Comunicado de Imprensa Aniceto Guterres – O Parlamento é apenas um "megafone" do CNRT

FRENTE REVOLUCIONARIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE
FRETILIN

Comunicado de Imprensa
Dili, 10 Setembro 2007

ANICETO GUTERRES: O PARLAMENTO É APENAS UM "MEGAFONE" DO GOVERNO DO CNRT; DESAPARECEU A DEMOCRACIA PARLAMENTAR.

O executivo do Parlamento Nacional de Timor-Leste, constituído pelo CNRT e os seus aliados, tornou-se um "lacaio" e "porta-voz/megafone" do governo do CNRT de facto, apesar do Presidente do Parlamento Nacional ter afirmado no discurso após a eleição do Presidente que o Parlamento Nacional nunca se tornaria o "porta-voz" do governo, disse hoje o líder do grupo parlamentar da FRETILIN Aniceto Longuinhos Guterres.

"Já tínhamos visto na eleição do executivo do parlamento que não têm tendências democráticas e que não respeitam os outros grupos parlamentares como representantes legítimos do povo. Deliberaram e vingativamente negligenciaram o estatuto da FRETILIN como o partido mais votado e o maior grupo parlamentar. Agora, podemos ver outra vez que não respeitam os outros grupos parlamentares e que não estão disponíveis para seguir as regras parlamentares, que garantem a cada deputado uma voz no parlamento através da realização de sessões plenárias regulares semanais do parlamento onde cada um possa falar," disse Guterres.

Em 7 de Setembro, foi emitida a Notícia No. 4/SAPLEN/II, em nome do executivo parlamentar seguindo-se a um encontro de representantes dos grupos parlamentares na passada Quarta-feira, 6 de Setembro, decretando que as sessões plenárias regulares para hoje e amanhã tinham sido suspensas. Contudo a FRETILIN contra-argumenta que esta notícia transgride as próprias regras do parlamento, que estipula que as sessões plenárias do parlamento se devem realizar todas as Segundas e Terça-feiras e a FRETILIN questionou as razões do executivo do parlamento por detrás desta suspensão das sessões plenárias.

"Eles suspenderam as sessões plenárias porque eles não querem que a FRETILIN ou os outros partidos levem ao plenário hoje ou amanhã as questões muito preocupantes que já se levantaram acerca da proposta do programa de governo. É importante notar que o próprio documento com a proposta de programa de governo foi distribuído aos deputados pela porta de trás; isto é sem ter sido formalmente e de forma apropriada agendado para a sessão plenária do parlamento como por direito devia ter sido. Claramente reconheceram este erro e agendaram a marcação do programa do governo para uma sessão plenária a realizar-se amanhã," acrescentou.

Guterres deixou também claro que como líder do grupo parlamentar da FRETILIN, durante o encontro dos representantes dos grupos parlamentares que se realizou no dia 6 de Setembro passado, ele requerera que as sessões plenárias para começar a discutir o programa de governo deviam ser agendadas para o próximo dia 17 de Setembro de modo a dar quatro ou cinco dias para os deputados poderem analisar o programa de governo, assim garantindo que o debate pudesse ser mais frutuoso.

"Como vemos as coisas a moldura de tempo proposta é demasiadamente curta porque apenas recebemos uma fotocópia da versão Portuguesa do documento do programa do governo na Sexta-feira à tarde, quase noite. Muitos dos deputados de todos os partidos são novos e têm conhecimento limitado do Português. Não tiveram tempo suficiente para analisar adequadamente o programa do governo. Muitos nem sequer tinham visto antes um programa de governo. Apesar de termos insistido várias vezes, sendo a última vez no Sábado 8 de Setembro, para ser marcada a sessão plenária para debater o programa de governo para o dia 17, o executivo do parlamento insiste que a deve marcar para o próximo 13 de Setembro. Isto aconteceu porque estão a ser pressionados por todos os lados para aderirem à data de 13 de Setembro," disse Guterres.

"O grupo da FRETILIN atenderá o parlamento esta manhã e amanhãs, porque como vemos as sessões plenárias não foram suspensas de acordo com as regras parlamentares, dado que apenas uma deliberação do plenário do parlamento decreta que as sessões podem ser suspensas ou agendadas para datas alternativas. Estivemos hoje nesta casa do povo, porque não aceitamos o desrespeito mostrado contra as regras parlamentares. Viemos hoje para levantar e discutir questões muito importantes que afectam mesmo agora o nosso povo, de acordo com o nosso direito como representantes do povo exercidos por intermédio da sessão plenária e de acordo com as regras do parlamento," clarificou Guterres.

"Contudo, mais uma vez podemos ver claramente que apesar do seu serviço de boca a promoveram a democracia, a prática da política de inclusão e de respeito pelos direitos do povo, que eles na realidade não respeitam o povo porque mostram falta de respeito pelos grupos e pelo seu direito de participar em sessões plenárias nestes tempos salvaguardados pelas regras do parlamento."

"O parlamento tornou-se o megafone do governo. Não precisam de tentar representar o contrário. Este é um passo muito regressivo para a nossa nova legislatura. A FRETILIN tudo fará dentro dos seus poderes para se opor a estas acções do executivo parlamentar, acções manifestas na desvalorização do papel do parlamento e um descarado desrespeito do parlamento como órgão representante do povo," concluiu Guterres.

Contactos: José Teixeira (+670) 728 7080, ou email: fretilin.media@gmail.com

Leader of Timor Leste’s Fretilin Party visiting RI Jakarta

Antara - 09/10/07 21:36

- The leader of Timor Leste’s Fretilin Party, Mari Alkatiri, is currently visitng Indonesia to meet and hold dialogs with local political parties and other organizations.

At a meeting between him and Tifautul Sembiring, chairman of the Muslim-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) here Monday, the two sides agreed to step up two-way communications and explore the possibility of closer cooperation in the future.

Tifatul said after the meeting, " We had a dialog just now and I think it would be good for our two parties to cooperate with the purpose of building for the future."

He said at the present stage the two parties would first increase their two-way communications.

"We will first communicate with each other. We do not know yet what the cooperation will be like. Well, we will just correspond with each other first," he said.

Asked about the difference in ideology between the two parties, Tifatul said the spirit of his meeting with Alkatiri was building dialog for a better future.

"He (Mari Alkatiri) just now also admitted that his party’s ideology was socialism and not all in his delegation were Moslems," he said.

Tifatul further said that besides giving a lecture to Muhammadiyah (Islamic organization) Alkatiri during his visit here also wished to show that Fretilin still existed although it failed to win the posts of president and prime minister in Timor Leste’s recent general elections.

"Because as you know, Indonesia’s views will somehow always affect the political situation in Timor Leste," Tifatul quoted Alkatiri as saying.

Separately, Mari Alkatiri meanwhile said that his intention to meet leaders of several organizations and political parties in Indonesia was to hold dialogs and share experience as well as provide information on the latest developments in his country.

"The people of Timor Leste believe that if they can overcome all their present challenges, they will sooner or later recover and become a normal state," he said.

The former Timor Leste prime minister also explained that his party had built good relations with various parties in Indonesia and was trying to increase bilateral communications.

He also hoped that cooperation between Moslems in the two countries would develop well.
There are around 3,000 Moslems in predominantly Catholic Timor Leste. They have always lived in harmony with the rest of the people and are never discriminated against. Their Idul Fitri and Idul Adha holy days have also been declared national holidays.

Media Release: ANICETO GUTERRES: PARLIAMENT IS JUST A "MOUTHPIECE" OF THE CNRT GOVERNMENT; PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY HAS DISAPPEARED.

FRENTE REVOLUCIONARIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE

FRETILIN

MEDIA RELEASE
Dili, 10 Setember 2007

ANICETO GUTERRES: PARLIAMENT IS JUST A "MOUTHPIECE" OF THE CNRT GOVERNMENT; PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY HAS DISAPPEARED.

The Executive of the Timor-Leste National Parliament, made up of CNRT and its allies, has become a "lackey" and "mouthpiece/spokesperson" of the CNRT de facto government, despite the President of the National Parliament having stated during his speech following his election as President that the National Parliament would never become the "spokesperson" of the government, said today the Leader of the FRETILIN parliamentary group Aniceto Longuinhos Guterres.

"We have already seen during the elections for the executive of the parliament that they do not have democratic tendencies and do not respect the other parliamentary groupings as the legitimate representatives of the people. They deliberately and vindictively neglected the status of FRETILIN as the most voted party and largest parliamentary grouping. Now, we can see yet again that they do not respect the other parliamentary groupings and they are not willing to abide by the parliamentary regulations, which guarantee to each parliamentarian a voice in the parliament by way of guaranteeing regular weekly plenary sessions of the parliament where each can have a say," said Guterres.

On the 7th of September, Notice No. 4/SAPLEN/II, was emitted on behalf of the parliamentary executive following a meeting of the representatives of the parliamentary groupings last Wednesday, 6 th of September, decreeing that the regular plenary sessions for today and tomorrow had been suspended. However, FRETILIN contends that this notice contravened the parliament's own regulations, which stipulates that plenary sessions of the parliament shall take place every Monday and Tuesday, and FRETILIN has questioned the parliamentary executive's motives behind this suspension of the plenary sessions.

"They have suspended the plenary sessions because they do not want FRETILIN or the other parties to raise in the plenary today or tomorrow the many worrying questions which have already arisen regarding the proposed government program. It is important to note that the proposed government program document itself was also delivered to the parliamentarians via the back door; that is without being properly formally tabled in the plenary session of the parliament which by rights it should have been. They have clearly acknowledged this mistake and have scheduled the tabling of the government program for a plenary to be held tomorrow," added Guterres.

Guterres also made it clear that as the Leader of the FRETILIN grouping, during the meeting of the representatives of the parliamentary groupings which took place on the 6 th of September last, he requested that the plenary sessions to commence to discuss the government program should be scheduled for the 17th of September next, in order to give four more days in which the members of parliament could analyze the government program, also ensuring that the debate could be more fruitful.

"As we see it the proposed time frame is too short because we only received a photocopy of the Portuguese version of the government program document last Friday afternoon, almost evening. Many of the members of parliament from all parties are new and have a limited command of Portuguese. They have not had enough time to properly analyze the government program. Many have never even seen a government program before. Despite our having insisted on a number of occasions, the last one being on Saturday the 8 th of September, for the plenary session to debate the government program to be scheduled for the 17th, the executive of the parliament insist that it should be scheduled for the 13th of September next. This is because they are being pressured from all sides to adhere to the 13 th of September date," said Guterres.

"The FRETILIN grouping will attend the parliament this morning and tomorrow, because as we see it the plenary sessions have not been suspended in accordance with the parliamentary regulations, as it is only by a deliberation of the plenary of parliament that the plenary sessions may be suspended or scheduled for alternate dates. We have attended today, in this the people's house, because we do not accept this disrespect shown for the parliamentary regulations. We have come today to raise and discuss the many important issues which affect our people right now, in accordance with our right as the representatives of the people exercised through the plenary and in accordance with the regulations of the parliament," clarified Guterres.

"Yet again we can see clearly that despite their lip service to promoting high democracy, the practicing of politics of inclusion and heightened respect for rights of our people, they do not really respect the people because they have shown a lack of respect for the groupings and their right to sit in parliament during the plenary sessions during those times safeguarded by the parliament's regulations."

"The parliament has become the mouthpiece of the government. They need not try to represent that it is otherwise. This is a very regressive step for our new legislature. FRETILIN will do everything within its power to oppose these actions by the parliamentary executive, actions which are manifest in devaluing the role of the parliament and a blatant disrespect of parliament as the representative of the people," concluded Guterres.



Contacts: José Teixeira (+670) 728 7080, or email: fretilin.media@gmail.com