BRUSSELS CONFERENCE CLOSES

International donors and multi and bilateral development institutions welcomed the plan for the transition of power into East Timorese hands, at yesterday’s closing of the Brussels Donor Conference.

"What has been abundantly clear over the past two days, and for which I am immensely grateful, is that the donor community will continue to remain fully engaged in East Timor during its transition to independence and beyond in addressing many of the key outstanding needs of this new country," SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello said at the closing session.

"The birth of East Timor is an historical exercise in which we should all feel proud to have played a part. Much work remains to be done but through our collective efforts, I have every confidence that East Timor will be well positioned to assume its rightful independence in the very near future," he added.

Sergio Vieira de Mello returns to Dili tomorrow, 8 December.

MILITIA ARRESTED ON MURDER CHARGES

A former militia from Ermera, suspected of murder, rape and of attacking the Peacekeeping Force, has been arrested and is being held in Becora prison, Dili.

The militia was arrested by Australian Peacekeepers on 2 December, when he was trying to cross the border from Indonesian West Timor to East Timor illegally. After being held in custody at the CivPol station in Balibo, Maliana district, the suspect was transferred to the capital.

Dili District Court issued an arrest warrant on 5 December and the suspect was transferred to Becora prison.

Officers from the Serious Crimes Unit are conducting further interviews with the suspect, who has confessed to complicity of murder and rape, as well as involvement in an exchange of fire between militias and Peacekeepers on 6 March.

SLAUGHTERHOUSE TO BE REHABILITATED

The Division of Health Services of the East Timor Transitional Administration and the World Bank have agreed to provide US$10,000 and US$5,000 respectively to rehabilitate the Dili slaughter house.

The building is currently being used as the office of the local Suco (neighbourhood) Chief. Once Dili District has found an alternative building for the Suco Chief, the International Organization for Migration has agreed to rehabilitate that office. Work on the slaughterhouse building, known as Matadouro, will start immediately after.

The slaughterhouse will be used for big animals, such as cows and buffaloes.

POLICY ON OIL HANDLING

UNTAET’s Environment Protection Unit has drafted a policy paper on Pollution Prevention from Oil Handling. The policy paper aims at encouraging oil companies to avoid spilling oil products on the ground and keeping it from reaching the ground water.

There are no procedures in the Indonesian penal code for the transportation of fuel and oil handling. The Environmental Protection Unit is hoping that the policy paper will draw fuel companies’ attention to the importance of, for example, providing bulk storage tanks with a secondary protective layer or training company staff in emergency response procedures and environment protection.

PEACEKEEPERS INJURED IN ROAD ACCIDENT

Six Thai Peacekeepers were injured, one of them seriously, when a tree fell on their truck two kilometers north of Viqueque yesterday, 6 December.

The soldiers were travelling in a convoy along the Baucau-Viqueque road during a heavy storm, when one of the vehicles was struck by a large tree, which was dislodged by strong winds and rain.

One of the soldiers suffered a fractured neck and was flown to the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s spinal injury unit in South Australia. Two other soldiers are being treated in the UN Military Hospital in Dili. Their condition is described as satisfactory.

Three soldiers suffered minor injuries and were treated at a military aid post in Viqueque.

WORKSHOP FOR PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATORS

Forty East Timorese educators will take part of an early childhood education workshop with the theme "Creating Stimulating Learning Environments" in Maubara, Liquiça district, next week.

CNRT’s Head of Pre-school Education, Gilberta Baião, will train the participants in toy making techniques. The workshop is organized by the Education Division of UNTAET in collaboration with UNICEF.

SRSG STATEMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS

SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello today released a statement on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, 10 December, focusing on recent violent incidents involving East Timorese and internationals in the country.