Monday, August 31, 2009

Martenus Bere: Militia Commander released by Xanana Government

"As an anniversary ceremony was taking place, authorities in Dili released an Indonesian citizen accused of leading one of the worst massacres in East Timor in 1999. Martenus Bere was brought from cells at Dili's main jail and handed over to Indonesian officials. Bere, a commander of a brutal pro-Indonesian militia group responsible for a reign of terror, led an attack on a church in the town of Suai during which three priests and dozens of people were killed. Prison officials said Bere was released on the order of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao. He had been indicted for crimes against humanity by the UN's Serious Crimes Unit in 2003. Indonesian authorities had pressured East Timor to release Bere after he was arrested two weeks ago after crossing the East Timor border from Indonesian West Timor."

Indo reports:

Martenus Bere Dibebaskan Pemerintah Timor Leste

Minggu, 30 Agustus 2009 20:31


Kapanlagi.com - Pemerintah Timor Leste akhirnya membebaskan Sekretaris Camat (Sekcam) Kobalima Timur, Kabupaten Belu, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) Martenus Bere yang ditahan di Dili sejak 9 Agustus atas tuduhan terlibat kasus pembunuhan.
"Pemerintah Timor Leste sudah membebaskan Martenus Bere dan saat ini sedang berada di Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia (KBRI) di Dili," kata Gubernur NTT, Frans Lebu Raya di Kupang, Minggu (30/8).
Bere, salah seorang warga negara Indonesia (WNI) ditangkap aparat kepolisian Timor Leste di Suai, Distrik Covalima pada Minggu (9/8) atas tuduhan terlibat dalam pembunuhan di Gereja Suai pada tahun 1999 pasca jajak pendapat.
Bere ditangkap Polisi Nasional Timor Leste saat menghadiri sebuah upacara adat almarhum ayahnya di Leogore Suai.
Gubernur mengatakan, proses pembebasan Martenus Bere ditangani langsung oleh Menteri Luar Negeri (Menlu) RI, Hasan Wirajuda. Menlu tiba di Kupang sejak Sabtu (29/8) dan terus melakukan koordinasi dengan pemerintah Timor Leste untuk segera membebaskan Martenus Bere.
"Menlu diundang untuk menghadiri upacara kenegaraan di Timor Leste, namun Menlu menyatakan tidak hadir, jika Martenus Bere tidak dibebaskan," kata Gubernur.
Pada Minggu, pukul 08.30 Wita, Menlu mendapat telepon dari Presiden Timor Leste, Ramos Horta bahwa Martenus Bere telah dibebaskan. Sehingga sekitar pukul 09.30 Wita, Menlu Wirajuda langsung berangkat menuju Timor Leste dan mengikuti upacara kenegaraan di Dili.
Menurut rencana, kata Gubernur Lebu Raya, Menlu akan mengantar sendiri Martenus Bere ke Kupang, namun batal dan langsung kembali ke Jakarta. "Menlu minta maaf, karena tidak bisa mengantar sendiri Martenus Bere ke Kupang," kata Gubernur.
Hanya, proses pembebasan Martenus Bere telah dilakukan dan saat ini Bere sudah berada di KBRI Dili dan dalam waktu dekat ini bisa kembali ke Atambua, Belu.
Gubernur meminta agar kedua negara tetap menjaga hubungan persahabatan. Jika terjadi masalah seperti penangkapan Martenus Bere diharapkan tidak mengganggu persahabatan sudah berlangsung lama.
Mantan Wakil Panglima Pasukan Pejuang Integrasi (PPI) Timor Timur, Eurico Guterres sebelumnya menyesalkan tindakan penangkapan yang dilakukan Polisi Nasional Timor Leste (PNTL) Martenus Bere.
Guterres mengatakan, sebelum melakukan penangkapan, pemerintah Timor Leste harus menyampaikan terlebih dahulu kepada pemerintah Indonesia bahwa ada warga Indonesia yang diduga terlibat dalam pelanggaran HAM di Timor Timur pada 1999.
Pemerintah Provinsi NTT juga menyurati Menlu dan KBRI meminta untuk segera menyelesaikan proses hukum yang sedang dijalani dan segera memulangkan Bere ke tempat asalnya. (kpl/riz)

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Xanana Alfredo - Love Letter?

Another one from Wikileaks - old news really. Been up in other places. But still of interest given the ongoing trial of Alfredo colleagues.  They have an important date wrong.  It is 25 may not 25 april 2006
https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/President_Xanana_Gusmao_purported_handwritten_orders_to_rebel_major%2C_Alfedo_Reinado%2C_29_Apr_2006

Filipino Graft over Timorese Students - $22,000USD per person.....!

22,000USD per Timorese student. Multiplied by 36 = $792,000USD.

Multiply by the total of 109 as mentioned below = $2,398,000USD.  Yes that is 2.38 million.
One has to wonder which Timorese officals have Mr. Emmanuel Angeles' mobile phone number in their phones....

Surely a case for Tempo Semanal?  

Begin forwarded message:


From: John M Miller <fbp@igc.org>
Date: August 21, 2009 4:22:18 AM EDT
Subject: CHED chief faces graft raps over foreign student program





CHED chief faces graft raps over foreign student program


abs-cbnNEWS.com | 08/20/2009 9:39 PM


MANILA - A concerned citizen has filed graft charges against the chairman of the Commission on Higher Education for illegally benefiting from a foreign student enrolment program between the Philippine government and the Democratic Republic of East Timor.


According to the complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, CHED Chairman Emmanuel Angeles is guilty of violating of the Anti-Graft and Practices Act when he allowed 36 students to enroll in the Angeles University Foundation in Angeles City, which is owned by his family.


The Philippine and East Timor governments earlier signed an agreement to allow Timor-Leste scholar students to take up college courses in qualified colleges and universities in the Philippines. The Timor-Leste government would pay $22,000 per scholar, which covers the student's tuition and board and lodging for four years.


Last June, 109 East-Timorese students enrolled in various Philippine universities including Adamson University, Mapua Institute of Technology, and Centro Escolar University.


With 36 East-Timorese scholars, the Angeles University Foundation cornered the most number of scholars from East Timor and will earn more than P37 million from the foreign nation.


etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan


ETAN looks forward to your support. Go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm to donate. Thank you.


UNMIT Asks What Timorese are Doing for Peace.....

given the recent government assault on UNMIT, it seems funny that UNMIT spends so much time making videos asking what timorese do for peace.....

http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMITVIDEO#play/uploads/12/ErD8MTj5w84

Friday, August 21, 2009

Office of Prime Minister Joins Julio

The Office of Prime Minister punches out in three languages as media attack on UNMIT SSR continues.

From: Gabinete Media PM <gabinetemediapm@gmail.com>
Date: August 21, 2009 12:09:06 AM EDT
To: gabinetemediapm <gabinetemediapm@gmail.com>
Subject: Reviste de Imprensa21 de Agosto de 2009

Exmo(a)s Senhor(a)s,
Enviamos em anexo, a revista de imprensa,dia 21 de Agosto de 2009.
Antonio Ramos da SIlva
Assessor da Comunicacao do PM Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao
Contactos:
Telefs.: +6707230087/7288072 ou +6703310143

UNMIT fails by its own standards?

All this UNMIT bashing causes one to think back and reflect on how it started.

So how did UNMIT measure up against its own "plan"?

View the UNMIT 2006 Mission Implementation Plan
here . It is quite informative. Shows us UNMIT failed on most counts.

The Dili Insider is seeking contributors

If you would like to contribute documents, photographs and associated commentary the Dili Insider is open to receiving them. Please contact thediliinsider@gmail.com if you are interested. Preferred languages are Tetun, Indonesian and English - although most posts will be in English.

Julio 1 - Atul/UNMIT 0.1

An annoyed, apparent UNMIT staffer, punches back at Julio Pinto (Sec State Defence).

See bottom of page at http://temposemanaltimor.blogspot.com/2009/08/ssr-in-timor-leste.html

"I myself have requested them to provide training to the F-FDTL in terms of Peacekeeping Forces, but so far no plan has been submitted to us."

Unless I have missed out something but when an institution requests for help, in this case, 'to provide training to the F-FDTL', it is the interested institution, in this case The Department of State and Security, under Mr Pinto tutelage, that should submit a plan, perhaps in conjuction with F-FDTL and even through the government and not UNMIT!

What a luxury! "Beggars have the ultimate right to choose". A Department request for help and demand that the donor institution submit a plan!

A constructive suggestion: What about if the Secretary of State and Security put forward a specific plan and submit it to the UNMIT?

Good luck!"

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Angola....

The Angolan SSR team were in town

KOBAN dreams

Drove past twenty koban postsa few days ago. Not a single PNTL or UNPOL in any

UN Security

APAC got UNMIT security contract. So much for going local.... I guess someone in UNMIT likes Casino Island Gerry Hand.

Speaking in Foreign Tongues

Overheard in Dili Beach Hotel: malae (been here 3 months) asking bar woman : 'what language are the locals speaking?'

Windfall

Prado, Pajero, Prado, Pajero. No Prado.... No Pajero.

No Prajero?

What is that?

More UnPol Comedy

UNMIT UN Police Confidential Report February 2007.

Amusing in its various inaccuracies and comic impressions. No wonder UNPOL are an almost complete failure.

Whatever happened to this case? "In another gang clash in Hudilaran on the same date, PSHT was able to kill Christovao Buenavides a 77 gang member."


But we will never know - "This document is provided for UNMIT UNPol personnel only. It is not for dissemination to any other agency or non- UNMIT UNPol personnel. It is NOT TO BE PRINTED under any circumstances. If you wish to disseminate any information contained in this report, authorisation MUST be sought from Chief of UNPol SID."


Seem UNPOL does not like to share with the rest of the UN. Hmmpgh.

Senior Managers have a Seriously Oddly Vacuous Conversation

4.9 Billion in the Petro Fund. You would be smiling too!

Well if you had alot of money in the bank your personal and professional problems might seem small as well...

These photos taken at a recent budget meeting in July 2009 when the Minister of Finance said - fiscal prudence was the way.....














Gucci Reading List

Perhaps Senhor Gucci should read his own Government's reports, if he does not read his employer's [UN].



US State Department 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Timor-Leste

Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor – February 25, 2009

Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person

a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life
b. Disappearance
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention
e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence

Section 2 Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:

a. Freedom of Speech and Press
b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
c. Freedom of Religion
d. Freedom of Movement within the Country, Foreign Travel, Emigration, and Repatriation

Section 3 Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their Government
Section 4 Governmental Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights
Section 5 Discrimination, Societal Abuses, and Trafficking in Persons
Section 6 Worker Rights

a. The Right of Association
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
d. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment
e. Acceptable Conditions of Work

Timor-Leste is a multiparty parliamentary republic with a population of approximately 1.1 million. President Jose Ramos Horta was head of state. Prime Minister (PM) Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao headed a four-party coalition government formed following free and fair elections in June 2007. In an exchange of gunfire with armed rebels on February 11, President Ramos Horta was wounded seriously and PM Gusmao was unhurt. As provided for in the constitution, the government imposed a state of emergency from February through May. International security forces in the country included the UN Police (UNPOL) within the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) and the International Stabilization Force (ISF), neither of which was under the direct control of the government. The national security forces are the National Police (PNTL) and Defense Forces (F-FDTL). While the government generally maintained control over these forces, there were problems with discipline and accountability.

Serious problems included: police use of excessive force and abuse of authority; perception of impunity; arbitrary arrest and detention; an inefficient and understaffed judiciary that deprived citizens of due process and an expeditious and fair trial; conditions in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) that endangered health, security, education, and women's and children's rights. Domestic violence, rape, and sexual abuse were also problems.

Respect for human rights

Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person

a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life

There were no politically motivated killings during the year; however, on February 11, F-FDTL guards shot and killed Major Alfredo Reinado and one of his followers when a band of rebels led by Reinado gained entry to the presidential compound; President Ramos-Horta was severely wounded. A separate group of Reinado's followers attacked the convoy of PM Xanana Gusmao. Gusmao was unhurt. The government formed a joint PNTL/F-FDTL command to apprehend the attackers, and parliament declared a state of siege that imposed a curfew, relaxed legal requirements for searches and arrests, and restricted demonstrations. The application of the state of siege was modified as a state of emergency and extended on several occasions until Reinado's second in command, Lieutenant Gastao Salsinha, and 11 others surrendered to the authorities on April 29.

On April 5, in Bobonaro District, an F-FDTL member shot and killed a civilian who reportedly threatened the F-FDTL member with a machete. The authorities investigated the case and forwarded it to the prosecutor general for further action.

Legal proceedings were ongoing against Luis da Silva, an off duty officer accused of shooting a member of then candidate Xanana Gusmao's security detail at a political rally in Viqueque in June 2007.

There were no developments in the inquiry into the August 2007 case of a PNTL unit firing into a crowd in Viqueque, killing two.

The four F-FDTL soldiers sentenced to 12 years, 11 years, and 10 years for the 2006 killing of eight unarmed PNTL personnel were serving their sentences at the military prison at F-FDTL headquarters in Dili. A local human rights nongovernmental organization (NGO) and government contacts expressed concern that there was no civilian oversight of the prison.

There were no developments in the following 2006 cases: the January killing of three men by Border Patrol Unit personnel; the May mob killing of a police officer in Ermera District; and the May killing of six persons in a house set on fire by a mob. Investigations into other cases stemming from the April-May 2006 violence continued. Some individuals identified for investigation in the 2006 UN Commission of Inquiry Report were subpoenaed to testify regarding their role in illegal arms distribution.

In May President Ramos-Horta granted pardons to a number of persons including former interior minister Rogerio Lobato sentenced for illegally distributing weapons during the 2006 violence and Joni Marques, a pro-Indonesia militia leader, sentenced for multiple killings in 1999 (see section 1.d.).

b. Disappearance

There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances

c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

The law prohibits such practices, and the government generally respected the prohibition against torture; however, there were incidents of cruel or degrading treatment of civilians by police and military personnel. Members of Parliament, NGOs, UNMIT, and the Office of the Ombudsman received numerous complaints of use of excessive force by personnel of the Joint Command or regular PNTL during the state of emergency. The Office of the Ombudsman eventually recorded 44 such cases, most involved beatings, mistreatment during detention, threats made at gunpoint, and intimidation. As a result one army officer was removed from the field of operations, 14 soldiers were verbally disciplined, and, at year's end, the remaining cases were under investigation.

UNMIT's human rights unit and NGOs received numerous complaints of excessive force and degrading treatment by the Dili Task Force, a rapid reaction PNTL unit created in December 2007. On May 24, Task Force members severely beat four residents including a woman of Dili's Quintal Boot neighborhood. The case was under investigation by the PNTL's National Investigation Division (NID).

Joint Command forces operating in Ermera during the state of emergency reportedly carried out beatings, intimidation, and unlawful searches and violated villagers' freedom of movement. On March 12, 17 persons complained of mistreatment; and on April 14, 13 persons reportedly were ill treated, two of whom required hospitalization.

F-FDTL personnel deployed in western districts were involved in violent altercations unrelated to their duties. In May a soldier at a wedding party in Letefoho Sub-District, Ermera, opened fire after a woman refused to dance with him. The woman was injured and taken to Dili hospital for treatment. The NID reportedly investigated and sent its findings to the prosecutor general. In a May 11 incident in Lahomea, Bobonaro, F-FDTL soldiers severely beat two merchants. One of the merchants required hospitalization.

In January three PNTL officers were arrested in Suai for having participated in gang-related violence that resulted in 15 persons injured and 20 houses burned.

Delay or refusal by police to investigate allegations of rape or domestic violence was a common problem.

At year's end there were no developments in the March 2007 case in which an armed group wearing F-FDTL uniforms attacked and burned the homes of six families in Dili.

At year's end there were no developments in the March 2007 case when six to 10 F-FDTL uniformed persons attacked several homes near the national hospital.

At year's end there were no developments in the March 2007 case when F-FDTL members detained and allegedly beat approximately 10 persons for disorderly conduct.

At year's end there were no developments in the April 2007 case when PNTL officers in Covalima District shot and beat a civilian.

Other abuses included intimidation of IDP camp residents by groups operating both in and outside of the camps and attacks and intimidation of communities or individuals.

Prison and Detention Center Conditions

There were four government-run prisons, located in Dili, Baucau, and Gleno. Prisoners from the Baucau prison were transferred to Dili's Becora prison pending renovation. Government and local NGO figures listed the number of prisoners in the country as 179. Prison conditions generally met international standards. The F FDTL opened a military prison facility at its headquarters in Dili. A local human rights NGO and government contacts expressed concern that there was no civilian oversight of the military prison.

UNMIT personnel noted allegations of mistreatment of detainees by prison guards during the first 72 hours of imprisonment and a lack of special facilities for the mentally ill who consequently were detained along with other prisoners. Despite some improvements with regard to access to food and water, police station detention cells generally did not comply with international standards and lacked sanitation facilities and bedding.

The government and international forces permitted prison visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross and independent human rights observers. The ombudsman was able to conduct almost daily detainee monitoring in Dili.

d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention

The law prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, there were many instances in which these provisions were violated, often because magistrates or judges were unavailable.

Role of the Police and Security Apparatus

The president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, but the chief of defense, the F-FDTL's senior military officer, exercised effective day-to-day command. Civilian secretaries of state for public security and defense oversaw the PNTL and F FDTL, respectively. With the formation of the Joint Command, the F-FDTL assumed a role in maintaining public order.

UNMIT continued efforts to reform, restructure, and rebuild the PNTL in the wake of its collapse during the political crisis of 2006. A central element was a "screening" to ensure that each of the approximately 3,000 PNTL officers was checked for integrity and past crimes or misbehavior. Following screening, officers were to go through renewed training and a six-month UNPOL mentoring program. By year's end approximately 2,700 officers had completed the UNPOL program.

Each of the country's 13 districts has a district PNTL commander who normally reports to the PNTL general commander. In spite of improvements due to the UNPOL training, the PNTL as an institution remained poorly equipped and undertrained, subject to numerous credible allegations of abuse of authority, mishandling of firearms, and corruption.

Some police officers did not pass the vetting process and were on suspension pending further investigation. UNMIT conducted human rights training sessions for senior PNTL personnel, and the PNTL received training from bilateral partners.

The PNTL established a Professional Ethics Office (PEO) to enforce discipline and accountability. The F-FDTL Military Discipline Regulations relied on a disciplinary process for alleged human rights violations. However, there was no formal accountability mechanism in place to address misconduct in the military, and lack of capacity hindered the progress of investigations within the police. Government contacts and NGOs reported that cooperation from the police with civilian authorities in serious disciplinary cases was limited.

More than 1,100 ISF personnel from Australia and New Zealand supported the police and security forces.

During the state of emergency, the Joint Command helped provide security at key Dili installations and escorted humanitarian convoys. On some occasions, in violation of clear rules of engagement requiring that the police (international or domestic) be called first in the event of any security threat, the F-FDTL resorted to firing warning shots as an initial response.

Arrest and Detention

The law requires judicial warrants prior to arrests or searches, except in exceptional circumstances; however, this provision was often violated. The extreme shortage of prosecutors and judges outside of the capital contributed to police inability to obtain required warrants.

Government regulations require a hearing within 72 hours of arrest to review the lawfulness of an arrest or detention and also to provide the right to a trial without undue delay. During these hearings, the judge may also determine whether the suspect should be released because evidence is lacking or the suspect is not considered a flight risk. The countrywide shortage of magistrates meant that police often made decisions without legal authority as to whether persons arrested should be released or detained after 72 hours in custody. This contributed to an atmosphere of lawlessness and impunity. Judges may set terms for conditional release, usually requiring the suspect to report regularly to police.

During the state of emergency, there were at least 11 cases of arrests by the Joint Command or regular PNTL that were not in compliance with legal procedures. There were numerous reports of F-FDTL detaining civilians contrary to rules of engagement, and in at least three cases the F-FDTL removed detainees from PNTL custody. In one case soldiers removed a suspect from UNMIT police custody.

The law provides for access to legal representation at all stages of the proceedings, and provisions exist for providing public defenders to indigent defendants. However, there was an extreme shortage of qualified public defenders, and many indigent defendants relied on lawyers provided by legal aid organizations. A number of defendants who were assigned public defenders reported that they had never seen their lawyer, and there were concerns that some low priority cases were being delayed indefinitely while suspects remained in pretrial detention.

In 2003 the Court of Appeals ruled that the pretrial detention limit of six months and the requirement that such detentions be reviewed every 30 days need not apply in cases involving certain serious crimes; however, the 30-day review deadline was missed in a large number of cases involving less serious crimes, and a majority of the prison population consisted of pretrial detainees.

Amnesty

In May the president commuted the sentences of and pardoned 94 persons. The pardons and commutations were granted without any formal evaluation of the beneficiaries' conduct in prison or ability to reintegrate into society. Some politicians and NGOs challenged the legality of the president's actions.

e. Denial of Fair Public Trial

The law provides that judges shall perform their duties "independently and impartially" without "improper influence" and requires public prosecutors to discharge their duties impartially. However, the country's judicial system faced a wide array of challenges including concerns about the impartiality of some judicial organs, a severe shortage of qualified personnel, a complex and multi-sourced legal regime, and the fact that the majority of the population does not speak Portuguese, the language in which the laws were written and the courts operated. Access to justice was notably constrained.

The court system includes four district courts (Dili, Baucau, Suai, and Oecussi) and a national Court of Appeals in Dili. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for administration of the courts and prisons and also provides defense representation. The prosecutor general–independent of the Ministry of Justice–is responsible for initiating indictments and prosecutions. Until a supreme court is established, the Court of Appeals remains the country's highest tribunal.

Xanana: Hot, or Just a Hothead?


Thanks to Rai Ketak, the best malae blog on TL, for finding this. See it all here, offensive to some, funny to others.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Gucci or Galucci?


"Dr Gallucci [UNMIT Chief of Staff] said that in the 10 years since the East Timorese voted for independence, the biggest achievements had been the establishment of a stable democracy and justice system."

If Senhor Galucci's comments are accurately attributed he is a fool. Timor's justice systems is patently dysfunctional. Perhaps he should do his reading, open his eyes and ears, and pay attention. If he is incorrectly attributed, he should make it known that these are not the opinions of the UN - which itself has been consistently remarking on how poorly the justice system works in Timor.

Beik te'en ka? Remember Suki Hasegawa saying such nonsense in 2005/2006 before the Krize? Yep.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Julio 1, Atul 0.

Julio Tomas Pinto, Secretary of State for Defence, slams UNMIT and its lame SSR moves.

Eni faces Nigeria graft probe

Just a matter of time until such stories, involving ENI, or not, are seen in Timor...

Eni faces Nigeria graft probe

By Upstream staff

Italian authorities have searched the offices of an Eni subsidiary as part of an inquiry into a bribery scheme relating to the building of natural gas facilities in Nigeria, police sources said on Saturday.

They confirmed a report in Corriere della Sera newspaper on the opening of the probe by Milan prosecutors and the Friday search of the offices in San Donato, a Milan suburb.

Two managers of the former Snamprogetti oilfield services unit had been named as being under investigation, Reuters reported citing the same sources. Snamprogetti is now part of Saipem, a subsidiary of oil company Eni.

The Milan probe is the Italian portion of an international inquiry into $182 million in bribes paid from 1994 to 2004 by the TSKJ consortium to secure $6 billion euros in contracts to build Nigerian liquefied natural gas facilities.

The group was headed by former Halliburton Co unit KBR. It included Snamprogetti, France's Technip, and Japan's JGC Corporation.

An Eni spokeswoman said, "On the facts relating to the TSKJ consortium arising from the period before 2004, there is an inquiry under way by Milan prosecutors, the SEC (the US Securities and Exchange Commission) and the US Justice Department who will ascertain the facts and
ultimately responsibility."

She added, "Eni and Saipem-Snamprogetti have voluntarily been in contact with investigators for some time to provide them the utmost cooperation."

KBR pleaded guilty in February to US charges that it paid $180 million in bribes to Nigerian officials in the scheme.

KBR agreed to pay a $402 million fine, of which Halliburton agreed to pay $302 million. Halliburton also agreed with US securities regulators to disgorge $177 million in profits to settle parallel criminal charges.

Corriere della Sera said the search was aimed at determining whether grounds existed to designate Snamprogetti itself as being under investigation. The deadline for naming the company is the end of July.Monday, 20 July, 2009, 01:40 GMT | last updated: Monday, 20 July,
2009, 06:31 GMT

Monday, August 17, 2009

Nuclear Industry 22nd Construction Company Lao Nafatin

Heavy Oil is coming to Hera. It is a Blight Upon the Planet, not just Timor-Leste. Work has NOT stopped on the power plants. Despite, legal challenges being levelled against the Government's plans to use Chinese heavy Oil power plants to power the country, the Xanana Adminstration is pushing ahead. This is also in spite of President Horta's calls for a reasonable environmental impact assessement to be made.

Incredibly, the Chinese Nuclear Industry 22nd Construction Company has broken ground on the first Heavy Oil Power plant within metres of the main Dili - Baucau road artery in Hera. It is also very close to ecologically senstive mangrove forests, and tghe very population of Hera itself. One can only surmise that mangrove forests will posssibly die, the levels of cancer in Hera will rise sharply in coming decades, and the price of real estate will plummet. Additionally, everyone who wants to drive to the east - or alternatively to Dili from the east, will have to weather a bilious cloud of Heavy Oil pollutants.

One local NGO has called this Mega Project and Mega Problem. They are right. One assessment describes the impact as being:

Heavy Oil power plants are renowned for their high levels of air pollution including the release of extremely toxic PCDD and PCDF, otherwise known as dioxin and furans. These chemicals are known to deposit in soils for kilometres around the emission source (i.e., the power plants) as well as drifting through the atmosphere for thousands of kilometres to contaminate other countries. The transboundary nature of the pollution impacts from dioxin has led to global restrictions on activities which produce them.

In addition to dioxin contamination, heavy oil power plants contribute heavily to atmospheric acidification, heavy metal contamination and a significant risk to marine and coastal environments due to oil contamination of cooling water effluent discharge. Moreover as developed countries race to de-carbonise their economies in the face of accelerating climate change, Timor-Leste will be committed to decades of energy production with one of the highest carbon footprints. While heavy oil may currently appear to be a ‘cheap’ fuel for energy production, international carbon accounting and trading may soon place a heavy price tag on such dirty fuel.


Interestingly, there are a number of Timorese and Timorese-"connected" business interests who are spending more and more time in China looking to establish the necessary links to be able to obtain the heavy oil supply contract for these power plants. Another sole source job?

This is largest project ever undertaken in Timor - ever. Yet no one is allowed to see the contracts. The Government stubs its nose at the President when he calls for an assessment - and just digs, digs and digs. Turn the lights on in time for the 2012 election - and win the election.

Bere buried the Priests...

...in the beach.

That Witness and his friends brought the bodies to the Metamao beach in East Nusa Tenggara for burial and then Witness along with the community led by Martenus [Bere] dug three graves for the Pastors, and 14 graves for the men and 10 for women.

10 Years Later; Gotchya!





















Ten years ago Martenus Bere was being a very bad man in Suai. He has lived just across the border in West Timor ever since. Just 12 kilometres from where he is accused of committing Crimes Against Humanity. A few days ago he came across the border and was arrested. in just 2 weeks Timor will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 30 August vote which saw Timor gain its freedom. Will they put Bere on trial? Or just let him go?

"Should it he stay or should he go now, if he stays it will be trouble, if he goes it will be double."

Indonesia have asked for his return.... we wonder if people will allow a senior Commander of Laksaur militia to just walk away? He was after all connected to Suai Church massacre...




Sunday, August 16, 2009

A telling tale

Xanana, Horta dan Gil






















This huge billboard went up at the airport bundaran for 3 days on 10 August and then was taken down. A bit rich having a leader of pro-autonomy BRTT Barisan Rakyat Timor Timur (East Timor People's Front) posit himself along with Xanana and Horta in a 10 Anniversary celebration of 20 Aug 1999......

Gil nakar politik, ka lae?

New Xanana website

DESIGNED BY AN INDONESIAN COMPANY http://www.kreatifweb.net/

Begin forwarded message:
From: ETAN <fbp@igc.org>
Date: August 14, 2009 8:48:45 AM EDT
To: east-timor@lists.riseup.net
Subject: New Xanana website

http://www.kayrala-xananagusmao.com/

profile, interviews and more.


[This message was distributed via the east-timor news list. For info on how to subscribe send a blank e-mail to info@etan.org. To support ETAN see http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm ]

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Goodbye Conflict. Hello Development. HK33


It seems some one did not tell UPF PNTL that this is the year of Goodbye Conflict. Hello Developments. These photos taken my a viewer of this blog at 1500 12 August 2009. It shows 30-45 PNTL training with HK33 rifles in central Dili near Motael Church. Some people continue to like their guns in central Dili.


























For a unit charged with border security they seem a long way from home. They were being "trained" by some other officers from the police academy.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Osan Mean - se nian?

Sunken ship laden with gold possibly found
Aug 2 02:42 PM US/Eastern
JAKARTA, Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Treasure hunters Martin Wenzel and Klaus Keppler say they may have found the sunken remains of a French pirate ship and its suspected cargo of gold.

Wenzel, 42, told The Sunday Times of London he and Keppler, 70, are awaiting a salvage license before attempting to retrieve any booty from the sunken ship they located off the coast of East Timur.

[Dili Insider note: Which Timorese Government Official will be involved in this so-called license??]

"We think we know where it lies exactly, near East Timor. We've found clues in shipping archives about its cargo of gold," said Wenzel, who didn't offer specific details about the wreck's location. "But we don't yet have the salvage license. They are extremely expensive and the political situation there is difficult."

Wenzel and Keppler estimate there could be 2 tons of gold worth nearly $83.6 million.

The treasure hunters located the wreckage of a British buccaneer, the Forbes, in December off the coast of Indonesia, The Times said. That discovery, which occurred while their team was searching for a different vessel, resulted in the discovery of $11.7 million worth of silver.


Copyright 2009 by United Press International

Friday, August 7, 2009

Nilton Builds Rice House

4 days ago Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao's nephew Nilton Gusmao dos Santos won another contract. This time for $735,955 to build a food storage facility in Tibar.

Food storage?

More rice imports?

Monday, August 3, 2009

China Extension?

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Wasted Japanese Tax Dollars

In 2004 a Japanese Engineering Battalion under UNMISET left the country leaving behinds millions of dollars of heavy machinery, much of it was sold off across the border by Government officials, and much of it remains in place, rusting.

Hahu ba Ricegate (120,000)