NATIONAL COUNCIL ENDORSES RECONCILIATION REGULATION

The National Council today endorsed, in principle, a draft regulation on the establishment of a Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The draft regulation, endorsed by the East Timor Transitional Cabinet on 28 February, gives the Commission a truth-telling function that will provide a historical record of past human rights violations between 25 April 1974 and 25 October 1999. It also establishes a Community Reconciliation Process for dealing with less serious offences that will not be prosecuted by the justice system. In today’s session, with 24 members in attendance, National Council member Aniceto Guterres suggested that the regulation be forwarded to a special Reconciliation Commission of the National Council to analyze the regulation more closely, and to hold public hearings. This motion was passed by a majority of the National Council. The composition of the Council’s Reconciliation Commission will be determined tomorrow at its next sitting.

MILITIA MEMBER SENTENCED TO 14 YEARS IMPRISONMENT

Former Dadurus Merah Putih militia member Manuel Gonsales Bere was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment yesterday for the murder of independence supporter Joao Gonsalves in September 1999 near Maliana in Bobonaro district. The victim was brought, with his hands tied, by Manuel Gonsales Bere and another militia member to a river in the vicinity of Maliana town, were Gonsales Bere stabbed Gonsalves in the chest with a samurai sword, immediately killing him. Yesterday’s sentence was carried out by the Special Panel for Serious Crimes at the Dili District Court.

In related news, an indictment was filed today by the Office of the Prosecutor General, charging three members of the Saka Loromonu Militia with murder and maltreatment during the campaign of violence that followed the 1999 popular consultation in East Timor. Rueben Monteiro Gonsalves, alias Alu, Lino de Carvalho and Ruben Pereira Tavares are accused of the murder of independence supporter Sabino dos Santos in Batugade, Bobonaro district, in September 1999. In addition, Lino de Carvalho, currently detained in Becora prison in Dili, is accused of beating three persons in Batugade and Balibo sub-districts, Bobonaro district, in April and May 1999. Rueben Monteiro Gonsalves and Ruben Pereira Tavares are believed to be residing in West Timor, Indonesia.

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNOR-GENERAL HONORS FALLEN SOLDIERS

The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Sir William Deane, left East Timor today after a two-day visit with the purpose of participating in ANZAC Day Ceremonies. The Governor General took part in a church service in Dili today and lay a wreath at a memorial for those who fought the Japanese in East Timor during the Second World War. Several hundred people attended an ANZAC Day Church service at the Dili Cathedral this morning. A small memorial was also held for the Australian and New Zealand personnel who have died in East Timor since its vote for independence. During his visit, the Governor-General met with Acting SRSG Jean-Christian Cady, CNRT President Xanana Gusmão, Vice-President José Ramos-Horta, Force Commander Boonsrang Niumpradit, troops from the Australian Peacekeeping Force, among others.