EAST TIMOR DEFENCE FORCE SOLDIERS BEGIN BASIC TRAININGA group of 350 East Timor Defence Force (ETDF) soldiers has begun a three-month basic training course at their new purpose-built Training Center in Metinaro, near the capital Dili.
Thirty two ETDF officers who graduated from the first basic training course in June and ten Portuguese specialists are the instructors for the basic training course. Areas covered include drills, weapon skills, and target practice. When the current basic training is complete, East Timor will have its first full battalion of 600 soldiers.
In addition, 150 of the ETDF soldiers that graduated in June will be beginning a 10-week advance-training course on 6 August. The training will be provided by the Australian military and will focus on officer training and management skills.
REFUGEES EN ROUTE HOME FOLLOWING REPATRIATION
Eighty two families comprising 179 people are being transported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from Dili back to their home districts after arriving from West Timor yesterday.
The returnees arrived at Dili Port aboard the Patricia-Anne Hotung boat, which is operated by the International Organization for Migration in partnership with the UNHCR. This is the ninth and final repatriation mission carried out using the Patricia-Anne Hotung boat since November 2000. All future repatriations from West Timor will be conducted overland.
Officials say there appear to be no former militia members among the returnees. The majority of the returnees are from Dili, Lautem and Manatuto districts. An estimated 182,000 refugees have now returned to East Timor.
SECOND "MEET THE PRESS" FORUM TO BE AIRED ON RADIO, TV
The second "Meet the Press" segment is scheduled to be aired by UNTAET radio and television this evening, and will feature a representative from the União Democrática Timorense (UDT) political party.
The 30-minute segment is designed to allow political parties and independent candidates running in the August 30 Constituent Assembly elections to outline their policies and visions. Each political party or group of independent candidates will have the opportunity to appear on a "Meet the Press" segment during the political campaign.
A segment aired yesterday featured the Partido Democrata Cristão's Secretary General Arlindo Marçal, who outlined his party's platform and fielded questions from journalists on topics including justice, corruption and foreign affairs.