Unmit Justice Program Newsletter Oct 09

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    In this EditionIn this Edition

    The UNDP Justice System Programme continuedits agreement with the Council of Coordination

    comprised of the Ministry of Justice, the Court ofAppeal and the Office of the Prosecutor-Generalin December 2008 with the signing of a 5-year

    project document. We continue to work towardsa strong justice sector and are committed to

    providing information on our activities. Your

    comments or suggestions are always welcome

    and can be sent to [email protected]

    LETTERLETTER

    JUSTICE SYSTEM PROGRAMMEJUSTICE SYSTEM PROGRAMME

    NEWSNEWS

    0 October 2009 Page

    The Justice System Programme isThe Justice System Programme issupported by Australia, Brazil,supported by Australia, Brazil,

    Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Spain,Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Spain,

    Sweden, OHCHRSweden, OHCHR (UN Office of the(UN Office of the

    High Commissioner for HumanHigh Commissioner for Human

    Rights), and UNDP BCPR (Bureau ofRights), and UNDP BCPR (Bureau of

    Crisis Prevention and Recovery)Crisis Prevention and Recovery)

    Training for Prison Guards on Security

    First Aid and Self-Defense2

    UNMIT delivers human rightstraining at the Legal Training Centre

    3

    Prosecutors and Clerks sworn into OfficeProsecutors and Clerks sworn into Office

    On the 14th of October 2009 at theOffice of the Prosecutor-General, fourinternational prosecutors and fourinternational clerks were sworn intooffice for their one-year assignment inTimor-Leste. These justice actors, from

    Cape Verde and Portugal, areprovided through agreements ofcooperation that the UNDP-JusticeSystem Programme (JSP) haspromoted and supported bothlogistically and financially.The prosecutors and clerks will dividetheir time between performing linefunctions and providing on the jobtraining with the aim of strengtheningthe capacity and skills of their nationalcounterparts. It is expected that some

    of these actors will be assigned todistrict posts outside of Dili.

    It is a great honor for me to beselected for this role and I believe withmy professional experience I cancontribute to the development of theProsecution Office and justice system.I have conviction that this is an

    important mission and that it willpersonally be a very enrichingexperience. I hope to deliver goodresults to the authorities that haveplaced trust in me to participate in thiscollective effort to strengthen thejustice system of Timor - Leste, saidDr. Joo Goncalves Rato, one of thetwo Prosecutors from Portugal. Thereare currently 13 national prosecutorsin Timor-Leste, and five more areexpected to graduate in February 2010

    following the completion of the 3rd

    group of Magistrates and Public

    Above: Prosecutor from Cape Verde, Oscar Tavares, Dr. Arlindo Figueiredo, Inspector to theProsecution Office and Dra. Ana Pessoa, Prosecutor-General

    Below: Clerks from Cape Verde and Portugal

    OctoberOctober20092009

    Defenderscourseprovidedby theLegalTrainingCentre.

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    First Aid, Security and Self-defense Training held for Prison GuardsFirst Aid, Security and Self-defense Training held for Prison Guards

    Security, first aid and self-defense

    are all part of the trainings beingconducted at the Becora prison forprison guards in October. The UNDPPrison training specialist, along withnational Prison trainers, have beendelivering the training for theguards in small groups,approximately 15 guards per group,and hope to complete the trainingfor all guards by the end of 2009.There are currently over 180 prison

    guards working between theThe guards all undertookpractical exams at the endof each training course.

    UNDP Prison Training Specialist

    (above) with guards from Becoraand Gleno prison

    two existing prisons in Timor-Leste,

    Becora and Gleno. In the past twoyears, there has been no serioussecurity incidents at the prisons andrefresher courses in security andnew trainings are essential tomaintain this. Luis Dos Reis, chiefguard of a block, attended the firstgroup of training. He worked at theBecora prison for 12 years duringIndonesian times, andrecommenced working at the prison

    in 2000 when it reopened. This was

    a good training course. I ha

    attended a previous training on firsaid in 2000, but this is the first timafter that. Such trainings muscontinue and all the guards here aBecora prison must completthem.Malelena Filipe Amaro, working as guard since 2000, commentesaying I liked the training a lobecause there was a lot I did noknow, and now I would like to know

    even more.

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    0 October 2009 Page

    UNMIT delivers Human Rights training at the Legal Training CentreUNMIT delivers Human Rights training at the Legal Training Centre

    The trainees of the Magistrates andPublic Defenders course received a 4day training course in human rights,delivered by the United NationsIntegrated Mission in Timor-Leste(UNMIT). The training, delivered in

    Ttum, addressed the internationalframework of human rights, the UNmechanisms and the national law inrelation to human rights and its use inthe courts, the protection of victims ofhuman rights violations and finally,human rights and transitional justice.The objective of the training was toadvance these future judicial actors'knowledge on human rights and tohighlight how a human rights standardcan be applied in the judicial process.

    Mr. Louis James Gentile, Chief of theUNMIT Human Rights and TransitionalJustice Section and Representative ofOHCHR in Timor-Leste, gave theopening words to the trainees sayingas future guardians of the rule of lawin Timor-Leste an enormousresponsibility and incredibleopportunity is given to you to advancehuman rights and the rule of law,given the enormous importancehuman rights are given in the legal

    framework of this young democracy.Furthermore, Mr. Gentile said Thesefuture judges, prosecutors and publicdefenders must decide whether theywant to take advantage of the legalbuilding blocks already in place tocontribute to making Timor-Leste aregional and world leader in humanrights and not just another countrythat often ignores its human rights

    Capacity Building with Prosecution ClerksCapacity Building with Prosecution ClerksFor over one year, Maria Leonilde, acourt clerk from Portugal worked inthe Prosecution Office in BaucauDistrict. Supported by the JusticeSystem Programme (JSP), Maria has avast amount of experience shebrought from working in thePortuguese judicial system and takespriority with transferring her skills andexperience for her nationalcounterparts.There are 5 clerks in the Prosecutionoffice, in additional to a chief ofadministration. Several proceduresand methods have been established inorder to ensure the efficientfunctioning of the Prosecution officeand to allow for cases to be kept inorder.Under the direction of the chiefProsecutor in Baucau, Dr. Jos

    Ximenes, the Baucau Prosecutionoffice has made substaintial progressin reducing the pending cases.Ricardina Da Costa Ximines, who hasbeen working in the Prosecutionoffice as a clerk for more than twoyears, worked closely with Leonilde,and was recently promoted to be theclerk in charge of maintaining all thefiles. She aspires to study further andbecome a Prosecutor one day. Shecommented on working with Leonildethat she taught me slowly on thedifferent processes, including makingnotifications. She was very patient andcalm. I now know the processes verywell and very clear.Ms. Leonilde says that she feelsprivileged and content to have theopportunity to work in Timor-Leste.She remarks that the national clerks

    take a keen interest in their jobs andlearning. They learn very fast, arevery interested and always askingquestions, she said. Ms. Leonildeeven trained a security guard, SimoMendona Neto, who was working inthe office of the Prosecution tobecome a clerk.Simo said, from 2000 till 2008 worked as a security guard, and in2009 I began as a level 2 clerk. I writeand organize the notifications. I wantto continue to develop myself and myskills for the good of my country andthe Prosecution office.Maria Leonilde recently moved towork in the Prosecution office in Dili.

    obligations. Having been borne out osuffering and a long struggle fofreedom, who better to serve as aexample for what can be, than TimoLeste?The candidates of the 3rd group oMagistrates and Public Defendecourse, will graduate in February 201from the Legal Training Centre.

    Mr. Louis James Gentile, Chief of the UNMIT Human Rights and Transitional Justice Section anRepresentative of OHCHR in Timor-Leste at the Human Rights training at the LTC

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    04 October 2009 Page

    Produced by Public Information Officer, Justice System ProgrammeProduced by Public Information Officer, Justice System Programme

    For further information or suggestions please contact 3313583, [email protected] further information or suggestions please contact 3313583, [email protected]

    OctoberOctober20092009LETTERLETTER

    JUSTICE SYSTEM PROGRAMMEJUSTICE SYSTEM PROGRAMME

    NEWSNEWS

    04 October 2009 Page

    24th October- To celebrate UN Day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, supported by UNMIT, held a model-UN conferenceto recreate the historic Security Council session of October 1999. UN agencies, including the UNDP Justice SystemProgramme, participated in the event, providing materials for the students.

    Above left: President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, Jos Ramos - Horta, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UNDP Resident Representative, Finn Reske-Nielsen with UNDP Country Director (far right) AkbarUsmani.

    Photos of the MonthPhotos of the Month

    InternationalProsecutors fromCape Verde andPortugal arewelcomed bytheir nationalcounterparts inthe Office of the

    Prosecutor-General, Dili, 14thOctober, 2009