FIRST CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY HEARING STARTS

The preliminary hearing into the first case of Crimes Against Humanity committed in East Timor in the wake of the 1999 popular consultation started today at the Dili District Court. The case concerns eleven persons of committing Crimes Against Humanity, including murder, torture, deportation and forcible transfer of civilian population in Los Palos, Lautem District, between 21 April and 25 September 1999. “I am convinced that it is particularly significant that the Los Palos massacre is the first crime against humanity to be taken before the Special Panel for Serious Crimes,” said SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello in a comment. “We are not losing momentum. In fact, this hearing is taking place only six months since the panel was set up and roughly one year after the establishment of the new Judiciary by UNTAET.” The accused, most of whom were members of pro-autonomy militia group Team Alfa, also known as Jati Merah Puti, were involved in at least 13 murders, including the ambush and killing on 25 September 1999 of a group of clergy, church workers, a journalist and a youth near the village of Verokoko, Los Palos. The indictment also contains the first accusation against an Indonesian Army Officer, Lt. Sayful Anwar, Deputy Commander of its Special Forces Command, KOPASSUS, stationed in Los Palos, for the mutilation, torture and murder of Averisto Lopes on 21 April 1999, at the Team Alfa base. Today’s proceedings dealt mainly with detention reviews and the hearing will resume on 23 February. In addition, a preliminary hearing took place into the case of a member of the Darah Integrasi militia, accused of murdering a villager, Luis de Deus, in Letefoho village, Ermera district, on 10 September 1999. The suspect was released today pending trial on the condition that he reports to Dili CivPol twice a week. Trial date was set for 24 April.

TRAINING OF EAST TIMOR DEFENCE FORCE STARTS

The first group of soldiers of the East Timor Defence Force (ETDF) will start training on Monday, 19 February. Ten instructors from Portugal’s Defence Force have arrived in Aileu, and will train 250 troops for 12 weeks. This first batch will become future officers of the ETDF. The first battalion of the ETDF will consist of 650 troops and the remaining 400 soldiers will start training in May after the first batch has completed its training. The soldiers will receive basic military training such as target practice. The training of the officers will be conducted in Aileu district.

AINARO COMMUNITY LEADERS MEET WITH MILITIA LEADER

UNTAET Chief of Staff N. Parameswaran is hosting a border meeting on Monday, 19 February, between representatives of the local community in Ainaro and militia leaders Câncio and Nemésio Lopes de Carvalho. The border meeting, in the village of Salele, Covalima district, follows a town hall meeting on reconciliation held in Ainaro on 2 February, in which more than 150 people attended from all four sub-districts. The district said it is ready to accept the return of Câncio Lopes de Carvalho and his brother Nemésio as long as both accept the results of 1999 popular consultation, help in the reconstruction and face justice. The Chief of Staff met Lopes de Carvalho and his brother in Batugadé on 14 November, together with Falintil and CNRT officials. N. Parameswaran has since met Câncio Lopes de Carvalho three times in Kupang, West Timor. Mr. Lopes de Carvalho has expressed his desire to return to East Timor and has written a letter to UNTAET in which he states that he accepts the result of the popular consultation, that East Timor will be an independent country, that he will help in the reconstruction and that he is willing to face justice. Over the weekend, UNTAET’s Chief of Staff also met Joanico Cesário Belo, former leader the Tim Saka militia of Baucau. In that meeting, Mr. Belo asked UNTAET to organize yet another “come and see visit” to East Timor for a group of his representatives. The proposal was rejected since UNTAET believes that it is undoubtedly clear by now that the people of Baucau will welcome Joanico Belo and his followers. Mr. Belo visited East Timor in March of last year and later sent a team of his own representatives for a “come and see visit”. UNTAET has delivered several letters to the former militia leader from community leaders, including District Administrator Marito Reis, stating that the whole district welcomes Mr. Belo.

SCHOOL FURNITURE DELIVERED

Last Friday, the Division of Education of the East Timor Transitional Administration (ETTA) delivered the first sets of some 300 locally made school furniture to schools under the Emergency School Readiness Project (ESRP). The furniture was delivered to schools in Aileu, Maliana and Manatuto. The furniture is the first part of 20,390 sets which have been ordered through the International Development Association and the Project Management Unit of ETTA from 14 selected local carpentry firms in the country. It is expected that all 600 schools under the ESRP will receive furniture by early April. The Emergency School Readiness Project covers 600 primary and secondary schools in the country. Some 250 schools have been rehabilitated since the programme started in October.