Dili, 7 September 2010 - Today the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Timor-Leste (SRSG) Ameerah Haq and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão presided over the ceremony marking the resumption of primary responsibilities for the conduct of police operations by Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL) in the District of Liquica, 35 km west of Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.

SRSG Haq noted that it was significant and commendable that Liquica would have Timor-Leste's first female district commander, Natercia Eufracia Martins.

"An important milestone that deserves special mention today is the appointment of Liquica District Commander Martins who, as the first female district commander in Timor-Leste, now commands a district force of 100, including 24 females. Your remarkable and well-deserved achievement is testament to the advances in gender equality that are being made, not only within the PNTL, but also in many spheres of government and society as a whole in Timor-Leste," said SRSG Haq.

"Maintaining long-term stability in the country will require a dedicated and professional police force that is committed to upholding the rule of law and respecting the human rights of all citizens," she added.

The SRSG also pledged that the United Nations will increase its focus on the mentoring and support of PNTL officers, as requested by the national authorities and endorsed by the Security Council of the United Nations.

The Government of Timor-Leste and UNMIT are jointly implementing the resumption process in a gradual manner – district by district, unit by unit. The PNTL is assessed in each district by a joint team comprising Government and UNMIT representatives, including UN Police and the PNTL. The team applies mutually agreed criteria to assess the readiness of the PNTL to resume primary policing responsibilities.

The resumption process started in Lautem district in May 2009. It continued in the districts of Oecusse in June, and Manatuto in July, and with the transfer of responsibility for the administration and management of the Police Training Centre in September, and the Maritime Police Unit and the Police Intelligence Service in December. Also in December 2009 Viqueque became the fourth district in which the PNTL resumed responsibilities. In April 2010 the PNTL resumed responsibilities for Ainaro and Baucau Districts.

UN Police will maintain their presence in the districts where the PNTL have resumed responsibilities, in order to monitor, mentor, advise and support the PNTL in a partnership approach, including in the area of human rights protection.

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KOMUNIKADU-IMPRENSA HUSI UNMIT

PNTL kaer filafali responsabilidade primária polisiamentu iha Likisá

Dili, 7 Setembru 2010 – Ohin Reprezentante Espesiál husi Sekretáriu-Jerál Nasoins Unidas nian ba Timor-Leste (SRSG) Ameerah Haq no Primeiru Ministru Xanana Gusmão prezide ba serimónia ne'ebé marka momentu Polísia Nasionál Timor-Leste (PNTL) kaer filafali responsabilidade primária hodi hala'o operasaun polísia iha Distritu Likisá, ne'ebé hela dook kilómetru 35 husi kapitál Dili iha diresaun loromonu.

Tuir UNMIT nia RESJ, Señora Haq, signifikativu katak Likisá hetan Komandante Distritál Natercia Eufracia Martins ne'ebé feto ba dala uluk iha Timor-Leste, no ita tenke hahi'i faktu ne'e.

"Marku importante ida-ne'ebé merese ita temi iha-ne'e maka nomeasaun ba Komandante Distritu Likisá Martins ne'ebé, nu'udar primeiru komandante distritu ne'ebé feto iha Timor-Leste, agora komanda forsa polisiál distritál ho elementu na'in-100, inklui feto na'in-24. Susesu importante ne'ebé Ita-Boot merese duni ne'e hatudu avansu iha igualdade jéneru ne'ebé halo agora daudaun, la'ós de'it iha PNTL nia leet, maibé mós iha área oioin governu no sosiedade tomak nian iha Timor-Leste;" RESJ Haq dehan.

"Mantein estabilidade ba tempu naruk iha nasaun ne'e sei ezije forsa polisiál dedikadu no profisionál ne'ebé iha kompromisu atu mantein Estadu Direitu nian no respeita direitus umanus sidadaun hotu-hotu nian," nia hatutan.

RESJ mós promete katak Nasoins Unidas sei foka liu tan ba mentorizasaun no apoiu ba elementu sira PNTL nian, konforme autoridade nasionál sira husu no Konsellu Seguransa Nasoins Unidas aprova tiha ona.

Governu Timor-Leste nian no UNMIT implementa daudaun hamutuk prosesu kaer filafali responsabilidade ho maneira graduál – distritu ba distritu, unidade ba unidade. PNTL hetan avaliasaun iha distritu ida-idak husi ekipa konjunta ne'ebé inklui reprezentante sira husi Governu no husi UNMIT, inklui UNPOL no PNTL. Ekipa ne'e aplika kritériu oioin ne'ebé konkorda hamutuk tiha ona atu avalia PNTL nia prontidaun atu kaer filafali responsabilidade primária polisiamentu.

Prosesu kaer filafali responsabilidade ne'e hahú iha distritu Lautém iha Maiu 2009. Depois kontinua iha distritu Oekusi iha Juñu no Manatutu iha Jullu, no mós ho transferénsia responsabilidade ba administrasaun no jestaun iha Sentru Formasaun Polísia nian iha Setembru, no Unidade Polísia Marítima no Servisu Informasaun Polísia nian iha Dezembru. Iha Dezembru 2009 distritu Vikeke mós sai distritu dahaat ne'ebé PNTL kaer filafali responsibilidade. Iha Abríl 2010 PNTL kaer filafali responsabilidade iha distritu Ainaru no Baukau.

Polísia ONU sei mantein sira-nia prezensa iha distritu sira-ne'ebé PNTL kaer tiha filafali responsabilidade, atubele monitoriza, fó konsellu no apoia PNTL, inklui iha área protesaun direitus umanus.

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