Panel set up to resolve media disputes during East Timor election campaign: UN mission

A mediation panel has been set up to assist East Timorese political parties and candidates in resolving any disputes over media coverage of the 30 August elections, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) announced today.

The independent three-person Media Mediation Panel, established by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with UNTAET, was set up to evaluate any complaints about campaign coverage by the UN mission's radio, television and print media.

Over the past two weeks UNTAET's radio and television units have been broadcasting campaign messages recorded by political parties and independent candidates. A special half-hour daily programme, entitled "Meet the Press," has also aired, giving each political party and all independent national candidates the opportunity to discuss their policies and visions for East Timor.

In a related development, UNTAET today also received 4,000 wind-up radios from the Australian Government, which are to be used to spread messages about voter education in the run-up to the elections.