EAST TIMOR SITREP FOR JUNE 9, 2006

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 DILI 000301 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, CA, DS PACOM FOR JOC AND POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/9/2016 TAGS: PGOV MOPS ASEC PHUM UN KPKO CASC PO MY TT AS SUBJECT: EAST TIMOR SITREP FOR JUNE 9, 2006 REF: A) DILI 300 DILI 00000301 001.2 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: Grover Joseph Rees, Ambassador, EXEC, State. REASON: 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: - AFP commander gives policing plan to Ramos-Horta; - GNR Equipment Arrives in Baucau; - Former Minister of Police Bids Farewell to PNTL Commanders; - Sources confirm Fretilin Headquarters in Ermera District was burned; - Status of the news media; - JTF agrees to provide security for CAVR files; - Security at the Embassy. End Summary. AFP commander gives policing plan to Ramos-Horta -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) EmbOffs met today with AFP Commander Steve Lancaster to discuss the JTF policing plan recently handed over to Foreign/Defense Minister Jose Ramos-Horta. The plan includes a five-phase approach to establishing effective policing in East Timor: ¶I. JTF Military cooperation with AFP who are present to advise on policing. II. Joint ADF/AFP patrols, but ADF still maintains the dominant presence. During this phase, AFP begins conducting investigations and collects intelligence on youth gangs and other violent groups. III. AFP-led international police services assume primary responsibility for providing security in Dili with ADF soldiers available for reinforcements. The AFP will focus its efforts on highly visible community policing. IV. International police become the sole security force on the ground. If an appropriate vetting and reconciliation mechanism has been established, the international police force will begin to transition certain PNTL into positions and operations. ¶V. PNTL resumes its role as stand-alone national police force. ¶3. (S) Lancaster describes the AFP's operation as presently somewhere between Phase II and Phase III. The current priority for the AFP is conducting thorough investigations into the events of May 25, a house burning that killed a family of six, and recent allegations that Prime Minister Alkatiri and former Minister of the Interior Rogerio Lobato had armed Fretilin militants. Lancaster said the UN had initially issued an order forbidding its staff from speaking to AFP investigators, but he added that this problem has been overcome through negotiations between UN and Australian diplomats. The AFP is also jointly gathering intelligence with the ADF on leaders of gang violence. Once AFP assumes primary responsibility for security, systematic raids will be planned to capture the gang leaders. When asked about GOA requests for the GOET to promulgate a law granting foreign police arrest authority, Lancaster stated that this was still a priority, but that arrests had been carried out by both ADF and AFP under the terms of the status of forces agreement (SOFA) currently in force. He added that such a law would no longer be necessary if a Chapter 7 Security Council resolution were to grant policing authority to a multinational force. ¶4. (C) Senior Australian and Malaysian police officials have been coordinating closely and the advance team for the Malaysian police expressed complete willingness to operate under Australian command. By next week, the Australian police battalion will stand at 200 (AFP and state police) with a group of 250 Malaysian police and 30 New Zealand police expected to arrive within a similar timeframe. When asked about coordination problems with the Portuguese paramilitary police (GNR),Lancaster responded that Tuesday's disagreement (see Ref A) had been overplayed by diplomats and the media. While the DILI 00000301 002.2 OF 003 GNR will not be formally incorporated within the AFP-led command structure, the AFP and GNR are establishing solid operational coordination and Lancaster expressed his respect for the highly trained GNR officers. The GNR will be participating in an Executive Committee on Policing, comprising all contingent commanders, that will advise the overall policing commander. ¶5. (C) A question receiving little attention in Dili is the status of the police in the districts, many of whom have continued to perform their duties. Lancaster envisions a hybrid arrangement in which the district police would continue their operations but receive instructions and logistical support from the international police force in Dili. Lancaster concluded by stating that the sooner the Security Council could adopt a resolution on an international police force, the better. Many of the current vagaries and coordination problems would be overcome by bringing all forces under a UN umbrella. The Commander did stress, however, that the AFP would like a UN mission that leaves AFP at the helm of the international policing effort. GNR equipment arrives in Baucau -------------- ¶6. (SBU) A large shipment of personnel carriers, logistical equipment, and weapons has arrived from Portugal for use by the GNR battalion in Dili. The supply plane landed in Baucau and the equipment is currently being transported to GNR headquarters in Dili. Reports indicate that GNR is now fully operational and will assume policing authority tomorrow for the Comoro area of Dili. Former Minister of the Interior Lobato bids farewell to PNTL Commanders -------------- -------------- -------------- - ¶7. (C) After a meeting of all PNTL district commanders called yesterday by his successor, former Minister of the Interior Rogerio Lobato gave a farewell speech which was broadcast on Portuguese television. In the speech, Lobato said the massacre of 10 PNTL officers on May 25 was unacceptable and that justice must be pursued. This appearance represents one of the first instances Lobato has been seen in public since he was forced to resign less than a week ago. Local political contacts continue to express concern over Lobato's new position as Vice President of Fretilin, especially in light of continued rumors that the Prime Minister would be ousted, which these contacts feared could leave Lobato in an even more powerful position within the party. Sources confirm Fretilin headquarters in Ermera District was burned -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶8. (S/NF) EmbOff spoke with Associate Press stringer Jose Belo(please protect) who confirmed that the Fretilin Party Headquarters in Ermera District had been burned. Having inspected the site yesterday, Belo said the building was actually in the town of Ermera, rather than Gleno, thus explaining conflicting reports from Gleno that there had been no violence yesterday. In a related report, Belo informed EmbOff that the Chefe de Aldeia from Memo (a border village near Maliana) was detained by a youth gang due to his participation in the Fretilin Party Congress. According to this report, the man is still being held captive and his whereabouts are unknown.. Status of the news media -------------- ¶9. (SBU) The state-funded radio and television stations have continued operating in recent days, albeit on a limited schedule with one hour of news in the morning and in the evening. Suara DILI 00000301 003.2 OF 003 Timor Lorosa'e, a major daily newspaper, resumed printing on Tuesday, although both printing and circulation has been quite limited due to financial restraints and paper shortages. Timor Post published today for the first time since May 24. Both major dailies are being assisted in reestablishing their operations through a small grant from USAID. ¶10. (S/NF) AP stringer and Embassy source Jose Belo was handcuffed and detained by ADF forces for four hours today. According to Belo, he was questioned about why he is often sighted on the scene of violent incidents and what his motivations are for retaining contact with Major Reinado and Salsinha. After ADF forces initially questioned Belo's status as a journalist, the AP representative in Dili contacted the ADF and Belo was released. JTF agrees to provide security for CAVR files -------------- -- ¶11. (SBU) In response to requests from diplomats and GOET officials, the JTF Command has agreed to perform hourly patrols of the compound that houses both the offices of the Truth and Friendship Commission (TFC) and the files of the domestic Truth and Reconciliation Commission (CAVR). The JTF has agreed to provide hourly patrols of the compound and reportedly intends to establish a security post nearby. Security concerns over the CAVR files have intensified after several motorbikes were stolen from the compound earlier this week. Unlike the SCU files, which pertain mostly to indictees for serious crimes who are outside of East Timor, the CAVR files include abundant information about acts committed between 1974 and 1999 by a wide range of actors including many who are still in East Timor. Security -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Embassy and U.S. Mission facilities were secure today and Emboffs were able to perform their functions throughout Dili and in other areas of the country. There were discussions today among the Ambassador, the Australian Ambassador, USDOD representatives, and Australian JTF personnel about the circumstances under which JTF could respond to an emergency at the U.S. Embassy after the planned departure of the Marine Corps FAST team. Embassy has received a written communication from the JTF Commander that will be reported septel. ¶13. (U) Two United States citizens who had evacuated returned to Timor today, bringing the total number of AmCits in country to 59. REES