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Update on the situation, 4 May 2006
The Commission of Investigation established to find the truth
of the allegations made by ex-FDTL members and to get to the root
of the causes of their discontent with the army has started working.
The Government representative in the Commission, Senior Minister
and Minister of State Administration, Dra. Ana Pessoa, has appointed
the district administrators to help reach the ex-FDTL members,
the so-called petitioners.
Each district administrator, with a local representative of PNTL
and the local representative of the Ministry of Labour and Community
Reinsertion, will make its best efforts to identify each of the
'petitioners' - either directly or through their families - in
order to register them to enable the payment of a subsidy until
such a time as the Commission completes its investigation.
This process will also serve to help each of the ex-FDTL members
to be re-integrated into the civilian life, with the Government
making its best endeavours to find them appropriate jobs.
Their identification and registration will be also useful in
determining if any died or was injured during the violence and
rampage of Friday, April 28. This information will be duly passed
on to the Comissão de Verificação de Dados
sobre Mortos e Feridos (Committee for the Verification of Details
about Dead and Injured).
This Committee is made up of Antoninho Bianco, Minister for the
Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Arsénio Bano, Minister
for Labour and Community Reinsertion, secretary-general Eugénio
Soares and Aida Mota; from the Ministry for the Interior, PNTL
Commander Paulo Martins, and Justino Jesus; from the Health Ministry,
Fernando Bonaparte; the Administrator of the Dili District, Ruben
Carvalho; and representing the Red Cross of Timor-Leste, Isabel
Guterres (president) and Luís Freitas.
Dra. Ana Pessoa got the Commission of Investigation process under
way during her regular consultation with district administrators,
this time in Ainaro.
Meanwhile, although for the last few days no incidents related
to the events of April 28 were registered, unfounded, alarmist
rumours have continued to circulate causing a feeling of fear
among the population. This, unfortunately, despite attempts by
the Presidency, the Government and the law and order authorities,
has led to a significant exodus from Dili.
During a joint media conference this morning at Palácio
das Cinzas, following their regular meeting, both HE President
Xanana and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, appealed once again for
calm, asking the population to return home. The Prime Minister
himself acknowledged that the only problem that exists at the
moment is how to stop the alarmist rumours.
Police (PNTL) has been instructed to coordinate with local authorities
in each suburb in order that the 'abandoned' homes be protected.
As well, at the meeting between Prime Minister Alkatiri with
President Xanana, also attended by Interior Minister Rogério
Lobato and Defence Minister Roque Rodrigues, it was decided to
order FDTL members, who since Friday have patrolled areas of Dili
to return to their barracks. They also ordered that PNTL members
carrying automatic firearms also withdraw from patrol.
This decision was taken as it is believed that the presence of
armed soldiers in the streets may be a contributing factor in
the fear being felt by the public in general. It is hoped this
will ease the concerns and reassure the population that all is
under control.
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