FOS Media Monitoring

The following are a few media tidbits culled over the past couple of days:

ABC Radio Australia, Foreign Correspondent programme, 13th March 2007:
Quote
Using contacts based in the hills and jungles around Dili, a team from the ABC's Foreign Correspondent program found their way to Reinado's hideout and interviewed the rebel leader.
Brigadier Mal Rerden, who commands Australian forces in East Timor, said he was confident his troops would be able to capture Reinado.
"We have to, obviously, locate him and we're working very hard to do that and, you know, the nature of the terrain is very rugged," he said. (Doh!)
Unquote

Re the many flying objects around Dili since Thursday 8th March 2007
I personally saw at least two C130 aeroplanes come into Dili on 8th/9th/10th March each day and lots of fixed-wing activity (didn’t count them all) on the following days. Of course we also had the helicopter airshow on Sunday 11th between 1300 and 1500 local time, a lot of fixed-wing and chopper activity on the same evening until approx 0200 hours the following morning and more that evening until around 0200.
Some, but not all, of this can be explained by the following:
UNMIT Daily Media review 10/12 March
Quote
Australian 200 Armed Forces incrementTo stabilize East Timor Security in upcoming presidential Election, ISF Australia reportedly added 200 Personnel Armed Forces yesterday. With these increments the initial 800 Personnel has become 1.000 Personnel. These troops arrived on two planes from the PhilippinesMorning Flight (STL)
Unquote
Also by the following security tree message received Sunday 11th at 1458
“NGO Sec tree 1458hrs. All staff pls avoid Farol. Pala paso. Mandarin area. Set operation ongoing”
No further details were available.

And finally, a very heartening ad. in the Timor Post today, 13th March 2007:
From Marie Stopes International, a clinic is to be opened in Bario Pite, Dili.
Opening hours: 0800-1230
1400-1730
Phone: 3322841

HILI LOOS, SALVA MORIS

About time too…….