14 June -- More than 500 women from across East Timor gathered in the capital Dili today for the launching of the first national congress on women's issues, which aims to promote equitable development in national reconstruction.
Speaking on behalf of UNTAET head Sergio Vieira de Mello, Deputy Jean-Christian Cady said that the road to a free East Timor had been "one of arduous struggle and sacrifice, destruction and impoverishment."
"Those who are marginalized, such as returnees, either as refugees or internally displaced -- the majority of whom are women and children -- have to be heard in the process of reconciliation," Mr.Cady said.
In other news from Dili, the bodies of two staff from the UN Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) --the UN peacekeeping operation deployed in the territory during last September's violence -- have been exhumed in Ermera, marking the first exhumations carried out as part of the probe into the deaths of mission staff.
Forensic experts are currently examining the bodies, which were transferred to the Human Rights Centre morgue in Dili, and death certificates are expected to be issued next week, UNTAET said.
UNAMET, which was in East Timor between July and September last year, lost nine of its local staff during the chaos that followed the popular consultation of 30 August.