming weeks.

The return follows the end of the United Nation's three year peacekeeping mission last month, set up to stabilise the nation amid its bloody push for independence.

A new smaller UN political mission has been established to help build the impoverished new nation.

The UN arrived in East Timor in September 1999 after locals voted overwhelmingly for independence, sparking attacks from pro- Indonesia militia.

About 5,000 Australian peacekeepers were among the 11,000 UN troops at the height of the mission.

"I feel we have actually completed the mission quite successfully," Colonel Cox said. "We are very proud of what the Australian Defence Force has achieved over here, and we are also immensely proud of what the East Timorese are achieving.

"The place we came to in 1999 was in turmoil. As we leave there are prospects for great economic growth and prosperity."

The last Australian flag would be lowered at the base at a ceremony on June 13, he said. Two Australian majors would remain behind until July as the UN establishes its new mission, which will include 15 military training advisers.

West Timor/refugees

East Timorese get visa chance: Vanstone

Australian Associated Press - June 10, 2005

Dozens of East Timorese asylum seekers could be granted permanent visas after having their cases reviewed by Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone.

Senator Vanstone said she had reconsidered the cases of 53 of the asylum seekers. Six had been ruled out and not all of the remaining 47 were likely to gain a visa, she said.

"A significant number of these asylum seekers submitted new and substantial information in support of their intervention requests following my announcement of May 19, including evidence of a high level of community integration and support," she said in a statement.

"As a result, I have written to 47 people asking them to complete relevant health and character checks so a final decision on whether to grant a permanent visa in their cases can be made." Senator Vanstone said the group of 47 included several cases which were initially refused because of character concerns.

"In these cases, evidence of participation in rehabilitation programs, or whether an individual had reoffended recently, would influence any decision on whether to grant a permanent visa," she said.

She said the intervention process was usually a two-stage process, most had previously been refused at stage one and they had therefore not completed the relevant stage two health and character checks. But it was prudent that stage two health and character checks either be carried out or updated before a final decision on whether to grant a permanent visa was made.

"I would not expect that every one of the 47 individuals will be granted a visa," Senator Vanstone said.

She confirmed previous decisions to decline visas to the remaining six other individuals who would be offered the government's reintegration package to assist them to return to East Timor.

The six would have a further 28 days to decide if they wish to accept the offer.

Justice & reconciliation

UN demand to pursue officers accused of atrocities rejected

Radio Australia - June 30, 2005

The Indonesian Government has flatly rejected a United Nations demand that it punishes the military officers accused of masterminding the atrocities in East Timor in 1999.

Barker: In the pre-independence bloodshed that ravaged East Timor in 1999, more than 14-hundred people were killed, many of them in massacres.

Thousands of people were forcibly deported, many more disappeared, countless women were raped and buildings everywhere were destroyed, as Indonesian-led militia gangs laid East Timor to waste.

Yet six years on, no-one outside of East Timor has served any real sentence for their part in the atrocities and those who are in jail are mostly Timorese militia members who've been under the command of more senior Indonesian officers.

Under international pressure, Indonesia did set up a special ad hoc human rights court which has tried 18 military and police commanders, but virtually all have been acquitted. Many more suspects were never prosecuted in Indonesia and only charged in absentia by UN prosecutors in Dili, among them is no less than the former head of Indonesia's armed forces, General Wiranto.

In frustration, the United Nations earlier this year established a commission of experts to examine why those who bore the greatest responsibility for the violence have never been punished. Its confidential report is damming.

Male: The Commission has concluded that the prosecutions before the ad hoc court were manifestly inadequate, primarily due to a lack of commitment on the part of the prosecution.

Barker: Indeed, most of the prosecution witnesses, the report said, who testified, had been indicted themselves, individuals affiliated to the Indonesian army or government officials. And it went on.

Male: The failure to investigate and prosecute the defendants in a credible manner has not achieved accountability of those who bare the greatest responsibility for serious violations. Many aspects of the ad hoc judicial process reveal scant respect for relevant international standards.

Barker: The report accuses Indonesian prosecutors of conducting deficient investigations or presenting inadequate evidence at the trials and of the judges it said:

Male: The court room atmosphere did not provide for a credible judicial forum that would inspire confidence in the public mind.

Barker: The UN Commission recommends that Indonesia be given six months to put on trial or retry those accused of destroying East Timor, or submit to an international war crimes tribunal in an independent country.

But not even East Timor supports the move and instead both nations recently established a Truth Commission which would focus on reconciliation and drop all charges against those yet to be tried.

A foreign ministry spokesman in Jakarta, Marty Natalegawa, says an international tribunal would only damage relations between Indonesia and East Timor.

Natalegawa: The idea of having an international tribunal is probably the most unrealistic and the most unsound recommendation that they could ever possibly identify. It simply, utterly fails to recognise that the two countries concerned -- Indonesia and Timor Leste, not only have they tried their level best to restore the matter to their national judicial process, but also have created this Commission of Truth and Reconciliation to provide closure to the whole issue.

Barker: Does Indonesia care whether those responsible for the violence in East Timor are brought to justice?

Natalegawa: Absolutely. It's in our very interest in wanting to have a closure and to ensure that there's no impunities. Why we say that is because the Indonesia today is far different from what it was before. But it has to be some process which actually brings Indonesia and Timor Lestia even closer together rather than become a source of friction between us.

Indonesia rejects international tribunal for Timor abuses

Deutsche Presse Agentur - June 30, 2005

Jakarta -- Indonesia flatly rejected a recommendation by a UN panel to set up an international tribunal to prosecute Indonesian forces and militia leaders accused of rights abuses in East Timor, officials said Thursday.

The panel was appointed by UN secretary general Kofi Annan to review efforts by the two countries to bring justice to victims of abuse during a 1999 UN-sponsored independence vote in East Timor.

It called efforts so far inadequate, and concluded the perpetrators should be brought before an international tribunal if Jakarta fails to show significant progress within the next six months.

"We can't accept the recommendation," Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

"We regret the fact that the CoE (Commission of Experts) neglected to recognize the Commission of Truth and Friendship formed by both the Indonesian and East Timor governments, who are willing to move forward and forget the past.

"The international tribunal is very unrealistic and not visible," said Natalegawa, adding that the recommendation was no surprise. "We knew it was coming."

During the panel's visit to Indonesia, judges met with top Indonesian officials, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayudha and Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh.

The judges aim was to evaluate the judicial process of Jakarta's ad hoc human rights tribunal, which was set up after intense international pressure to prosecute those charged with atrocities committed during the 1999 referendum in East Timor.

The vote unleashed a wave of murder and mayhem committed by pro- Jakarta militias that was only stopped after an international peacekeeping force was dispatched to restore law and order. More than 1,000 people died and 500,000 were left homeless.

Indonesia's tribunal has tried 18 suspects. Twelve were acquitted, five had their convictions overturned on appeal and the final case is still pending.

Human rights activists have long described the Indonesian judicial process a sham, and have called for a full international tribunal.

"Indonesia should just give away those generals who are responsible for the killings," said Johnson Panjaitan, a human rights activist and former lawyer for East Timor President Xanana Gusmao during the struggle for independence. "That will give Indonesia a better, cleaner image."

UN panel blasts Indonesia on East Timor trials

Reuters - June 30, 2005

Evelyn Leopold, United Nations -- Six years after the Indonesian army and allied gangs waged a scorched-earth campaign in East Timor, a UN-appointed panel concluded that Jakarta's prosecution of suspects was seriously flawed.

In a 149-page report to the Security Council obtained by Reuters, the panel said Indonesian forces and local militia leaders should be tried before an international tribunal if Jakarta does not agree to conduct prosecutions within six months under international supervision.

Alternatively, the panel of three legal experts said the 15- member Council should consider referring cases to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

"The commission finds that prosecutions before the Ad Hoc Court were manifestly deficient," the report said, referring to the special tribunal Jakarta set up for crimes against humanity in East Timor, which broke away from Indonesia in 1999.

"There was little commitment to an effective prosecution process, which was marred by numerous lacunae in the conduct of investigations, protection of witnesses and victims, presentation of relevant evidence, lack of professionalism and ethics and rigorous pursuit of truth and accountability of those responsible," the panel reported.

Sham process The New York-based Human Rights Watch praised the report and said the Security Council had an obligation to ensure justice. "Indonesia's trials for crimes in East Timor speak for themselves: the process was a sham," said Brad Adams, the group's Asia director. "The UN experts' report shows the Security Council that it's time to put its weight behind a credible justice process."

The panel -- P.N. Bhagwati of India, Yozo Yokoto of Japan and Shaista Shameem of Fiji-was appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in February and filed a report on May 26. The findings reached Security Council members this week and have not been reviewed yet.

Few believe the council will create a new tribunal. About 1,500 civilians were killed, others were raped and tortured and 250,000 were made homeless when the Indonesian army and proxy militia razed a good part of East Timor.

Most of the violence occurred after an August 1999 UN-organized independence referendum for the former Portuguese colony that Indonesia ruled for 24 years. Australian troops halted the rampage and a UN administration and peacekeepers followed. The territory became independent in May 2002.

One conviction

A Serious Crimes Unit and special panels established by the United Nations in East Timor issued indictments against 391 people. Among them were the former Indonesian defense minister, Wiranto, six high-ranking army commanders and the former governor of East Timor.

Indonesia then established an "Ad Hoc Human Rights Court for Timor-Leste in Jakarta. The Indonesian attorney general indicted 18 military and police personnel, two government officials and a militia leader but no high-level suspects. Of the 18 who were tried, only the gang leader was convicted.

These prosecutions, the commission concluded, were flawed, "due to a lack of commitment on the part of the prosecution" as well as a lack of expertise, experience and training.

East Timor and Indonesia have established a Commission of Truth and Friendship, which has not yet begun work. The panel praised the concept but said it was not a substitute for a credible judicial process.

Indonesia rejects proposal on war crimes tribunal

ABC News Online - June 30, 2005

Anne Barker -- The United Nations Security Council has been handed a report that recommends an International War Crimes tribunal on atrocities in East Timor, if Indonesia fails to retry those accused of masterminding the violence in 1999. But Indonesia has rejected the proposal.

A special Indonesian court has already tried 18 senior officers accused of orchestrating the 1999 pre-independence violence that killed around 1,400 people. But virtually all have been acquitted.

An United Nations commission of experts has recommended Indonesia retry suspects and punish those responsible within six months, or submit to an International War Crimes tribunal in a third country.

The UN commission of experts slammed Indonesia's own human rights court as a sham. The commission's confidential report says Indonesia's court process was manifestly inadequate and showed scant respect for international judicial standards.

But Indonesia's Foreign Ministry has rejected the proposal, with spokesman Marty Natalegawa saying Indonesia and East Timor prefer the establishment of a Truth Commission focusing on reconciliation.

"It's in our very interests in wanting to have closure and to ensure that there is no impunity," he said. "Why we say that because Indonesia today is far different to what it was before. But it has to be some, a process which actually brings Indonesia and Timor Leste even closer together."

Pressure on Jakarta as UN calls for tribunal on Timor

Agence France Presse - June 29, 2005

Pressure was mounting on Indonesia to address its bloodstained exit from East Timor in 1999, as a UN team of experts called for an international tribunal to prosecute security forces and militia.

The report by the UN Commission of Experts panel is the latest in a series of harsh assessments of Jakarta's effort to examine atrocities in East Timor, which wound up last year having failed to jail any senior officials.

In its report, a copy of which was seen by AFP, the experts said Indonesia's ad hoc human rights court was "manifestly inadequate" and "shows scant respect for or conformity to relevant international standards". The three-member panel recommended that the UN Secretary General require Indonesia to account for its prosecutions within six months or allow an international tribunal to bring those responsible for the violence to justice.

Pro-Indonesian militia gangs, allegedly directed by Indonesian army officers, went on a rampage before and after East Timorese voted for independence from Jakarta in a UN-sponsored ballot in August 1999.

They killed about 1,400 independence supporters in the former Portuguese colony, laid waste to much of the infrastructure and forcibly deported 250,000 people after the poll resulted in an overwhelming vote for separation.

Human rights trials held in Indonesia to try those responsible -- and deflect UN calls for a proper tribunal -- ended last year after acquitting all but one of the 18 security officers and officials who appeared before them.

The UN Commission's report prompted a call from the New York- based Human Rights Watch for the United Nations Security Council to endorse the recommendation.

"The Security Council should make it clear that it will establish an international tribunal if Indonesia does not seriously pursue justice," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

"The UN experts' report shows the Security Council that it's time to put its weight behind a credible justice process," Adams said, describing the Indonesian human rights court as a sham.

Indonesian foreign ministry officials could not be reached for comment on the report.

The UN commission visited Indonesia in May to assess the country's efforts after earlier visiting East Timor to review the work of a parallel prosecution body tasked with indicting human rights violators.

Jakarta had argued that the United Nations panel was redundant in light of the creation of a joint reconciliation panel with East Timor, called the Commission of Truth and Friendship, but later agreed to cooperate.

But the UN experts said some aspects of the reconciliation body's brief "contradict international standards on denial of impunity for serious crimes".

East Timor leaders have said they do not support an international tribunal, preferring to focus on good ties with the tiny state's giant neighbour.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said last month that the country's human rights tribunal was "imperfect" but stressed both Jakarta and Dili were "trying to move forward".

East Timor gained full independence in May 2002 after more than two years of UN stewardship.

Rights groups hail UN move on war crimes tribunal

Associated Press - June 28, 2005

Slobodan Lekic, Jakarta -- Human rights groups Tuesday hailed a UN panel recommendation that an international tribunal be formed to try Indonesian military officers accused of violence in East Timor in 1999 and attacks on the United Nations mission there.

"We agree with the UN's Commission of Experts that continued strong international involvement is essential to ensure that impunity does not prevail for the brutal crimes of Indonesia's security forces in East Timor," said John M. Miller of the New York-based East Timor and Indonesia Action Network.

On Monday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan submitted the commission's findings to the Security Council for further action. The panel was appointed to evaluate Indonesia's attempts to punish those responsible for the violence that erupted in East Timor after it voted to break free from Indonesia in a UN- organized referendum in 1999.

The panel's findings will concern Washington, which has been trying to re-establish contacts with Indonesia's notoriously brutal military, claiming that the force is being reformed by Indonesia's new democratically elected government. Military ties were cut in 1999 by then-President Bill Clinton in the wake of the events in East Timor.

The independence ballot sparked a rampage by Indonesian troops and their proxy militias that left up to 2,000 people dead. The bloodshed only ended with the arrival of peacekeeping troops.

Later the same year, three international staffers -- including an American - were murdered by a militia gang in the Indonesian half of Timor island where they were helping refugees from East Timor.

The five-judge commission examined the UN-initiated prosecutions in East Timor and a series of human rights trials in Jakarta, both of which failed to hold any higher-level perpetrators accountable.

In their report, the experts determined that Jakarta's efforts to secure justice had been "manifestly inadequate." They urged the Security Council to establish an international criminal tribunal akin to those for ex-Yugoslavia and Rwanda to try the perpetrators unless Indonesia takes "substantive action" within six months.

The report also recommended that Gen. Wiranto, Indonesia's military commander at the time, be tried for war crimes.

"For the past five years, the Indonesian government has taken every opportunity to obstruct justice," Miller said. "We are skeptical that Indonesia will in the near term hold credible trials or engage cooperatively with a continued serious crimes process in East Timor."

The International Center for Transitional Justice also expressed "strong support" for the panel's recommendations.

Earlier this month, the New York-based group, which assists countries pursuing accountability for past atrocities, issued a report entitled "Justice Abandoned?" about the Indonesian government's alleged efforts to circumvent the judicial process.

UN recommends further prosecutions over Timor

ABC Radio - June 27, 2005

A United Nations commission says Indonesia should be given six months to re-try those accused of destroying East Timor or they should face an international war crimes court.

Martin: Not one person is in jail, following Indonesia's attempt to punish those responsible for the 1999 ruin of East Timor. After the former Portuguese territory voted overwhelmingly for independence, Indonesia's military and its militias laid waste to East Timor, killing, looting and burning as they went.

There was always going to be problems bringing those responsible to justice. East Timor has no extradition treaty with Indonesia, so UN-sponsored trials in Dili had to try Indonesian soldiers in absentia.

Rejecting the option of an international tribunal, the UN put the onus on Jakarta to judge those guilty of war crimes. But only 18 came to trial in the newly established human rights court, and just two were convicted. One of those convictions has been overturned, and the other is also expected to be reversed.

So the UN Security Council set up a Commission of Experts five months ago to assess the legal process, and find out why no-one's been punished. The commission has just reported, and one of the few outside the UN to be briefed on its contents is Jill Joliffe, veteran freelance writer on East Timorese issues.

Joliffe: The Commission of Experts described the conduct of the trials which they examined closely as having prosecutors who weren't committed to justice, saying that the court had been hostile to defence witnesses, but lenient on the accused. They said they were manifestly inadequate and had no respect, scant respect for relevant international standards. So they consider them really as with almost no legal credibility whatsoever.

Martin: Tell us the main recommendations of the commission's report?

Joliiffe: It's recommendations were that because the legal process was so deeply flawed, that the trial should be held again altogether. Now this is a rather unusual recommendation, because normally a person who was put on trial again would be subject to what's known as double jeopardy. But it said they were so flawed that the complaint of double jeopardy could not be used as a legal defence.

It has called on the parallel institution in East Timor, the serious crimes unit which attempted to prosecute some of the senior Indonesian officials to give its documentation to a new prosecution, in particular documentation about the indictment of General Wiranto, the former defence chief and other senior figures. It suggested that the Secretary-General should appoint a special legal aid team an international team of jurists to go to Indonesia and assist the attorney-general in conducting the new trials. It says that if Indonesia does not comply with these demands within six months from a date specified by the secretary-general, then the UN will look at other possibilities, including the establishment of an international war crimes tribunal on East Timor.

Martin: The United Nations isn't necessarily going to welcome a recommendation to look at a war crimes tribunal, a very expensive and in the current international political climate, not a very welcome recommendation?

Joliffe: That's right. I think that they will go very hard on the rerunning of the trials in Jakarta. There is a personal connection between Kofi Annan and the Indonesian President, Yuduyono who in previous positions both served in Kosovo.

Martin: So there is some kind of personal connection and you think Kofi Annan may try to somehow exploit this?

Joliffe: Yeah, I think that they're going to pressure the Indonesians very hard for this retrial in order to avoid the international court.

Martin: Yet the refusal to give this commission of experts visas was under the administration of Susilo Bambang Yudoyono, so how likely is it really that Jakarta is going to accept this kind of recommendation or indeed bow to this pressure?

Joliffe: I think that the past history suggest its highly unlikely and of course they will have many friends at the UN who'll be lobbying hard to make sure that this doesn't get through. But this commission of experts was after all appointed by Kofi Annan. It seems that there will certainly be some much stronger measure taken to bring people to justice over the 1999 crimes in East Timor.

US offers support on probe into Timor atrocities

Kydodo News - June 22, 2005

The United States has offered full support in working with East Timor and Indonesia to make the Truth and Friendship Commission formed by the two countries as credible as possible as it investigates alleged atrocities in East Timor in 1999, US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Pierre Prosper said Wednesday.

Proper said the US is committed to working with the two governments and the United Nations to produce a good outcome so both governments can move forward and come to terms with the past.

Talking to reporters at Dili airport before leaving East Timor after a two-day visit, he said a lot more work needs to be done to not only find the truth but to bring the episode to an end.

"The US needs to remain committed to working with all parties to try to find the truth and this creates the environment where justice has an opportunity to succeed," Prosper said.

During the visit, he met with government leaders, prosecutors and UN officials, as well as the kin of victims and survivors of the 1999 conflict.

"In other words, we would like to see in here, in this state, the place where the people of East Timor and elsewhere are able to attend to hear the testimony, to hear the evidence. Because the more the people are involved, the greater likelihood there is for acceptance of the process," Prosper said.

"So, our main objective as we look forward is that whatever steps are taken now must be steps that lead us to a credible, acceptable conclusion. We do not want to see more mechanisms," he said.

Jakarta's Timor trials 'a sham'

Melbourne Age - June 19, 2005

Jill Jolliffe, Darwin -- Indonesia should retry accused war criminals acquitted by a special court in Jakarta because the process was a sham, according to United Nations experts on East Timor.

A 160-page report to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is due for debate in the Security Council next week. The Sunday Age had exclusive access to the document, which says the trials were "manifestly inadequate" with "scant respect for relevant international standards".

It says prosecutors were "not committed to justice", and that the court had been hostile to defence witnesses but lenient on the accused.

The three experts, Justice Prafullachandra Bhagwati of India, Professor Yozo Yokota of Japan and Shaista Shameem of Fiji, visited Indonesia and East Timor earlier this year.

They were appointed by Mr Annan in February to investigate why a 1999 Security Council resolution calling for the trial of those accused of atrocities in Timor during its independence referendum had not been implemented.

Indonesian military and police officers tried in Jakarta for murders, arson attacks and deportation of 250,000 East Timorese still walk free. By contrast, Timorese militiamen tried by a parallel UN court in Dili are serving jail terms of up to 28 years.

Those enjoying impunity include former defence minister and presidential candidate Wiranto, a case noted by the experts.

The report recommends that Indonesia be given six months to prepare credible trials. If it does not comply, the experts argue, the UN should invoke its charter to set up an international war crimes court for East Timor.

News & issues

Martial arts groups pledge to end clashes with rivals

Lusa - June 30, 2005

Dili -- Leaders of martial arts groups in East Timor that have fought deadly clashes in the last year signed an accord Thursday to seek dialogue rather than violence to resolve future disputes.

A joint declaration was signed by the leaders of 10 of the 14 martial arts groups invited by President Xanana Gusmco to renounce violence against members of other gangs.

The accord replaces an earlier verbal agreement between the groups and the government that was hastily drawn up in the months following Timor's independence in 2002. Two separate clashes between rival martial arts gangs in 2004 left at least five people dead, including a police commander.

In comments to Lusa after the declaration's signing ceremony, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said he hoped the new anti-violence pledge would be adhered to by the groups.

"It's the start of a process that will contribute to altering mentalities. They have taken on a commitment and this is important", said the Timorese leader, who suggested that the violent behavior of the gangs was a result of Indonesia's brutal 24-year occupation of Timor.

The accord with Timor's martial arts groups, who combine elements of kung fu, karate and taekwondo, results from negotiations started at the end of 2004 by President Gusmco.

Under the agreement, witnessed by Dili-based international diplomats and the UN's senior official in Timor, the Forum for Communication of Martial Arts Groups in Timor (FOKAMTIL) has been set up.

MPs demand justice for two newsmen killed 30 years ago

Press Gazette (UK) - June 23, 2005

David Rose -- Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is facing MPs' demands to help clear up the mystery surrounding the slaying of two British newsmen 30 years ago.

Reporter Malcolm Rennie and cameraman Brian Peters died in October 1975 when they went to Balibo, East Timor, on assignment for Kerry Packer's Australian Channel Nine, to investigate reports that Indonesian forces were invading the country.

Three newsmen from the rival Australian Channel Seven, Australians Greg Shackleton and Tony Stewart, and New Zealander Gary Cunningham, also met their deaths.

At first, it was claimed that Rennie and Peters were caught in a crossfire between rival factions in East Timor's civil war.

But papers since released by the Australian government suggest they came into contact with the invading force. The documents show the Australian government knew about the invasion beforehand and the British government was informed.

Hopes that the truth may finally be unveiled have been given a boost by the opening in Australia of an inquest into Peters' death. The inquest has been adjourned until later this year and will get underway next year.

Meanwhile Don Foster, Liberal Democrat shadow media minister, is spearheading a demand for Straw to honour a promise to the relatives two years ago "to obtain justice".

A Commons motion, backed by MPs in all parties -- and covered by Parliamentary privilege -- "notes that the Foreign Office considers that British citizens Malcolm Rennie and Brian Peters, who died at Balibo, East Timor, on 16 October, 1975, were murdered".

The motion accuses the Indonesian authorities of blocking a United Nations investigation into their deaths and calls for "prompt and effective action".

Foster told Press Gazette: "Until we get a definite answer as to how these two newsmen were killed, and who was responsible, we intend to keep up the pressure. It is unacceptable that we haven't had full-scale work by the UK government, working with the Australian government and the United Nations security forces, to get a definite answer."

Inquest proceeds into Balibo Five death

Australian Associated Press - June 14, 2005

An inquest will be held into the death of Balibo Five cameraman Brian Peters, killed 30 years ago in East Timor.

His sister, Maureen Tolfree, lodged an application for an inquest in June last year and NSW State Coroner John Abernethy agreed to hear the case. The Channel Nine cameraman was one of five Australian based journalists killed during an attack on the Timorese border town of Balibo in October 1975.

Official reports maintained the men -- Greg Shackleton, Gary Cunningham, Tony Stewart, Malcolm Rennie and Mr Peters -- were killed in crossfire, but their families insist there was a cover-up and they were murdered.

There have been two inquiries, in 1996 and 1999, into the deaths, but no inquests were ever held.

Counsel for Mrs Tolfree, Robert Dubler, said these inquiries were "inadequate", in light of fresh eyewitness evidence and new material. "It is common ground that the Sherman inquiries were inadequate and, given the evidentiary material now to hand, reached erroneous conclusions," Mr Dubler said, in written submissions tendered to the court.

He said there was significant public interest in re-opening the case. "The deaths of the Balibo Five have been controversial and, despite occurring some 30 years ago, have been the subject of continuing public interest," Mr Dubler said.

"Given the additional new material which is now available... an inquest will necessarily provide greater illumination of the circumstances surrounding the deaths than has hitherto been provided to the Australian public and relatives of the deceased." Mr Dubler said the inquest need not be confined to Mr Peters' death, but would be a "representative inquest" into the deaths of all five journalists.

Mr Abernethy said he would not be considering any subsequent action by the Australian government in 1975, or political events surrounding Mr Peters' death.

"I'm not conducting an inquest into any events of 1975... these are far too remote in terms of manner and cause of death," Mr Abernethy said. "I will be looking at whether Mr Peters was in fact murdered and if so, by whom," he said.

Mr Abernethy adjourned the case until December 9, with the inquest expected to begin early next year.

East Timor opens a door to the world

The Times (UK) - June 4, 2005

Simone Lee Egger -- Accommodation was once so scarce in East Timor that a bed in a converted shipping container cost nearly #60 a night.

That was "post-99", when tens of thousands of international workers descended on the tiny half-island to establish peace and distribute aid after Indonesian militia trashed its infrastructure: destroying roads, bridges and the supply of power, water and phone services.

Now there's more choice of accommodation as the world's newest nation rapidly rebuilds itself, rediscovering its culture and fast emerging as a unique travel destination.

East Timor is celebrating its third birthday, having made its debut as an independent country on May 20, 2002 after three years of UN administration.

Travelling in East Timor to update Lonely Planet's guidebook Southeast Asia on a Shoestring was oddly akin to what I imagine travel in the region was like when the first edition was published in the 1970s.

There's no tourist office in East Timor, so I had to rely heavily on hearsay to research where to go, how to get there and where to sleep. Fortunately, people who've experienced the country's staggering natural beauty are bursting to talk about it.

The lack of a travel industry as such requires a degree of industriousness from the traveller. To hire a bicycle or boat, for example, you'll need to find a local who'll rent you his or hers. It's usually as simple as asking someone (an exchange that will likely lead to an invitation to dinner). There are no such things as itineraries or timetables; time dissolves in unexpected experiences.

One excursion I made outside the capital Dili was to a sacred waterfall. The "keeper of the water", who is also the village chief, escorted me (and about 30 intrigued children who'd hardly ever seen a white-faced foreigner before) through the jungle.

He "baptised" me out of respect for the animist spirits who dwell there, allaying any disappointment I felt upon finally seeing the modestly sized waterfall after a six-hour drive on hell's roads. The iridescent turquoise pool into which the waterfall emptied was flecked with silver flashes as the shiny fish caught the sun. From the reverent hush of excitable children and the pride of the chief, it was clear that this was a magical place.

On the return journey, a downpour diluted the oppressive heat and turned the trickling river that we crossed earlier into an impassable torrent. I spent that night with a family whose woven-walled hut with a thatched roof was at the river's edge.

The children played with a huntsman spider while we ate pumpkin flowers with rice, and drank palm wine (distilled palm-fruit juice, it's more like a punch, and, yes, it has one), and exchanged smiles until late. By the morning, the water level had subsided. I crossed, convinced that most challenges are blessings in disguise.

When the majority of UN personnel and military departed in around 2002, it left a hole in East Timor that's screaming to be filled by tourism. In Dili, there's a range of accommodation, costing between #3 and #60, and a slew of cafis and restaurants representing all the world's cuisines.

The dive operators who chaperoned workers on weekends to the island's world-class sites are now providing gear and transport to travellers.

And word is out about the eco-lodge located on the beautiful island of Atauro. If you visit midweek, however, there's still a chance that you'll have the place to yourself.

The lodge consists of eight huts built on a beautiful beach with a coral garden just offshore. Profits from the venture fund community programmes such as a mobile library, kindergartens and sustainable-farming techniques.

East Timor was closed to the world for more than 20 years during the Indonesian occupation, but now a trickle of backpackers is crossing the border, and Australians of all ages are making the short hop from Darwin in the Northern Territory. Independent East Timor is fresh turf for independent travellers on the well-worn South-East Asia trail.

Catholic Church/religion

Accord does not preclude future protest: church leader

Lusa - June 16, 2005

Lisbon -- A leader of East Timor's Roman Catholics warned Thursday that although the recent dispute between his powerful church and the Dili government is resolved, "nothing is definitive in these types of misunderstandings and conflicts".

Bishop Basilio do Nascimento of Baucau, speaking after a private meeting with President Jorge Sampaio in Lisbon, said that the joint declaration signed by Catholic leaders, including himself, with the Timorese government might not be applicable in future disputes between state and church.

The accord signed April 19 brought to a halt nearly three weeks of demonstrations in Dili by church supporters against the government of Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.

Initially centered on church opposition to a government pilot scheme to demote the status of religious teaching in state schools, the protests also widened to include demands for the criminalization of abortion and prostitution.

Under the joint declaration signed between the church and government, it was agreed that abortion, in most cases, and prostitution would be made crimes in Timor's draft penal code.

Bishop Nascimento, making a private visit to Portugal, also said that a third diocese, after Dili and his own, could be created within two to three years in Timor. The new bishopric is expected to be in Same in the south of Timor, he said.

End of dispute allows debate on abortion, prostitution

Lusa - June 2, 2005

Lisbon -- Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said Thursday that the resolution last month of the dispute between his government and East Timor's powerful Catholic Church opens the door for debate in Timorese society on sensitive issues such as abortion and prostitution.

Speaking in Lisbon on his first official visit as prime minister to Portugal, Alkatiri recalled that the 17 days of church-backed demonstrations against the Dili government, originally over the issue of the teaching of religion in schools, had been ended after the signing of a joint declaration by the church and government.

Under this declaration, both sides affirmed that abortion should be defined as a crime, except to protect the mother's life, in Timor's draft penal code. Prostitution should also be a crime, the church and government agreed.

However, Alkatiri, making specific reference to "prostitution and abortion", said the agreement with the Catholic leadership "deals with issues affecting the conscience of each citizen and has the merit of opening debate to all society".

On the subject of religious education teaching in state schools, which sparked the unauthorized but peaceful protests in April, Alkatiri said "the subject exists but attendance is optional", as approved by the Dili cabinet last year "in a decision that was not well understood by the Catholic Church hierarchy".

Religion teachers are paid by the state, and "were never paid by the church", said Alkatiri, adding that the government pays "about USD 3 million annually to just under 2,000 teachers who give lessons in Catholic schools.

Anyone who alleged the government refused to pay religious education teachers in state schools "is either badly informed or had other intensions", he added.

The Timorese leader was speaking after a meeting with his Portuguese counterpart, Josi Sscrates, and said his first visit to Portugal was aimed at "finding new forms of cooperation in the areas of education and justice", considered by Dili as priority areas.

"Attracting private investment" to Timor is another key objective for the new nation, said Alkatiri, who arrived Tuesday in Portugal on a four-day stay.

His visit to Portugal, during which he also met President Jorge Sampaio, caps a European tour that took him to four other countries and the EU headquarters in Brussels.

Business & investment

East Timor not ready to handle oil, gas revenue: Gusmao

Bloomberg News - June 16, 2005

Bloomberg -- East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao said his country shouldn't rush to settle a dispute with Australia over offshore oil and gas fields before the three-year-old nation can handle the royalties, which may exceed $14 billion over two decades.

"Why are we rushing? Having billions of dollars to rest in the bank?" Gusmao said in an interview in Bangkok. "We already have the institutions, but we don't yet have people who can assure that we will stand on a culture of transparency, a culture of effective handling of problems."

Australia and East Timor are "on the threshold" of an accord to split petroleum royalties from Woodside Petroleum Ltd.'s stalled Sunrise gas project, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said May 13. Talks on a final settlement on the border between the two countries may be suspended for 50 years, East Timor's Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said May 30.

East Timor, which broke away from Indonesia in May 2002 after a 24-year armed struggle, wants the boundary at a mid-point between the two countries, in the gas-rich Timor Sea. Australia pushed for the revenue split to be agreed before any territorial settlement. That's the wrong way around, Gusmao said.

"It's fundamental for me as president to guarantee the sovereignty, to guarantee the state, and the fundamental problem is the demarcation," Gusmao said while attending a Business Week leadership forum in Bangkok. "It must be the basis of all the considerations."

Judiciary

Finalizing sea boundaries, establishing a strong judiciary, responsible police force, and a financial structure including a central bank and a development bank are essential to ensure the country's economy benefits from the oil revenue, and to avoid the money being misspent, or corrupting officials, he said.

East Timor's head of state is not directly involved in the government's negotiations with Australia. "I am not talking on behalf of the government, because we are separated institutions in our system, but in my perception, we should not rush like we are in a very, very difficult situation of need," he said.

Woodside, Australia's second-biggest oil and gas producer, and its partners stopped work on the proposed $3.7 billion Sunrise gas project on Dec.

31 in the absence of an agreement between Australia and East Timor on the division of royalties. East Timor will receive as much as $5 billion of extra revenue under a proposed agreement with Australia on splitting petroleum royalties from the Sunrise field, Australian Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said on June 6.

Royalties

In addition, East Timor will receive about $14 billion over the next 20 years from its 90 percent share of royalties from an area jointly administered by the two countries, Macfarlane told the South East Asia Australia Offshore Conference in Darwin, Australia. The actual amounts depend on oil prices, he said.

United Nations ended its peacekeeping mission in East Timor on May 20, and Australian troops followed this week. About 300 UN representatives remain in East Timor to help the country establish technical systems, rather than security and stability.

The UN administered the territory of about 1 million people after its vote for independence in a 1999 referendum, after which pro- Indonesia groups destroyed about 70 percent of local property and killed more than 1,400 people. Indonesia invaded the former Portuguese colony in 1975.

IMF urges Timor to manage energy wealth 'responsibly'

Agence France Presse - June 21, 2005

Washington -- Poverty-struck East Timor has made "commendable progress" since wrenching its independence from Indonesia but needs to do much more to manage its new-found energy wealth, the IMF said on Monday.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said its staff and the World Bank had concluded a joint review last week of a National Development Plan (NDP) presented by the East Timorese government.

"Since regaining independence in 2002, Timor Leste (East Timor) has made commendable progress by maintaining peace and stability, building state institutions, and improving basic service delivery," IMF deputy chief Takatoshi Kato said in a statement.

"Significant challenges remain, however, in addressing weak capacity, accelerating growth and employment creation in the non-oil economy, and ensuring the sound management of the country's oil/gas resources," he said.

Kato said the government was right to focus in the NDP on strengthening institutional capacity, stimulating job creation through private investment and on managing its potential energy wealth "responsibly and transparently".

East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, broke away from Indonesia in May 2002 after a 24-year armed struggle.

Now the poorest nation in Asia, it has been holding protracted talks with Australia to delineate a maritime boundary and carve up oil and gas resources under the sea-bed, that are estimated to be worth over US$30 billion.

The IMF official added that close cooperation between Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri's administration and foreign donors will "remain critical" to East Timor's immediate future.

East Timor eyes oil, gas expansion

Sydney Morning Herald - June 6, 2005

East Timor will soon start opening up its untapped oil and gas reserves to investors, the Timorese government says.

A major oil and gas conference in Darwin has heard that the fledgling democracy hoped to offer licences by mid 2006 after conducting the first comprehensive seismic survey of 6,600km of Timor's undisputed maritime area in February.

Talks now underway to try to end the protracted dispute over maritime boundaries between Australia and East Timor are making progress amid high hopes of early settlement, Timor Sea Office director Manuel de Lemos said.

He told the conference that several international companies had already expressed interest in the data, which is expected to be processed by July. "We have had a lot of interest from the industry to come to Timor," said Mr de Lemos, an official from the Office of the Prime Minister.

New petroleum laws which are expected to be passed by the East Timorese in July will create a competitive and stable legal regime for investment, Mr de Lemos said.

Then the results will be exhibited in international centres such as Singapore, Houston and London, with offers of investment opportunities in the first quarter of 2006 and contracts awarded in the second quarter of 2006.

"After we have all of the petroleum legislation in place, then we will conduct an international road show," he told reporters. "We aim to explain to industry about what is our new legal regime, what is our new fiscal regimes and why Timor Leste (East Timor) want to attract investors."

Mr de Lemos said there were dozens of onshore oil and gas seeps in East Timor.

Meanwhile, East Timor was still in negotiations over revenue sharing from the Greater Sunrise gas field, he said.

Mr de Lemos, who has been involved in talks with Canberra to try to end the dispute over maritime boundaries, which has stalled major oil development work, said good progress had been made.

"It's progress, we have a very good progress with the Australian government but we still need to work a few more things in detail," he said. "Up until now there is still no agreement but we do have a progress in negotiation if you compared to what happened in a couple of negotiations before."

Mr de Lemos presented an address at the South East Asia Australian Offshore Conference in Darwin.

Daily media reviews

East Timor daily media review

UNOTIL - June 1-30, 2005

In-depth Investigation Required for Becora Case

PNTL Commander Paulo de Fatima Martins said in-depth investigation is required to detain the suspects involved in the fight between two groups in Becora a few weeks ago, which led to the death of a 47 year old man.

According to Martins, there were many people involved in the clash between Klak Fuik and Kulau and the police have an idea who the suspects are.

Martins said so far the police have identified three suspects believed to be involved when the problem led to the death of Abilio da Conceigco.

Regarding the death of a Timorese musician Antoninho Mascarinhas, last week as a result of home-made alcohol, the police commander said the case will be presented to the Minister of Interior to look into the sale of alcohol in Timor-Leste and the home made spirits on sale throughout the country as there has also been reports of deaths in Ainaro in relation to home-made alcohol, reported Timor Post on Thursday. (TP, STL) Valentim: National Electoral Commission Needs Proof Valentim Ximenes, a member of the National Electoral Commission (CNE) said that evidence is required to substantiate rumors of intimidation, threats and manipulation during the election of sub-village chiefs. He said that the commission has not taken any action yet on the latest rumors of discrimination during the election of sub-village and villages chiefs, as sufficient proof has not been presented. "We, as CNE, require information that substantiates complaints, as this is part of the election procedures.

It is open for the public to present their complaints through us or STAE when there are any problems," Ximenes said. He added that CNE will investigate reports of intimidation and other cases during the election process. CNE will also analyze STAE reports regarding voting results and present findings to the Court to make a decision on the complaints. Valentim Ximenes stressed that the election has been carried out smoothly and as a Timorese he feels that Timor-Leste knows how to respect democracy. (STL) No Building for PNTL in Ermera District PNTL officers in Ermera District are sharing one building with other civil servants. Despite this, the PNTL officers have been carrying out duties and retaining part of the building as their headquarters, reported Diario Tempo Nasional on Thursday. The Minister of Interior has reportedly already requested the PNTL District Commander to present a proposal to request the Minister of Justice for a building. Meanwhile BPU commander, Antonio da Cruz said following the shooting incident between BPU and TNI in the border a few months ago, he is working on establishing good relations again with TNI. The two national security agencies continue to conduct border patrols. (DTN)

Police Too Weak to Stop Illegal Business: Lobato

Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato said the amount of of illegal trade has increased along the borders between Timor-Leste and West Timor as the Police are too weak to prevent the illegal trade. Lobato pointed out that the PNTL officers are too busy listening to music and telling stories despite all the materials purchased for them to do their work. (DTN) Editorial: UNOTIL Mission In today's editorial Timor Post reports the message of President Gusmco to UNOTIL during the one day seminar organized on the first UNOTIL consultative group meeting, to pay further attention to the needs of people of Timor-Leste. The editorial says the President's message clearly shows his concern about the difficulties faced by the population on a daily basis. The message also shows that the Timorese people still require assistance to be able to live peacefully and to work better to face future work. With regard to assistance from international workers, the editorial states that the area needs to be analyzed in order to determine what assistance is required from other countries -- not such things like "rusty irons," and tasks that the Timorese can do themselves -- but bring in support in areas where the population still cannot perform the tasks themselves. According to the editorial, during the three years of independence Timor-Leste has become a place for foreigners to run illegal trade and business in items such as expired medicines and prostitution noting that it is sad as it cannot be predicted what this situation will lead to. The editorial expresses hope that the RDTL government will take concrete measures rather than neglect the situation as it has done until now. (TP)

Population Faces Food Shortages

About 2000 people from sub-villages in Laga (Baucau) are likely to face food shortages due to the lack of rain. The information has been gathered by the Sub-district Administrator of Laga, Baltazar Belo last Monday.

Belo said that between December and January, farmers planted maize which died due to lack of rainfall. He said that the maize that managed to grow did not provide corn and was used for feeding animals. He added that the population is going through difficult times without sufficient food at present. (DTN) WFP to Buy Local Rice to Feed Population The World Food Program is planning to buy local produced rice to be distributed to people affected by food shortages in some districts.

Minister of Agriculture, Fishes and Environment, Estanislau da Silva said that the WFP initiative is very positive however the problem is that there may not be sufficient rice. (DTN)

June 29, 2005

UNOTIL first consultative group

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri told participants of the first Consultative Group, on "a smooth and rapid transition from UNOTIL to the Sustainable Development Assistance Framework in Institutional Capacity Development" that many people want to see the decentralisation of the government with more local power. For that, he said, specialised capacity on equal level to the capacity of the central government. He also indicated that civil society must be dynamic and participative, have the capacity to criticise and be the driver in this process, therefore civil society and national NGOs must be capable and not follow instructions from outside through the internet. The Prime Minister also told the participants that the media in Timor-Leste at times is one of the most free in the world but lacks capacity therefore it is necessary to establish a free, independent and responsible media. He added that the media requires capacity to be able to speak about transparency. In a separate article President Xanana Gusmao requested UNOTIL to attend to the peoples' needs during its one year mandate in Timor-Leste. According to the newspaper, President Gusmao hopes that UNOTIL will be successful in supporting the government in areas still requiring assistance like law and order. (TP, STL)

Election results

The Provisional Results of the "Aldeia" sub-village elections in Aileu, Ainaro and Manufahi districts on 27 July were today published by the Technical Secretariat for the Administration of Elections (STAE) under the Ministry of State Administration. In Aileu, from a total of 139 Aldeia subvillages, inter alia, 55 individual, 51 Fretilin, 12 PD and 10 PST subvillage chiefs were provisionally elected with a voter turn-out of 88.7%. In Ainaro, from a total of 131 subvillages, inter alia, 47 Fretilin, 46 individual, 28 PD and 6 PSD subvillage chiefs were provisionally elected with a voter turn-out of 82%. In Manufahi, from a total 137 subvillages, inter alia, 78 Fretilin, 25 individual, 17 ASDT, 11 PD, 2 PST and 2 PSD subvillage chiefs were provisionally elected with a voter turn-out of 86.34%. (STAE Press Release)

PM denies bringing in foreign banks to manage funds

Speaking to the media after the first UNOTIL Consultative Group meeting in Dili, Prime Minister Alkatiri said the information published by Timor Post on Monday from Dow Jones about brining in foreign banks to manage Timor-Leste's petroleum fund is not correct. PM Alkatiri confirmed that the revenues will be invested overseas to earn more profits. "It is not bringing in banks to Timor-Leste. It is overseas investment," he added. (TP)

Translators in the justice system receives certificates

41 Tetum language translators received certificates on Tuesday after participating in an 8 month training course. The training was part of the pilot project "to enhance the capacity of the translators and interpreter in Timor-Leste". The programme sponsored by the Governments of Ireland, Portugal UK, Denmark, Sweden, and the European Union as well as NZAID and USAID and organized by UNDP and the Ministry of Justice will strengthen the work of the justice and legislative institutions. Prime Minister Alkatiri, SRSG Hasegawa, Vice Minister for Justice, Rector of National University, and Benjamin Corte-Real were present at the ceremony, which took place at Dili National University. STL reported Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri as saying that the Timorese do not have the capacity yet to be in charge of the judicial system. "I do not want to mention these problems as the time and the venue is not appropriate." But Alkatiri stressed, "I believe that the help from consultants and internationals specialists who are working hard to establish the pillars of justice as a sovereign organ will open the doors of justice to everybody." According to this newspaper Alkatiri said the project would help strengthen the pillars of the justice sector through training provided. (TP, STL)

Sebastiao: Not Scared About Investigations

Provedor for Human Rights and Justice, Sebastiao Diaz Ximenes has affirmed that he is not scared about investigating cases of collusion, corruption, nepotism and other illegal cases within the Government and sovereign institutions. "For me, there is no reason to be scared of anyone, the government did not choose me therefore if the community complains about any case or injustice within the Government or sovereignty institutions I am prepared to investigate," Ximenes said. After participating in the swearing-in ceremony of his two deputies, Amandio S' Benevides and Silverio Pinto Baptista in the National Parliament, Ximenes asked Parliamentarians not to interfere with his work even if they had elected him, adding he wants to do his work independently and impartially. He concluded "all I ask is for time for me and my two deputies to be able to carry our work as we have already committed to do our work correctly according to the regulations". (STL)

Martial arts group have declared to stop violence

In response to the regional and national dialogue workshop last November, martial arts groups have established a coordination group called Forum Komunikasaun Artemarsiais involving many groups which is intending to make a statement in the presence of President Gusm'o to stop violence and abide by the Constitution to guarantee peace and stability to the development process of Timor-Leste. According to a press release from the Office of the President, the statement would be signed by the martial arts groups today in the presence of the President, Prime Minister and Civil Society groups. (TP)

June 28, 2005

PM will present the budget for fiscal year 2005/06

President of the National Parliament, Francisco Lu-Olo Guterres said that the Prime Minister will officially present the budget for the fiscal year 2005/06 to the Parliament. Guterres added that the presentation will take place in the beginning of July after he returns from Cape Verde independence celebrations. He also said that presently the commissions are studying the proposed budgets presented by the Government. (TP)

PNTL Provided Assistant in Election Process

PNTL National Investigation Commander Jorge Monteiro told the media on Monday that 322 police officers assisted in the election process in the districts of Same, Ainaro and Aileu. Monteiro said the officers were selected from different units and divided into three groups to join the police officers already stationed in the districts to provide security during the election, which reportedly went smoothly. (TP, STL)

PNTL still irresponsible: Lobato

Diario newspaper quoted Minister of Interior Rogirio Lobato as saying on Friday in Ermera District that, "one of the biggest problems with PNTL officers is their lack of responsibility in taking care of cars they use for work. Some members of the police use the vehicles carelessly and damage them until they are totally destroyed". Lobato added, "if we don't take care of our own belongings who will? And don't think that the ministry will purchase more because it does not have money". The Minister pointed that if the same kind of attitude continues then this country will not progress. He said that during his time as Minister of Interior he had purchased around 30 vehicles for PNTL. He said that nowadays police use horses as a means of transport and soon they will have to do their work on foot due to their lack of responsibility. (Diario)

Commission established to address food shortages

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has established a commission to look into ways of preventing food shortages in case there are food shortages in one or two years time. The commission is composed of Government officials from various ministries and would be coordinated by the Secretary of State for Employment and Solidarity, Arsenio Bano. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Bano said the commission would carry out more research into the prevention of food shortages and the first step is to discuss the assessment, mobilize support as well as how best distribute food. He said last week, the Government through the Secretary of State for Employment and Solidarity had already sent food to Same for those people with less food but so far the supplies had not been distributed due to the pending assessment of the specific food needs. Diario newspaper reported that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment warned that by the end of this year people in certain parts of Timor-Leste could be affected by food shortages due to variation in the rainy reason. (TP, Diario)

Verification Commission Faces Difficulties: President Gusmco

President Gusmco said the Verification Commission is facing difficulties collecting correct data on former combatants and Falintil veterans as thirty years has passed and many of them have died. However, the President is reportedly confident that these difficulties would be resolved. According to President Gusmco, the meeting took place to look into the differences of the structures of Falintil. He added that some of the veterans have registered with some appearing to have confused their ranks, names and code names, therefore the Verification Commission is double checking all the information collected. (Diario, TP, STL)

June 27, 2005

Aderito: Dialogue Required for International Tribunal

Aderito de Jesus Soares said a dialogue is required in order to discuss dept if the victims of 1999 violence want to proceed with an international tribunal. De Jesus said it is no longer a national political issue but an individual one. The Advocate and Human Rights Lawyer said it is important for the leaders and other experts to take part in the dialogue with the main focus on the victims, as the Timorese leadership are trying to manipulate the rights of those affected by the violence. He added that the establishment of an international tribunal is not only national issue but an international one as well. "International politics is far greater than the national politics. This is something I would like to clarify to the public that there must be a dialogue on the establishment of an international tribunal with the victims," said Aderito de Jesus Soares.

In a separate article in Timor Post, the human rights lawyer said President Gusmco invited him to be part of the Truth and Friendship Commission (TFC) but he rejected it based on the strategy of the commission. "I personally received an invitation from the leadership to become a member of TFC but I rejected it because I am conscious not only as a lawyer but as a moral duty and responsibility to the victims,' De Jesus added. (TP)

PNTL Should Not Use Force to Attend to Problems

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for Ermera District police commander Arnaldo de Jesus Almeida do Castro, Minister of Interior, Rogirio Lobato said police should not use force to attend to problems. "The community has put their trust on me, PNTL must show respect in order for the community to respect you also. Just because you carry a pistol around your waist you cannot go around beating up people," Lobato told those present at the ceremony on Saturday. The Minister added that professionalism is still something that has not met the required criteria and therefore police must differentiate between violence, aggression and use of force. He stressed that police has the right to use force cautiously when they are in danger of being attacked with a weapon or sharp objects. He also pointed out that sometimes police kick and beat up people and call in too many police just to apprehend one person. (STL)

Indonesia Wants to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

A forum has been held in Dili between Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Australia with the aim to strengthen bilateral cooperation. The forum, which began on Saturday with the theme Forum Arafura and Tasi Timor (Timor Sea) concludes today with participants from Indonesia. The head of Indonesian delegation and Indonesia Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Maritime Issues, Indiono Susilo, told the media on Saturday that the cooperation program should have commenced in 2002 and further programs are still required in the future such as on oceanography and global climate change. But the short-term focus would be on the people living in the lowland areas, close to the sea, Susilo said. He said Indonesia wants to work with Timor-Leste and Australia in accordance with the mandate of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. (TP)

June 24, 2005

Government reshape in response to demands

Prime Minister Alkatiri said the reshaping of the government structure, which he is planning to do soon, is in response to the demands received by the government. Alkatiri said the purpose of it is to initiate the decentralization process and exhaust the budget for the fiscal year ending 2005/06.

He added that the proposal for the budget has been presented to the National Parliament. The Prime Minister emphasized that the government has opted for new dynamics by working closely with the private sector and coordinating bigger investments in the area of infrastructure to demand greater job quality. (Timor Post)

UN should not place the burden of 1999 on TL

Prime Minister Alkatiri said the United Nations should not place the burden of the events of 1999 on Timor-Leste. Alkatiri said Timor-Leste, as a member of the UN, has the right to accept or reject an international tribunal, adding that the responsibility is that of the world body and not Timor-Leste's. He added Timor- Leste found its road to justice over the 24 years through the resistance movement to achieve independence. "This is the contribution of the Timorese people to the world to find justice and proceed with the law," adding that if the UN wants to speak about 1999 then it's "their responsibility because they were here when the problems rose".

The Prime Minister emphasized that the Timorese's duty today is to find the truth through the Commission for Truth and Friendship as it will help in finding justice in the future. (Timor Post)

June 23, 2005

US offers support on probe into East Timor atrocities

The United States has offered full support in working with East Timor and Indonesia to make the Truth and Friendship Commission, formed by the two countries, as credible as possible as it investigates atrocities in East Timor in 1999, said US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes, Pierre Prosper.

Prosper said the US is committed to working with the two governments and the United Nations to produce a good outcome so both governments can move forward and come to terms with the past.

Talking to reporters at Dili airport before leaving East Timor after a two-day visit, he said a lot more work needs to be done to not only find the truth but to bring the episode to an end. "The US needs to remain committed to working with all parties to try to find the truth and this creates the environment where justice has an opportunity to succeed," said Prosper.

During the visit he met with government leaders, prosecutors and UN officials, as well as the families of victims and survivors of the 1999 conflict.

"In other words, we would like to see in here, in this State, the place where the people of East Timor and elsewhere are able to attend to hear the testimony, to hear the evidence. Because the more the people are involved, the greater likelihood there is for acceptance of the process," said Prosper.

"So our main objective as we look forward is that whatever steps are taken now must be steps that lead us to a credible, acceptable conclusion. We do not want to see more mechanisms," he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Prosper said the US has already received a copy of the UN Commission of Experts' report and his government is carefully study the document in order to present its feedback. (Kyodo, Timor Post, STL)

Prosecutor General Denied Receiving Documents from SCU

Prosecutor General, Longuinhos Monteiro, yesterday said that he is yet to receive the official documents from the United Nations Special Panel on Serious Crimes for the crimes committed in 1999. He said that according to the decision of the Security Council, the documents would be officially handed over to the Public Ministry through him.

Monteiro said the documents were supposed to be handed over by the international staff, adding "they had left without advising about the work they did".

The Timorese Prosecutor General also said that he would not receive and sign anything that he believes the international staffs have not processed it properly. (Timor Post)

Government of TL and UNOTIL Continue to use Merpati Airlines

Merpati Airlines District Manager, Maxi Leo Mandagi, said even though United Nations' Headquarters has issued an instruction for UNOTIL officials not to use the airline for official trips, Timor-Leste's government continues to use it for both official and regular visits.

Mandagi said the Indonesian government was very upset with the instructions put out by UNOTIL. Director General of the Indonesian communications asked the ICAO to withdraw the assessment on Merpati Airlines operations.

According to Maxi, in response to such instructions, his company has made some steps in meetings with all the ambassadors who are based in Dili.

The result of the meeting, according to Maxi, was that all of the ambassadors and the Indonesian representatives stated that they would continue to use Merpati Airlines. (Timor Post)

Local Government Receives Equipment From UNOTIL

The local government of Oecussi District received equipment from UNOTIL worth US$71,000 reported Timor Post on Thursday. A ceremony was held at UNOTIL's office in the district with the participation of the District Administrator, representative of Land and Property Department as well as UNOTIL's Regional Administrator Officer, Ragen Totonawaga. (Timor Post)

June 22, 2005

Government not against International Tribunal

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said the government of Timor-Leste is not against the establishment of an international tribunal, but the recommendations of the UN Commission of Experts (CoE) to establish a tribunal. The Prime Minister believes the recommendations by the CoE, are too technical and do not take into account official and political questions. Mr Alkatiri added that before establishing an international tribunal one must look into the dynamics inside and outside the country, noting that it wouldn't be correct to establish a tribunal and then leave the Timorese to face the consequences. He also stressed that the establishment of an international tribunal is the responsibility of the UN and it wouldn't be correct to establish a tribunal to judge only Timorese people. (Timor Post)

PD and KOTA supports CoE report

President of Klibur Oan Timor Aswain (KOTA) party and the spokesperson for the Democrat Party, Rui Menezes, said they support the CoE report and recommendations made, namely that the Jakarta Ad-Hoc tribunal was not credible. Rui Menezes of the Democrat Party said, if the ad-hoc tribunal was not credible, that means the UN must find an alternative so that on the Timorese can continue to trust the UN to find a justice and an alternative to satisfy Timor-Leste. (Timor Post)

Police Reserve Unit deployed to Hatolia

The PNTL Reserve Unit has been deployed to Hatolia upon receiving information from the population about threats, reported Timor Post on Wednesday. According to the news, members of the community spotted five people armed with guns, threatening some people. The Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato has confirmed the deployment of PRU in Hatolia to assess the situation and charge those responsible for the intimidation. (Timor Post)

Prime Minister prepared to respond to budget

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said he is ready to respond to questions in the National Parliament regarding the budget for the fiscal year 2005/6.

According to Timor Post, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Timor-Leste, Sukehiro Hasegawa, told the media after his meeting with the Prime Minister, that Mr Alkatiri wants to meet with Members of the Parliament on this matter soon. (Timor Post)

June 21, 2005

CoE: Rejects Truth and Friendship Commission's terms of reference

Local media reports claim that a report by the United Nations' Commission of Experts (CoE) has rejected the Terms of Reference of the Truth and Friendship Commission, established by the governments of Timor-Leste and Indonesia.

However, Foreign Affairs Minister Josi Ramos-Horta said he does not accept the establishment of an international tribunal, as recommended by the CoE, to bring justice to those who have committed crimes against humanity in Timor-Leste following the vote for independence in 1999. Ramos-Horta added that members of the UN Security Council would not welcome an international tribunal. He pointed out that those individuals or groups who want to lobby for the establishment of an international tribunal must be responsible for the consequences.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs said he recently met with his Indonesian counterpart and focused on the Truth and Friendship Commission and did not discuss the COE. In turn, Ramos-Horta accused the CoE of not appropriately following its terms of reference in accordance with its mandate. Meanwhile, President Xanana said he respects the considerations of the CoE. (TP, STL, TVTL)

Mari Alkatiri: Government never asked CoE for appreciation

Prime Minister Alkatiri said the government has never asked the UN Commission of Experts (COE) for any form of appreciation concerning the terms of reference of the Truth and Friendship Commission (TFC).

Alkatiri said that TFC is a result of the competency of Indonesia and Timor-Leste's sovereignty and "therefore it is not up to the Commission of Experts to undertake an evaluation of an initiative established by two sovereign nations".

On the establishment of an international tribunal, Mari Alkatiri said the United Nations is responsible for it and not Timor- Leste. He said CoE focused mainly on technical analysis and did not include the social and political implications. The Prime Minister went on to say that the analysis of the CoE was impartial and did not look into the impact of the establishment of the tribunal on Timor-Leste and Indonesia. "The two nations are trying to consolidate democracy", adding that the crimes of 1999 are the responsibility of the international community and therefore the decision is solely theirs. Prime Minister Alkatiri added that what Indonesia and Timor-Leste desire is for the TCF to strengthen ties. (Timor Post)

Aderito de Jesus: Better to be quiet than go against international tribunal

Timor-Leste's human rights advocate and lawyer, Aderito de Jesus, said Timorese leaders worried about a second Indonesian invasion are better off keeping quiet than go against the establishment of an International Tribunal for 1999 crimes. De Jesus said he welcomes and appreciates the recommendations of the Commission of Experts due to the weakness of Jakarta's ad-hoc tribunal, noting that even the Special Panel for Serious Crimes failed to sentence militia leaders.

He is of the opinion that the agenda of the Commission for Truth and Friendship (TFC) is based mainly on politics rather than on justice for the victims. He added that if the government rejects the establishment of an international tribunal than it would be an embarrassment because "the decision of the leadership would be stepping on the principles of the Timorese". Aderito de Jesus said he agrees with reconciliation but provided there is also justice. (Timor Post)

National Parliament approves bill on petrol funds

The National Parliament on Monday approved the bill on the Petroleum Fund Law. The bill was passed with 68 votes in favour and will now be presented to the President of the Republic for promulgation. (Timor Post)

Martins: Security process is getting better but with difficulties

PNTL Commander Paulo Martins believes that border security is improving although there are still some difficulties in terms of transport, communications and how to control the border of Oecussi enclave. Martins said the enclave is big geographically and is surrounded by rugged mountain, riverbanks and rough roads, making it harder to control the border. (Timor Post)

June 20, 2005

Ronaldo: "I will not forget Timor-Leste"

The Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo paid a short five- hour visit to Timor-Leste on Saturday. After approximately 20,000 people turned out to see him at the Municipal Stadium, Ronaldo said that he was very pleased with the enthusiasm shown to him by the people of Timor-Leste, and that he would not forget the day that he visited Timor-Leste and was greeted by so many very special Timorese. On his return to the airport, Ronaldo was accompanied by an honour guard of hundreds of motorcycles, driven by Ronaldo fans. (Timor Post)

Alkatiri reiterates pipeline condition

Prime Minister Alkatiri says that he has already explained to Woodside Petroleum Ltd that if the pipeline for oil exploration does not come to Timor-Leste but rather to Darwin, Australia, then there will be no exploration. Speaking to journalists on Saturday, Alkatiri said that he does not believe Woodside's claim that there is no appropriate technology to overcome the deep trench near Timor-Leste, because according to the data that he has, it is possible to overcome these technological difficulties.

If Woodside continues to insist that it is not possible to bring the pipeline to Timor, then "leave the oil under the sea", reiterated Alkatiri. (Timor Post, STL)

US Ambassador unhappy with judicial progress

United States' Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Joseph Rees, says that he is unhappy with the way the judicial system is progressing. Speaking at a public lecture at the University of Peace last Friday, Rees said that in the three years he has been here, he has not seen much improvement.

However, he said that the government is now implementing the testing of judges as one means of improving the system. A range of questions were put to the Ambassador by students of the university after his lecture, including those surrounding the issue of Timor-Leste's maritime boundary, an international tribunal, the impact of a free market economy on Timor-Leste, and the rumour that the United States is building a military base on the island of Atauro. Rees said that this latest rumour is not true, and that it is people who do not like the American government who spread rumours like this. (Timor Post)

Wirajuda: Indonesia soon to propose TFC names

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hasan Wirajuda says that Indonesian will soon submit the proposed names of members for the joint Indonesia-Timor-Leste Truth and Friendship Commission. He said that this will be done in a matter of weeks, not months, remembering that the Commission is the best means of finding a solution to the problems of the past between Indonesia and Timor-Leste, while still maintaining a friendly relationship between the people of the two countries. (Timor Post)

TL still open to returning refugees

President Xanana Gusmao says that Timor-Leste remains open for all those refugees who decide they wish to return. In a message for World Refugee Day, being marked today, President Xanana said that there have been two large refugee movements in Timor-Leste's history, in 1975 and 1999. He said that even though many refugees who ran away have now made new lives for themselves in another country, Timor-Leste remains open to those who wish to return. (STL)

June 17, 2005

Provedor inaugurated

The Provedor for Human Rights and Justice, Sebastiao Dias Ximenes, was yesterday inaugurated into his position in a ceremony at the National Parliament. Speaking after the ceremony, Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said that he believes that the Provedor is a person of integrity and that he will act independently. Ramos-Horta said that it is important that the Provedor demonstrate these qualities so that the people and institutions such as the Parliament, have trust in the position.

Members of Parliament congratulated the Provedor on his inauguration. MP Rui Menezes of the Democrat Party said that he hopes that the position does not become just a symbol, but that he must deal with high-level cases of corruption, abuse of power, and abuse of state facilities for party interests.

The Provedor himself thanked the National Parliament for their confidence in him and requested that the Parliament not interfere in his upcoming work as the Provedor post is an independent and impartial one. (Timor Post, STL)

Accused in slander case granted conditional release

Joao Mintha, accused of slandering Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, was yesterday granted conditional release. Mintha is required to report regularly to police while waiting for his case to be heard in court.

Alkatiri's daughter, Nurima Alkatiri, took Mintha, an assistant cameraman for Portuguese Radio and Television as well as a manager of the Timor-Leste's Football Federation, to court on an accusation of slander against her father at Sagres Bar in Dili on 10 June. (Timor Post)

Xanana: Some police act like cowboys

President Xanana Gusmao says that some police officers are striving to improve their performance, while others continue to behave like cowboys. At a press conference at Dili airport on Thursday, Xanana spoke about a recent fight in Taibessi, Dili, which involved police. He asked that the police make efforts to control themselves, and also asked that PNTL commanders exercise greater control over police officers' carrying of weapons, in particular, that they must not take them home or out when they are not on duty.

Meanwhile, President Xanana has also requested the government, Parliament and youth organizations to find a means for youth to find work.

Referring to another fight between youths that occurred at Becora on Wednesday afternoon and resulted in one death and one person being seriously injured, the President said that the answer to such problems is not to throw the perpetrators in prison, but to find them jobs. He said that the problem is that these youths do not have anything to do and thus find themselves caught up in problems. The President asked that the relevant entities to continue with efforts to send youths to Malaysia and Korea to work in order to solve this problem. (Timor Post, STL)

Appeals court reduces militia sentences The Appeals Court on Thursday reduced the prison sentences of eight Aitarak (Thorn) militia members. Three international judges reduced four of the accused prison sentences from six, to five and a half years, and the other four from five, to four and a half years. In reducing the sentences, the Court took into account the time that the accused have spent in prison as well as factors such as the responsibilities that the accused have toward their wives and children, the fact that their crimes were committed under orders from other militia, and their good behaviour. (Timor Post)

June 16, 2005

Horta: TL does not accept International Tribunal

The government of Timor-Leste will not accept a recommendation from the UN Commission of Experts (CoE) for an international tribunal to be established to try those accused of crimes against humanity in Timor-Leste.

Speaking to Timor Post on Wednesday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Ramos-Horta said that while the government is still studying the recommendations made in the report of the CoE, the government will not accept an international tribunal, claiming it could lead to a breakdown in relations with Indonesia.

Ramos-Horta also reported that he will travel to Bali next week to meet with his Indonesian counterpart, to discuss the Truth and Friendship Commission which will begin its work in August. He said that he will take the opportunity to present the CoE report to the Indonesian Foreign Minister so that they may work together in presenting a proper response to the United Nations Secretary- General. (Timor Post)

Horta rejects Secretary-General candidature

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Ramos Horta said that although some friends and Timor-Leste's government would like him to nominate himself as one of the candidates for the upcoming post of UN Secretary-General, he does not want to. Speaking to the Timor Post on Wednesday, Ramos-Horta said that he prefers to continue his work in Timor-Leste as Foreign Affairs Minister. He said that Timor-Leste would continue to support the candidature of the Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs for the post of Secretary-General, as a representative of the ASEAN region. (Timor Post)

Hasegawa: Police must protect human rights

The Special Representative of the Secretary General in Timor- Leste, Sukehiro Hasegawa, said that it is important that Timor- Leste's national police give protection to human rights in Timor-Leste. Speaking at the launch of the Police Training Manual on Human Rights at the UNOTIL Headquarters in Obrigado Barracks on Wednesday, Hasegawa said that UNOTIL, the government and the development partners are still committed to strengthening PNTL's capacity.

The book represents a work of collaboration between UNOTIL and the government of Timor-Leste. Hasegawa yesterday officially handed over the book to the Assistant Administration Commander General of PNTL, Inspector Lino da Silva Saldanha. (Timor Post, STL)

PM attends TL conference in Australia

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri will today take part in an international conference at the University of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, about cooperation with Timor-Leste. According to a press release from the Prime Minister's Office, the Mr Alkatiri will present a paper at the conference about Timor-Leste's economy, as well as meet with some Australian government officials and parliamentarians while in Melbourne. (Timor Post)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs reclaims land

Timor-Leste's Department of Land and Property will move some residents of Marconi from their current residences in order to build the office of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. According to the Director of Land and Property, Pedro de Sousa, the Marconi residents have so far failed to register their land with the Department, as is a requirement for those people occupying government land. De Sousa said that the community must leave the land and find somewhere else to live. The state will not provide compensation. (Timor Post)

Commission C approves Petroleum Law

Commission C for the Economy and Finance in the National Parliament yesterday approved the final version of the Petroleum Law. Head of Commission C, Manuel Tilman, said that the Commission added an extra article regarding the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice, assigning power to the Provedor to receive reports and complaints regarding the management and application of the Petroleum Law. The law must now be taken to the Monday's Plenary Session for final approval. (Timor Post, STL)

Oscar Lima criticizes foreign small business

Timor-Leste businessman Oscar Lima regrets the influx of foreigners setting up small businesses in Timor-Leste. Speaking to STL on Wednesday, Lima said that the Immigration Department must take measures to more strictly regulate these small businesses, so as not to limit business opportunities for locals. According to Lima, these foreigners are coming from the Philippines, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia, and they are freely opening up small businesses. He said that they are taking away the right of Timorese to take advantage of their own economy, and that the government must take steps like other countries have to control the right of foreigners to open up businesses in another country. (STL)

June 15, 2005

Tohumeta case an overreaction

A member of the Democrat Party Eusebio Guterres said that the Tohumeta case has been unnecessarily politicised. Some Members of Parliament yesterday complained in Parliaments Plenary Session that some young people in Tohumeta, Laulara sub-district, recently insulted the Fretilin flag.

The five youths along with the Tohumeta Village Chief have since been arrested, but according to Guterres, their actions did not warrant an arrest and their arrest was not been carried out according to proper procedures. (Timor Post, STL)

Pipeline to TL a possibility

There is a possibility that the pipeline from the Greater Sunrise oil field can come to Timor-Leste, according to the Advisor of Natural Resources in the President's Cabinet, Francisco da Costa Monteiro. Speaking to journalists, Monteiro explained that previously experts had believed that the sea trench immediately preceding Timor-Leste is too deep to build a pipeline in the absence of the appropriate technology. However, the right technology now exists according to Monteiro, and he said that a company called INTEC in 2002 carried out a survey on the trench, which showed that it is possible to bring the pipeline here. Monteiro said that Woodside Petroleum has also recently carried out a survey on the economic viability of the matter, which he said the government has not yet seen. (STL)

President Castro may visit TL

Cuban President Fidel Castro may visit Timor-Leste in the future if he comes to this region, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Ramos-Horta. Upon his return from a trip to Europe and Cuba yesterday, Ramos-Horta said that President Castro expressed his great admiration for the Timorese people, President Xanana Gusmao and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and thus he received the invitation to visit with pleasure.

Ramos-Horta said that his visit to Cuba had been a success in terms of strengthening ties between Timor-Leste and Cuba. He explained that Cuba and Timor-Leste have different political systems,- for example Timor-Leste has a multiparty system and press freedom, whereas Cuba has just one party, the Communist party, which has been in power for almost 50 years. But he said that Cuba also has policies, which very much benefit its people with the result that there is no hunger, access to health services is very high, and the literacy rate is 100 per cent.

Ramos-Horta took the same opportunity to announce that President Castro also offered to accept another 200 Timorese medical students to study there. There are currently 30 Timorese medical students studying in Cuba, and this number will rise to 50 later this year. He added that with Cuba's help, Timor-Leste may gain up to 500 Cuban-trained Timorese doctors in the next five to ten years. (Timor Post)

Pensions can help in combating corruption

Member of Parliament from the Social Democrat Party, Maria Paixao, said that pension allowances are one way of combating corruption and thus the government should consider this means. Speaking in Tuesday's Plenary Session, Paixao said that if pensions are not introduced for public servants in Timor-Leste, corruption will continue to flourish as public servants are concerned about guaranteeing income for their retirement. (Timor Post)

Opposition parties demand to see Truth Commission draft TOR

The opposition parties in the National Parliament have demanded that the government present the draft Terms of Reference for the joint Truth and Friendship Commission between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. MP Joao Goncalves from the Social Democrat Party said that even though prospective candidates to sit on the Commission have been chosen by both countries, the Parliament has not yet seen the draft Terms of Reference for analysis and then approval. Goncalves said that in principle, the Parliament does not intend to block or delay the Terms of Reference, but that as the people's representatives the Parliament has the right to see them. (STL)

Kowa residents request new BPU post

Residents of Kowa village in Balibo sub-district have requested that the recently abolished Border Patrol Unit post in their village be reinstated.

According to head of the Liberal Party faction in the National Parliament, Armando da Silva, the local population have been frightened since the post was removed. There have been a spate of recent cases in Kowa village that may be contributing to the local population's fear, including the defection of 26 Kowa resident to Indonesia, the murder of three Indonesian citizens in their village, and the arrest of a group of militia there who were attempting an illegal entry from Indonesia to Timor-Leste. According to da Silva, the post is a strategic and important one for guaranteeing the security and safety of border communities. (STL)

June 14, 2005

Inquest to probe journalist's death in Timor-Leste

The New South Wales Coroner has agreed to conduct an inquest into the death of an Australian journalist in Timor-Leste 30 years ago. Brian Peters was a member of the 'Balibo five' group of journalists who died in 1975 while covering the Indonesian invasion of Timor-Leste.

Mr Peters' sister, Maureen Tolfree, has not been satisfied with official explanations of her brother's death, which said he had been killed in crossfire. She requested that the Coroner investigate the death.

Ms Tolfree's lawyer, Robert Dubler, says he believes there are now eyewitness accounts of Mr Peter's death. (ABC)

Parliament to approve budget with good conscience

The President of the National Parliament, Francisco Guterres, said that the Parliament will use their good conscious to approve the 2005-06 budget proposal. Even though the Parliamentarians do not fully understand the mathematics of the budget, they understand the political implications for each ministry, he said. He added that before approving the budget, the Parliament will invite the Prime Minister and the Minister for Planning and Finance to formally present the budget to the Parliament.

The Parliament's Commission C yesterday formally received the budget proposal from the President of the Parliament for discussion. Head of Commission C, Manuel Tilman, said that he would draw up a calendar for discussion in a 15-day timeframe. (Timor Post, STL)

MH bribery case to be sent to court

The bribery allegations against an official in the Ministry of Health have been sent to the Prosecutor General to be processed in court. According to a notice released by the Ministry of Health yesterday, the Health Inspector and the Inspector General have investigated the allegations of bribery by a contractor to an official in one of the Ministry of Health's district offices, in order that the contractor win the contract for the rehabilitation of a health facility in that district. The investigation also indicated that there was some falsification of facts in the accountability report that was sent to the development partner who financed the project. The Ministry of Health has temporarily suspended the suspect officer while waiting for a court determination of the case. (Timor Post)

WB to train female journalists

Timorese female journalists will receive special training from the World Bank this coming July. Elisabeth Huybens, Country Manager of the World Bank in Timor-Leste, told Timor Post that the World Bank sees a need for journalism training for female journalists in the country. She said that she hopes that the upcoming training will help female journalists to be more confident and thus take part in World Bank conferences and meetings.

Huybens added that the Bank would also soon run a seminar on the petroleum sector for journalists so that they may better understand the issue. (Timor Post)

Truth Commission names not yet decided

Timor-Leste has not yet decided on the five members to sit on the Timor-Leste side of the Truth and Friendship Commission, according to the President's Chief of Staff, Agio Pereira. Pereira said that once the names have been confirmed, the President's Office will be sure to inform the media. (Timor Post)

Twenty Timorese health workers leave for Japan

In order to increase the capabilities of health workers in Timor-Leste, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), working together with the Department of Health, will today send 20 health workers to Japan to participate in a three-week training. The 20 participants are from Timor-Leste's 13 districts. According to JICA's resident representative in Timor- Leste, Deshiaki Tanaka, this will be the first of five such visits to Japan for a group of health workers. He added that Japan has previously already sent 100 Timorese to Japan to increase Timor-Leste's human resource capacity in a range of areas. (STL)

June 13, 2005

Fresh hope for East Timor asylum seekers in Australia

Some 50 East Timorese seeking asylum in Australia have received a second chance to be granted a permanent visa. The Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone, announced she has reconsidered the cases of 53 people who had originally been denied permanent residency and told to leave the country.

Senator Vanstone said she will now write to 47 people asking them to complete stage two of the character and health checks. A spokesman for the Minister says once the people have responded to the letter, the government will make a final check to see if they qualify for a visa. (ABC)

M.Y. Orion promotes tourism

The Australian steamship M.Y. Orion, which paid a visit to Timor-Leste over the weekend, is an example of a positive outcome of Timor-Leste's tourism promotion campaign launched by all government entities. The steamship, carrying 76 Australian tourists, left Darwin on Thursday and arrived in Dili early Friday morning, where it then left to pay a visit to Baucau before returning to Australia on Saturday. Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said that the steamship visit shows that tourists are interested in coming to Timor-Leste, while the Director of Timor-Leste Tourism Miguel Lobato said that the visit is very significant for the country's tourism industry.

From Sydney, the founder and Managing Director of the Orion Expedition Cruise, Sarina Bratton, said she hopes the ship's visits to Dili and Baucau will assist in the development of quality tourism products in Timor-Leste.

Timor-Leste became a member of the World Tourism Organization in November 2004. (Timor Post)

Xanana: Reconciliation has reached its target

President Xanana Gusmao says that he believes that reconciliation for Timor-Leste has reached its target. Speaking at a press conference at the airport In Dili on Saturday before leaving on a visit to South Korea and Thailand, the President said that although there are still many problems to resolve such as that of victims of war and the veterans, the general situation is now much improved.

Before leaving on his trip, President Xanana met with the members of the Indonesian rock band Boomerang and said that their visit was also one of the realizations of reconciliation. (Timor Post)

30 August Bridge inaugurated

President Xanana Gusmao and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri inaugurated the 30th of August/Cassa River Bridge in Ainaro last Friday. Speaking at the inauguration, Alkatiri said that the repairing of infrastructure is a major priority for this year's budget. He said that the government would be working with bilateral partners such as the European Community, Japan and the World Bank to establish infrastructure so that the people can carry out their economic activities. Alkatiri added that the government is also focusing on the repair of major roads and that this will further assist in the development process.

Also speaking at the ceremony, President Xanana pleaded with the local population not to burn grass and cut down trees in order to anticipate landslides and road closures. The President said that the people own the development process and thus they also have an obligation to contribute to this process by caring for the land, particularly as the government is spending a lot of money on repairing roads. (Timor Post)

40,000 fans rock to Boomerang

Approximately 40,000 fans of the Indonesian rock group Boomerang filled the Municipal Stadium to capacity last night to watch the group's performance.

The majority of the fans were young people, but government officials were also in attendance. This is the third such appearance of an Indonesian music band in Dili. Dili District Administrator Ruben Braz de Carvalho on behalf of the people of Timor-Leste thanked the band for taking time to hold a concert in Timor-Leste. Last night's concert was Boomerang's last appearance together as a complete band, as one of the band members will be leaving the group upon their return home to Indonesia. (Timor Post, STL)

President Xanana visits South Korea

President Xanana Gusmao left for a visit to South Korea on Saturday to discuss the peace and reconciliation process between North and South Korea.

Speaking at a press conference at the airport in Dili before departing, the President said that he would present some experiences of the peace and reconciliation process in Timor- Leste as part of the international conference to reinvigorate the peace process between North and South Korea.

This conference will represent the fifth anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration between the two Koreas. (STL)

June 10, 2005

RPU receives weapons and uniforms

The Timor-Leste government has given 200 guns and uniforms to the Rapid Patrol Unit of the country's national police force. Speaking at the presentation ceremony yesterday, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said that this latest equipment will assist in the strengthening of democracy and stability in Timor-Leste. The Stayer rifles and uniforms were purchased by the government from Austria for US$200 000. Assisting at the ceremony was the Minister of Interior Rogerio Lobato, Secretary of State for Defense and Security Roque Rodrigues, F-FDTL Commander Taur Matan Ruak and PNTL Commander Paulo Martins. (Timor Post, STL)

Xanana-Mari discuss UN reforms

During their weekly meeting yesterday, President Xanana Gusmao and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri discussed the issue of reforming the United Nations.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, PM Alkatiri explained that the current UN structure has been in place since the end of the Second World War when there were only 50 or 60 UN member nations. Alkatiri said that Timor-Leste has not yet decided on a position regarding the UN reforms, but is still studying all the options. (Timor Post)

Alkatiri shrugs off Woodside concerns

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has shrugged off concerns that petroleum company Woodside may cancel its Timor Sea project because the governments of Timor-Leste and Australia have not yet reached a maritime boundary agreement. Responding to journalist's questions regarding information that Woodside Petroleum will move its exploration plans from Greater Sunrise to the Broome oil field in Western Australia, Alkatiri said that there are many other companies that would be interested in investing in Greater Sunrise. He added that in any case, Timor-Leste does not yet need revenue from Greater Sunrise as the revenue from the Bayu-Undan field is enough for the time being. (Timor Post)

June 9, 2005

Alkatiri expresses need for UN advisor

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has asked UNOTIL to continue to provide UN advisors to work with him for a further year. Speaking to journalists after meeting with Alkatiri yesterday, UNOTIL's SRSG Sukehiro Hasegawa said that Alkatiri continues to require the assistance of his advisors for matters concerning human rights, petroleum, external investment and export promotion, and he asked for UNOTIL's support on this. (Timor Post)

Debate on misuse of state facilities continues

Members of Parliament from opposition factions continue to question the government's use of state facilities, in particular vehicles, for Party activities. KOTA MP Manuel Tilman, speaking in Tuesday's Plenary Session, brought up the use of state facilities in the recent village chief elections, where he charged that some MP's and government servants used government vehicles to carry out political activities related to the elections. Tilman said that this is a misuse of state funds and facilities. Responding to Tilman's criticisms, Fretilin MP Miguel Soares said that as people's representatives, every Friday MP's visit the districts to meet with their people. He said that as such, they have the right to use state facilities to do so.

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri meanwhile, responding to the demands of the opposition MP's to explain this misuse of state facilities, asked the opposition to let the government do its work. "As far as I know, Fretilin won the 2001 elections, and will win again in 2007", Alkatiri said. He said that the opposition would be free to implement their programs once they became the government. (STL)

ASEAN rep meets with Xanana

Chief Representative of the United Kingdom for ASEAN, Paul Speller, yesterday met with President Xanana Gusmco to discuss future cooperation between the two nations. Speaking to journalists after meeting with the President, Speller said that the aim of the meeting was also so that he may learn more about the situation in Timor-Leste. He added that an important part of the meeting was reflecting on the work of the UN mission as well as United Kingdom assistance in Timor-Leste up to now. He said that the United Kingdom would continue to provide assistance to Timor-Leste in the area of justice and police development. The United Kingdom Ambassador to Timor-Leste Tina Redshaw was also present at the meeting.

The Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Chun Yung Woo also met with President Xanana yesterday to discuss how Korea may assist in Timor-Leste's development. According to Chun, the Korean government is interested in providing capacity building support. The Korean Government will also continue to provide support to the Timor-Leste junior football team. Chun added that President Xanana plans to visit the Republic of Korea next week. (Timor Post) Kuwait to assist TL with oil

Minister of Interior Rogirio Lobato has told journalists that a delegation from Kuwait will visit Timor-Leste in July to discuss oil and gas cooperation. Relating his experience from his recent visit with the Prime Minister to Kuwait, Lobato said that Kuwait has a lot of oil, and thus they have a lot of experience in this field. Lobato stressed the importance of not limiting petroleum cooperation to only one country, but the need to expand this cooperation to other countries also in order to vary experience. (Timor Post)

Cassa Bridge to be inaugurated tomorrow

The Cassa Bridge in Ainaro District that has just completed reparations will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri on Friday. The reparations to the three-hundred-meter-long bridge, which has been given a new name, the 30th of August Bridge, began in November 2004 with funds taken from the Trust Fund for East Timor (TFET) and administration assistance provided by the Asian Development Bank and the government's Department of Public Works. Resident Representative of the Asian Development Bank in Timor-Leste Charles Andrews said that he believes the new bridge will play a role in the economic development of the South Coast regions. (Timor Post)

June 8, 2005

Alkatiri denies religion comments

Member of Parliament from the Social Democrat Party Joao Goncalves criticized the Prime Minister's recent lecture topic in Lisbon, Tradition and Religion Are Obstacles to the Construction of a Democratic State.

Speaking in the Parliament Plenary Session on Tuesday, Goncalves said that such a declaration will only create instability and further confrontation between the Catholic Church and the Government. He said that this is just a Government excuse for their inability to run the Government well.

But speaking at a press conference at the National Airport on Tuesday after returning from his two-week visit to Europe, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri denied that he ever said that religion hinders the development process. He confirmed that what he did actually say was that traditional values sometimes mix with religious values and that this is what hinders development. He re-emphasized his point on the danger of inequality between women and men hindering development. Alkatiri said that he did not ever mention Catholicism in particular.

Meanwhile, Vice-President of the Fretilin Faction in the National Parliament Adaljiza Magno launched a strong criticism against daily Suara Timor Lorosae in yesterday's Plenary Session, saying that the paper had published false information, with an incorrect translation of Alkatiri's comments in Portugal. Another Member of Parliament Madalena da Silva also criticized the paper and went further as to say that STL reporting has been inaccurate for some time, using the recent Uatolari case as an example of manipulation. STL has printed an explanation of the misunderstanding in today's paper (Timor Post, STL)

TL interests Portuguese business community

Many Portuguese investors are interested in investing in Timor- Leste in the future, according to Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. Speaking upon returning from his two-week visit to Europe, Alkatiri said that when he and his delegation held a meeting with the Portuguese business community, they indicated their interest in a range of areas, including tourism and electricity. Alkatiri added that while he was in Portugal he also met with the Timorese student community there, and that some of them are beginning to speak very good Portuguese. He added that for future Timorese students who will study in Portugal, it is best if they study Portuguese before they leave home, otherwise they may escape to England or Ireland when they experience difficulties grasping Portuguese. (Timor Post)

One F-FDTL member dismissed

One of the three F-FDTL members known to have been involved in the recent Church Demonstration in Dili has been dismissed. Chief of Staff of the F-FDTL Colonel Lere Anan Timur said that the soldier's dismissal is due to a violation of an internal military regulation. He said that the other two soldiers have not yet given statements on their involvement in the demonstration. However, Colonel Timur said that he believes that he will take the same course of action for them also. (Timor Post)

June 7, 2005

UN not committed to prosecuting '99 suspects

The United Nations through the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) was not committed to prosecuting suspects of the 1999 crimes, according to Napoleao Soares, a lawyer working with the Legal Aid Service Ukun Rasik An. Speaking to Timor Post at the Dili District Court on Monday, Soares said that suspects such as ex-militia commander Eurico Guterres and former TNI Commander General Wiranto, among others, have not been prosecuted. He said that it is the 'small fish' who have been prosecuted, in order to fulfill the Mission's mandate. According to Soares, the mandate of the Special Panels should be extended in order to prosecute serious crimes that occurred in Timor- Leste. But according to Member of Parliament from KOTA party, Clementino dos Reis Amaral, even though the UN mission has finished, the Timor-Leste National Police may have the ability to arrest suspects in Indonesia and bring them to trial. Amaral said that this possibility exists under the international law that Timor-Leste has adopted. (Timor Post)

MP: Government should investigate F-FDTL building

Vice-President of Commission B for Defense and Security in the National Parliament Clementino dos Reis Amaral says that the government must investigate the company contracted to build the F-FDTL installation in Baucau. Amaral said that as much as US $650 000 has been lost on the project, the project has ceased, and that the contractor has disappeared. Speaking in Parliament's Plenary Session on Monday, and related to Commission B's recent visit to the installation, Amaral said that the calculations on the amount of money needed for the project fell far short of the amount needed, and that only 50% of the funds needed were provided by Procurement to complete the project.

Meanwhile, President of Commission B Jose Manuel Fernandes said that an extra US$343 000 is needed to hasten the completion of the project. Fernandes said that the request for the extra funds is still being processed by Procurement, but it is hoped that once the funds are provided that the project will be completed within two to three months. (Timor Post, STL)

Horta: "Woodside very arrogant"

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Ramos Horta says that Australian oil company Woodside Petroleum is demonstrating arrogance by forcing their wish to run the pipeline for transportation of Timor Sea oil to Australia rather than Timor-Leste. Speaking from Portugal last Thursday, Horta said that this arrogance may cause a delay in the signing of a resource sharing agreement between the two countries. (STL)

HIV/AIDS rate in East Timor at 0.3%

According to data from the Ministry of Health, the percentage of HIV/AIDS cases in Timor-Leste is as low as 0.3%. For this reason, the HIV/AIDS campaign must continue in order to keep this number low, in particular for those considered to be high-risk groups. Director of the Timor Harii Foundation (FTH) Agui Belo Ximenes, speaking at the opening of a HIV/AIDS workshop for F-FDTL and PNTL members yesterday, said that Timor-Leste has a small population, so a small percentage of HIV/AIDS sufferers may also be considered large in this context. According to Ximenes the workshop, organized by FTH and supported by the Ministry of Health, USAID and Family Health International, is important in order to teach members of the defense and police forces how to prevent HIV and AIDS. (STL)

June 6, 2005

Timor-Portugal strengthen cooperation

The Prime Minister of Portugal Jose Socrates has accepted Timor- Leste Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri's invitation to visit Timor- Leste. On his first official visit to Portugal, Alkatiri extended a personal invitation to Socrates to visit his country. Alkatiri and Socrates discussed various issues over a working lunch, including cooperation between Portugal and Timor-Leste in the areas of education and justice. According to the Portuguese PM, Timor-Leste's independence was a great diplomatic victory for Portugal, and thus the Portuguese government continues to provide assistance to Timor-Leste. In a press conference following the working lunch, Alkatiri said that one of the aims of his visit to Portugal was to "attract Portuguese investors to Timor-Leste".

Meanwhile, in his meeting with the Portuguese President, President Jorge Sampaio questioned Alkatiri about the relations between the Government and the Church in Timor-Leste. Alkatiri responded by explaining that the 19-day demonstration held recently had concluded with an accord between the concerned parties.

Speaking at a seminar later about the challenges faced in establishing a democratic state, Alkatiri said that the traditional and religious beliefs of Timorese are a major obstacle in the establishment of a democratic state. Alkatiri used the example of discrimination against women from both a traditional and religious perspective as one of the challenges currently faced by Timor-Leste. He said that manifestations of discrimination against women in Timorese society include lack of education at the secondary level, early marriage, and the payment of a bride price. (Timor Post, STL)

NGO: Petroleum funds must be audited

Local NGO La'o Hamutuk, via Coordinator Tomas Freitas, has asked that the government conduct an audit on the petroleum revenue before that revenue is transferred to the Petroleum Fund, held with the Banking and Payments Authority. Speaking to Timor Post on Friday, Freitas said that the objective of such an audit is to know whether there is an increase or decrease in the petroleum income. Freitas said that it is important also to make legal provisions for future funds, where, in a future scenario for example, Australia must pay back the money taken from the Laminaria-Corralina oil fields.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament from the Democrat Party Rui Menezes said that the Timor-Leste government has traded the sovereignty of this country for the extra $5 billion offered by Australia. Political observer from the Timor-Leste National University Valentim Ximenes also commented on the issue, saying that Timor-Leste and Australia should continue negotiations with a mediator from another country such as the United States. Ximenes asked Australia not to use the 'East Timor case' to take advantage of Timor-Leste and this country's struggle, suffering and poverty, by stealing the resources in the Timor Sea. (Timor Post, STL) Alkatiri: Timor not struck by 'resource curse'

On the second day of his official visit to Portugal, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri gave a lecture on 'Oil Revenue and Development in Timor-Leste' at the Mario Soares Foundation. During the lecture Alkatiri explained that the Petroleum Fund is essential in guaranteeing that Timor-Leste will be different from other oil-producing countries, in that Timor-Leste will not be struck by the 'resource curse'. Alkatiri said that the principle of transparency is a part of the Petroleum Fund, and that "all the revenue received from the fund will be included in the Budget". Alkatiri said that the Fund is 'perpetual', meaning that its objective is to guarantee the future of future generations, that they may also reap the benefits of the wealth of this country, which will one day be gone. (Timor Post)

Annan nominates Hasegawa as UNOTIL Chief UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on Saturday nominated Dr. Sukehiro Hasegawa to continue as Special Representative of the Secretary General in Timor-Leste as well as Chief of the UN Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL).

The nomination was officially announced at the UN Headquarters in New York, following the response on the nomination from the Security Council to the Secretary General. Hasegawa will also continue his work as Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Program. (Timor Post)

Bali consulate to promote culture and image

The Timor-Leste Consulate-General to be established in Bali sometime this year will conduct cooperation regarding cultural issues, as well as commercial contracts, in order to promote the culture and image of Timor-Leste. Speaking to the media, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Olimpio Branco said that Bali is an important tourist centre, and thus it is important that Timor-Leste make efforts to attract tourists to come to Timor-Leste from Bali. He said that one aspect in favour of such tourism is that there are Merpati flights between Timor- Leste and Denpasar every day. Branco said that the government has plans to open a consulate in Kupang sometime this year also, saying that the Kupang consulate is also important considering that there are many Timorese students in Kupang.

Timor-Leste currently has only two consulates, one in Sydney and the other in Washington.

At the same opportunity, Branco also said that the Timor-Leste government is committed to opening an embassy in Japan, as Japan is a very important nation and has great economic potential, as well as playing an important role in the Asia-Pacific region. He said that the Japanese government has provided a lot of assistance through bilateral aid, and that the Japanese Agency JICA, as well as various Japanese NGO's working in the districts, have also provided assistance through development projects. Branco said that apart from working to strengthen relations between Japan and Timor-Leste, the new embassy will also work to encourage Japanese investors to invest in Timor-Leste. (Timor Post)

Xanana returns from medical consultation

President Xanana Gusmao on Saturday returned from his medical consultation in Malaysia. Although the President did not make a declaration upon disembarking at the airport, according to journalists he is still experiencing ear trouble, as he had difficulty hearing their questions.

The Merpati plane which President Xanana was traveling on experienced technical difficulties upon landing in Dili, causing the staff waiting for Xanana in the VIP lounge to panic. Merpati staff confirmed that after landing one of the wheels failed to turn thus the plane was forced to wait for a vehicle to pull the plane to the disembarking area. (Timor Post)

Illegal boats enter Timor waters

Five Indonesian boats illegally entered Timor-Leste waters in the Atauro area last Wednesday, causing some disconcertion among the local population.

General Commander of the PNTL Paulo Martins said that the local people who saw the boats reported to the Atauro police squadron to come and have a look at the boats. As the Atauro police have no equipment to do so, they requested assistance from the Maritime Police in Dili, who also were without a boat as their boat is currently being repaired. Martins said that he also tried other methods, such as renting a boat to go and have a look at the illegal boats, but this attempt was also to no avail. Martins said that he presumes the boats had entered Timor-Leste waters to carry out illegal fishing activities. (STL)

Personal security concern with president's safety

President Gusmco's personal security detail were concerned for his safety and tried to drive onto the airport runway as soon as they received information about technical problems with Merpati Airlines, reported Jornal Diario de Noticias on Monday. According to the newspaper the security detail were stopped by airport operational officials from proceeding.

The President had returned from a medical check up in Malaysia and was reported to be a better condition. He was greeted at President Nicolau Lobato International Airport by the Minister of State and the Presidential Minister of the Council of Ministers, Ana Pessoa, Chief of Staff of the President's Office, Agio Pereira and PNTL Commander, Paulo de Fatima Martins. (JN Diario)

June 3, 2005

Opposition MP's criticize 2005/06 Budget

MP Rui Menezes from the Social Democrat Party has criticized the draft 2005-2006 Budget saying that it is mostly made up of recurring expenses at 73%, while capital expenditure is limited to only 27% of the budget. He said that this means that most of the budgetary expenditure will be used to 'feed' the government machine, rather than prioritized for development.

While the Budget states that new Ministries will be opened in five departments, Menezes said that as a small country Timor- Leste does not require many Ministries. According to Menezes, the Budget does not strike an equal balance between political and economic development, with a priority placed on political development while economic development is neglected. (Timor Post)

US Ambassador comments on Cuba visit

United States Ambassador to Timor-Leste Grover Joseph Rees said that he has confidence in the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Ramos Horta, even though he will pay a visit to Cuba. Speaking to journalists after meeting with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Olimpio Branco on Thursday, Rees said that he believes that Horta has a strong position on human rights, so there should be no problem even if he visits a country where there are no human rights. He said that Horta's visit to Cuba may even be a positive influence regarding Cuba's position on human rights.

He added that the Cuba visit would not have any impact on US -- Timor-Leste relations. (Timor Post)

June 2, 2005

Police take action on vendors

A PNTL taskforce on Wednesday took action against vendors selling vegetables and clothes at the old market site, upon orders from the Dili District Administration, the latest in a series of evictions from the area.

Many of the vendors gathered their goods together and were transported home by a truck provided by the Administration. According to some of the vendors interviewed by Timor Post, they set up stalls at the old market site because there is no room left at the three official markets. (Timor Post)

September to see implementation of religion curriculum

According to the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Armindo Maia, the implementation of religious lessons as part of the school curriculum will begin this September. Speaking to journalists, Maia said that there are still some technical issues regarding the curriculum that must be worked out between the Government, the Catholic Church, and other religious denominations. (Timor Post)

Horta congratulates Guterres

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Ramos Horta has expressed his pleasure regarding the appointment of former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres to his new position as UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

In a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Horta said that the new position fits Guterres' profile perfectly as a statesman and politician. Horta said that he is confident that Guterres will serve well those refugees who are victims of war as well as natural disaster. He added that as Guterres is such a good statesman, he will be able to engender good relations with the international community, in particular rich countries in order to lobby for financial and human resource support for the UNHCR. (Timor Post)

MP's fail to attend Parliament sessions on time

The plenary sessions of the National Parliament, a routine matter for every Monday and Tuesday, have not been running smoothly recently, as many Members of Parliament fail to attend on time. According to STL, the tardiness of the MP's is a reminder of the 'rubber time' adhered to by Indonesian MP's and civil servants. President of the National Parliament Francisco Gutteres once again reminded his fellow parliamentarians yesterday that it is important that they arrive on time to Parliament, so as to attend to important matters of the people. (STL)

Government to guarantee good future for children

President of the National Parliament Francisco Guterres said that this year the government will make further efforts to do what they can for the children of Timor-Leste. As part of his message on World Children's Day yesterday, Guterres said that the government will work to properly guarantee rights to education, equality, healthcare and protection for children. He said it is the responsibility of the State to provide these things, and that children's rights concerning the above are enshrined in the RDTL Constitution. (Timor Post)

ADB to provide $10 million for roads

In supporting government efforts to increase roadwork in the next three years, the Asian Development Bank has contributed an additional $10 million. According to ADB Resident Representative Charles Andrews, this money is in addition to the funds already provided through TFET. He said that the ADB believes that other donor countries should also support road works in Timor-Leste, and that is why the Bank also works closely with other donor countries and institutions such as Japan and JICA, as well as AusAID and the Australian government. (STL)

June 1, 2005

CAQR accused of manipulation

The work of the Commission for the Reception of ex-Resistance Fighters has begun to be criticized by the people, via their Members of Parliament.

Independent Oecussi MP Antonio da Costa Lelan said that some members of the Commission in Oecussi have not been neutral in their work, and that there have been signs of manipulation. Fretilin MP Costancia de Jesus, who said that a similar situation had occurred in Covalima District, affirmed Lelan's comments. (STL, Timor Post)

Timorese children in crisis

Timorese children, especially those in the Districts, are in crisis, suffering from poor health, and lack of education, having been forced to leave school to help their parents at work and at home. Social Democrat Party Member of Parliament Lucia Lobato, speaking to journalists yesterday on the eve of World Children's Day, said that as children are the future of Timor-Leste, it is important that there be concrete measures developed to address the problems of poor health and educational opportunities for children in Timor-Leste. (Timor Post)

Provedor faces difficulties in wealth investigations

The Provedor for Human Rights and Justice Sebastiao Dias Ximenes said that he will have difficulty in investigating officials' wealth, as there is as yet no law to regulate this. Speaking to the media after a workshop on Collusion, Corruption and Nepotism organized by NGO LABEH yesterday, Ximenes said that the absence of such a law means that he can take no action on any complaints filed with his office regarding officials' wealth.

He said that under such a law, all government officials could be obliged to submit a list of their assets to the Provedor for examination, but that this is not possible until the Parliament formulates the law. (STL)

Parliament demands explanation on TG agreement

Member of the National Parliament from the Social Democratic Party Joao Goncalves has appealed to the government to immediately provide an explanation on the agreement signed between Australia and Timor-Leste regarding the Timor Gap. Speaking in Parliament's Plenary Session yesterday, Goncalves said that Australia has for some time now been claiming that an agreement has been signed, and that Australia's Parliament is ready to ratify the agreement. However the Timor-Leste government has not yet appeared in the Parliament to explain what is happening.

Goncalves cited the Prime Minister's weekly meetings with the President to report on both internal and external political matters, and that this is in contrast to the failure of the government to report to the Parliament on such matters, in this case the Timor Gap. (STL, Timor Post)

President Xanana goes for medical check-up in Malaysia

President Xanana Gusmao will today leave for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a medical consultation. President Xanana sent a letter to the National Parliament informing them of his absence for the next few days while he is in Malaysia, accompanied by the F-FDTL Commander, Taur Matan Ruak.

Although the President underwent a check-up at the National Hospital several days ago, as they do not have specialist doctors at the hospital thus they recommended that he undergo further consultations in Malaysia. (Timor Post)