SPEECH BY PRESIDENT OF PARTIDU REPUBLIKANU

JOAO MARIANO SALDANHA, PH.D

AT THE OCCASION OF PARTY LAUNCHING

Venture Hotel, Bidau-Lesidere, Dili, 18 Dezembro 2007

Dear East Timorese friends,

From Memo to Tutuala, from north coast to south coast

In Oe-Cussi and Atauro,

Today we gather here to launch formally Partidu Republikanu (PR) in
this young country, Timor-Leste. Through a long process, the Court of
Appeal has registered formally Partidu Republikanu on 12 October
2006. Therefore, PR can make preparations to participate in the
Elections of 2007.

This launching is part of socialization of the party. As part of
consolidation of the party, yesterday, 17 October 2006, we had the
First National Leadership Conference which 62 party leaders from
National Directive Council, nine District Directive Councils and four
mass organizations of the party, such as Republican Youth, Women,
Workers, and Farmers participated in the conference that was held at
Colegio Paolo VI, Dili, Timor-Leste.

Why Partidu Republikanu was established? When Timor-Leste became
independent, we have started a new chapter in our history. We dreamed
that the new country will protect and oversee all East Timorese, to
work together to build peace, democracy, and prosperity in this new
nation. We also dream that the new nation will be a country of
opportunity for all its sons and daughters.

However, all these dreams have evaporated because of many displaced
East Timorese in Dili and in districts. More than 40 people died
because of stabbing, arrowed, or shot to death. Some have moved to
districts and have to start a new life. All of them suffer, loss of
property, and like us in this room, asking when does this crisis end?

We are saddened because this crisis caused the disintegration of the
National Police (PNTL), the country almost broken into lorosae-
loromunu (east-west), trust to F-FDTL worriors hit bottom rock, heavy
economic contraction, trust to democratic institutions declined, and
almost we are on the verge of civil war. In addition, many have lost
jobs and poverty is increasing.

Because of this crisis, nowadays, peace and prosperity is like jewel,
which is very hard to find in this country.

Dear my East Timorese friends,

The dreams to protect and oversee (fo mahon ho tau matan) all East
Timorese, a country of opportunity for all East Timorese, and to
reverse the crisis strengthened the drive to form Partidu
Republikanu. This new party would like to work together with others
to rebuild the nation. We work together under the light of people's
voice because Partidu Republikanu believes in the adage, Vox Populi
Suprema Lex or people's voice is the highest law. We must be
sensitive to feelings of the majority, to their believes, to their
culture, and to their common interests.

On 30 December 2005, a number of young East Timorese leaders joined
in a meeting in Dili to share views, experience, and perceptions for
the future of this country. We concluded, at the time, that this new
country will face a great challenge because of discrimination and
exclusivism. This situation needs to be reversed, which otherwise
will create tremendous problem in the future. We all agreed that to
reverse the course, we need an instrument that can change the
conditions from within the system. That is to establish a political
party as an instrument to contribute to the national development that
is inclusive and that peace and prosperity will prevail.

However, different from NGO and company, political party must gather
many support and it cannot be founded by a small group. Therefore, we
started by establishing a Preparatory Commission with two main
agendas, namely to discuss with more people and prepare to legalize
the party at the court.

In subsequent meetings of the Preparatory Commission, different names
emerged for the new party. In the end, we settled for Partidu
Republikanu and abbreviated as PR. Republikanu because we want to
strengthen this republic as what our founding fathers and deceased
worriors' want, not a monarchy. We also want this republic to be
democratic state, not a dictatorial republic or a monostate republic.
We also want a republic that can protect and oversee (fo mahon and
tau matan) to all East Timorese.

The key objectives of PR are threefold. First, political objective is
to create a democracy that guarantees justice, equality, and
tolerance in Timor-Leste. We want to build a nation that can fo mahon
ho tau matan to all East Timorese, not only to protect and oversee
one group or one region of this country. All the sons and daughters
of this country need attention and support of the state.

The economic objective of PR is to promote industry and trade that
benefit all East Timorese. We want to promote economic development
that guarantees prosperity to all East Timorese. Briefly, we want
this nation to be a land of opportunity (nasaun ho oportunidade), not
a country of despair and insecurity.

The socio-cultural objective of PR is that PR wants a society that
values their moral and cultural values. We would like to uphold East
Timorese customs and traditions and adopt other ideas and customs to
enrich and strengthen our society.

Therefore, the symbol of Partidu Republikanu is a man tying a scarf
and blow a buffalo horn, which symbolizes the identity of the East
Timorese. Blowing horn means to deliver a message or people's voice.
Buffalo is a cattle that has social and economic values to East
Timorese. It is a strong animal, which means that PR has power to
undertake development.

The flag is white with a green circle at the center and letters PR in
yellow are written at the center of the circle. White means clean
hearts and minds. Green means progress (development) and protection
of environment. Circle at the center means target. PR letters in
yellow means peace. Therefore, white flag, with green circle at the
center with yellow letters at the center of the circle means that the
Partidu Republikanu with clean hearts and minds undertake development
with clear objectives in peaceful situation to achieve prosperity.

Dear my East Timorese friends,

If trusted by people, Partidu Republikanu has six priorities to
develop this nation, security, employment creation, law and order,
education, health, decentralization, and gender equality. In security
area, we would like to professionalize the police force (PNTL) by
conducting more training and clear division of labor between
political appointment and PNTL Command. This is important to not
politicizing the police force as happened in the recent crisis. We
will combat violence from all sources because PR is a non-violence
party and believes in pacific ways to achieve its objectives. In the
area of defense, PR will use diplomacy as the instrument to defend
the nation. When diplomacy is good, defense also is good because we
do not have enemies, especially from neighboring countries. When
diplomacy is good, if we have difficulties, our friends will come for
rescue, such as what happened with the recent crisis when Australia,
New Zealand, Portugal, and Malaysia helped us to restore order in
Timor-Leste. We will promote international trade, sports, and culture
to strengthen the relationship of our country with other countries.
Therefore, border districts such as Bobonaro and Suai and Oe-Cussi
Enclave will learn Indonesian language at schools to facilitate
trade, culture, and defense of the nation.

PR also would like to encourage dialogue between F-FDTL Command and
the Petitioners to address the issue of petitioners once and for all.
At the same time, PR also wants to see a dialogue between F-FDTL
Command and Major Alfredo Reinado and his group to address this issue
as well. On the other hand, we would like to create a defence force
with international prestige by redefining the role of the F-FDTL to
focus on emergency, peace keeping in the world, and natural disaster.
Because discrimination first emerged within the F-FDTL, PR plans to
create a Promotion Council to address the issues of promotion of
soldiers and officers. In addition, we also want to create a military
tribunal to solve problems that arise within the F-FDTL. We also want
to have clear division of labor between the Ministry of Defence and
the F-FDTL Command so that to avoid politization of the armed forces
or denigrate their prestige.

Dear my East Timorese friends,

This crisis was worsened by the involvement of many youths. They do
not have jobs and have nothing to rely on. If ever trusted by the
people, PR would like to create jobs for the youth through
agriculture development, rural infrastructure creation, private
sector development, and macroeconomic stability. Agriculture is
important because the majority of East Timorese live in this sector.
We will create more opportunities for training for the youngsters and
build agriculture infrastructure as well as a source of job creation.
Therefore, we will allocate at least 20% of the national budget to
agriculture sector. We would like to complement the agriculture
sector development with development of rural infrastructure,
especially water and sanitation, electricity, roads, schools, and
health centers such that the rural population can have access to the
basic services.

PR also would like to attract investors to create jobs and raise
income of Timor-Leste. Therefore, we will fight red tape and bring
down taxes to zero for capital and basic need goods. To strengthen
the private sector, PR will nurture competition, especially in
telecommunications industry to bring down prices and provide better
services to the consumers. We will work hard to bring down the
electricity cost to lower the cost of production and low-income
families can have access to electricity. PR also will work hard to
bring pipeline from Timor Sea to create jobs, raise income, develop
the infrastructure, and strengthening defence.

We also plan to regulate the labor market such that Timor-Leste will
only import skilled labor, such as technical and managerial skills.
This is important to protect low skill jobs for East Timorese.

Dear my East Timorese friends,

The National Parliament does not listen the people's voice, they do
not trust the state institutions, lack of coordination of state
institutions because suspicions against each other. Therefore, PR
plans to strengthen the capacity of the national parliament so that
the parliamentarians understand and relate themselves to the needs of
the common people.

PR plans to decentralize activities to districts and sub-districts by
having direct elections of district and sub-district administrators.
This is important so that people can know their likely leaders in the
future. To facilitate decentralization, we also plan to encourage
banking and financial institutions to have operations in rural areas.

Decentralization will also be conducted to ministries and divisions.
We need to trust the ministries to make decisions, including
allocation and expenditures of the state finances. We also need to
decentralize state activities to the private sector by fast tracking
procurement process, including bidding process that is transparent,
fair, and competitive. Therefore, significant reforms will be
implemented in procurement if people entrust these reforms to PR.

Our view is that decentralization also will help budget execution.
Today and in the recent past, budget execution is slow because of
centralization and red tape.

Nevertheless, decentralization will be followed with monitoring and
evaluation. Therefore, PR plans to establish an audit court to
monitor and audit state programs projects.

My Timorese friends who I respect,

Our judicial system meets great challenges because they lack
integrity and facility to work. People do not trust the judges,
prosecutors, police, and prisons. Therefore, we need reforms in this
sector as well as supporting them with adequate tools and equipments
to undertake their jobs properly.

To contribute to national unity, PR will criminalize discriminatory
words, such east-west (lorosae-loromunu).

We also recognize private land ownership, customary ownership, and
institutional ownership. Land, which is used by the Church for social
objectives, state will recognize.

PR will erase analfabetism in 2015 for young people. We also want
that our schools have good quality. However, state alone cannot do
everything. Therefore, decentralization also is needed in education
sector. The government must support private schools that have
quality, particularly the Catholic schools.

PR wants Tetum as the number one official language in Timor-Leste.
All official documents must be written in Tetum before translating
into Portuguese and the working languages. To help the youth, private
sector, and government to participate in globalization, PR plans to
promote English as the third official language in Timor-Leste, along
with Tetum and Portuguese.

Religion and ethics are important for the growth of kids and youth.
Therefore, religion and ethics must be taught in schools since
primary school through university.

In health sector, PR wants to eradicate malaria by 2015. We will
start the pilot project in Atauro island. We also want to reduce
maternal and child mortality.

PR will make efforts to help internally displaced East Timorese to
return to their houses so that they can re-start their lives. The
government must support them through security in hamlets and
materials for reconstructing their houses.

Because of the long conflict, there are many widows and orphans in
this country who need state must support. PR will also support the
veterans of resistance for their transition to normal lives. Some
have just been recognized as heroes by the President of the Republic,
some are doing business, and others do not have jobs and skills. The
state must do more to help them in transition to normal lives.

According to Census 2004, 49.3% of population in Timor-Leste are
women. However, most of women stay at homes to cook, take care of
children, and laundry. If PR gets the support of the people, we will
create a Ministry of Gender and Minority Affairs with the objective
to increase the participation of women in politics, public
administration, military, and other sectors. In addition, this
ministry also will oversee the minority groups, like religion and
other minorities because we want a state that can protect and oversee
all East Timorese.

PR wants to see the elections of 2007 free and fair such that
political parties, including PR can compete. This will allow people
to choose freely the parties based on their programs and competence
of leaders. PR believes that 2-3% electoral threshold is reasonable.
We also want to count the votes on the spot. In addition, we also
want that the National Electoral Commission (NEC) supervise and
monitor the elections. Therefore, the NEC must have its own funding
and has presence in all ballot boxes so that the elections can be
free and fair. On the other hand, the Technical Secretariate for the
Electoral Administration (STAE) must be an independent body and
depends only to NEC.

However, the precondition for the 2007 Elections is security. If we
push for the elections soon, we will risk security and compromise the
liberty of the voters because they will not have chance to determine
their choices freely.

As a new party, we would to say that Partidu Republikanu is preparing
for the Elections whether it is sooner or later.

My East Timorese friends who I respect,

I would like to ask you why choose Partidu Republikanu? Because PR
has a clear priority in national development. As a new party, PR
wants to look to the future by respecting our history. We respect
Fretilin as the pioneer party for independence. We also respect CNRM
and CNRT, which unified the Timorese in the struggle for
independence. In addition, we also respect FALENTIL as the fighters
for independence.

We want to look into the future to a country that can protect and
oversee all East Timorese. Therefore, who are marginalized
politically, economically, and culturally, Partidu Republikanu open
its doors, eyes, and hearings for them.

Our policy is to reach our objectives in pacific ways and non-
violent. Therefore, we will work with all components of the society,
work together with the UN, ASEAN, CPLP, and democratic countries to
promote peace, democracy, and prosperity in Timor-Leste and in the
world.

Finally, PR can implement these programs because PR have the
competence. If we do not have competence in certain areas, we will
work with other parties and other components of the East Timorese
society to fill this gap.

Once again, PR wants to fo mahon ho tau matan ba Timor oan hotu in
peace, democracy, and prosperity.

Viva Republikanu!
Thank you very much.