Top UN rights official set to visit East Timor

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, is set to visit East Timor later this week as part of her three-nation tour this month.

The High Commissioner is making the visit, her last as High Commissioner, from 23 to 25 August to convey support to the new State and to encourage continued high priority for building a human rights infrastructure.

During her visit, the High Commissioner is expected to meet with a number of senior officials, including President Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, Parliamentary President Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Jose Ramos-Horta. Mrs. Robinson is also slated to speak with lawyers, non-governmental organizations, community leaders and women's leaders.

Among other highlights of the High Commissioner's visit, Mrs Robinson is scheduled to address the National Parliament, sign a communiqué on human rights with the government and civil society, and witness the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation's first community reconciliation process.

Mrs. Robinson will also return to Suai District, where she visited in 2000 and met the survivors of the 1999 violence there. She will also plant a tree in memory of those killed in the massacre at Santa Cruz cemetery in 1991.