Thursday, January 31, 2008

RETRACTION- No offer of money from UNDP to TLPC

The story printed yesterday claiming that the Untied Nations Development Program (UNDP) was to provide USD800,000 worth of funding for a project to purchase newspapers from the Timor-Leste Press Club (TLPC) has been retracted due to serious errors in the article. The Coordinator of Timor-Leste Media Independent Development Initiative Project, Miguel Caldera, has corrected the story stating that no such arrangement has been made between TLPC and UNDP. During the meeting between TLPC and UNDP, from which the erroneous article was based upon, discussions were had over possible UNDP support for all media in the nation. No specific finances were discussed. (Timor Post 31/01/08)

TLPC sends protest letter to PNTL

Journalists from the Timor-Leste Press Club (TLPC) sent a protest letter yesterday to the PNTL Commander, Afonso de Jesus, claiming that members of the PNTL had used undue and unwarranted force in beating one TLPC member, Nelson da Cruz. The PNTL had also threatened the AFP Journalist with a gun. The protest letter was signed by the President of TLPC, Domingos Saldanha and the Secretary-General of TLPC, Paulino Quintas.
“We understand that while Nelson da Cruz had broken a rule, he should not have been physically abused. There are other ways of resolving this conflict,” said the letter. The protest letter had also requested that the PNTL members conduct themselves with professionalism. (STL 31/01/08)

Earthquake Situation Report

At 4.32pm on Wednesday the 30th of January 2008 a 6.2 Magnitude earthquake occurred approximately 130 kilometres North East of Lautem District at sea. Indonesia Geological and Meteorological Agency issued a Tsunami Alert after their instruments near the earthquake epicentre (location) recorded 6.6 Magnitude earthquak. Under Indonesian protocol if an earthquake at sea is near 7 Magnitude, a Tsunami Alert is issued. The Disaster Operations Centre confirmed with Tsunami early warning agencies in the region that this earthquake was not likely to produce a tsunami and no Tsunami Alert was issued. The Secretary of State for Social Assistance and Natural Disasters issued a live statement at TVTL and Radio Studio’s at 6pm this evening to confirm there was no tsunami and assist in correcting any misinformation that may create any community fears.

Earthquake Details









Report all emergencies to the Police National Operations Centre by phoning 112 or your local police station. The Disaster Operations Centre can also be contacted by e-mail at; doc.ndmd@gmail.com


The Disaster Operations Centre’s is in development to assist the people of Timor-Leste to coordinate information and responses to reduce disaster and crisis risk. The Disaster Operation Centre is supported by technical and donor development assistance from the following organisations:

· Crisis Prevention and Recovery Unit, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Timor-Leste
· UNMIT Integrated Humanitarian Coordination Team, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
· Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)
· Australian Bureau of Meteorology through the International Security Force (ISF)
· Communications and Public Information Office, United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT)

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The 15th anniversary of Suara Timor Lorosa’e (STL)


CJITL – Suara Timor Lorosa’e (STL) will commemorate its 15th anniversary on Friday, Feb. 1 with a grand luncheon in STL’s compound in the Fatumeta district of Dili.

Justino (Ino) told CJITL that STL began publication on Feb. 1, 1993. He said that through this celebration STL wants to tell the public that it will continue to provide a comprehensive, impartial news report while upholding freedom of the press.

He said STL has begun distributing nearly 900 free newspapers to all districts, delivering two copies to each village. The distribution is being done by STL, Tempo Semanal and Diário Naçional thanks to funds provided by the government to the Timor-Leste Press Club organization.

Rosa Garcia, a Timor Post senior journalist, told CJITL that the press club’s program to distribute free newspapers to the districts may hurt sales of the Timor Post in those areas. The Timor Post chose not to participate in the distribution program for fear of compromising its independence.

In CJITL’s online survey of newspapers’ readers, the Timor Post was the top choice of 44 percent of respondents, followed by STL, the choice of 33 percent; Diário Naçional, chosen by11 percent; and Semanário, 5 percent. Among 18 respondents.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

XANANA meet the Press at Fundasaun Oriente


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PM to speak at Saturday seminar for journalists


CJITL – Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão will be the featured guest at an open seminar and discussion for journalists on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Fundasaun Oriente.

The hour-long event, sponsored by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), begins at 10.30 a.m. at the center, which is next to City Café on the Avenue Presidente N. Lobato.

The prime minister last week expressed dissatisfaction with Timor-Leste journalists, and has been invited to clarify and expand remarks he made about the country’s media.

At a press conference at the Ministry of Social and Solidarity reported by the Timor Post on Jan.16, Gusmão said careless or irresponsible reporting could exacerbate social tensions in the country. “If instability emerges in Timor -Leste, we will arrest the press,” he said then.

Francez Suni is the coordinator of ICFJ’s Special Projects Team, which organized the event. Suni said all journalists and organizations interested in press issues are invited to participate in the discussion.

For more information please contact Suni at: +670 736 7527 or
e-mail: fsuni@icfj.org

Journalists on motorbike hurt in collision with taxi

CJITL – Two journalists from Tempo Semanal, Dilma Sujete and Elsa Fernandes, were injured Tuesday in a collision with a taxi that fled the scene.

The journalists told CJITL they were riding together on a motorbike at 9:30 a.m., en route to cover a news story in Comoro, when the accident occurred in front of the Comoro market.

The journalists said the accident was the result of a “miscommunication” between them and the driver of the taxi.
The journalists wrote down the taxi’s plate number, but police were unable to immediately verify that as the driver drove away from the accident scene. The two women, who suffered injuries to their knees, hands and heads, have not yet returned to work

ICFJ, IREX back KOLKOS workshop on media law

CJITL – The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) together with IREX in Timor- Leste are supporting a workshop on media law organized by KOLKOS, the Legislative Commission for Social Communication. The workshop will be held Feb. 12 and 13 in Dili.

Francisco Agustinho Pinto, Media Law Coordinator for ICFJ and IREX, told CJITL Online that the two international organizations back KOLKOS’s ongoing efforts to encourage media and government to work together to draft a media law for Timor-Leste.

The February workshop will discuss plans and ideas for a national workshop to be held in May or June of this year. Pinto said he expects approximately 50 people from the media to attend, including journalists from across Timor –Leste; university students; and representatives of civil society.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Two job vacancies for Timorese journalists


CJITL – The Secretary of Timor-Leste’s National Parliament has announced 16 job vacancies, including two suitable for journalists.A legal advertisement published in Diario Nasional, Timor Post and Suara Timor Lorosa’e (STL) editions of Jan. 17 said that the Secretary of Timor-Leste’s National Parliament is asking Timorese journalists with at least three years’ experience or those who have completed a journalism course to apply for a job as Media and Communication Officer.


for the National Parliament.
Journalists who meet the criteria can submit their curriculum vitae (CV) to the National Parliament up to Jan. 25. The grade of this position is Level 4. In addition, the Secretary of Promotion and Equality is seeking a Media and Communication officer. Applicants must have a journalism background

Welcome to THE DILI WEEKLY, “a new weekly newspaper”

A new weekly newspaper called “The Dili Weekly” will launch its first edition on Jan. 24. The Dili Weekly will be published in two languages, Tetum and English. A source said the first edition will consist of 12 pages in each language and it is hoped that future editions will be bigger. The source did not explain how the newspaper is being funded, but said Otelio Ote is Director of Publication.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

If Instability Emerges in Timor-Leste, Xanana: "We will arrest the press."


«If Instability Emerges in Timor-Leste, Xanana: "We will arrest the press."Timor Post, Dili, Wednesday 16 January 2006.Dili – Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão threatened that his side would arrest members of the press (media) if when instability emerged in the nation. Because of this he asked the media to undertake its work with more responsibility for the situation."You have to exercise more responsibility towards the environment of stability or instability. We close our eyes when in the case of small and big things you go and interview Alfredo. Perhaps because of these things instability may emerge in the country, because of you, we will arrest you," he said to journalists on Tuesday (15/1) at the Ministry for Social Solidarity, Kaikoli, Dili. PM Xanana said the press should not hide the failings of government, but they should confirm information before publishing.Xanana said 2008 is the year of reform, and because of this there must also be reform in the professionalism of the media. "The TV, Radio report that people have died, and you just report it without going and asking about it. If we are talking about reforming society, we must also talk about reforming you," said Xanana.»
Fonte: http://us.f906.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=forum-loriku%40yahoogroups.com via Helena Espadinha (timorcrocodilovoado r@yahoogroups. com)

Scholarship for Timorese journalists

CJITL – Lalenok Ba Ema Hotu (LABEH) is offering scholarships in English to Timorese journalists from print or electronic media. LABEH, an anti-corruption NGO, will offer the scholarships to journalists who want to learn English at the following levels: basic, pre-intermediate, intermediate, pre-advanced and advanced class.
Guilhermina dos Santos, the coordinator for education and capacity-building at LABEH, told CJITL Online that LABEH had previously provided English course scholarships to 8 journalists from STL, Timor Post, TVTL, Radio Klibur, Diário Naçional and RTK.
This is a continuation of that program.
Editors from all media outlets can recommend one of their staff members to come to LABEH for the free, three-month course. Registration will begin Jan. 21.

KOLKOS: New commission of legislation for social communication

CJITL – The Legislative Commission for Social Communication (KOLKOS) in Timor Leste was founded Aug. 3, 2007 after several months of discussion between members of the media community and legal institutions.
The commission’s purpose is to monitor and develop the laws that relate to media and press freedom and also freedom of expression in Timor-Leste.
Otélio Ote is the head of the commission, Eurico Pereira is vice-chief of the commission, and Francisco da Silva Gari is the secretary of the commission.
Otélio Ote, in an interview with online reporter of CJITL said KOLKOS is established with the intention to draft laws and advocate for the work of social communication.
KOLKOS is currently consultating with partners such as UNDP and Commission A of the National Parliament to prepare a draft of the media law.

CENJOR will train young people who want to be journalists

CJITL – Journalist Otélio Ote said he has established a center for journalism training (CENJOR) to provide basic journalism skills to Timorese people who want to be journalists.
Ote, who is also the president of the Syndicate of Journalists of Timor Leste (SJTL), told CJITL’s Online reporter that CENJOR has started its program by training 38 young men and women.
In its next session, “CENJOR will provide training about layout and also illustration,” Otélio said. Registration will begin in March, 2008.

Media watchdog report says STL, TP were threatened seriously

CJITL – The political and military crises that broke out in 2006 had a negative impact on news media in Timor Leste, says the annual report of RSF (Reporter Sem Fronteiras). Editors at Timor Post and Suara Timor Lorosa’e faced serious threats, the report said.

At STL, the building was damaged and an economic boycott was threatened, the report said.

A number of Timorese journalists were physically attacked or threatened, including an incident on June 10 when an Associated Press reporter was attacked in Dili and detained by Australian Armed Forces for a short time.

On June 12, a Timor Post journalist was stoned by a Dili gangster, while on June 29, political party militants attacked RTTL’s office in Dili. On Nov. 9 a correspondent from Agence France Presse was stoned in the Colmera district of Dili.

Opportunity for Timorese journalists

CJITL –The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is offering an award for print media from countries that belong to SEAMEO, including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.
SEAMEO – Australia extends application date for press award


The application date will be extended until Jan. 15.

The award will be offered for stories that report on education for sustainable development. Articles submitted should provide information about education, such as how changing environmental and social conditions relate to education and sustainable development.
The article must translated into English and sent to the SEAMEO Secretariat, Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building, 920 Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok 10110 Thailand.
Fax: +66 (0) 2381 – 2587 Email: secretariat@seameo.org // URL: www.seameo.org.
SEAMEO offers this program through the Department of Education , Science and Training in Australia and also the Australian embassy in Bangkok. Winning applicants will qualify for a three-week, paid trip to Australia and a ‘journalism internship’ with The Age newspaper in Melbourne, Australia.
The winners will also receive a “Plaque of recognition” during the 43rd SEAMEO Council Conference in Malaysia in March, 2008.

86 journalists were killed in the world during 2007

CJITL – There were 86 journalists and 20 media assistants that were killed during 2007. This is the information CJITL got from the publication of RSF. Among these numbers, there were 17 Asian journalists and 69 were from Africa, America and Europe.
Most of these journalists were killed in Iraq. There are 47 journalists that were killed in Iraq, 8 in Somalia and 6 in Pakistan.
There are also 887 journalists that were arrested and detained and 67 were kidnapped and 1511 journalists around the world were threatened and attacked psychologically.
Year
Number of journalists that were killed
2002
25
2003
40
2004
62
2005
64
2006
85
2007
86