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FM AMEMBASSY DILI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4173
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1241
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0915
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0981
RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 1086
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1090
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA 1018
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 3667

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DILI 000313 
 
CORRECT COPY - CAPTION 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
POLADS,EAP/MTS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TT
SUBJECT: SOCIAL AND SECURITY CONDITIONS IN BAUCAU IMPROVED FROM 2007 
 
DILI 00000313  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Poloff visited the district of Baucau from December 3-4 
to deliver sports equipment to residents in the Suco of Fatulia, 
sub-district of Venilale, and to meet with Catholic Church and 
National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) officials in the district. 
 In contrast to previous visits, economic activity was thriving 
in local markets, farmers tended to their fields, children in 
school uniforms filled the streets, cars, buses, and motorcycles 
jammed the roads, and new businesses opened indicating economic 
progress due to increased political stability.  More 
significantly, previously open political tensions were absent. 
Church and police officials expressed confidence that after a 
recent turbulent history, "the worst is finally over."  End 
summary. 
 
Sports diplomacy 
---------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  On December 3, Poloff traveled to the Suco of 
Fatulia, sub-district of Venilale in the district of Baucau to 
donate sports equipment to the community and meet with local 
officials.  The trip also served as a follow-up visit seven 
months after a contingent of engineers from the 31st Marine 
Expeditionary Unit (MEU) visited that community to perform 
humanitarian work.  Suco Chief Constancio Rego and community 
residents thanked the U.S. for its support of Timor-Leste, and 
offered special praise for the humanitarian assistance provided 
by the 31st MEU to their community in April 2008. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  During their visit, the Marines conducted repairs and 
refurbishments to the community primary school.  In addition, 
U.S. military doctors and dentists conducted a clinic in 
Fatulia, and treated upwards of 1,500 patients from the local 
area.  The community clinic remains stocked with supplies and 
medicine donated by the Marines, and treats an average of 15 
patients per day.  Community nurses Juvita da Costa and Joaquim 
dos Santos expressed hope for U.S. troops to return in the near 
future and described their work as "invaluable for our 
community," adding that "our people would love to welcome them 
back." 
 
Catholic Church "optimistic" 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU)  During a visit on December 3 to the Salesian 
Pre-seminary Academy in Dom Bosco, Poloff met with school 
director Father Justiniano de Sousa to deliver sports equipment 
to students and discuss Catholic Church views on Baucau's 
security conditions.  Father de Sousa observed that "conditions 
are thankfully different than a year ago.  People live in peace 
and life has returned to normal for our citizens."  He added 
that "it is very unlikely" that the violence that engulfed the 
district, especially the city of Baucau itself, in August 2007 
will be repeated. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  As signs of progress, Father de Sousa noted that 
children are attending schools, new businesses have opened, and 
"people are generally violence fatigued and ready to move 
forward with a stable life."  However, he added that education 
continues to be one of the greatest challenges facing 
Timor-Leste as the few books available in schools are in 
Portuguese, and teachers who lack Portuguese language skills are 
required to teach in that language.  In spite of the presence of 
"a few score Portuguese language teacher volunteers from 
Portugal and Brazil" in the country, the overwhelming number of 
students are taught by Timorese teachers proficient in Tetum and 
Bahasa Indonesia. 
 
PNTL emerges from setback 
------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  On December 4, Poloff met with Baucau's acting 
National Police (PNTL) Commander Joao Sanches Pires, who 
replaced former PNTL Commander Aderito Neto.  (Note: Neto was 
relieved from command last October by Secretary of State 
Francisco Guterres.  Mr. Guterres was urged by the United 
Nations Police (UNPOL) to relieve Neto following human rights 
abuse allegations against him by a subordinate officer.  The 
investigation against Neto remains open.)  Sanches Pires noted 
that the PNTL continues to face challenges in the district, such 
as lack of good infrastructure, low salaries, and lack of enough 
 
DILI 00000313  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
patrol vehicles.  However, he praised the mentorship from UNPOL 
and noted that "the morale of the police remains high in spite 
of our challenges because we are (Timorese) patriots committed 
to serving our people." 
 
¶7.  Acting Commander Sanches Pires also observed that the PNTL 
abides by equal treatment standards, and noted that many women 
form part of the force (approximately 30 percent).  Looking 
ahead, he expressed optimism that the government will provide 
the PNTL with the tools they need to enhance their service and 
performance, and observed that the President had recently called 
this a priority (Note: In a November speech, President Jose 
Ramos-Horta underscored that the government must give priority 
to improving the workplace and living conditions of PNTL 
members.)  On his predecessor's fate and ongoing investigation, 
Sanches Pires said that no one knows for sure the details of 
what happened, but force members are not talking about the case 
or speculating on its merits.  During a separate conversation 
with Poloff, a UNPOL Australian Federal Police officer assigned 
to Baucau praised the professionalism and dedication of Baucau's 
PNTL force "in spite of their challenges," and noted that their 
work with UNPOL is close and professional. 
 
New leadership in the district 
------------------------------ 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Also on December 4, Poloff met with previous FRETILIN 
Baucau District Administrator Luis Aparicio Guterres.  Minister 
for State Administration Arcangelo Leite replaced Mr. Guterres 
as District Administrator last September.  The move has been 
described by political observers in Timor-Leste as normal, since 
it also occurred in other districts.  Mr. Guterres' replacement 
did not generate local political backlash from FRETILIN, which 
traditionally enjoys strong support in Baucau.  The new District 
Administrator, Antonio Guterres, was visiting Jakarta at the 
time of Poloff's visit, hence a meeting was not possible. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  While lamenting his replacement as "unfortunate and 
political," Luis Aparicio Guterres said that he was "content" to 
work in Baucau for the Ministry of Education, and enjoy his 
leisure time to write a new poetry book and reflect on life in 
peace.  However, he added that municipal elections are scheduled 
for next July 2009 and that "if the people and FRETILIN draft me 
again as candidate for District Administrator, I am a slave of 
the people and will sacrifice my comfort to serve them again." 
 
Conclusion 
---------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Security conditions in Baucau have improved during 
the past year, in part due to a decline in political agitation 
against the national governing coalition.  That the District 
Administrator's and PNTL Commander's replacements this fall 
occurred without any political backlash underscore that times 
may have changed for the better in Baucau as observers have 
noted, and raise hope that this momentum will continue. 
KLEMM