Dili, 5 December 2009- Today the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for Timor-Leste (SRSG) Atul Khare and Deputy Prime Minister José Luis Guterres presided over the ceremony marking the resumption of primary responsibility for the conduct of police operations by the Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL) in the District of Viqueque.

Viqueque is the fourth district in which the PNTL has resumed primary policing responsibility since the resumption process started in May 2009, when primary policing responsibility was transferred to the PNTL in the district of Lautem. This process continued in the districts of Oecussi in June, Manatuto in July, and was followed by the transfer of responsibility for the administration and management of the Police Training Centre in September.

In his speech at the resumption ceremony SRSG Khare highlighted the importance of police accountability. "Achievement of final certification is an indicator but not a guarantee of proper behaviour in the future. The long-term accountability and integrity of the PNTL in the future will only be guaranteed through timely, effective and fair application of the penal code and PNTL disciplinary code," the SRSG said.

He stressed the importance of the Government's recent commitment to take and support necessary instigative measures against PNTL officers accused of violations of the penal and police disciplinary codes, and to take appropriate punitive measures against those found in breach, no matter their rank and even if they have been certified. "I am sure that this commitment will be welcomed by the vast majority of PNTL who everyday strive to live up to their oath of service – to strictly abide by the rule of law, to respect and protect human rights, to ensure the democratic order, and to serve in an impartial manner," – the SRSG added.

The Government of Timor-Leste and UNMIT are implementing the resumption process in a gradual manner – district by district, unit by unit. The decision for the PNTL in Viqueque to resume primary policing responsibility was based on the result of rigorous assessments on the preparedness of PNTL. The assessments were conducted by joint teams comprising representatives of the Government of Timor-Leste and UNMIT, including PNTL and the United Nations Police (UNPol), using mutually agreed criteria.

UN Police will maintain their presence in the districts where the PNTL have resumed responsibility, in order to support, advise, and to monitor the PNTL, in areas such as community policing and human rights protection.

Viqueque is one of the 13 districts of Timor-Leste, located in the eastern-southern part of the country, 183 km from Dili, the national capital. Viqueque City is the capital of the District of Viqueque, with five sub-districts under its control. The City has a population of 22,000, the District approximately 62,000.

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UNMIT

KOMUNIKADU IMPRENSA

Timor-Leste kompromete nia aan atu kaer responsabilidade polisia nian; retomada iha Vikeke

Dili, Loron 5 fulan Dezembru tinan 2009- Loron ida ne'e Reprezentante Espesiál ba Sekretáriu Jerál Nasoins Unidas iha Timor-Leste (SJNUTL) Atul Khare no Vise Primeiru Ministru José Luis Guterres prezide serimónia ne'ebé marka retomada responsabilidade primária kona-ba operasaun polisiamentu husi Polisia Nasionál Timor-Leste (PNTL) Distritu Vikeke.

Vikeke nu'udar distritu ba dahaat ne'ebé PNTL simu fila fali responsabilidade polisiamentu primária dezde ke prosesu retomada ne'e hahú iha fulan Maiu tinan 2009, bainhira responsabilidade ba polisiamentu primária transfere ba PNTL iha Distritu Lautein. Prosesu kontinua ba Distritu Oekusi iha fulan Juñu, Manatutu iha fulan Jullu, no kontinua ho transferénsia responsabilidade ba administrasaun no jestaun iha Sentru Formasaun Polisia nian iha fulan Setembru.

Iha ninia deskursu iha seremónia retomada SRSG Khare, subliña importánsia responsabilizasaun polísia nian. "Alkanse ba sertifikasaun final nu'udar indikadór ida maibé la'os garantia ba komportamentu adekuadu iha tempu oin-mai. Responsabilizasaun no integridade ba tempu naruk PNTL nian iha tempu oin-mai sei garante de'it liuhusi aplikasaun ne'ebé oportuna, efikás no justu kona-ba kódigu penál no kódigu dixiplinár PNTL nian" SRSG hateten.

Nia subliña importánsia kona-ba Governu nia kompromisu foin daudauk ne'e atu foti no apoia medida instigativa nesesária hasoru ofisiál PNTL sira ne'ebé akuzadu ba violasaun ba kódigu penál no kódigu dixiplinár polísia nian, no foti medida punitiva apropriada hasoru sira-ne'ebé hetan iha infrasaun, la importa ho sira-nia diviza no mezmu ke sira hetan sertifikadu ona. "Ha'u fiar katak kompromisu ne'e sei simu hosi maioria PNTL sira-ne'ebé loro-loron halo hela esforsu atu moris tuir sira-nia juramentu servisu nian – hodi respeita tebes Estadu-direitu, hodi garante orden demokrátika, no serví ho maneira ne'ebe imparsiál,"-akresenta SRSG.

Governu Timor-Leste no UNMIT implementa daudaun prosesu retomada ne'e ho maneira graduál – distritu pur distritu, unidade pur unidade. Desizaun ba PNTL Vikeke atu simu fila fali responsabilidade polisiamentu primária ne'e bazeia ba rezultadu avaliasaun sira rigoroza kona-ba preparasaun PNTL nian. Avaliasaun sira-ne'e hala'o husi ekipa konjunta sira ne'ebé kompostu husi reprezentante sira husi Governu Timor-Leste no UNMIT, inklui PNTL no Polisia Nasoins Unidas nian (UNPOL), uza kritériu ne'ebé sira-rua konkorda tiha ona.

Polisia ONU sei mantein sira-nia prezensa iha distritu sira ne'ebé PNTL simu tiha ona responsabilidade, hodi fó apoiu, konsellu, no halo monitorizasaun ba PNTL, iha área sira hanesan polisiamentu komunidade no protesaun ba direitus umanus.

Vikeke nu'udar distritu ida husi distritu 13 iha Timor-Leste, ne'ebé iha parte leste-súl nasaun ne'e, ho distánsia 183 Km husi Dili, kapitál nasionál. Vila Vikeke nu'udar kapitál Distritu Vikeke, ho sub-distritu lima iha nia kontrolu. Vila ne'e iha populasaun hamutuk 22.000, no populasaun distritu hamutuk maizumenus na'in 62.000.