06 October 2012

East Timor Legal News 05 October 2012

Indonesian Military Patrols Disputed Border with Timor-Leste - Diario Nacional reported a statement today by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Costancio Pinto, at Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Comoro yesterday that the Indonesian military were continuing to hold patrols at the disputed border area at Naktuka in the enclave of Oe-Cusse District because the governments of both countries have not yet negotiated the settlement of the border at this point.

The Deputy Minister said that a team from East Timor went to the location to take a closer look and conducted a survey and that discussions with the Indonesian government will be held to resolve the problem.
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No Civilian to Lead Police - Neither opposition Fretilin MP's nor those from the Xanana Gusmao's CNRT party want a civilian to be appointed as the new Commissioner of Police because police officers will not hold confidence in a civilian, according to a report by Diario Nacional today.

Aurelio Freitas from the FRETILIN bench said a civilian could not lead the police because during the mandate of the incumbent Commissioner, Longuinhos Monteiro, no significant improvement were made to the police force.

Cesar Valente from the CNRT bench also agreed that Committee B of National Parliament for  Defence and Security had called on the State Secretary for Security to appoint a member of the police force as the new Commissioner.

On 24 September last, Diario Nacional reported that the Government does intend to replace the current police commissioner.
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No Political Interference in Police Promotions - Timor Post reported today that the State Secretary for Security (SES), Francisco da Costa Guterres, said the Government would not interfere in the promotion process for the police force.

"If there is any political sphere in the people, people will say we appoint people who are closer to us. So now we have an independent commission to work on this matter," he said.

Guterres affirmed that the Government produced a law to provide a legal basis to the commission's jurisdiction.

Related story
MP says promotions in police force tainted by nepotism
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We no longer need the UN, says Prime Minister - Timor Post also reported today that the Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao declared that the Timorese people no longer needed the UN presence in the country as Timor-Leste had showed its confidence to the world in relation to security, stability, politics and society.

"The international community has congratulated our successful elections and helped us to move on from the crises of 2006 compared to other countries that are still experiencing conflict," he said.

Gusmao added that the national police were currently providing security to guarantee peace and stability in the country.

During his speech at the UN General Assembly, Gusmao also presented the Government's five-year term programs.


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