_______________________9FEB_________ DATE SET FOR CIVIL REGISTRATION PILOT PROJECT The Civil Registry will start the registration of the East Timorese population with a pilot project on Atauro Island from 26 February to 2 March. Atauro was chosen because the island provides a good sample in terms of population numbers and density. Atauro, with a population of approximately 7,500 people, also represents a good average of East Timor in terms of geography and infrastructure, with its many remote villages. The Registration Sites are located in Atauro’s four main Sucos (neighbourhoods). Eight registration teams are involved in the project. Two registration teams, each consisting of one International and two Timorese Registration Officers, will be deployed in each of the Registration Sites. Information will be gathered to issue identity cards to people above the age of 16 and to gather all necessary data on eligible voters for the upcoming election. In related news, the Director of the Electoral Assistance Division at United Nations Headquarters, Carina Pirelli, is arriving in East Timor on Monday, for a two-week visit. The purpose of the visit is to study the progress made so far by UNTAET’s Electoral Office. She will meet with representatives from UNTAET, political parties, NGOs, the National Council and Cabinet, among others. RECONCILIATION MEETINGS IN BAUCAU, SUAI UNTAET Chief of Staff, N. Parameswaran, hosted a town hall meeting yesterday in Baucau to discuss reconciliation and the return of militia leader Joanico Cesário Belo. The 50 people who participated in the meeting reiterated that Belo is welcome to return to the community. Numerous meetings have taken place between the United Nations and the Baucau militia leader, who claims that he can persuade 6,000 refugees to return to East Timor. Eight refugee leaders from the camps in West Timor who visited Baucau in December for a one-day “come and see” visit received a warm welcome in their communities. The meeting in Baucau is part of a series of reconciliation meetings in different districts. A reconciliation meeting was held in Suai today and in Ainaro last week. UNDP HEAD VISITS EAST TIMOR The Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Mark Malloch Brown, arrives in East Timor tomorrow for a two-day visit. Mr. Malloch Brown will meet with the East Timorese leadership, senior UN officials and the donor community to discuss how support for capacity building can be strengthened to ensure that an efficient, representative and independent government can eventually be established. The Administrator will begin his first visit to East Timor at the Santa Cruz Cemetery, where a wreath will be laid in memory of those who have given their lives in the fight for freedom. The Administrator will then participate in the launch of a new UNDP-funded anti-corruption project, which will be implemented through the Inspector General’s office of the East Timor Transitional Administration. The US$250,000-project aims to prepare the office for guarding against corruption, once East Timor gains full independence. Before leaving on Monday, the Administrator will join Xanana Gusmão and SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello in a large-scale debate on human rights, reconciliation and the elections. More than 130 people from all walks of East Timorese life have been invited to the debate. MANATUTO IRRIGATION PROJECT TO BE INAGURATED The first phase of a total rehabilitation of the irrigation system in Manatuto District has been completed. A temporary irrigation system will bring water from the Sumasi River to 600-700 hectares of land in Manatuto sub-district. It is expected that the project will provide food security through rice cultivation for over 1,000 families. The US$450,000 project will be inaugurated on Sunday, in the presence of National Council Speaker Xanana Gusmão, the visiting UNDP Administrator, Mark Malloch Brown, and the Head of the Japanese Mission in East Timor, Hiroshi Matsuura. The entire project, funded by the Japanese Government, is worth US$ 3.36 million and will set up temporary irrigation structures in the Manatuto area. The second part of the project will start in early March. TAKAHASHI APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVISOR Akira Takahashi, formerly Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Rehabilitation, has been appointed as the Special Advisor on Development and Humanitarian Affairs to the Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello. Prior to taking up his appointment as DSRSG with UNTAET, Takahashi had extensive experience in developing countries in economic and social development, institution building and the formulation of national development plans. As a Special Advisor, Akira Takahashi will work closely with the National Planning and Development Agency, departments within ETTA and the UN Development Coordinator system. MEETING WITH THE ANTI-VIOLENCE GROUP UNTAET’s Chief of Staff, N. Parameswaran, met with representatives of the newly formed Anti-Violence Youth Group yesterday, 8 February. The group has raised concerns over what it believes is a surge in violence in Dili. The meeting was attended by representatives of Dili Civpol, Political Affairs and United Nations Security. It was decided that the youth group will meet with Dili CivPol tomorrow to discuss ways of cooperation between CivPol and the group.