FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE
FRETILIN
FRETILIN
Comunicado de Imprensa
Sexta-feira, 18 de Maio de 2007
FRETILIN esforça-se para ter eleições limpas
A FRETILIN utilizou a sua maioria no Parlamento Nacional para aprovar uma emenda da Lei Eleitoral, como forma de prevenir actos de intimidação aos votantes e compra de votos.
As emendas, que incluem penalidades e multas, têm como objectivo "acabar com as formas negativas que foram utilizadas contra o candidato da FRETILIN, durante a eleição presidencial", disse hoje Francisco Branco, deputado parlamentar e membro do Comité Central da FRETILIN.
"Desde o momento em que o Presidente Lu Olo apareceu com o maior número de votos, na primeira volta em Abril, que têm havido contínuas alegações contra a FRETILIN, sobre compra de votos e intimidação de votantes, sem que nenhuma evidência tenha sido apresentada."
O Parlamento Nacional aprovou as emendas, apresentadas na Terça-Feira, 15 de Maio de 2007, pelos deputados Francisco Branco e Elizário Ferreira, da bancada da FRETILIN.
Francisco Branco disse que diversas organizações nacionais e internacionais, governamentais e não governamentais, têm feito o recomendações para que tais emendas fosse feitas. Por exemplo, a Missão de Observadores Eleitorais da União Europeia recomendou que "a lei eleitoral fosse emendada para reforçar os poderes… por exemplo, através da emissão de multas."
Francisco Branco disse também: "Nós estamos certos que a emenda da lei irá providenciar sanções suficientes para termos uma camapanha limpa e criar um campo de igual nível para todos, especialmente em relação à Comunicação Social – uma área onde a FRETILIN tem sido vitimizada de forma extensiva, sem forma de recurso legal."
Deputados parlamentares, dos Partido Democrático e Partido Social Democrático, abandonaram o Parlamento quando iniciou-se o debate sobre as emendas, levantando dúvidas sobre os seus compromissos para com as práticas eleitorais democráticas.
As emendas contêm termos de multas e prisão, para ofensas como:
. Não cumprimento das obrigações estabelecidas por lei, por parte de indivíduos.
. Uso inapropriado de nomes e símbolos de outros partidos politicos, por parte de partidos e candidatos
. Realização de actividades de campanha após a data limite do período oficial da campanha
Venda e consumo de bebidas alcóolicas em locais até 100 metros dos centros de votação
Abuso de poder, por parte de funcionários públicos e/ou oficiais de estado, com o objectivo de restringirem os votantes de exercerem os seus direitos de voto e/ou de induzirem os votantes a votar para um candidato específico
. Ameaças de despedimento, ou outras sanções, à um empregado, ou recusa de emprego, de forma a influenciar na intenção de voto do indivíduo
. Oferta ou promessa de emprego, público ou privado, ou qualquer vantagem a um ou mais votantes, para de forma directa ou indirectamente influenciar o seu voto – assim como aceitar ser corrompido
. Falsificação de boletins de voto
. Falha, por parte do Responsável pelo centro de votação, na recepção e processamento de reclamações relacionadas com o processo eleitoral.
. Falta, por parte dos Oficiais da Polícia, em estarem presentes nos centros de votação, quando são oficialmente designados para tal função
. Fazer falsas acusações, de forma deliberada, contra outra pessoa, de violação da lei eleitoral.
Apresentação de queixas, de má fé e sem fundamento, em relação às autoridades eleitorais e suas decisões.
. Estar ilegalmente armado/a no centro de votação.
Para mais informações, contacte:
Jose Teixeira (+670) 728 7080 (Dili)
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FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE
FRETILIN
Media Release
Friday 18 May 2007
Fretilin push to clean up elections
Fretilin has used its majority in the National Parliament to amend the Parliamentary Elections
Law in an effort to prevent activities such as voter intimidation and vote buying.
The amendments, which include penalties of imprisonment and hefty fines, are aimed at "cleaning up
negative electioneering of the type employed in the Presidential elections against Fretilin's candidate,"
said Francisco Branco MP, a Fretilin Central Committee member speaking in Dili today.
"Once Lu Olo emerged with the highest vote in counting for the first round in April, there were continuous
allegations against Fretilin of vote buying and voter intimidation, without evidence being produced."
Parliament passed the amendments, introduced by Branco and fellow Fretilin MP Elizario Ferreira, on
Tuesday 15 May 2007.
Branco said many national and international government and non-government bodies and observer
groups had lobbied for such amendments. For example, the European Union Election Observer Mission
recommended: "the Electoral Law needs to be amended to provide enforcement powers...for example to
issue fines."
Branco said: "We are certain the amended law will provide enough sanctions to clean up campaigning
and create a level playing field for all, especially in the media - an area where Fretilin was extensively
victimized without legal recourse."
Members of Parliament from the Democratic Party and Social Democratic Party walked out of parliament
when debate on these amendments began, raising doubts about their commitment to democratic
electoral practices.
The amendments contain fines and jail terms for offences such as:
• non-compliance by individuals with obligations set out in the law
• improper use of names and symbols of other political parties by parties or candidates
• undertaking campaign activities after the expiration of the official election campaign period
• sale and consumption of alcohol within 100 meters of a voting centre
• abuse of power by civil servants and/or state officials aimed at restricting voters from exercising
their voting rights or inducing voters to vote for a particular candidate
• threatening an employee with dismissal or other sanction, or refusing to grant employment, in
order to influence a voter’s voting intention
• offering, promising or giving public or private employment or some other advantage to one or
more voters whether directly or indirectly to influence his or her vote – as well as accepting such
a bribe
• tampering with ballot papers
• failure by the Chair of the voting centre to receive and process a complaint relating to the
electoral process
• failure by Police Officers to attend a voting centre when officially designated to do so
• deliberately and willfully but falsely accusing another person of breaching the electoral law
• lodging complaints made in bad faith and without foundation regarding the electoral authorities
and their lawful decisions
• being unlawfully armed with a weapon at a voting station.
For more information, please contact:
Jose Teixeira (+670) 728 7080 (Dili)
Paulo Araujo (+61) 424 413 525
www.timortruth.com, www.fretilin-rdtl.blogspot.com,
Law in an effort to prevent activities such as voter intimidation and vote buying.
The amendments, which include penalties of imprisonment and hefty fines, are aimed at "cleaning up
negative electioneering of the type employed in the Presidential elections against Fretilin's candidate,"
said Francisco Branco MP, a Fretilin Central Committee member speaking in Dili today.
"Once Lu Olo emerged with the highest vote in counting for the first round in April, there were continuous
allegations against Fretilin of vote buying and voter intimidation, without evidence being produced."
Parliament passed the amendments, introduced by Branco and fellow Fretilin MP Elizario Ferreira, on
Tuesday 15 May 2007.
Branco said many national and international government and non-government bodies and observer
groups had lobbied for such amendments. For example, the European Union Election Observer Mission
recommended: "the Electoral Law needs to be amended to provide enforcement powers...for example to
issue fines."
Branco said: "We are certain the amended law will provide enough sanctions to clean up campaigning
and create a level playing field for all, especially in the media - an area where Fretilin was extensively
victimized without legal recourse."
Members of Parliament from the Democratic Party and Social Democratic Party walked out of parliament
when debate on these amendments began, raising doubts about their commitment to democratic
electoral practices.
The amendments contain fines and jail terms for offences such as:
• non-compliance by individuals with obligations set out in the law
• improper use of names and symbols of other political parties by parties or candidates
• undertaking campaign activities after the expiration of the official election campaign period
• sale and consumption of alcohol within 100 meters of a voting centre
• abuse of power by civil servants and/or state officials aimed at restricting voters from exercising
their voting rights or inducing voters to vote for a particular candidate
• threatening an employee with dismissal or other sanction, or refusing to grant employment, in
order to influence a voter’s voting intention
• offering, promising or giving public or private employment or some other advantage to one or
more voters whether directly or indirectly to influence his or her vote – as well as accepting such
a bribe
• tampering with ballot papers
• failure by the Chair of the voting centre to receive and process a complaint relating to the
electoral process
• failure by Police Officers to attend a voting centre when officially designated to do so
• deliberately and willfully but falsely accusing another person of breaching the electoral law
• lodging complaints made in bad faith and without foundation regarding the electoral authorities
and their lawful decisions
• being unlawfully armed with a weapon at a voting station.
For more information, please contact:
Jose Teixeira (+670) 728 7080 (Dili)
Paulo Araujo (+61) 424 413 525
www.timortruth.com, www.fretilin-rdtl.blogspot.com,
