LOS PALOS SECOND PRELIMINARY
HEARING POSTPONED TO MAY

The second preliminary hearing on the Los Palos massacre was postponed to 2 May by the Special Panel for Serious Crimes today at the Dili District Court, after the public defence asked for complete translations of all statements into Indonesian. Between 200-400 pages of statements by the accused and by more than 20 witnesses need to be translated. The Los Palos massacre is the first case of crimes against humanity committed in East Timor being considered by the Special Panel for Serious Crimes. Tomorrow, 7 March two more preliminary hearings on serious crimes are scheduled to start on two of the so-called single cases. In the first one, an Alpha militia member is accused of murder and attempt of murder on 25 September 1999 in Lautem sub-dustrict, Los Palos.

On the second case, the accused is a Halilintar (“Thunder”) militia member suspect of killing a man on 7 September 1999 in Memo, Bobonaro district. Last Thursday, Julio Fernandes, a former Falintil member from Ermera, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to seven years in prison. In announcing the sentence, the presiding judge of the Special Panel for Serious Crimes explained that the “punishment is also a contribution to reconciliation and to deter such crimes even in hard times. Julio Fernandes could not be acquitted from the charge of murder because he killed a militia member immediately after the rampages suffered by East Timor civilian population.”

PILOT PROJECT OF CIVIL REGISTRATION DRAWS LESSONS

Around 500 people, sixteen and older, were registered during the civil registration pilot project in Atauro island, last week, plus hundreds of children. The five-day pilot project enabled the Office of Civil Registration to test the software system, the timings of each step and the procedures of civil registration, among other things. Since software was the major problem the registration officers faced, a software task force has been set up.

MORE THAN 600 REFUGEES RETURN TO EAST TIMOR

More than 600 East Timorese refugees from West Timor arrived safely in Dili by boat on Monday and Saturday in a joint operation involving UNHCR, IOM and UNTAET. The first group included 42 former Milsas, East Timorese civilians previously working for the Indonesian military, plus their extended family of more than 200 people. This is the second group of former Milsas to return to East Timor since November last year. The IOM operated boat transported the refugees, who mostly came from Tuapukan, Noelbaki and Naibonnat refuge camps in West Timor, Indonesia. The returnees are currently being taken back to their home village.

THREE PRISONERS ESCAPE FROM PENITENTARIES

Three prisoners escaped from two East Timor prisons, in Dili and Gleno, Ermera district, last week. On Saturday, a 30-year old suspected rapist escaped Becora prison, in Dili by cutting the iron bars of the window. On Thursday, two convicted prisoners escaped Gleno prison through the roof. One is a 28-year old man convicted of manslaughter and serving 12 years; the other is a 29-year old man convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison. United Nations Civilian Police has distributed pictures and identity details of the prisoners throughout all 13 districts of East Timor.