MOZAMBIQUE FOREIGN AFFAIRS
MINISTER VISITS EAST TIMOR

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Mozambique Leonardo Simão is to arrive in Dili tomorrow, 23 March for a two-day visit in East Timor. Minister Simão is expected to meet SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello, CNRT/National Council President Xanana Gusmão, Force Commander Lt. Gen. Boonsrang Niumpradit, East Timorese Cabinet Members, Bishop Dom Ximenes Belo and the Mozambique military and Civilian Police contingents.

PROSECUTOR FOR SERIOUS CRIMES SWORN-IN

Ms. Shyamala Alagendra from Malaysia was sworn-in as a Prosecutor for the Special Panel for Serious Crimes today, 22 March by SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello. Ms. Alagendra has worked as a civil litigation prosecutor for five years in Malaysia. Her appointment brings the Special Panel for Serious Crimes to a total of six prosecutors, five internationals and one East Timorese. Currently, the Special Panel has 12 public defenders, nine of whom Timorese, and four judges, including one East Timorese.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES OPENS FIRST EXHIBITION

The first exhibition of the East Timor National Archives opens on Saturday, 24 March at the East Timor Cultural Centre with the theme “East Timor: Past and Present”. The exhibition will display some of the documents found in the attics of Governor’s House and Fomento Building, both in Dili. Over the last eight months, a team of international and East Timorese experts have selected and organized hundreds of official documents deposited in the attics. Most documents are from the 60s and 70s, but some are from last century. Documents include maps, development project plans, reports on the currency, newspaper articles and identity registration papers, including one issued in 1964 to José Alexandre “Xanana” Gusmão.

On 31 March a seminar will be conducted on national archives and oral history. Speakers include SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello, Portuguese historian and former director of Portuguese National Archives José Mattoso, former mayor of Dili Francisco Menezes, former Australian consul in East Timor James Dunn and the Australian librarian and researcher Kevin Sherlock.