Fretilin Fails to Abide by its Own Legislation

Media Release CNRT - Thursday, May 31, 2007 1:07 AM AEST

Dili, 29th May 2007 - Less than a week after forcing legislation through parliament on the 18th May 2007, Fretilin Minister Cipriana Pereira today failed to comply with her own party's legislation on negative electioneering.

The National Parliament of East Timor enacted new laws said to combat voter intimidation and vote buying at the parliamentary elections scheduled for 30th June. The ruling Fretilin party pushed the laws through the country's legislature while opposition parties walked out in protest at the erosion of democratic rights when debate on the amendments to the electoral laws began.


The amendments contain stiff fines and jail terms for offences such as deliberately and wilfully but falsely accusing another person of breaching the electoral law and lodging complaints made in bad faith and without foundation regarding the electoral authorities and their lawful decisions.


At the time Fretilin Central Committee member Francisco Branco stated that the new penal provisions were designed to clean up "negative electioneering of the type employed in the Presidential elections against Fretilin's candidate."


The negative campaigning referred to was President Jose Ramos-Horta repeatedly speaking out about reports of voter intimidation and vote buying by Fretilin Party radicals.


Fretilin Minister Cipriana Pereira today made false accusations of corruption against President Xanana Gusmao's office in a discussion on good Governance & Corruption, an act that surely counts as negative campaigning.


This failure to abide by its own mandates is symptomatic of Fretilin's tenure of Government. An arrogant approach to the people and institutions of a nation brought to crisis by poor governance and inherent corruption within its governing party.


For Further Information contact: Tania Correia t: +670 735 8696 e: taniabcorreia@gmail.com