Media Release - More anti-FRETILIN bias in Australian media

FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE
FRETILIN

Media release
31 July 2007

More anti-FRETILIN bias in Australian media

FRETILIN today denied it was responsible for a recent protest against Australian Prime Minister John Howard in Timor-Leste, and criticised sections of the Australian media for continuing to deliberately misreport events in Timor-Leste.

The website of the State-owned Australian Broadcasting Corporation on July 26 reported that “Fretilin party protestors waved anti-Australian banners” at Dili airport that day.

However Fretilin parliamentarian Jose Teixeira said today the protest “was a spontaneous action by East Timorese citizens unconnected with Fretilin.

“The ABC report is a continuation of inaccurate and biased reporting of events in Timor-Leste attempting to cast FRETILIN in a negative light,” Teixeira said.

“The ABC is fully aware that FRETILIN has appointed English-speaking spokespersons to liaise with the media and has dealt with them recently on several occasions. The ABC should have acted professionally and contacted us before reporting, without any evidence, that the airport protesters were Fretilin members.”

For more information, please contact:
Jose Teixeira (+670) 728 7080 or send an email to fretilin.media@gmail.com
www.timortruth.com, www.fretilin-rdtl.blogspot.com