The general principles of the selection process of most of the 33 representatives of the National Council have been finalized this weekend.
The people of East Timor will be asked to nominate candidates for 20 of the 33 members according to a set of requirements.
The requirements are:
- Concern for a long-term public welfare of East Timor
- Commitment to the principles contained in the oath of office
- Capacity to work with others and to reach principled compromise
- Appropriateness as a representative of the relevant category
- Good public standing
- Willingness to serve
The new National Council will have one representative from each of the 13 districts, seven from civic organizations, seven from the CNRT, three from non-CNRT political parties and three from religious groups.
Regarding the district representatives, everyone will have the right to nominate someone from their districts to represent them in the National Council. The forms will be available soon at Governor’s Office and in the districts. Similar procedures will be followed for the civic organizations.
The nomination process will last for three weeks, starting soon. Essentially, there will be three phases – the nomination period, the pre-selection period during which the nominees will be narrowed down and the final decision to be made by the Transitional Administrator.
Details on the selection of the political parties and the religious groups are still being finalized.
NEW STRUCTURE OF EAST TIMOR TRANSITIONAL ADMINISTRATION
The new structure and the new nomenclature of the East Timor Transitional Administration were finalized yesterday.
UNTAET’s pillar of Governance and Public Administration (GPA) no longer exists, nor should the East Timor Transitional Administration be referred to as a “government”.
Please find attached the organizational charts of the East Timor Transitional Administration and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General.
EXCHANGE OF FIRE WITH MILITIA
The Australian Battalion of the Peacekeeping Forces (PKF) were fired at on two occasions by suspected militia groups in the district of Maliana on Sunday, wounding one militiaman in one of the incidents.
On Sunday, 6 August, around 5.30 pm, the Peacekeepers encountered a group of seven to eight militiamen, approximately 7 km north-east of Maliana, wearing Indonesian-type camouflage uniforms and armed with rifles and hand grenades.
The group was challenged and instructed by the Peacekeeping Force troops to lay down their weapons. At this point, the militia opened fire. The Australians returned the fire and the militia was able to withdraw and escape. Yesterday morning, in follow-up operations, a blood trail was found, indicating that one of the militia might have been injured. Operations in the area are continuing.
In another incident on Sunday, around 5 pm, Australian soldiers discovered two men, about seven to eight km south of Batugade, in Maliana district, only 500 to 600 meters inside the border of East Timor. One of them was dressed in Indonesian camouflage uniform and armed with a riffle and the other was in civilian clothes and possibly unarmed.
As they were approaching the PKF detachment, from the direction of the border, they were also challenged and asked to lay down their weapons.
At this time, the individual in uniform raised his riffle and fired several rounds at the Australian soldiers. Fire was returned and the person in civilian clothes was injured and later captured. He was evacuated to the UN Military Hospital in Dili and underwent surgery. The person in uniform was able to escape back in the direction of the border.
Also in Zumalai, Suai district, there have been several reports over the last days of a large group of armed militia, possibly between 20 and 30. According to the local population, the group has made several contacts with locals to get food and to seek information concerning the United Nations and NGO activities in the area. PKF is trying to identify the group and establish its intent.
SHOTS FIRED AT FALINTIL
The United Nations Civilian Police is investigating a Falintil report that three shots were fired against a Falintil patrol of four men in Saboria, Aileu district, on the night of 5 August by an unidentified gunman.
The Falintil patrol was moving approximately five meters apart on the road leading to the high ground north east of Saboria, inside the cantonment, when the rounds were fired at 10.50 pm. Falintil claims to have returned about 33 rounds.
Two rounds hit the backpack of the lead Falintil patrolman. Three 5.56 round casing were recovered from the scene.
SRSG VISITS MANATUTO
SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello visited Manatuto today and met local residents, representatives from sub-districts, members of District Advisory Council, as well as Peacekeeping Forces and civilian UNTAET.
The SRSG was accompanied by Father Filomeno Jacob, Cabinet Member for Social Affairs, Genoveva Martins, a CNRT member, and Sarah Cliff, director of World Bank in East Timor.
In a town-hall meeting, internal and external security, the new structure of the Transitional Administration, the role of the Cabinet Members, the education system and the reconstruction programs were addressed.
Symbolically, the SRSG planted a tree at the UNTAET compound as an example in a district known for rampant cutting of trees, followed by the official opening of the new Manatuto market. The SRSG was the first customer and bought fruit and vegetables. Prior to his departure for Dili later in the afternoon, SRSG visited a road construction site and the local water supply plant, which is also under construction.
