IPI (International Press Institute) 

LATEST NEWS

http://www.freemedia.at/cms/ipi/

IPI Congress to Show Footage of New Film on Balibo Killings

Anthony LaPaglia as Roger East in Balibo. Copyright Balibo Film Pty Ltd.

Balibo, a powerful film that tells of the events surrounding the slaying of five journalists by Indonesian soldiers in East Timor in 1975, will be showcased at the upcoming IPI World Congress in Helsinki. The political thriller is told through the eyes of Roger East (played by Emmy Award-winning actor Anthony LaPaglia), an Australian who went to East Timor to investigate the earlier killings of five fellow journalists and was himself murdered in East Timor. Exclusive footage of the film will be shown on 8 June during the 58th IPI World Congress, followed by a special presentation featuring award-winning director Robert Connolly; actor Damon Gameau, who plays slain television reporter Gregory Shackleton; and Maureen Tolfree, sister of one of the journalists killed in East Timor and long-time campaigner for justice. Read More

http://www.skynews.com.au/business/article.aspx?id=336269

Delegation visits East Timor

Updated: 18:38, Wednesday May 27, 2009

The chief minister of the Northern Territory has visited East Timor with the largest foreign delegation to visit the tiny country since it won independence from Indonesia in 2002.

A 60-strong group from Darwin, including business people and education professionals, accompanied Chief Minister Paul Henderson and Darwin city Mayor Graeme Sawyer on the trip on Wednesday.

The visit is designed to boost ties between the rapidly growing port city of Darwin and its closest offshore neighbour.

'What this shows is the strength or the friendship and the relationship between the people of Darwin and the people of East Timor,' Henderson told reporters after meeting Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres in Dili.

'I'm very confident that the trade and investment links will grow, tourism will grow and the relationship between the governments of the Northern Territory of Australia and Timor-Leste will continue to strengthen into the future.'

Henderson said the Northern Territory had agreed to host Timorese civil servants on internships to 'help build capacity' in the fledgling nation.

Guterres said the internships 'will make a valuable contribution to building the capacity of our civil service to meet the demands of our growing nation.'

East Timor was occupied by the Indonesian military for 24 years until 1999, when it voted to break away in a referendum marked by violence and the arrival of Australian-led international peacekeepers.

President Jose Ramos-Horta told the United Nations Security Council in February that the nation would be able to maintain double-digit growth in 2009 despite the global financial meltdown.

For revenue East Timor is heavily reliant on its large offshore oil and gas reserves, from which it has banked close to $US5 billion ($A6.36 billion) since 2005.

With global oil prices declining, the government is keen to develop other streams of income, including tourism.

So far this year projects have begun for building the nation's first mall and a five-star resort complex, complete with 27-hole golf course.

The Australian delegation was not expected to discuss ongoing negotiations between East Timor and Australian mining giant Woodside Petroleum over how to tap the massive Sunrise natural gas field in the Timor Sea.

Negotiations have reportedly hit a snag over whether to pump the gas to an onshore processing facility in East Timor or through a 450km pipeline to Darwin.

ANGOP (Agencia Angloa Press) http://www.portalangop.co.ao 

5/26/09 4:39 PM

Angola
Angola wants mutually advantageous co-operation with East Timor 

Luanda – Angola's Prime minister, António Paulo Kassoma, on Tuesday here defended a mutually advantageous co-operation with East Timor, meant to fight poverty and under development, social justice and respect based on the international law.

Paulo Kassoma said so while addressing a speech at the official talks with the visiting delegation of the Asian country of East Timor, led by the Premier, Xanana Gusmão.

He considered as determining to work together so that profitable partnership meets the need of dynamism, increasing and complementarity of the economy in both Portuguese-speaking countries, for the solution of under development problems, characterized by the low level of human development.

That official underlined that during the struggle for independence of the two peoples and countries were developed values of friendship, solidarity and co-operation and that is important to consolidate these values.

He mentioned as areas of co-operation the sectors of defence, security and internal order, adding that there are good perspectives for collaboration in the oil sector, in matters of training of cadres, technical assistance, among others. 

Paulo Kassoma also voiced for the creation of a bilateral commission between Angola and East Timor capable of assessing in a permanent and systematic ways the consolidation and increase of the bilateral ties.

Fatu Ahi: Three Years Ago (http://thediliinsider.blogspot.com/)

Tiru malu iha Fatu Ahi iha loron 23 Maiu 2006

64. Iha loron 22 Maiu, PNTL no F-FDTL hetan informasaun intelijensia katak ofisial sira URP PNTL nian maka fo aten barani no suporte ba violensia lorosae hasoru loromonu iha area Fatu Ahi. Halo planu atu monta postu konjunta ida entre PNTL no F-FDTL. Iha loron 23 Maiu maizemenus 11, karreta rua tula soldadu F-FDTL nain sia husi Primeiru Batallaun iha komandu Tenente Koronel Falur nia okos, to’o iha Fatu Ahi atu hanoru ho PNTL sira. Sira atu halo estudu ida kona ba fatin ne’ebé sira planu halo postu konjunta. Sira para karreta besik Fatu Ahi nia tutun. Maski soldadu sira tun husi karreta, sira hare’e mane balu hatais farda polisia nian iha eskola no ai sira nia kotuk. Mane sira ne’e la’os ofisial PNTL nian ne’ebé sira hein atu ba hasoru; sira maka membru husi grupu Alfredo nian 33

65. Major Reinado ho ninia ema nain 11 to’o dadeersan iha area ne’e, mai husi Aileu iha dadeersan. Sira hamutuk ho ema sivil sira no ofisial URP nain 10 ne’ebé ka’er kilat automatiku. Maizemenus tuku 9.00 dadeersan, jornalista nain rua to’o no hahu halo entrevista gravasaun video ho Major Reinado. Hahu konfrontasaun tiru malu ne’e grava hotu iha filme ne’e. Tiru malu ne’e Major Alfredo maka hahu Maski nia ramata konta to’o 10 depois de fo avizu atu sai. Tenente Koronel Falur fo orden ba soldadu sira atu tiru hasoru.

66. Konfrontasaun iha Fatu Ahi ne’e tiru malu to’o rai nakaras. Grupu Alfredo nian serku soldadu F-FDTL sira, ne’ebé la’os hotu-hotu maka iha kilat, ne’ebé halo sira labele dada an sai. Tenente Koronel Falur husu reforsu. Karreta PNTL nian ida ne’ebé tula ofisial PNTL nain 10, mai husi Baucau ba Dili tama sala iha tiru malu ne’e. Ofisial PNTL ida mate no rua hetan kanek. Iha maizemenus meudia, reforsu F-FDTL nian to’o, ne’ebé nain tolu hetan kanek. Iha primeiru tempu ne’ebé atu hanesan, bis ida tula soldadu sira F-FDTL nian ba Dili atu simu sira nian salariu mos to’o, depois de sira rona kilat tarutu. Sira hetan ataka iha metro besik 300 ba loromonu husi fatin emboskada ida uluk. Soldadu ida mate no nain tolu hetan kanek. Tuir fali, Major Rai Ria mai ho ninia eskoltu no sira nain rua hetan kanek. Iha maizemenus tuku 2 lorokraik, Major Amico to’o husi Metinaro ho nia ema maizemenus nain 10. Nia hakbesik ba Fatu Ahi husi foho sorin, no hetan pozisaun ás liu husi Major Alfredo ho ninia ema sira nian. Nune’e, Major Alfredo ses an iha karreta PNTL nian ida ne’ebé ikus nia fo fila fali. Major Reinado nia ema nain rua no sivil ida maka mate. Hamutuk ema nain lima maka mate no 10 maka hetan kanek.

Armed confrontation in Fatu Ahi on 23 May 2006

64. By 22 May both the PNTL and F-FDTL possessed intelligence that PNTL URP officers were encouraging and supporting east versus west violence in the Fatu Ahi area. Plans for a joint F-FDTL and PNTL post were made. At about 11 a.m. on 23 May two vehicles carrying nine FDTL 1st Battalion soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Falur arrived in Fatu Ahi to rendezvous with PNTL officers. They were to conduct a field site assessment of the planned joint position. The vehicles stopped near the summit of Fatu Ahi. As the soldiers alighted from the vehicles they saw men in police uniforms behind the school and trees. These men were not the PNTL officers expected; they were members of Alfredo’s group.

65. Major Reinado and 11 of his men had arrived in the area from Aileu that morning. They were with civilians and 10 URP officers armed with automatic rifles. At about 9 a.m. two journalists arrived and commenced a videotaped interview with Major Reinado. The start of the armed confrontation is captured on that footage. The shooting was initiated by Major Reinado on the count of 10 after issuing a warning to leave. Lieutenant Colonel Falur ordered the soldiers to return fire.

66. The confrontation at Fatu Ahi lasted until nightfall. Alfredo’s group surrounded the FFDTL soldiers, not all of whom were armed, making it impossible for them to withdraw. Lieutenant Kolonel Falur sought reinforcements. A PNTL vehicle with 10 PNTL officers travelling between Baucau and Dili was caught in the fire. One PNTL officer was killed and two were injured. At about midday the first F-FDTL reinforcements arrived, three of whom were injured. At about the same time a F-FDTL bus carrying soldiers to Dili to collect their wages arrived after its passengers heard gunfire. It was attacked about 300 metres to the west of the original ambush site. One of these soldiers died and three were injured. Later, Major Rai Ria arrived with an escort and both were injured. At about 2 p.m. Major Amico arrived from Metinaro with about 10 men. He approached Fatu Ahi from around the hill and obtained a higher position above Major Alfredo and his men. Major Alfredo then withdrew, using a PNTL vehicle which was later returned. Two of Major Reinado’s men and one civilian were killed. In total, five people were killed and 10 injured.

• http://www.timornewsline.com/
  

  
  

  No invitation for the veterans being a concern of MPs

  Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 26 May 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  The Timorese MPs in the Parliament has strongly criticized the organizing committee of the independence commemoration day, as the committee did not invite the Timorese prominent veteran leader, Mauhuno to attend the ceremony.

• Veterans dissatisfied with Horta’s address to nation: L-7

  Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 26 May 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  UNDERTIM party President Cornelio “L-7” da Gama said the veterans were dissatisfied with the recent address of the President which seemed to not respect the veterans’ contribution to the country.

• Singapore to invest in Timor-Leste

  Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 26 May 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  Timorese Ambassador to Singapore, Roberto Soares said Singapore had pledged to strengthen its investment in Timor-Leste, although the country was economically would not give better profit.

• Security at the airport strengthened

  Radio Televisaun Timor Leste , 26 May 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  The Timorese Border Police has started strengthening security at Nicolau Lobato airport from preventing animals that try to enter the airport.

• I am not surprised with allegation: Justice Minister

  Suara Timor Loro Sa’e , 26 May 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  Justice Minister, Lucia Lobato said she had never been surprised and shocked with an allegation that that corruption was currently growing up in her ministry.

• Govt does not hamper the World Bank task

  Timor Post , 26 May 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  The Parliamentary Majority Alliance (AMP) Government would not hamper the World Bank’s task of holding assessment to the Ministry of Planning and Finance regarding donors’ funding support for international advisors’ salary.

• Parliamentary starts to discuss abortion law

  Timor Post , 26 May 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  The Parliamentarians has started discussing the controversial abortion laws in the plenary session at the Parliament House.

• PNTL Commander to make rotation to its officers

  Timor Post , 26 May 2009- Summary by Alberico Junior
  Timorese Police command has planned to hold a rotation program where the police officers will be assigned in all stations throughout the country, so that they could put national interest as their top prioerity