FUTURE SECURITY FORCES TO BE STUDIED
A seven-member multinational team from King’s College Centre for Defense Studies, London University, will on Saturday begin to undertake an independent study on the future of the security forces of East Timor.
The first member is due to arrive in Dili tomorrow, and the other six on Friday. The experts are from Germany, Mozambique, South Africa and the United States of America.
The King’s College team will produce a report within six weeks on the future security of East Timor, including possible profiles for a defense force. The group is studying the current security arrangements within the territory, relations between civilians and Peacekeeping staff, as well as making an in-depth analysis of the Falintil, the liberation army.
The team will begin with a meeting on Saturday with the Falintil Working Group at UNTAET Headquarters.
On Monday, 10 July, the King’s College team is meeting with members of the Portuguese, Australian and US missions. A meeting with CNRT President Xanana Gusmão and CNRT Vice-President José Ramos-Horta is scheduled for Tuesday, 11 July, at CNRT headquarters.
The following day, the team will be making their way to Falintil’s headquarters in Aileu where they will meet commanders and veteran Falintil fighters of the five regions, as well as UNTAET’s District Administrator.
TIMORESE JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS APPOINTED
Fourteen East Timorese judges, investigating judges and prosecutors were appointed by UNTAET on Monday, 3 July. The appointees will now be sent to their respective courts in Dili, Baucau, Oecussi and Suai. This also means that the staffing of judicial personnel is complete in Dili.
Forty-six judges, investigating judges, prosecutors and public defenders have been hired to date.
HALF OF TOTAL COFFEE CROP HARVESTED
Nearly one-half of East Timor’s coffee has been harvested, according to UNTAET’s Agricultural Department. The harvesting season, from April to September, is currently on going all over East Timor. At the same time, UNTAET is training farmers and distributing processing tools.
In order to improve the quality of the coffee, UNTAET will increase its efforts to inform farmers about techniques of harvesting, processing and storing coffee, through radio broadcasts and information campaigns.
The coffee production districts are Liquica, Ainaro, Aileu and Ermera. UNTAET’s Agricultural Department estimates that some 48,000 farmers are involved in growing the crop.
It is estimated that East Timor is producing between 8,000 to 10,000 tonnes of dry coffee a year. This translates into some US$20 million.
CIVILAN POLICE PROVIDES SECURITY TO MOSQUE
Since 1 July, the Civilian Police have taken full responsibilities for the security of the mosque in Dili. A detachment is permanently assigned to the place and foot as well as vehicle patrols are being carried out in the area. With help from the Police, regular contacts have been established between the approximately 200 mosque-dwellers and their neighbours.
So far, no incidents have been reported.
HAND-OVER OF WITNESS STATEMENTS
The chief of the Investigation Unit at UNTAET’s Human Rights Department, Oyvind Olsen, and Jonathan Prentice, from Political Affairs Office, left for Jakarta today to hand over witness statements collected by UNTAET on behalf of the Indonesian authorities.
The meeting with Attorney General’s Office takes place tomorrow.
Sidney Jones, the Head of the Human Rights Department of UNTAET, is leaving the mission on Friday.
The new Head is Patrick Burgess, the former District Administrator in Liquica, who has long experience working on human rights and humanitarian issues in East Timor, as well as in other countries, such as Rwanda.
