SIXTEEN PARTIES SUBMIT CANDIDATE LISTS AT DEADLINE

Sixteen political parties have nominated national candidates to run in the elections for the Constituent Assembly on 30 August. The deadline for presenting candidates was at noon today. Four parties – Fretilin, KOTA, the ASDT and the PSD – have each nominated 75 national candidates and 13 district candidates, the maximum permitted under the electoral regulation. Parentil and the PNT were the only two parties that did not submit district candidate nominations. The PST submitted 75 national and three district candidates; the UDT submitted 72 national and 12 district candidates; and Apodeti submitted 15 national and seven district candidates.

The final three parties to register with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) ahead of last Sunday’s deadline – Apodeti, Parentil and Partai Liberal – are currently in the 14-day inspection period but presented candidates in conformity with IEC regulations. The 30 August elections will result in a Constituent Assembly composed of 88 members. Thirteen of these members will be district candidates representing each of East Timor’s districts; and the remaining 75 will be allocated to parties based on a nation-wide proportional representation list.

CABINET DISCUSSES AMENDMENTS ON TRUTH COMMISSION

The East Timorese Transitional Cabinet discussed today the National Council’s proposed amendments to the draft regulation establishing the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor. Cabinet agreed with the substance of the amendments, and will consult further with the National Council’s Special Committee before the regulation is finalised for the Transitional Administrator’s signature. The Cabinet endorsed a draft regulation on the establishment of a Banking and Payments Authority. The draft regulation aims to establish an institution that will exercise more of the powers of a central bank, so as to provide East Timor with effective payment and banking systems. The draft regulation will now be referred to the National Council, for its consideration. The Cabinet also approved the Transitional Administrator issuing guidelines clarifying the role and functions of the District Administrators. These guidelines would not pre-judge any future decisions on local government functions and structures. Finally, the Cabinet discussed the relative priority for funding of the Trust Fund for East Timor (TFET) projects agreed in November 2000.

SECONDARY SCHOOL SET ALIGHT IN BAUCAU TOWN

A group of unidentified youths today set fire to a secondary school in Baucau town, in the northeastern part of East Timor, causing significant damage but no injuries. United Nations Civilian Police investigators say that the group, consisting of between five and ten people, set the school ablaze at 2:30 a.m. A group of CivPol and Peacekeeping Force personnel quickly arrived on the scene and were able to extinguish the fire. The perpetrators fled before the authorities arrived. An eyewitness is helping CivPol in its investigation. Baucau town was the scene of a number of violent incidents in March that included the burning of a mosque and an attack on the District Administrator and other UN staff.

MALAYSIA DONATES FUNDS TO REBUILD BAUCAU MOSQUE

The Malaysian delegation to East Timor today presented SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello with a donation of US$60,000 to be used for the reconstruction of the Baucau mosque. The mosque was destroyed during a series of violent incidents in March. The Head of the Malaysian Mission in East Timor Mohamad Rameez bin Yahaya told the SRSG that the donation represented Malaysia’s concern about the plight of the East Timorese and its “wish to support any efforts towards the building of a multi religious society.” The Malaysian envoy also announced that ten East Timorese students will be sent to Malaysia next week to begin medical studies under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme.