Timor Leste UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PROTEST IN DILI

Timor Leste UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PROTEST IN DILI

Petition delivered July 7, 2008

University Students protest will be carried on today in Dili.

A petition was delivered yesterday to the following institutions
- Parliament: Received by the President of the Parliament, Fernando Lasama and the two vice-Presidents of the Parliament, Vicente Guterres and Maria Paixão.
- Office of the President: Received by the Chief of the Cabinet, Ms Natalia Carrascalão
- Office of the Prime Minister: Received by Ms Elisabeth Exposto
- F-FDTL: Received by Colonel Lere

The students will deliver today the same petition to the Court of Appeal and the Office of the Ombudsman.

This petition was presented by ASUTIL (Timor Leste University Students Solidarity Action) and aims at raising concerns of the people of Timor-Leste.

It demands the following:

that state institutions look into measures to decrease food prices to allow people to have greater access to food

that the President of the Republic uses his power of veto to block the rectifiying budget because it is too high, the government is incapable spending it appropriately, it is only going to further benefit the powerful elite, it would lead to corruption and also lead to greater dependency of Timor-Leste on debts when the country stops receiving revenues from the petroleum resources.

This could happen in the very near future.

that the Parliament blocks the proposal on the arms law in which article 4 is a major concern

that the President and the both Vice-Presidents of the Parliament should not change the agreement they had made with the students on the 12 June 2008 in regards to the purchase of the luxury cars for the parliamentarians. On this agreement they were told that only 26 cars would be purchased for the Parliament Committees.

that Mariano Sabino, the Minister of Agriculture should stop making agreements to provide land for foreign companies for sugar cane and rubber plantations because people need this land for food production.

that the President meets the students to hold talks on scholarships which should have taken place on the 11th of February 2008 (the date of the assassination attempt on the President).

that government should resolve the issue of Internally Displaced People to avoid having refugees in our own country

A peace march will be organized to defend people’s rights if the students’ demands are not met.

Action Coordinator: Santiago Ximenes Vaz “Kilikai Mata”

Spokesperson: Marcos Guterres Gusmão “Auraga”

Dili, 7 July 2008
Contact: +670 737 9007

Media Release: Call to investigate Gusmão's rice contract for mates

FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE
FRETILIN

Media Release
July 7, 2008

Call to investigate Gusmão's rice contract for mates

The de facto Prime Minister of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao, is being widely condemned for awarding a US$14.4 million rice supply contract to a ‘mate’, without a competitive tender.

FRETILIN today called for an independent investigation into the contract which went to the company Tres Amigos, headed by Mr Germanu da Silva, Vice-President of Gusmao’s CNRT party, and an old friend and a member of Mr Gusmao’s Finance Department when he was President.

FRETILIN Vice President, former minister and MP Arsenio Bano today condemned the contract and called for a full and transparent independent inquiry into the deal that even some CNRT MPs have criticised as indicative of “Corrupt, Collusive and Nepotistic” conduct, known in Timor-Leste by its Indonesian acronym “KKN”.

“It is well known that Gusmao and Germanu da Silva are long time friends and political allies,” Bano said. “It raises many questions when the Prime Minister gives him a contract for US$14 million, with no public tender or other competitive bidding process.”

Bano said the growing furore in Dili over the rice deal would embarrass Gusmao’s “luminary foreign advisors who have shouted long and loud about the Gusmao government’s anti-corruption credentials”.

Bano said copies of contract documents obtained by FRETILIN, show that an original contract was awarded by Gusmao on 29 February 2008 for the supply and storage of 8,000 tons of rice, at US$510 per ton, with a total contract value of US$4.08 million. This original contract was amended by Mr Gusmao on or about 7 May 2008 to increase the amount of rice to be supplied to 16,000 tons at a unit price of US$900 per ton and a total contract price of US$14.4 million.

“When you read the copies of the contract documents, you see that at first there was one amount to be supplied for the price of US$4.08 million, then it was changed by hand to 10,000 tons, then it was reduced again by hand to 8,000 tons. It looks to us like rice price speculation on the run,” Bano said.

“This is very suspicious especially when it involves a single source contract, without any other competitive bidder being involved. To anyone looking at the documents, it looks like they have colluded to play around with the amount of rice to be supplied to get a better deal for the supplier.”

Critics of the rice deal include two MPs from Gusmao’s own CNRT party – Mr Cecilio Caminha, Vice President of the Parliament's Economics, Finance and Anti-Corruption Committee C (Timor Post 3 July 2008) and Ms Maria Terezinha Viegas (Timor Post 4 July 2008).

Arsenio Bano said Mr Gusmao could not legally commit his government to the contract purchase rice because parliament had not approved the budget.

Bano said there were serious doubts about the integrity of other major contracts awarded by the Gusmao administration, including for two patrol boats and two heavy fuel-oil powered electricity plants.

“To cover these and other contracts, the administration is seeking a supplementary budget increase of 122% for 2008. All indications are that they cannot be trusted with such a huge increase,” Bano said.
Bano said FRETILIN had already referred cases of suspected corruption involving Gusmao’s deputy prime minister and others to the Ombudsman for investigation.

Contact: Jose Teixeira +670 728 7080
Nilva Guimaraes +670 734 0389

Media Release: Timor Leste: Second defeat for controversial gun law

FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE
FRETILIN

Media Release
July 2, 2008

Timor Leste: Second defeat for controversial gun law

A controversial new gun law proposed by Timor Leste’s de facto government suffered a second defeat in parliament on Monday, and debate on the draft law was postponed.

Article 4 of the draft law, drawn up by Xanana Gusmao’s AMP (Parliamentary Majority Alliance) without any public consultation, would empower the national police commander to licence civilians to obtain and carry firearms.

Following Monday’s vote, FRETILIN’s parliamentary leader Aniceto Guterres called on the AMP leadership to allow MPs a conscience vote on the issue.

“FRETILIN believes Timor Leste needs fewer guns, not more, and many AMP members of parliament agree with us,” Guterres said.

The legislation was first voted down on June 25 (by 23 votes to 11 with 3 abstentions) with AMP members siding with FRETILIN and other opposition parties.
FRETILIN’s parliamentary leader Aniceto Guterres said AMP leaders tried to resurrect Article 4 in parliament on Monday, June 30.

“FRETILIN again proposed the elimination of Article 4, and our position was supported by 25 votes to 17. Everyone in the chamber counted it as such, but the vote was formally declared of 25 votes against our motion and 20 in favour. We objected and a second vote was held immediately which resulted in 23 in favour, 23 against and 7 abstentions – a tie,” Guterres said.

“In the event of a tied vote, the standing rules of parliament provide for another vote after further debate, but that was not immediately possible because parliament became too unruly. Parliament then agreed on a joint motion to suspend the debate.

“Our people have had enough of being subjected to armed groups disrupting their lives. That’s why FRETILIN opposes this legislation and we know that many AMP members agree with us. But they are obviously under pressure to tow the line.”
Guterres said the de facto government had ignored FRETILIN’s offer last week to discuss how to reach consensus on a new draft law, opting instead for a confrontational approach.

“If the gun law comes back in the same form or substantially the same form, we will again oppose it,” he said.

Contact: Jose Teixeira +670 728 7080
Nilva Guimaraes +670 734 0389

DEKLARASAUN POLITIKA HUSI BANCADA FRETILIN

DEKLARASAUN POLITIKA HUSI BANCADA FRETILIN

ASSUNTO: KONVITE HUSI GOVERNU DE FACTU RDTL BA EXPRESSAUN DE INTERESSE ATU HARII SENTRAL ELETRIKA FOIR RUA NO REDE LINHA ELETRIKA NASIONAL

Parlamentu Nasional RDTL
29 Juñu 2008

Iha loron 17 Junhu 2008, ministerio finansas lansa "Konvite ba Hatama Espresaun Interesse no

Proposta" iha sira nina website atu buka kompania neebe hakarak "harii rede energia nasional no sentral eletrika rua ho kapasidade produz 150 too 200 MWs".

Ida nee halo em vez de halo Tender hanesa ita hotu kompreende. Laos tender.

Iha konvite nee dehan katak proposta hotu hotu tenki simu molok ka iha loron 4 Julhu 2008. Ida nee fob a potensial investidores semana rua no loron tolu deit atu hatama proposta ida neebe representa investimentu publiku bot liu iha Timor-Leste nia historia. Tamba sa mak semana rua deit?

Ami sei esplika ami nia suspeita tamba sa mak semana rua deit tuir mai.

Konvite nee husi governu de facto RDTL nian, husi ministeriu finansas no infraestruturas, tatoli mos katak sentral rua neebe atu harii tenki hodi kombustivel "heavy oil", ka iha tetum dehan "mina todan' ka iha portugues "oleo pezado".

Iha Ingles mos iha naran seluk hanesa "residue oil" (mina restu) ka "numeru 6". Naran hirak nee tamba mina nee, mina neebe mosu depois de porsessu refinasaun neebe hasai te ona bensin, mina rai, solar, no seluk, no hela deit oleo ida neebe foir no todan liu. Tamba nee mak hanaran "mina todan".

Folin tomak ba harii sentral rua nee ita seidauk hatene, maibe ita hatene katak governu de facktu orsamenta iha orsamentu rektifikativu osan dolar US$10 MILHOES.

Rede transmissaun no distribuisaun nasional ami hatene ona tamba governu uluk prepara ona programa investimentu eletrifikasaun nasional.

Mina todan nee ita hatene ona katak mina ida neebe foir liu, no nia teknologia atu produz energia nee ida neebe tuan liu. Iha mundu tomak ohin loron rai itoan deit mak sei halau pordisaun energia husi mina todan. Rai neebe sei halau hela sentral hirak nee barak mak buka dadaun atu taka lalais tamba metodo produsaun nee produz poluisaun makas liu neebe estraga ambiente.
Parlamentu nee mos foin ratifika tratadu Kyoto neebe buka hamenus metodo produsaun energia neebe foir hanesan husi mina todan.

Ita bele dehan deit katak mina todan nee aat liu batuk bara. Uluk dehan iha fatin nee katak batuk bara mak atu uza. Diak liu buka opsaun ida neebe diak liu buat rua nee hotu.

Hau hakarak fo ezemplu ida: iha tinan 1973, 16.65% Estadus Unidus Amerika ninia energia produz husi mina todan, maibe ohin loron 0%. Sira taka tamba sentral hirak nee produz polusaun makas. Laos deit sira, iha rai barabarak iha mundu, no mos iha rai besik ita hanesa Indonesia, Australia, Tailandia, Korea no China, ohin loron hotu buka taka sira nia sentral mina todan.

Maibe Timor-Leste buka loke fali.

Ita hotu kompreendi katak Timor-Leste presiza investimentu makas iha sector eletrisidade.

Governu FRETILIn uluk buka dalan ba ida nee no prepara investimentu iha sector ida nee. Ita hotu hatene kona ba hidro eletriku iha Ira lalara no fatin seluk iha Timor tomak neebe bele harii sentral hidro eletriku, estudu hirak neebe klean los no tomak, no mos kona ba gas natural no solar no buat seluk. Governu uluk la halai deit ba buat neebe fasil maibe foir no nakunu ho problemas.

Ami buka solusaun sustentavel no neebe fo vantage ba Povo no ambiente.

Konvite neebe publika husi governu de facto buka sentral rua ho kapasidade 150-200 MWs, no tuir 3.5 apendix ba dokumentu konvite, "projetu tomak, hodi desenhu to hahu halau, sentral no linha transmisaun tenki remata iha tinan ida nia laran hodi assina kontratu". Nee hodi ita kestiona tan buat barak.

Tuir estudu ADB nian iha tinan 2004, iha tinan 2025 Timor-Leste sei presize 109 MWs deit. Ida nee toma konta ona nesedidade kona ba kresimentu ekonomiku, fabrikas neebe atu harii no turismu etc. Tansa mak harii fali sentral 200 MWs iha tempu badak hanesa tinan ida?

Maski it abele harii sentral hirak nee Povo no industria nia kapasidade sei la too iha neeba too tinan sanulu karik. Povo maubere la iha geleira ka AC ka buat seluk neebe uza energia makas hanesa nee. Entaun it abele dehan governu propoen uza sira nia osan ba se nia benefisiu deit? Laos ba sira entaun ba se?

Tamba iha kolega ruma neebe budu hela ka hein hela ho sentral tuan ida iha rai ruma neebe tenki taka no hakarak mai soi iha Timor-Leste? Atu lori mai ita nia rai dobin, nudar rai ida neebe bele soi besi tuan ka?

Timor-Leste sei la presiza 150-200 MWs iha tinan sanulu nia laran. Loke matan ba realidade ida nee Povo Timor-Leste! Governu de faktu nee hakarak foti imi nia osan atu fo kontratu ba sira nia amigus karik? Kontratu ida neebe sei lakon imi nia osan.

Dokumentu konvite la hatete katak sentral neebe buka atu harii tenki foun. Tamba sa mak la dehan tenki foun? Ida nee kondisaun ida neebe normalmente hakerek iha tender ka konvite.

Tamba hatene ona katak iha ida neebe tuan budu hela ka? Ami la divida katak sira nia intensaun mak sentral neebe atu harii la dun presize foun, tamba sira hatene ona sé mak atu lori sentral tuan ida mai. Los ka lae? Governu de faktu tenki hatan deit. Sei ami sala, ami hein deit imi esklarese. Ami hein imi nia hatan sei la los.

Ami suspeita ida nee makas tamba, la iha kompanhia professional ida neebe atu hatan ba projetu bot ida hanesa nee iha semana rua nia laran deit.

La iha mos kompanhia ida neebe seriu neebe bele hahu harii sentral no buat seluk too ramata iha tinan ida nia laran.

Nee hatudu deit,
1. Sira iha ona ema ida neebe sira hakarak fo kontratu bot nee ba, no
2. Sentral tuan ida budu hela deit atu lori mai.

Buat rua nee la diak ba nasaun no povo Timor-Leste tamba ita sei la hetan nem teknologia ida neebe diak no efisienti, no ita la hetan folin diak no sentral no ekipamentus diak tamba tempu badak la fo oportunidade ba kompanhia ida neebe diak iha mundu laran bele hatama sira nia proposta.

Sosa sentral ida ho folin liu USD$300 milhoes laos hanesa hola taxi ka hola trator tempu CNRT neeba.

Ami dehan ho lian makas: nee hili sala no aat bot husi governu de faktu ida nee. Tansa mak la halau ba oin deit estudu murak no sustentavel kona ba hidro eletriku no gas natural, no biomassa neebe la foir hanesa mina toda?

Tamba laos sira nia maluk ruma mak atu hetan osan karik.

Depois tintinan ita sei tenki hola nafatin mina ho folin aas. Maske ita iha ita nia mina rasik, ita sei buka tama iha kuak bot ekonomiku sei ita buka uza ita nia mina deit, tamba loron ruma mina sei laiha ona nusa? Hare deit ba Indoensia nia problema horas dadaun.

Ou tamba assessor ruma mak agora tau fali hanoin seluk? Iha nee, ohin hikas, ami hakarak fo hatene ba assessors neebe lori sira nia agenda mai katak buat neebe sei mosu aat ba ita nia Povo, neebe osan Povo nian mak lakon, amu sei buka imi atu lori hatan ba justisa iha neebe neebe deit mak imi hanoin imi atu halai.

Hau konvida kolegas deputadus hotu neebe hakarak buka lia los kona ba hau nia deklarasaun atu buka le deit Dokumentu Konvite.

Hau hakfodak liu katak dokumentu konvite nee la iha nem lia fuan ida kona ba Tau Matan ba impaktu Ambiental ka impaktu social negativu. La tau obrigasaun kona ba ida nee.

Projetu ida neebe lori kombustivel ida neebe foir liu iha mundu la iha impaktu ambiental? No ita tenki hanoin, bainhira ita kolian impaktu ambiental katak Povu sira mak moris besik liu sentral hirak nee. Sentral hirak nee atu harii iha neebe mos ita seidauk hatene.

Maibe iha loron badak, semana seit, no fulan deit buat hotu hotu tenki pronto ona.

Ami hanoin katak ho attitude ida nee, Povo barak mak sei terus, no porblema barak mak sei mosu. Problemas oioin deit. Problemas hanesa taxi neebe sai besi tuan no hanesan trator tempu CNRT nian karik.

FRETILIN la iha objesaun bainhira iha proposta atu halau prosessu ida neebe bele dezenvolve Povo no nasaun ho responsabilidae no sustentabilidade.

Maibe buat neebe halo sem plane, sem programa neebe diak ba Povo, ami sei kontra. Liliu tamba ami iha nee atu tau matan ba Povo nia osan, Povo nia riku soin. Keta sentral nee mos marka Prado karik?

Ikus liu, ami seidauk haree estudu viabilidade ekonomiku husi governu kona ba proposta projetu bot ida nee. Nee mos it abele dehan, politika hola taxi deit, tamba la interessa ba sustentabilidade ka viabilidade.

Ami la husik imi halau governasaun hanesa ba hola taxi ka trator.

FRETILIN deklara ona: Ami sei la rekonesi arbiru deit akordu neebe governu ilegitimu ida nee halo. Tamba nee ami fo avisu bot ida: sé sé deit mak atu hatama sira nia proposal ba governu de faktu ida nee, husu ba katak sira lori imi nia proposal tomak mai parlamentu atu ami mos bele hare ho diak no aprova, tamba governu de sei hakarak parlamentu aprova selu imi nia investimentu iha tinan tolu tuir mai.

FRETILIN pronto aprova buat hotu neebe transparente, sustentavel no iha folin ba ita nia Povo.
Projetu ida nee halo la liu pratika diak iha mundu kona ba transparensia nem hatudu katak atu iha folin diak ba Povo. Laos mos sustentavel. Hanesa nee ami chumba. Nee Dr Mari Alkatiri hatete ona ba malai sira iha Washington iha fulan ida nee no sira mos konkorda: governasaun tenki transparent no etikal atu FRETILIN bele apoia projetus nasionais neebe sira halau.

Ami hatete klaru ba maluk kontrator neebe hanoin atu investi iha porjetu ida nee: ami sei la selu imi nia osan tuir kontratu neebe imi halo ho governu ilegitimu sei la transparente no sei la aprovadu husi parlamentu nasional.

No mos, sé sé deit mak buka halo kolusi iha prosessu nee nia laran, ami sei hakotu imi nia kontratu tamba kolusi nee krime, no ami sei buka imi iha neebe neebe deit.

Nee avisu todan, maibe ita hotuhotu iha responsabilidade todan: tau matan ba Povo nia osan no rikusoin. Tamba nee mak ami nia liafuan mos todan.

Mak nee deit. Ami sei tau matan kroat ba kestaun ida nee.

Komunikadu Imprensa - Sekretáriu Jeral FRETILIN nian, Dr Mari AlkAtiri fila hikas mai ona Timor Leste

FRENTE REVOLUCIONARIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE

FRETILIN

KOMUNIKADU IMPRENSA
Dili, 28 Juñu 2008

Sekretáriu Jeral FRETILIN nian, Dr Mari AlkAtiri fila hikas mai ona Timor Leste, sabadu kotuk hafoin halo vizita semana lima ba Europa, Áfrika no Amérika.

Iha konferénsia imprensa halo iha sede partidu nian iha Komoro, Dr. Alkatiri explika katak delegasaun FRETILI lao lemorai, la'os atu fasi roupa foer uma laran nian. Sira husu komunidade international atu continua tulun nafatin Timor-Leste. La'os atu fó osan deit maibé tenke halo mo'os fiskalizasaun ba programas ne'ebé halao ho osan ne'ebé Timor-Leste simu hosi komunidade internasional.

Dr. Alkatiri esklarese katak nia la simu premiu iha Amérika, maibé, simu elojiu bo'ot no hosi ema barak kona ba Fundu Minarai ne'eb hari iha tempu I Governu Konstusional ne'ebé nia rasik lidera.

Kona ba orsamentu rectifikativu ne'ebé Governu ható ba Parlamentu Nasional, ne'ebé a'as liu Orsamentu Jeral de Estadu ba tinan 2008, Dr. Alkatiri hatete : "N'ee hanesan orjia do poder, halo nar'naran deit. Iha orsamentu retifikativu, governu hakarak mo'os hari'i Fundu estabilizasaun ekonómika, ne'ebé husu tokun rihun rua lima nulu , USD$250 milhoens. Dr Alkatiri dehak katak nia la konkorda tamba ne'e "inkonstutusional no la tuir orsamentu minimu. Governu la aprezenta justifikasaun ho programas konkretus ba fundu ne'e. Ida ne'e bele sai deit saku azul hanesan iha tempu Suharto nian. Fundu ne'e ba duni estabilizasaun ekonomika ka bele sai fali fundu ba instabilizasaun polítika?", Dr. Alkatiri husu.

Kona ba presus ne'ebé aumenta ba bei'beik Dr. Alkatiri hatete: " Governu tenki hola medidas urjentes ho tempu badak tebes. La'os fó deit subsídiu. Tenke aumenta produsaun, aumenta servisu, hanoin ba agrikulturam, peskas, atividade lor'loron povu nian, reforsa saúde, edukasaun, trasnporte, ligasaun agrikultura ho komérsiu. La'os aumenta dependénsia povu ba subsídiu. Ne'e la'os governasaun".

Bainhira Dr. Alkatiri hetan ho MCC – Milenniun Challenge Corporation, iha Amérika, sira hatete ba nia katak iha 2006, Timor-Leste avansadu ba simu apoiu hosi MCC, maibé, falha deit maka iha kritériu konsulta popular, la'os tamba iha korupsaun.

Ba mo'os konferénsia ne'e, Prezidenti ASDT, Sr. Franscisco Xavier, Prezidenti Kota, Sr. Manuel Tilman no Reprezentante Prezidenti PPT nian.

Iha sira nain rua nia diskursu sira hatete katak sira hakarak tanen Tilor-Leste no hamo'os korupsaun.

Militantes no simpatizantes FRETILIN hatudu sábadu kotuk katak sira hadomi no iha respeito ba Dr. Alkatiri núdar Sekretáriu Jeral FRETILIN nian no núdar líder istótiku partidu FRETILIN nian ne'ebé sei importante nafatin ba futuru partidu nian no mo'os ba Timor-Leste.

Kontaktu: José Teixeira, tel 727 7080
_______________________________________________________________________
Nota adisional: Enkontrus halo iha Amérika: Dr. Alkatiri no José Teixeira, deputadu FRETILIN nian, no eis Ministru Rekursus Naturais, hetan malu ho responsáveis hanesan Sr. Christopher Hill, Asistente Sekretáriu Estadu, Sr. Scott Marciel, Secretáriu-Adjuntu ba Ázia-Pasífiku no Sr. David Price, Prezidenti Komité Demokrasia nian hosi Kaza Reprezentantes nian responsáveis, Nia mo'os hetan funsionárius hosi "United States Agency for International Development", "National Democratic Institute for International Affairs" , " International Republican Institute", "Millennium Challenge Corporation", "Peterson Institute for International Economic Development" no Banco Mundial.

Media Release:Key aspect of Gusmao gun law defeated in Timor Leste parliament

FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE

FRETILIN

Media Release
June 26, 2008

Key aspect of Gusmao gun law defeated in Timor Leste parliament

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão’s de facto AMP government suffered a stunning defeat in the national parliament late yesterday afternoon, when its proposal to grant the sole discretionary power to license civilians to have firearms to the Timor-Leste National Police Commander was defeated. By a vote of 23 votes in favor, 11 against and 3 abstentions, the operative section in the draft proposed law (section 4) was deleted, said FRETILIN’s parliamentary leader, Aniceto Guterres.

FRETILIN holds the largest block of seats in the Timor-Leste National Parliament, 21 seats from a total of 65.

“An alternative motion to amend the important section 4, by considerably limiting the category of persons entitled to be authorized to obtain and carry firearms, was withdrawn during the heated and emotive debate, because the mover of the motion became convinced that the law was too liberal and should be more restrictive of who can have and carry firearms. FRETILIN is happy that the debate was so fulsome and productive that it resulted in even members of parliament allied to the AMP seeing the inappropriateness of the draft law,” said Guterres.

With section 4 struck out, the draft law is in tatters. This was the operative section, and without a substituting clause, the law has no mechanism to authorize the issuing of firearms licenses.

“Those who need to carry weapons in the course of their duties, such as the Defense Forces and Police are able to do so. They have their own laws that permit it. The public do not want to widen that category to include persons for whom it is not essential they have firearms to perform their duty effectively and lawfully. We reject totally the argument by some AMP MPs that many others are potentially in danger whilst performing their duty and should therefore be able to carry firearms. If we apply this category, then Timor-Leste will potentially be like the ‘Wild West’, where everyone will be toting guns. We don’t want that kind of society and its clear neither do our people. Like our people, we reject this ‘armed to the teeth’ approach to living,” added Guterres.

Guterres says that this episode has given both the de facto government and its parliamentary wing the chance to consult with FRETILIN, PUN, PD, PSD, KOTA/PPT and ASDT, as well as its own MPs who opposed the direction of the draft gun laws, to try to find acceptable changes.

“We need consensus on laws such as these. We in FRETILIN will always be open to dialogue towards enacting a sound, workable anti-gun law that embodies our people’s aspirations and that has been attained by consensus. We need a strong law that says, ‘Less Guns in Our Midst! Let’s End the Culture of Violence!’ That's what we all want,” Guterres said in closing.

Contact: Jose Teixeira +670 728 7080
Nilva Guimaraes +670 734 0389

Media Release: FRETILIN opposes Gusmao government’s liberal and suspect gun laws

FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE

FRETILIN

Media Release
June 25, 2008

FRETILIN opposes Gusmao government’s liberal and suspect gun laws


FRETILIN, Timor-Leste’s largest party, vigorously opposed attempts by Mr Gusmão’s AMP de-facto government to have parliament pass a law giving the Police Commander the sole and discretionary power to authorize civilians to obtain and possess firearms, said FRETILIN's parliamentary leader, Aniceto Guterres in Dili today.

Guterres also chaired Timor-Leste's historic Truth, Reception and Reconciliation Commission and sat as a member of the Truth and Friendship Commission established to investigate and uncover the truth behind the Indonesian military atrocities in Timor-Leste in 1999. “The history of firearms in the hands of civilians has contributed to all the bloody episodes in our country’s tortured history. I have no doubt every citizen rejects any notion of licensing civilians to possess firearms,” he said.

The draft of the proposed law currently being debated in the national parliament has been opposed by members of Mr Gusmão’s own coalition parties, including the President of Social Democratic Party, Mario Carrascalão, who yesterday voted against the introduction of the law in general terms. KOTA, the Democratic Party and other parties also criticized the move on the basis that the people of Timor-Leste had already been traumatized by firearms and are not ready for a law permitting civilians to possess firearms.

“This proposed law, just like most proposed laws that the de facto government is putting forward, has not been released for public consultation and comment. There has been no scrutiny by the public. Don’t they trust the people of Timor-Leste and our civil society? There is no way this draft law would have come this far had it been the subject of public consultation. Since the debate started yesterday FRETILIN has received expression of concern from many in the public and civil society regarding the proposals to permit civilians to be armed. We will fight to promote the public’s desire to prevent weapons falling into the hands of civilians,” said Guterres.

FRETILIN is also concerned that there are no oversight or appeal mechanisms over the sole and discretionary power of the Police Commander to authorize and decline licenses to people. The Timor-Leste National Police was identified as a highly politicized and weak state institution by the 2006 UN International Commission of Inquiry. The Commission of Inquiry also highlighted the impact of the breakdown of its command in the ensuing violent crisis that engulfed the nation.

“What also concerns us, given the inadequate oversight and appeal mechanisms, are that this legal discretion could be used politically and improperly - that is to allow civilians with one political inclination access to firearms and deny others access because of their political affiliations. This makes this draft law far too dangerous and very, very suspicious,” concluded Guterres.

Contact: Jose Teixeira +670 728 7080
Nilva Guimaraes +670 734 0389