Dili, 23 August 2001

RECONCILIATION EFFORTS GAIN MOMENTUM

Pro-autonomy leader Helio Moniz, currently a coordinator of the West Timor-based Forum for Covalima Reconciliation, today visited Covalima capital of Suai, where he met over 200 representatives of the local community.

UNTAET Chief of Staff N. Parameswaran coordinated the visit, which is part of the effort to bring the refugees back from West Timor. Moniz, who is currently living in West Timor, will leave East Timor tomorrow, after a five-day visit.

Several “come and see” visits have been organized by UNTAET and the Timorese leadership in the past.

Issues discussed during the visit included the future Truth, Reception and Reconciliation Commission, to be set up before the end of October 2001.

Meanwhile, three East Timorese members of the Truth and Reconciliation Steering Committee left for Kupang, West Timor, yesterday for a three-day visit with the purpose of meeting pro-autonomy leaders, representatives from the Indonesian local government, the Indonesian armed forces (TNI) and the Police (POLRI).

The team is discussing references for the setting up of a Panel Selection Commission, which will select Reconciliation Commission members.

The Truth, Reception and Reconciliation Commission will undertake two primary functions: it will establish a truth-seeking function inquiring into the pattern of human rights violations in East Timor committed within the context of the political conflicts between 1974-1999. The Commission will also create a community reconciliation body to facilitate agreements between local communities and the perpetrators of non-serious crimes and non-criminal acts committed over the same period.

The Panel Selection Commission is expected to be established after the 30 August election and will consist of twelve East Timorese representing pro-autonomy groups, women, youth, the church, former political prisoners and political parties.

DEPUTY SRSG McNAMARA VISITS COVALIMA

Newly appointed Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Dennis McNamara, today visited Covalima as part of a familiarization tour of East Timor’s districts.

He held informal meetings with the Covalima Acting District Administrator and other UNTAET and East Timor Transitional Administration staff to discuss issues of particular concern to the district, including the constraints of the justice system, staff downsizing, illegal cross-border trade, and political party activities.

The DSRSG also visited the site of the Suai church massacre, which occurred on 6 September 1999.

Before returning to Dili the DSRSG visited two Junction Points on the border between East Timor and West Timor, accompanied by the Deputy Force Commander, the Sector West Commander, the Chief Operations Officer and the Civpol Commander.

He has so far visited the enclave of Oecussi, Viqueque and Baucau.

CABINET DISCUSSES EXPENDITURE PLANS

The East Timor Transitional Cabinet today discussed East Timor Transitional Administration’s expenditure plans for capital purchases, and decided to defer purchases of most vehicles and computers until the second quarter of fiscal year 2001-2002.

This move was made in order to preserve the options of the future Cabinet, to be appointed after the 30 August elections, to better manage the use of capital throughout the year and to coordinate with the draw-down of UNTAET.

Cabinet also established a Working Group to assess the economic impact of the draw-down of the international presence in East Timor. The Working Group will bring together concerned institutions both within and outside ETTA.