Dili, 28 February 2001
CABINET ENDORSES TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet endorsed today a draft regulation on the establishment of a Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, subject to minor amendments. The draft regulation 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. The draft regulation will now be finalized for submission to the National Council. The Cabinet also agreed to the substance of the National Council’s recommendations on the political calendar for the transition to independence and further recommended that the Transitional Administrator promulgate the regulation. The Cabinet considered a motion of the National Council recommending amendments to the draft regulation on the establishment of a Central Civil Registry. The Cabinet agreed that the training center for the East Timor Defence Force will be established at Metinaro, 30 km east of Dili. The site will include barracks and training grounds. Development of the site will begin immediately.

The Cabinet also agreed to a proposal to establish a ferry service between Dili and Oecussi by a private company, subject to funding assistance from donors, necessary certification of the craft and the finalization of insurance arrangements. The service will make one round trip per week. It will have the capacity to transport approximately 100 passengers as well as cargo. The Cabinet considered a project proposal that was put forward by the World Bank to provide training and technical assistance in leadership, organizational management and anti-corruption strategies. The Cabinet supported the project, subject to further discussion with the World Bank on specific elements of the program and its target audience. The Cabinet also decided to review the role, efficacy and cost of seminars and workshops in East Timor, reflecting a concern that too many resources may be going into these activities at the expense of other capacity building initiatives.