OVER 500 COVALIMA REFUGEES RETURN FROM WEST TIMOR

Over 500 refugees crossed the border this morning in the second day of mass refugee returns from camps in Indonesian West Timor.

The refugees are from Covalima district and have been living in the Betun refugee camp since the bloody aftermath of the 1999 Popular Consultation. The return, which took place at Salele in Covalima district, was facilitated by independence leader Xanana Gusmão, UNTAET's Chief of Staff N. Parameswaran and former Covalima pro-autonomy leader Hélio Moniz Caetano, who came back to East Timor on 19 September along with more than 250 refugees.

The refugee movements, in which UNTAET, the International Organization for Migration and UNHCR played crucial roles, follow several border meeting between Gusmão, Covalima elders, and leaders of the Covalima refugees.

In addition, some 140 East Timorese serving with the Indonesian Police Force, POLRI, crossed the border into East Timor today to meet with Xanana Gusmão and the newly appointed Commissioner for the East Timor Police Service, Paulo Martins. The officers, currently serving with POLRI in the West Timor district of Belu, have expressed their desire to return to East Timor.

"I want to thank all of you who have provided support for this process of bringing back our East Timorese sisters and brothers to their homes," Xanana Gusmão said to the officers. "And the door is always open to all of those wanting to return to East Timor."

UNTAET's Chief of Staff N. Parameswaran and Deputy Constituent Assembly speaker Arlindo Marcal were also present at today's event, along with other dignitaries.

More than 370 refugees returned to East Timor from West Timor yesterday, along with the former Deputy Commander of the Mahidi militia, Nemésio Lopes de Carvalho.

Parameswaran will be continuing discussions with political and militia/pro-autonomy/pro-integration leaders with a view to promoting reconciliation and negotiating further refugee returns. As in the past, the Chief of Staff is only conducting negotiations with those refugees not under indictment for serious crimes.

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY TO BEGIN PUBLIC HEARING PHASE

One of the four Constituent Assembly thematic groups is scheduled to begin a public hearing phase tomorrow in which it will consult with select invitees and constitutional experts.

The "Economical, Social and Financial Organization" thematic group, which was created by the assembly's "Harmonization" committee last week, will meet with a wide and varied range of specialists over a two-day period.

These include Dr. Lucas da Costa, president of the Association of East Timorese Economists; Dr. Oscar Lima, president of the Association of East Timorese Businessmen; Antero Benedito da Silva and Nuno Rodrigues of the East Timor Study Group; and fiscal, property, and dollarization experts.

The three other thematic groups - focusing on human rights and civil liberties; the organization of the state and of political power; and designing constitutional amendment mechanisms - are scheduled to hold similar public consultations beginning next week.

The Constituent Assembly's "Harmonization" Committee has already approved an overall structure that divides the Constitution into six parts. Part one includes 'Fundamental Principles'; part two is devoted to 'Fundamental Rights and Duties'; part three is related to the 'Organization of Political Power'; part four covers provisions regarding 'Economic and Financial Organization'; part five refers to 'National Defense and Security', and part six considers 'Constitutional guarantees and Amendment to the Constitution'. This structure is being used to guide the work of the thematic committees.

The Constituent Assembly convened on 15 September and must approve a Constitution by mid-December.

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS DISCUSS NEW EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES East Timor's Council of Ministers today discussed and approved plans for the establishment of alternative programs - such as vocational training and initiatives to promote self-employment - for students that fail the entrance examinations for East Timor's National University. The Council further agreed that the University should apply and maintain high academic standards.

Also in today's meeting, Minister of Transport and Communications Ovídio de Jesus Amaral presented plans for a future comprehensive telecommunications system for East Timor.

The Council further approved a directive on salary levels for members of the Constituent Assembly and the Second Transitional Government of East Timor that will now be sent to Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello for considerations.

The Council also discussed the structures proposed by the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Youth, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport and Communications, as well as budget allocations for the new East Timor Public Administration.

This was the fourth Council of Ministers meeting since the body was sworn in on 20 September. All 12 Ministers and Secretaries of States attended today's session with the exception of Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation José Ramos-Horta, who is currently overseas and was replaced by his Vice Minister Fernando de Araújo.