A regulation on the establishment of a transitional cabinet was adopted by the National Consultative Council (NCC) today.
The cabinet, outlined in the regulation On the Establishment of the Cabinet of the Transitional Government in East Timor, will have eight members, four East Timorese and four representing UNTAET. The East Timorese will be holding the portfolios of Internal Administration, Infrastructure, Economy and Social Affairs. The UNTAET representatives will be responsible for Finance, Justice, Police and Emergency Services and Political Affairs.
Cabinet officers will be answerable to the SRSG.
A regulation On the Establishment of a National Legislative Council, discussed at a public hearing yesterday, will be further discussed in a NCC session tomorrow, 13 July.
The NCC agreed to look into suggestions that an advisory committee comprised of professionals be established to give advice on regulations presented to the NLC. In addition, the NCC called for the set-up of a complaints committee to hear the public. The membership of the NLC should also include more representatives from professional, youth and women’s groups, according to the council.
The current 15-member NCC, a quasi-cabinet and quasi-legislative body, will be dissolved at the first session of the National Legislative Council.
In the draft regulation, the NLC will consist of 33 East Timorese members from the political, religious and private sphere.
The SRSG will have the final say in the approval of any draft regulation proposed to the cabinet by the NLC.
FIRST WORKING DAY OF EAST TIMORESE POLICE CADETS
Today marks the first work day of the 50 first national police officers to graduate in East Timor.
The cadets formally graduated yesterday, 11 July, at a ceremony in the Police Training College in Dili.
“These cadets went through a rigorous selection process. They have worked hard and succeeded in their efforts. They are pioneers,” said SRSG Sergio de Vieira de Mello at the graduation ceremony.
“The role of women police officers will also be fundamental since they, more than men, will have the sensitiveness to address the specific problems related to crimes against women, such as domestic violence and rape,” the SRSG added.
The officers, 38 men and 12 women, will be deployed in their home districts and receive additional on-the-job training in criminal investigations, traffic control, community policing and administration.
After three months, the police officers will start a six-month probation period, during which they will be provided specialized training. They will be fully empowered police officers on 2 April 2001. They will gradually take over responsibility for law and order, as the downsizing of the Civilian Police begins.
The second batch of 50 cadets will commence training next week, on 17 July 2000.
It is estimated that there will be 500 trained Timorese police officers by June 2001. Total strength of the Timorese police force should reach 3,000.
UNTAET’S CHIEF OF STAFF MEETS PRO-AUTONOMY LEADERS
UNTAET’s Chief of Staff, Parameswaran Nagalingam, met with seven pro-autonomy leaders in three separate meetings in Kupang, West Timor yesterday.
The meetings took place to discuss the concerns and fears of the pro-autonomy movement. UNTAET’s office in Kupang will make arrangements today for the pro-autonomy leaders to travel to Dili on a “come-and-see” visit. The date of the visit has yet to be worked out.
The Chief of Staff also met with the new West Timor Police Chief and the Deputy Governor.
Mr. Parameswaran’s intention was also to visit the refugee camps to observe the registration of refugees by UNHCR and International Organization for Migration (IOM). This visit, however, was cancelled due to a delay caused by security concerns. (See below).
REGISTRATION PROCESS OF REFUGEES DELAYED
Registration of East Timorese refugees in four border districts of West Timor - Atambua, Kefamenanu, Soe and Betun - has been held up by at least 24 hours because of security concerns.
No registration activities were planned for the main Kupang camps because of the volatile security situation there.
The registration process, which is carried out to enable the Government of Indonesia and the aid community to improve assistance to the refugees, started last Monday, 10 July. It was halted yesterday, however, after some elements in the camps in Betun opposed the registration and threatened some drivers working for the international community. In Atambua, an angry crowd prevented staff from preparing for the registration. Police escort was needed to get them out of the camp unharmed.
IOM is providing transportation for vulnerable refugees to bring them to the 59 registration sites to allow them to register once the process re-starts.
INDONESIAN INVESTIGATORS TO ARRIVE
A team from the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office is arriving in Dili on Friday to, if necessary, question witnesses and collect any resulting material evidence concerning the five priority criminal cases presented by the Indonesians.
The visit was agreed to after the first working-level meeting between UNTAET’s legal and political representatives and their Indonesian counterparts in Jakarta on 8 June.
A number of witnesses have been heard by UNTAET investigators in the five priority criminal cases presented by the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office.
UNTAET will conduct the questioning in the presence of an observer from the Attorney General’s team.
The Indonesian team consists of 17 persons and will stay in Dili for approximately 10 days.
EAST TIMOR ATHLETES LEAVES FOR DARWIN AFTER DELAYS
East Timor’s ten athletes bound for the Sydney Olympic Games are leaving Dili tomorrow morning, 13 July, for Darwin. This follows a delay of one day, due to logistical problems.
The President of the National Olympic Committee, José Ramos-Horta, will accompany the athletes.
In Darwin the athletes will come under the supervision of the Australian Institute of Sports.
Before starting on their training, the athletes will meet the director of the Arafura Games, a regional sports event. Discussions will center on East Timor’s inclusion in next year’s Arafura Games in which countries from the Pacific and provinces in Indonesia bordering Northern Australia will participate.
HAND TILLERS FROM THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT
Thirty hand tillers were handed over today by Yukihiko Ejiri, the Resident Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to the President of CNRT Xanana Gusmão.
The ceremony was held in UNTAET’s District Office in Manatuto and was attended by, District Administrator Anastase Rwegayura and Serge Verniau, the Head of UNTAET’s Agriculture Department.
The tillers are a donation of Japanese Government to help Timorese in the quick recovery of rice production, since a lot of water buffaloes, necessary for rice farming in East Timor, were killed while hand tractors were destroyed last September.
The districts of Manatuto and Baucau will receive 15 tillers each.
