EAST TIMORESE POLICE RECEIVE HUMAN RIGHTS CARDS

The East Timor Police Service (ETPS) today received 17,000 pocket-sized cards to be distributed to its members outlining the rights of suspects upon arrest and the basic rights of children.

The laminated cards, which have been printed in Tetum, Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesian and English, provide an immediate yet complete reference and it is hoped they will help East Timorese police officers fulfill their duties in accordance with international standards.

Produced by UNICEF in conjunction with UNTAET’s Human Rights Unit, the cards were presented to UNTAET’s Office of the UN Police Commissioner and ETPS Commissioner Paulo Martins.

The ETPS has a projected target of 2,600 officers by the year 2003. Currently, more than 1,300 officers have graduated from the Police College and are in the field undergoing Field Training Programmes in investigations, close protection, crowd control, administration, traffic control and in the Marine Unit.

THAI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND DEFENCE MINISTER TO VISIT

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, is scheduled to arrive in Dili tomorrow for a two-day visit.

Upon arrival General Yongchaiyudh will hold separate meetings with SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello, Chief Minister Marí Alkatiri, and Peacekeeping Force Commander Lieutenant General Winai Phattiyakul.

General Yongchaiyudh, who will be accompanied by an eight-person delegation, is scheduled to fly to Baucau district on Friday to visit the Thai Battalion ensuring security in the area.

EAST TIMOR YOUTH DELEGATION VISIT KUPANG

An East Timorese delegation departed today to Kupang, Indonesia for a two-day visit to plan a youth exchange between East Timorese youth living in East Timor and those living in refugee camps in West Timor.

The delegation preparing the youth exchange, which aims to promote reconciliation and repatriation, includes representatives of the SRSG, the Reconciliation and Repatriation Liaison Team and the National Youth Congress, a national umbrella organisation of East Timorese youth.