NATIONAL COUNCIL DEFEATS CONSTITUTION COMMITTEES

The National Council today defeated a draft regulation on the establishment of national and district constitutional commissions introduced by the Standing Committee on Political Affairs. The draft regulation was defeated with five votes in favor, seven against and eight abstentions. The main idea was to establish a formal mechanism to consult the East Timorese people at district and sub-district levels and to provide their input to the Constitution Assembly to be democratically elected on 30 August. Mr. Aniceto Guterres, National Council representative for NGO’s, presented the motion, noting the broad support of NGOs for the proposal and its implementation. The proposal was presented as having the support of civil society in general and was backed by members of the Committee on Political Affairs, among them CNRT and National Council President Xanana Gusmão. UNTAET was also supportive of a formal consultation process, and will now look at other options. The Council is to resume its works on 2 April.

THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND EAST TIMORESE REGISTERED

Almost 35,000 East Timorese have been registered in all East Timor 13 districts as of yesterday, 26 March, ten days after the process has started. The highest numbers were registered in two sub-districts of Baucau and Lospalos, with more than 200 people registered in one day. This total does not include Viqueque district, where registration started only this week after the violence of 12 March, which left the UN Volunteers registration officers without their house and all personal belongings. In addition, some registration sites have been unable to open due to a variety of issues, such as accessibility problems caused by landslides. A national public information campaign on civil registration has being carried out by UNTAET Office of Civil Registry and Office of Communication and Public Information, including posters, leaflets, radio and TV interviews and a road show which started in Dili on Sunday, 25 March.