A 17-person strong team from the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office arrived in Dili today. They are here for nine days to, if necessary, question witnesses and collect any resulting material evidence concerning the five priority criminal cases presented by the Indonesians.
Upon arrival at Dili airport, they were met by Oyvind Olsen and Stein Haugen from the Serious Crimes Investigation Unit and later received a briefing by Peter Galbraith, Director of UNTAET’s Political Affairs Office and Patrick Burgess, Director of UNTAET’s Human Rights Office.
The questioning of witnesses, conducted by UNTAET investigation staff in the presence of observers from the Attorney General’s team, will start tomorrow.
BORDER POINT CLOSED TO TRADE IN LUXURY GOODS
The border crossing point at Nunura, near Maliana, will be closed to trade in luxury goods from 31 July. Only traditional trade in food items and agricultural produce from neighbouring areas and items used in local shops and homes will be allowed by UNTAET’s Border Control.
UNTAET has received numerous complaints that the Nunura crossing point is a lucrative place for black-market trading in luxury goods.
The import of alcohol, tobacco, perfumes, audio electronic goods, mobile phones, televisions, video monitors, satellite dishes, motorcycles, car parts and other excisable and commercial goods will only be allowed through the border crossing at Batugade.
DEADLINE FOR SERVICES TAX DRAWS NEAR
Ninety per cent of the businesses liable for the newly imposed services tax have been contacted by UNTAET. So far, only a small number of businesses have registered with the East Timor Revenue Service, but it is expected that these will meet the deadline for registration on 1 August.
Some 60 restaurants, hotels, transport rental and telecommunications providers in Dili, Baucau and Manatuto have been approached by UNTAET.
The tax, set at 10 per cent, is projected to raise US$3 million annually in East Timor.
The East Timor Revenue Service came into operation on 1 July, the day the services tax came into force.
EAST TIMOR PRESS WEB PROJECT
The Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers’ Association (PANPA) launched a joint web-site for all print media in East Timor today at the organization’s 31st annual conference in Sydney.
The East Timor Press Web Project is maintained and hosted by staff and students of the School of Media and Journalism at the Queensland University of Technology.
The site will be transferred to the management of East Timorese journalists in Dili early next year. The local journalists will be trained and supported in web-site development by UNTAET’s Media Development Unit and Queensland University of Technology.
Two newspapers, Timor Post and Lenok, will be on-line at www.easttimorpress.qut.edu.au
NEW TIME SLOT FOR UNTAET TELEVISION
Televisao UNTAET are broadcasting every Friday from six p.m. as of last week. The new time slot, changed from Tuesdays at five p.m. follows numerous requests to delay the broadcasts so as to allow workers time enough to be home to watch the program.
The one-hour per week broadcast will continue until early September when facilities at a new radio and television complex will make it possible for enhanced transmissions to begin.
NEW TIMORESE POLICE CADETS
Last Monday, 17 July, the second batch of 50 Civilian Police cadets started classes at the Police Academy. Twenty-two of the officers are female.
The successful cadets will graduate in October 2000.
FUNERAL CAR DONATED
A covered vehicle for use as a hearse arrived from Darwin yesterday. The funeral car will be managed by the Dili District Administration and was funded by an UNTAET Trust Fund Quick Impact Project.
The hearse is a much-needed resource. If a person from one of the district dies in Dili there has, up till now, been no suitable and respectful means to transport the body home to their family for a proper burial.
