BALLOT PAPERS ARRIVE IN EAST TIMOR

The Independent Electoral Commission today announced that the ballot papers for East Timor’s first democratic election arrived in Dili under tight security on 17 August. The papers are being kept in secure storage locations until the 30 August Constituent Assembly election, when voters will elect an assembly that will be composed of 88 members tasked with preparing East Timor’s first Constitution.

The ballots were printed in Darwin, Australia, on special security paper. Additionally, just before each voter casts their vote, each individual ballot paper will be marked with a special seal in order to deter any attempt to introduce fraudulent papers. The ballots are unnumbered but are attached to numbered stubs to ensure the speedy post-vote reconciliation of used and unused ballots.

At total of 603,250 ballots have been prepared. The final voter roll stands at 409,019. The extra ballots are due to the IEC’s estimation that the actual voter population will be higher than that on the roll. A number of voters completed the registration procedure satisfactorily but due to database error may not have been included on the voting roll. Extra ballots are thus needed at every polling station to provide for this possibility.

CIVIC EDUCATION EVENTS DRAW THOUSANDS

Around 4,000 East Timorese attended civic education events in four districts over the weekend. All the events were coordinated or assisted by the National Steering Committee for Civic Education (NSCCE). Attendees received information about the 30 August elections and the relationship between government and citizens in a democracy while participating in events designed to be enjoyable as well as educational.

In Dili, 2,000 members of the Muslim community attended a day of dancing, music and theater sketches about democracy and non-violence on Sunday. In Baucau, representatives of all 16 political parties answered questions about their party platforms from a crowd of over 800 on Saturday. In the enclave of Oecussi, two football matches were interspersed with messages about democratic competition on Saturday. And in Bobonaro, 750 spectators turned out to watch a half-marathon with a democracy theme in which 118 East Timorese and 18 international participants took part in a 22-kilometer event.

The NSCCE is a Timorese-led coalition of the Catholic Church, the University of East Timor, the Department of Education, and four local NGOS. The NSCCE directs programs throughout the country with support from UNTAET/ETTA and UNDP. Over 100,000 East Timorese have so far participated in programs under the NSCCE’s auspices.

DEPUTY SRSG VISITS BAUCAU

Newly appointed Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Dennis McNamara, today visited Baucau as part of a familiarization tour of East Timor’s districts. He held informal meetings with the Baucau District Administrator and other UNTAET and ETTA staff, the District Civilian Police Commander, and the head of the Peacekeeping Force for the district.

The DSRSG also met with the President of the Court of Baucau to discuss issues related to the judicial system. In addition, he called on Bishop do Nascimento of the Baucau diocese.

Last week, he visited the enclave of Oecussi and Viqueque. His next trip will be to Covalima district, on 23 August.

POLICE OFFICERS GRADUATE FROM DILI TRAINING CENTER

One hundred and forty police cadets graduated from the police training school in Dili on Saturday, bringing the total force strength to 1,073 officers performing police duties in all 13 districts of East Timor.

During the course, the The Timor Lorosa’e Police Service cadets attended classes on human rights, community policing, firearms, self-defense and other police related subjects.