ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE COMPLETES DRAFT CONSTITUTION

The Constituent Assembly's Committee on Systemization and Harmonization today completed a draft of East Timor's first Constitution.

The Committee has debated and provisionally approved 151 articles, some of which include recommendations that must now be finalized by the assembly's president, rapporteur and secretary.

The Committee on Systemization and Harmonization was tasked with molding draft sections prepared by the assembly's four thematic groups into one single cohesive text. It had previously approved the overall structure for the Constitution.

Between a Preamble and a set of Final and Transitional Provisions, the articles of the Constitution are arranged in 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'.

The draft Constitution will be presented to Constituent Assembly President Francisco "Lú-Olo" Guterres tomorrow, 28 November. An affirmative vote of at least 60 of the 88 assembly members will be needed for the Constitution to be passed.

RECONCILIATION COMMISSION PANEL SHORTLISTS CANDIDATES

The Selection Panel of the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation today announced a shortlist of 15 candidates being considered to hold the seven positions of National Commissioner.

The shortlist was drawn from the more than 300 people nominated by communities from throughout East Timor, and includes clergy and youth members, university teachers, human rights lawyers, pro-autonomy representatives, women's activists, an UNTAET Human Rights staff member and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, among others.

The list is as follows: Rev. Agustinho da Vasconselos, Aleixo Ximenes, Alexandre Corte Real, Aniceto Guterres Lopes, Antero Benedito da Silva, Cipriana Gonçalves, Florentino Sarmento, Jacinto Alves, José Ramos-Horta, Padre Jovito Araújo, Manuela Leong Pereira, Miguel Ati Bau, Olandina Caeiro, Pat Walsh, and Ricardo Ribeiro.

The Selection Panel is inviting members of the public to inspect and comment on the shortlist by 4 December before it recommends its final choices to be appointed by Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello.

The seven National Commissioners will be at the forefront of addressing issues of reconciliation and justice in East Timor. The Commission will inquire into and

establish the truth about human rights violations in East Timor between April 1974 and October 1999; support the reintegration of people who have committed minor criminal offences or harmful acts through a community-based reconciliation process; and submit a report to the Government outlining recommendations as to how to prevent future recurrences of human rights violations.

Once installed, the National Commissioners will select 25-30 District Commissioners from among the 219 nominations received by the Selection Panel.

MINISTERS APPROVE PREPARATIONS FOR OSLO DONOR'S MEETING

East Timor's Council of Ministers today formally approved a preparatory document for next month's Donor's Conference in Oslo, Norway.

The document includes a supplementary budget proposal totalling some US$900,000 for the next fiscal year and a priority list of capital expenses for the newly formed East Timor Public Administration.

The East Timor Planning Commission presented the ministers with a report on the implementation of measures agreed on at the December 2000 Donor's Conference in Brussels. This report will be presented to donors at the Oslo conference.

In today's meeting the Council of Ministers also approved a measure by which the Border Service can auction, destroy or donate goods that have been seized or abandoned by their owners. The Finance Ministry has been tasked with drafting the transparent legal framework by which these measures can be taken.

In addition, the Council approved the continuation of the Community Employment Project, which finances cultural, infrastructural, and agricultural support projects.