Dili, 3 May 2000
The UNTAET Civilian Police and Human Rights Unit are investigating a Torture House in Bilako, a town in the subdistrict of Zumalai, Suai.
According to witnesses, two weeks before the 30 August referendum, about 70 members of the Mahidi militia group from Ainaro kept 29 activist leaders and pro-independence Timorese inside this house. One of the goals was to force them to sign a statement to support pro-autonomy in East Timor.
MEMORIAL TO SLAIN JOURNALISTS
The SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello laid the first stone of a memorial dedicated to the Timorese and foreign journalists slain in East Timor over the past 24 years.
Freedom of press means the right to criticize and the duty to be responsible in the criticism, SRSG said. Freedom of press is synonymous with democracy. It is fundamental and essential to transparency, credibility, good administration and the creation of true rule of law. This freedom is even more important in East Timor, which is leaving a long dark period of oppression.
Also, to mark the World Press Freedom Day, one of Dili s main avenues was renamed Avenida da Liberdade de Imprensa by the Timor Lorosae Journalists Association.
In this four kilometers avenue, from Becora to Mercado da Rotunda, two journalists were killed last year, Benardino Guterres, Timorese, and Sander Thoenes, Dutch.
In the last 24 years, eight foreign journalists and one Timorese have died in their attempt to reveal to the world the reality that prevailed here in East Timor, the SRSG said. I would like to pay homage to those journalists that were assassinated, tortured, censured, and whose freedom of press was oppressed.
The journalists killed in East Timor were the Balibo Five , Greg Shecklton, Brian Peters, Gary Cuningham, Tony Steward, and Malcolm Reinie; Roger East, and the Indonesian journalist Agus Mulyawan.
DILI IS CALM
The security situation in Dili has returned to normal after the Sunday violence. After more than 200 security officers spent Sunday night patrolling the streets, the operation was scaled down.
CivPol, Peacekeeping Forces and the Rapid Response Unit continue to do coordinated patrols around the capital and in particular in the market area. CivPol will continue to wear side arms as long as deemed necessary.
Eleven people were detained and are in the Civil Detention Center, and hundreds of machetes and sticks were also apprehended on Sunday and Monday.
