23 September 2008

Legal Reports National Media 23 September 2008

Headlines: Three PDHJ staff to Philippines for comparative studies - Timor Telecom won't negotiate with Govt about change - Govt to hold public consultation on new telecommunication operator - Task Force Police in protest - Police commander should not be appointed based on feelings - Poland to train future F-FDTL Air Force - Prosecutor General Longuinhos should resign - Caritas holds dialog for youths

Full Reports

Three PDHJ staff head off to the Philippines for comparative studies – Timor Post 23 September 2008

Three staff from the Office of Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman working in the area of human rights went to the Philippines on Friday (19/9) to attend a one-month comparative studies there.

Silverio Baptista Pinto, Vice Ombudsman for Human Rights Division, said the objective of the comparative studies is to learn from other nations their systems and procedures and how to work in partnership with Non-Governmental Organizations.

He explained that the office of the Ombudsman and the Philippines Human Rights Commission have cooperation and the comparative studies for the staff is a fruit of such cooperation.

Pinto also said the current dispatch is the third group to the Philippines and the program is supported and financed by the UNDP and the UN Human Rights Commission.

The participants of the comparative studies are Silvino Saldanha Pereira, Antoninho da Silva and Maria Verdial.

Timor Telecom not to negotiate with Govt about change - Timor Post 23 September 2008
East Timor's Finance and Planning Minister, Emilia Pires, said on Monday (22/9) that although the government had tried its best to negotiate with Timor Telecom (TT) regarding the possibility of bringing in other new telecommunication operators to compete with it, the TT decided not to negotiate with the government.

'On the part of the government, we already sent them (TT) a letter to start negotiation but Timor Telecom did not want to negotiate with the government,' said Pires.

She also said that in the near future the government would consult with civil society organizations on whether to go on with the existing telecommunication operator or to liberalise telecommunication sector.

She explained that if Timor-Leste wanted liberalisation of telecommunications, then we would like to see more than one operator in the country so that no monopoly of telecommunication is permitted here.

Task Force Police in protest – Timor Post 23 September 2008
Task Force Police of Timorese National Police (PNTL) have protested to the police command urging it to provide them per diems for the joint operation for the manhunt of former rebel leader Gastao Salsinha and followers.

The Police Task Force officers said they had not received any per diem during and after the joint operation was held. They are also unhappy with the police command, based on the fact the Task Force Police had been successfully doing their tasks, mainly in responding emergency situations, yet they had received nothing.

They therefore urged the police command to give them their rightful entitlements and called on the Dili Police Commander to respond to their demand.

Police commander should not be appointed based on feelings, says MP Nunes – Timor Post 23 September 2008
President of Parliamentary Committee B for Defense and Security, Duarte Nunes, has urged Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao to not use feelings in appointing someone as Timor-Leste's police commander.

Nunes said in nominating someone to become the country's police commander ought to be based on criteria and internal law within the police force.

'The law can define criteria on how someone might be nominated as the police's top commander,' Nunes said.

Nunes was referring to the Government's plan of appointing the general commander for Timorese police in the upcoming November.

Poland to train future F-FDTL Air Force – Suara Timor Lorosae 23 September 2008
The Polish Ambassador to Indonesia, who is also accredited Timor-Leste, Tomasz Lukasz, has promised that his country is ready to train the future Air Force of the East Timor Defence Force (F-FDTL) to develop the institution as a proper modern defence force.

The Secretary of State for Defense, Julio Tomas Pinto, made the statement Monday (22/9) after holding an official meeting with the Polish diplomat.

'We will send our force to be trained in the area of air force in Poland according to the 2020 plan,' he explained. He said, the training for the defence force would be an important step in the creation of the country's Air Force.

Ambassador Lukasz said the cooperation is important to help develop the defence sector in the country, hoping to see a better future for the Defence Force.

However, the Memorandum of Understanding for the cooperation is yet to be elaborated by the counties' Defense Ministries in the future.

He explained that the Defense Ministry had also proposed the participation of the Timorese Defence Force in the Peacekeeping Operations in the world.

Longuinhos should resign, says Luta Hamutuk – Suara Timor Lorosae 23 September 2008
East Timor's Attorney General should resign because he is not serious in carrying out his functions according to the Constitution, says Luta Hamutuk's Program Manager, Mericio Akara, Monday (22/9).

Akara made the statement in relation to the results of the case of the December 4 riot and other cases that are still not known to the public.

Akara argued that the resignation of Longuinhos Monteiro is also because the current Prosecutor General lacks integrity and he has cast public doubt over the Public Prosecution Office.

He said only the resignation of Longuinhos will secure the public trust in the institution and the access of the public to important cases affecting the country such as December 4 and February 11.

He stressed that a person with moral integrity and capacity is needed to maintain the office's function according to the Constitutions. However, he said the case of December 4 is the responsibility of the UN.

Caritas holds dialog for youths – Televizaun Timor-Leste 23 September 2008
Australian NGO Caritas yesterday held a one-day dialog for youths in the Capital Dili, aimed at strengthening the Government's program of reintegrating the IDPs with residents.

The dialog involved youths from Comoro and Lahane suburbs to build good relations between them, mainly how the youths could create peace and stability.

Caritas Project Officer, Carlito Gonsalves said this program they made was to support the Government in returning the IDPs to their homes.

Comoro Village Chief, Eurico da Costa, said he was pleased with the dialog, because it would strengthen the relationship among the youths and how could they trust in each other.

Govt to hold public consultation on new telecommunication operator – Televizaun Timor-Leste 23 September 2008
The Government has planned to invite other telecommunication companies, coming to invest in the country, but should consult first with the public, Minister for Planning and Finance, Emilia Pires says.

The minister made the comments yesterday in connection with the Government's plan to invite new telecom operator in Timor-Leste. Pires said the Council of Ministers had made a plan to set up a task force looking at policy for new operators in the country.

Pires stressed if the country only had one telecommunication company, it would be harder for the people, because it was too expensive. She added that the draft of the telecommunication policy had been made and later would be consulted with the public for feedback.

Government also has officially urged Timor Telecom Company to get involve in negotiation, but there was no response.

No comments: