FILES ON SERIOUS CRIMES HANDED OVER TO UNTAET
The District Prosecutors for Dili, Baucau and Oecussi handed over the criminal files concerning investigations into so-called serious crimes to UNTAET’s Department of Judicial Affairs today, in a ceremony in Dili.
These crimes, as defined in Regulation 2000/15, are genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The “serious cases” category also includes murder, sexual offences and torture committed between 1 January and 25 October 1999.
A special panel within the Dili District Court, with the sole task of prosecuting and trying serious cases, will now handle the cases. This will ensure the degree of specialization and expertise required. This panel is part of the East Timorese judiciary and comprises of both East Timorese and International judges.
The Head of Judicial Affairs, Gita Welsh, is presently submitting names of experienced international and Timorese prosecutors, who shall be nominated by SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello.
The local prosecutors and the Civilian Police have already carried out extensive work and many of the cases are ripe for indictment. Once the panel is established, indictments can be expected very soon.
VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE TO BE REPATRIATED
The eight Vietnamese boat people, discovered last Monday at the Com port in Los Palos’ subdistrict of Lautem, have been transferred to the UNHCR Transit Center in Dili today.
UNHCR will repatriate the Vietnamese to their country of origin, and will be working closely with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the arrangements of their air transport to Vietnam.
The boat people set sail from the coast in southern Vietnam on 16 May in a boat measuring 14 feet by five feet. Their destination is believed to have been Northern Australia.
UNTAET’s Border Control has impounded the boat.
FIRST TEPS ON ATAURO ISLAND
The first Transitional Employment Project (TEP) on Atauro island started on 5 June. The project, worth US$3,900, consists of clearing vegetation from the roadside and is expected to be completed in 40 days.
About 45 local Timorese workers and three supervisors are working under the project, which is being coordinated through the Dili District Office on the Island.
INDONESIAN ASSET TEAM VISITS DILI
An Indonesian Asset Team arrived in Dili today to survey facilities and equipment that the team believes belong to Indonesian companies.
The team, which includes ten people from different companies, will review the state of the buildings and compile a list for future negotiations on asset claims.
CIVILIAN POLICE OFFICER REPATRIATED
The Civilian Police Officer suspected of drug offences has been repatriated this weekend to his home country, Egypt.
The officer concerned will be tried under Egyptian law.
ROAD CHECKS CONDUCTED
The Civilian Police, together with the Peacekeeping Force and UNTAET Security, started conducting road checks in Dili on 25 June. Some 70 vehicles were checked and five people without drivers’ licenses were discovered. One vehicle was seized.
One person, from the Philippines, died in a traffic accident three kilometers from Tibar on the road to Liquica last Saturday, 24 June. A United Nations vehicle and a motorcycle collided and the driver of the motorcycle died.
