ASSEMBLY APPROVES STRUCTURE OF DRAFT CONSTITUTION

The Constituent Assembly today approved the overall structure of East Timor's first draft Constitution. Debate on the draft's 151 articles is scheduled to begin early next week.

The draft Constitution, completed by the assembly's Systemization and Harmonization Committee earlier this week, was distributed to each of the assembly's 88 members yesterday, and released to the public today. Translations of the Portuguese-language draft are currently being produced.

The structure approved by the assembly today - 72 members voted in favor, two against, with nine abstentions - was designed by the Systemization and Harmonization Committee to guide the work of the four thematic groups that produced separate sections of the draft Constitution.

Between a Preamble and a set of Final and Transitional Provisions, the draft Constitution is structured 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'.

An affirmative vote of at least 60 of the 88 assembly members will be needed for the Constitution to be passed.

PHILIPPINE BATTALION TO START PULLOUT FROM MANATUTO

The Philippine battalion based in East Timor's central Manatuto district will tomorrow begin a phased withdrawal from the area as part of UNTAET's scheduled military downsizing.

The 520 Philippine troops in Manatuto will hand over operations to the Portuguese battalion headquartered in Dili, and return to the Philippines, without replacement, in mid-December.

This is the second in a series of downsizing moves that will reduce the current authorized level of 8,000 international troops to around 5,000 by East Timor's independence on 20 May 2002.

A 264-strong Kenyan Peacekeeping Contingent, which had been based in Ermera district, was the first of the peacekeeping contingents to be repatriated as part of the downsizing strategy. The Kenyan contingent left East Timor on 26 November.

The bulk of UNTAET's military downsizing will occur in the east of the country as the first battalion of the newly formed East Timor Defense Force (ETDF) becomes fully operational by mid-next year.

In a related development, 350 East Timor Defense Force recruits have completed a 12-week basic training course and will graduate from the ETDF's training center at Metinaro, near Dili, tomorrow morning. The graduation means that East Timor has its first, full 600-member battalion.

SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo and ETDF Commander Taur Matan Ruak will be among those attending the graduation ceremony.

The basic training was conducted by Portugal, with specialist training provided by Australia. Two hundred and fifty ETDF recruits completed basic training last June, and 32 of this first class of graduates served as instructors for the second basic training course.

The process of recruiting men and women to join a second ETDF battalion is already underway. In the first phase, the Office for Defence Force Development is recruiting some 260 new soldiers above the age of 18 who are expected to begin basic training in January.

SRSG SIGNS REGULATION ON BANKING AND PAYMENTS AUTHORITY

Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello today signed a regulation creating a new banking and payments authority.

The regulation, which transforms the Central Payments Office of East Timor into a Banking and Payments Authority (BPA) of East Timor, aims to strengthen East Timor's economy by providing for efficient payments and sound banking systems.

The primary objective of the BPA shall be to achieve and maintain domestic price stability. Its subordinate objectives will be to foster the liquidity and solvency of a stable market-based banking and financial system, to execute the foreign exchange policy of East Timor, and to promote a safe, sound and efficient payment system.

CHIEF MINISTER CALLS FOR END TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Chief Minister Marí Alkatiri today issued a statement calling for an end to domestic violence in East Timor.

"I have been informed with concern that domestic violence cases are on the increase and lot of our people consider beating a wife a private matter not to be discussed publicly," the Chief Minister's statement said.

"The Second Transitional Government is preoccupied with the reconciliation process which will lead to healing among the East Timorese. This process can only be a success if it begins in the family. We are therefore committed to creating a culture of

peace and respect for human rights of all our people. Our women and girls should enjoy their freedom without violence," the statement said.

The statement was released to mark the International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women. East Timor's Office for the Promotion of Equality and the East Timorese Women's Network have organized a wide range of events and debates throughout the country to address the issue.