THIRD CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY INDICTMENT FILED

An indictment against militia members Anastasio Martins and Domingos Gonçalves, containing charges of Crimes Against Humanity was filed today by UNTAET’s Prosecutor General. The crimes were allegedly committed in Liquiça district as part of the orchestrated campaign of violence surrounding the 1999 popular consultation by members of the Indonesian Army (TNI) and the pro-autonomy militia group Besi Merah Putih (Red White Iron). Anastasio Martins is suspected of killing three individuals in Metagou, Liquiça district, on 4 September 1999 and of murdering one individual in Atapupu, West Timor, on 14 September 1999. Domingos Gonçalves is suspected of the murder of three individuals in Buka Mera on 7 September 1999. Martins and Gonçalves, currently in detention in Dili prison, are also accused of deporting civilian population from Buka Mera and Legumea village in East Timor to West Timor between 5 and 11 September 1999.

CABINET DISCUSSES DEFENCE FORCE, TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet today discussed amendments proposed by the National Council to Regulation 2001/1 on the establishment of the East Timor Defence Force. The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence of the National Council in March proposed, among other things, that a recognition of the historical role played by Falintil in East Timor be included in the regulation. The Committee further recommended that a new section be added, specifying that members of the Defence Force have the right to vote, but must be non-political. The Transitional Administrator agreed to undertake further consultations with United Nations Headquarters on the matter, and to brief the Cabinet on the outcome. The Cabinet also discussed the main components of a national telecommunications policy. This policy will return to Cabinet in the coming weeks. The policy will be the basis for further work on a telecommunications regulatory framework, such as a telecommunications act, and the provision of telecommunications services in the country. Finally, the Cabinet agreed to the submission of a draft regulation to the National Council seeking supplementary funding from the 2000-2001 Budget.