CABINET ENDORSES REGULATION ON ELECTORAL OFFENCES

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet today gave its endorsement to a proposed regulation on Electoral Offences for the Election of a Constituent Assembly. The regulation creates a set of electoral offences for the coming election of a Constituent Assembly. The regulation, which follows recommendation of the National Council, is intended to enhance the safety, secrecy, freedom, fairness and credibility of the elections and deter disruptions of the electoral period. The electoral offences include infringement of secrecy of the vote; obstruction of electoral officers; bribery; destruction of ballot boxes; interference in political liberty; interference in ballot counting and incitement to violence. The regulation proposes three categories of penalties corresponding to the seriousness of the offences. The maximum penalty is up to five years imprisonment and/or US$5,000 in fines. The proposed regulation will now be forwarded to the National Council for its consideration. The Cabinet also agreed on a policy framework for the management of water resources in East Timor. The policy provides for the allocation of rights to use water resources by a National Water Management Authority. The policy provides for a service to manage and deliver water utilities in urban areas and community user groups to manage water usage in rural areas. The necessary legislation to implement the policy will now be drafted.

The Cabinet also received a briefing on the status of civil registration. Cabinet was informed that 68.7 per cent of the expected total population had been registered as of yesterday, 30 May, and that the civil registration process was on track to complete the initial registration of the population by 20 June. The Cabinet was also briefed on a UNDP report on Assessing Environmental Needs and Priorities in East Timor, due to be released on 8 June. Finally, the Cabinet Members for Economic Affairs and Political Affairs and the Timor Sea briefed Cabinet on the Timor Sea negotiations of 29-30 May in Dili. Cabinet endorsed an East Timorese position for the next round of negotiations.

FIRST FORMAL MEETING OF ELECTORAL COMMISSIONERS

The first meeting of the Independent Electoral Commission was convened today by the Acting SRSG Jean-Christian Cady. The Commission consists of Indian Charles Rose, Australian Michael Maley, South Korean Bong-Scuk Sohn and East Timorese Jacinta Correia and Armindo Maia. Mr. Sohn was elected chairperson of the Commission and Maia was elected vice chairperson. After the meeting the Commissioners held a press conference highlighting the main objective of the Independent Electoral Commission, which is to guarantee that the electoral process leads to a result that reflects the will of the East Timorese people. In response to questions from journalists, the Board of Commissioners stated that the Independent Electoral Commission is on track with the preparations for elections on 30 August. They further explained that part of their responsibility is to study the different objections to the parties’ registrations. The Board of Commissioners clarified, as well, that once the study is completed the decision could be either to register the party or to reject their application.

Jacinta Correia is a Judge in the Appellate Court of Dili and one of the founders of East Timor Women’s Network and was a member of the selection panel appointed by SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello to appoint members to the National Council. Armindo Maia is the rector of the University of East Timor and held the position of vice-rector before the 1999 popular consultation. Mssrs. Maley and Sohn arrived in Dili yesterday and the third international Commissioner, Indian Charles Rose, is arriving in the coming days. The names of the two East Timorese Commissioners were announced today. The Independent Electoral Commission, comprising three International and two East Timorese Commissioners, is responsible for the organization and conduct of the 30 August elections of a Constituent Assembly for East Timor. The Board will settle disputes related to the electoral process, ensure respect for the electoral regulation and international standards for democratic election, and certify the election results and transmit them to the Secretary-General through the SRSG.