TIMORESE CABINET AGREES ON REVISIONS
OF UNFUNDED PRIORITIES LIST

The East Timorese Transitional Cabinet agreed today to revisions to the Unfunded Priorities List, following upon Cabinet discussions on 14 March. The list includes priority projects for which the East Timorese Transitional Administration seeks donor funding. The List will now be forwarded to the National Council for information, and provided to donor countries at the Dili Interim Donors’ Meeting on 29 March. In addition, the Cabinet discussed a longer-term revenue strategy for East Timor. This strategy, once adopted, will determine the fiscal parameters relating to the 2001-2002 Budget. Finally, the Cabinet was briefed on progress on the civic education campaign, which involves a national program of information dissemination and civic education training, as well as specific civil society and sectoral initiatives. The campaign will draw upon the support of many different groups within the East Timorese community. The Cabinet continued its consideration of mechanisms for consulting with the East Timorese people on issues relating to their future Constitution.

FOURTH SERIOUS CRIMES JUDGE SWORN IN

Marcelo Dolzany da Costa from Brazil was sworn-in as a Judge for the Special Panel for Serious Crimes today, 21 March by SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello. Mr. Da Costa has worked as a federal judge since 1993 in Electoral Courts, a Brazilian permanent tribunal for election affairs, and was in charge of trials on criminal and civil lawsuits involving ethnic minorities, mainly indigenous people’s rights, public administration, federal taxes and environmental damages in Amazon and Minas Gerais districts. The Panel now has three international judges and one East Timorese. Another East Timorese judge will be appointed very soon. From January to March 2001, the Special Panel for Serious Crimes rendered three judgments, including one militia and one former Falintil member; held 24 preliminary hearings in 13 cases, five trial hearings and 39 hearings to rule on 34 pre-trial detention. In total, 20 indictments have been submitted to the Special Panel for Serious Crimes. Preliminary hearings on murder, attempt murder and rape cases are scheduled for the next few weeks. The Special Panel for Serious Crimes was established within the Dili District Court in June last year with exclusive jurisdiction over serious crimes, such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, murder, sexual offences and torture carried out between 1 January and 25 October 1999. The Office of East Timor’s Prosecutor General intends to investigate the major incidents of mass killings committed throughout the territory. Perpetrators at all levels, and in particular those answerable for the directed campaign of murder, persecution and deportation of the civilian population, will be held accountable.

Serious Crimes investigators have concentrated on five cases: the Liquiça Church massacre (6 April 1999); the murders at the house of Manuel Carrascalão (17 April 1999); the Maliana Police Station case (2-8 September 1999); the Lospalos case (21 April-25 September 1999), and a sexual violence case (2 May-16 September 1999). These cases involve about 30 suspects in superior or command positions at district, sub-district and provincial levels, including some 16 low-level militia presently in detention in East Timor. Indictments of crimes against humanity include an officer of the Indonesian Army suspected of murder, rape, torture, unlawful deprivation of liberty, inhumane and degrading treatment and persecution.

CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER INVITES POLITICAL PARTIES

The Chief Electoral Officer of the newly established Independent Electoral Commission sent invitations to all political parties yesterday for a briefing on the electoral regulation signed on Friday, 16 March by the Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello. Apart from discussing the new regulation, the purpose of the meeting is to present the Independent Electoral Commission, its structure and role; to give an update on the status of electoral preparations; to present the requirements and process for registering parties to compete in the elections; and discuss consultation mechanisms between the Independent Electoral Commission and political parties. “With the electoral regulation approved last Friday, the electoral process has now really started. It is crucial for political parties to begin the preparations to became part of the process,” said Carlos Valenzuela, the Chief Electoral Officer today. All political parties are invited to attend the meeting.

RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE MEETS IN VIQUEQUE

Around 30 representatives from Viqueque and Uato Lari sub-districts, including all village’ chiefs, Catholic church, CNRT, Justice and Peace Commission and UNTAET met today in Viqueque town and established a Reconciliation Committee, following last week’s riot. The Committee has 17 members, including Viqueque District Administrator Ilda Maria de Conceição and priests from Viqueque and Uato Lari sub-districts. On Saturday, the Committee will meet the youth leaders of martial art groups from Boramatan and Olobay, who were involved in the fighting of last week. On Monday, the committee will go to Uato Lari to meet representative of Makadiki village, also involved.