Army chief for Timor president

The Australian
January 04, 2007

EAST Timor Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta wants the country's defence chief, a former Falintil guerilla commander, appointed as the next president after Xanana Gusmao, who is expected to step down later this year.

Mr Ramos Horta said East Timor Defence Force commander Brigadier-General Taur Matan Ruak would make a good president if Mr Gusmao declined to run in May elections.
"Taur Matan Ruak has good leadership from the 24 years during the resistance period," Mr Ramos Horta said.

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Howard warns of Pacific unrest

Fiji Times Online

1100 FJT
Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Update: 11am Australia's Prime Minister has accused China and Taiwan of "evil" meddling in Australia's Pacific backyard.

John Howard says Australia needs to work harder to stop South Pacific island nations falling into the hands of hostile groups.

He was quoted by Pacific News Agency Service PACNEWS, as saying that Australia would be engaged in the region for up to 20 years struggling to restore order to nations such as Fiji, East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

"I can understand Australians saying, 'Well, look, let's forget about it and leave them to their own devices. Don't waste any money'," he said.

"But that is the wrong approach because they will fall into the hands of the evil from other countries."

"Certainly there's a bit of a battle between China and Taiwan."

Mr Howards Pacific warning came as Fiji's military strongman, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, threatened to ask China for help if Australia opposed his regime.

He said Australia was increasing the size of its army to "deal with things in the region".

Mr Howard said Australia would need to play a major role in the region for the next 10 to 20 years to prevent instability in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

The Australian Government recently sent forces to East Timor and Solomon Islands to help restore law and order.

He said Australia was in a difficult position because of allegations of interference.

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Noticias - 3 de Dezembro

The Age - January 3, 2007 - 4:39PM

Soldier hurt in Timor training accident

An Australian soldier serving in East Timor has been injured after a stun grenade apparently exploded in his hand during a training exercise. A spokesman for the Defence department said the man was flown to Royal Darwin Hospital on Saturday for treatment.

The soldier has since been shifted to a medical facility at the Robertson Army Barracks in Darwin. He was said to be in a stable condition, with unspecified injuries to his hand.

The grenade, known as a flashbang, is designed to seriously disorientate its victim by producing a blinding flash and deafening bang. The department said the incident was being investigated.

There are about 800 Australian Defence Force personnel serving in East Timor who are providing security in the aftermath of last year's political unrest.

NOTÍCIAS UNMIT

National Media Reports:

TP - Timor PostDN - Diario Nacional STL - Suara Timor LorosaeRTTL - Radio e Televisao de Timor-Leste

UNMIT Daily Media Review - Friday, 29 December 2006 – Tuesday, 2 January 2007
National Media Reports

PM Ramos Horta will candidate TMR to be the next President

Speaking to journalists after attending a Christmas party at the Ministry of Education, PM Ramos-Horta reportedly said that he would support the candidature of the commander of F-FDTL, Brigadier Taur Matan Ruak (TMR), to be the next President if the current President of the Republic, Xanana Gusmão, refuses to run for re-election in 2007. Questioning the reasons for the candidacy of TMR, PM Ramos Horta said that TMR was the proper leader to be in the president’s post. He said “TMR has good leadership from the 24 years during the resistance period, and also since 1999, until we faced the East Timor ongoing crisis. TMR has shown a lot of courage during these three periods. Nobody has such courage as he does”, stressed PM Ramos Horta. However, questioning on whether or not PM Ramos Horta would declare himself as a candidate, he said that he would not even though the people want him. (DN, TP, STL)

The forthcoming elections will be held prior to the end of the NP mandate: Lu’Olo

President of the National Parliament, Francisco Guterres Lu’Olo, was quoted recently in Diario Nacional as saying that the 2007 General Elections will be held before the end of the mandate of the National Parliament - 20 May 2007. He added that some political parties tried to hold the NP regiment [which said the mandate of NP ends on 15 September] to interpret the constitution which obviously stated that 20 May 2007 is the end of the NP mandate. (DN)

Police Members who are now with Fugitive Major Alfredo Reinaldo have not given any response to return to PNTL HQ

Speaking to journalists after visiting the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) HQ in Fatu-hada, the Vice Minister of Interior, Agustinho ‘Somoco’ Sequeira reportedly said that he had issued a called-letter for the second time to the members of PNTL who are now still with the fugitive Major Alfredo, but, as yet, there has been no response. The letter was sent twice to request those police members to present themselves to the Ministry of Interior and follow up on the process to re-activate.

RTTL news headlines

Horta: 2007 the year for Development

Before entering the New Year 2007, Prime Minister Horta conveyed his message to the people that 2007 will be a year of Development. At the same time, Mr. Horta also admitted that security will still be problem for the country; it needs a least one more year to recover. On the same occasion, Mr. Horta bowed to work for economic recovery and improved security in order to restore peace, stability and tranquility and to ensure a safe and secure atmosphere for the coming national elections.

Solving crisis through National Unity

In the occasion of dialogue between the people in the area of Santa Cruz, Gama the organizer of the Dialogue said that National Unity is one way to solve the present political and security situation of the country. Therefore the people of Timor-Leste must be united and put behind the false propaganda of Loromonu and Lorosae. On the same occasion, the chefee Suku of Santa Cruz said that the present crisis will be solved if discrimination issues and the cases of the petitioners are addressed first. One of the youth members also said that the actors of the crime should be persecuted and that the youth should not be blamed for their sins.

IDPs support the plan of the Government

The coordinator of IDPs at Airport Niculao Lobato said that the IDPs are all supporting the plans of the Government and they are willing to cooperate in the best interest of the country. They also expressed their doubts of the effort of the government to address the problems of the IDPs. He said that the Government is demanding that the IDPs return to their homes but the security problem is still very fragile and the murderers and the actors of violence are still free. We came to these camps because we were afraid to die, so we will not return to our places if security is still a problem, added one of the IDPs.


UNMIT Daily Media Review - Wednesday, 3 January 2007

National Media Reports

The Money that we Have Does Not Have Any Value if we are Not United: PM Ramos-Horta

Speaking to journalists, PM Ramos-Horta reportedly said that the revenue earned from investment in the petroleum sector has increased significantly compared with previous years. This year Timor-Leste will gain almost US$100 million every month. However, the Prime Minister added, “this money does not make any sense if we are not united. Both the First and Second Constitutional Governments completed some good jobs, although some have not been achieved as yet. However, we believe that with the assistance and cooperation from all East Timorese people, we can finish the uncompleted jobs”, stressed Horta. (DN)

2006 Annual Report from the Ministry of Labour and Community Reinsertion, Many tasks of 2006 have not been completed yet: Bano

Speaking to journalists, the Minister of Labour and Community Reinsertion, Arsenio Paixão Bano reportedly said that many tasks have not been completed in his ministry because a lot of time has been devoted to helping the victims of the ongoing crisis. He added that four main areas were prioritised in 2006 including Professional and Capacity Building, employment, Social and Veterans issues. But on top of that, the ministry also focused on provision of humanitarian assistance to IDPs in the country. In the area of employment for example, the ministry planned to employ more people both inside and outside the country, but because of the crisis, they had to put this programme off. However, many tasks were reported to be successfully completed by the ministry. This includes providing scholarships for 2,900 primary and secondary students, providing employment through the US$2 Employment Programme (Cash for Work programme) for more than 10,000 people, establishing youth centres, and creating more employment opportunities for the youth in the future. Mr. Bano emphasised that with 104 permanent and 150 temporary staff only, the ministry will try its best to continue serving the IDPs and to provide humanitarian assistance for the country in the future. On the other hand, capacity building was still very important for all staff of the ministry, stressed Mr. Bano.

Expectation for Development

Speaking to journalists after chairing the New Year Mass at the Cathedral on 1 January, Bishop of the Dili Dioceses, Mgr. Arlberto Ricardo da Silva reportedly delivered his message to the people saying this New Year would bring hope for development and added that sometimes good plans could be damaged by other unexpected things. “This could be learned from the experience of last year where we had good plans, but we could not realise them due to various reasons including the ongoing crisis. But with the arrival of 2007, we pray to God to help our leaders, authorities, and all East Timorese people to extend our hands to each other and show our good will, courage and bravery to create a good atmosphere for the future development of Timor-Leste”, he said.

RTTL news headlines

IDPs return home

Ministry of Labour and Solidarity has identified 142 families from different IDP camps who want to return home this week. Among them, 9 families are not welcome by their neighbours in Kakaulidun, while the others would be welcomed by their neighbours. One of the community members said that they are happy to accept their friends in IDP camps because they feel that all of them are victims of this crisis and blame the leaders as the actors of this present political and security crisis. They also appealed to their friends in the IDP camps to return to their homes.Sr. Guilarmina who is the responsible for the IDPs in the Canossian Sister compound in Balide Raihun has expressed her discontent towards the office of the Minister of Labour and Community Reinsertion yesterday for evacuating IDPs without proper coordination with the Sisters. She said that the number of IDPs in their compound from April until October 2006 has dropped from 28,000 to around 13,000 people because people have returned to their homes. They came by themselves and returned to their homes by themselves too. They were looking for a safe place to stay and we offered them what we could. So, they should inform us before going back home, added Sr. Guilarmina. She also appealed to the offices of the Minister of Public Works and Labour and Community Reinsertion to coordinate with the Sisters before removing IDPs from the compound.

Justice

The National Front for Justice and Peace has lamented on the Judiciary System of Timor-Leste. They said that the Government of Timor-Leste does not pay any attention anymore to justice in the Country. It seems the effort of the Government to bring justice to the people is going backward and becoming more and more silenced by the leaders. This was the main concern for the one day workshop of NFJP on Saturday, 30 December 2006. The participants of the workshop came from 13 districts, leaders of Political Parties and some members of NGOs. The aim of the workshop was to evaluate the justice system in Timor-Leste, and the office of the Prosecutor-General.

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De um leitor

Nesta quadra natalícia recebi como presente de um casal amigo um pequeno livro (apenas pouco mais do de quatro dezenas de páginas) de poesia escrita por um Timorense, aquando da sua diáspora em Portugal… porquanto, pelas notícias que entretanto li ele se encontra actualmente na sua terra natal Timor-Leste…

Não quero deixar de partilhar convosco algum do imenso prazer que tive ao ler o livro, enviando um dos poemas de AFONSO BUSA METAN, poema que escreveu em Lisboa em 19.abril.1999….

“””””””””””
Sangue e hipocrisia

É vermelha a dor,
vermelho o horror,
e é violenta,
lenta,
valente,
impotente,
sofrente…
E há gente que mente
no cinismo prepotente,
decorrente deste mundo
que vê Timor ir ao fundo
e diz coisas piedosas,
maneiras ardilosas
de nada fazer afinal
nesta omissão fatal
que deixa assassinos à solta
e impunes os mandantes.
Tudo como dantes.
Tudo ainda mal.”””””””””””


PS: peço desculpas (e respectiva compreensão) para esta reprodução sem a devida autorização prévia do Autor e da Editora (SUL – é uma ONG com sede em Aveiro, tendo editado em 2001 um outro livro do João Paulo Esperança), tendo assumido esta ousadia pelo prazer e gosto de partilhar convosco esta obra, com o título “Cartas da terra dos malais”, editada em Dezembro.2005.

que 2007 represente e consolide a PAZ em Timor-Leste e traga o DESENVOLVIMENTO que as suas gentes necessitam… um abraço amigo do

ST.
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Four Corners and the Coup in Timor Leste

New Mathilda - 6 December 2006


By Tim Anderson

On the above; if I were Jackson, Buckfield and Cronau, not to mention the ABC I would be preparing for the Alkatiri legal onslought which would be coming now that the investigation has been shelved, or dismissed for want of a better word for want of any evidence to support a prima facie case against the former PM of East Timor. Lawyers I speak to think Alkatiri would have no trouble in proving that there was malice and disregard to his reputation when the story was put together on the slenderest of facts and on based on the allegations of a highly discredited accuser.

The now famous "Theophanous Defence" in Australian defamation law based on the fact that politicians should "have broad backs" and therefor be fairer game, will only hold where there is an absence of malice. These guys from the ABC joined the pack of hounds, with blood in their nostrils and armed with trumped up charges, which were denied at every turn by the hunted person as well as other reputable people, as well as the unfair weighting given to the rebel Railos, (who was a proven thief of East Timor defence forces funds) and whose credibility was extremely suspect, all points to malice. Alkatiri was set up and God only knows where this is going to all end when all witnesses and their notes and their email records and etc etc are subpoened and trawled through. Watch out people, because its important that Alkatiri pursues these people....it is also for the good for the Australian body politic's well being.

These people have shown total disregard for decency and fair play, people including not only the journalists in question who went after him with malice aforethought, but also the Canberra bureaucrats from DFAT and political figures both in Australia and East Timor who went after him with equal malicious intent.

Lets not forget there is still in Australia the offence of criminal defamation in most states. In the lead up to Australian elections next year....this is going to be so much fun for some people.

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East Timor leader to receive honorary degree

Wednesday, January 03, 2007
By GARY McELROY
Staff Reporter
The leader of the 21st Century's newest nation is coming to Baldwin County in January.

His name is Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao. His country, which became a brand new democratic republic on May 20, 2002, is East Timor.

It takes up the eastern half of a large island in the Indonesian archipelago a few hundred miles north of Australia.

Thomas Rosandich, president and founder of the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, will serve as Gusmao's host. Rosandich said Tuesday that the occasion will be to bestow on his friend the academy's International Honorary Doctorate on Jan. 19.

Rosandich founded the Sports Academy more than 30 years ago. A few years later, he said, he delivered the institution to "sports friendly" Mobile, after visiting other potential U.S. sites from San Diego to Miami and a half-dozen points in between.

The academy offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, and is associated with nations around the world, Rosandich said.

So is Rosandich. Through a military career and as a coach and educator, he was an early proponent of the Peace Corps and helped get it

established in Southeast Asia. Over the years, he served as an American sports ambassador for the U.S. State Department in more than 40 countries, even more as head of his sports institution.

Rosandich described Gusmao as an "unusual, very charming, very interesting man" whose 30-year political struggle was very much like that of Nelson Mandela in South Africa -- public service, imprisonment by authorities for his campaigns of freedom and independence and, ultimately, the exercise of state craft as East Timor's elected leader.

The sports academy, described as the largest free-standing institution of its kind in the world, is in the process of helping Gusmao and his nation build a sports program there, Rosandich said, in part through private foundations.

"It's the newest nation in the world and probably the poorest nation in the world," Rosandich said of East Timor, and Gusmao's visit is in part intended to help Rosandich help him "deliver the (sports) program in his country."

Tempered by his own international sports ties going back more than 50 years and his academy's position as "a nexus to the world," Rosandich said, it was in a position to give the kind of help East Timor needed.

Gusmao will be the fourth recipient of the academy's honorary doctorate, Rosandich said. It is a list that also includes the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Mandela, as president of South Africa.

The school has delivered athletic programs to more than 60 nations, Rosandich said. It is independent, academically accredited and nonprofit. It trains men and women who aspire to careers in sports, he said.

He said he got the idea for a United States sports academy during the Cold War, via his travels through various nations during athletic and Olympic competitions.

Rosandich said he was struck by certain eastern European countries' uses of, and applications to, the "science" of sports.

"They used sports science far better than we did in America," Rosandich said.

It was not long afterward, Rosandich said, that he began doing everything he could to make sure that would no longer be true.

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Governo aumenta a ajuda a deslocados que querem voltar para casa - MTRC

REPÚBLICA DEMOCRÁTICA DE TIMOR-LESTE
MINISTÉRIO DO TRABALHO E DA REINSERÇÃO COMUNITÁRIA
MINISTÉRIO DAS OBRAS PÚBLICAS
GABINETE DE INFORMAÇÃO

Dili, 03 de Janeiro 2007

Comunicado de Imprensa

Governo aumenta a ajuda a deslocados que querem voltar para casa

O Governo, através do Ministério do Trabalho e da Reinserção Comunitária (MTRC) em
parceria com o Ministério das Obras Públicas (MOP) e as Forcas Armadas (F-FDTL),
aumenta o apoio aos deslocados que residem nos campos de Dili e querem voltar para os
Distritos, Sub-Distritos, aldeias ou sucos de origem.

O apoio humanitário cedido pelo Governo para ajudar no regresso a casa tem sido
aproveitado pelos deslocados que têm voltado aos seus Distritos ao longo dos últimos
meses.

O Governo facilita no transporte, disponiliza material de construção e apoio humanitário.
No mês de Dezembro que agora termina a deslocação dividiu-se em várias fases.
A primeira fase data do dia 19 de Dezembro, no dia 28 de Dezembro também foram
transportadas inúmeras famílias e no dia 29 saíram dos campos de deslocados de Díli
mais 6 familias, numa missão que contou com o apoio das Madres Dominicanas.
De acordo com o Plano Operacional em curso, um total de 15 famílias saíram no dia 30
de Dezembro de 2006 dos campos: Canosiana Balide, Canosiana Lecidere, Dominicana
Bidau e Aeroporto em direcção aos sub-distritos: Cristo Rei, Nain Feto, Vera Cruz e Dom
Aleixo, numa operacao conjunta de apoio do MTRC, MOP, Programa Alimentar
Mundial (WFP) .

Quanto a implementação do programa “Simu Malu” e sua evolução, o Ministro do
Trabalho, Arsénio Paixão Bano mostrou-se satisfeito pelo desenvolvimento deste
programa que tutela directamente: “ Já chegou o momento de recebermos de volta os
parentes que estavam afastados das suas famílias, distritos, sucos e aldeias. O Governo
apoia todos os deslocados que mostrarem vontade de voltar a casa e esse apoio tem a
duração de três meses”.

Anibal Guterres, deslocado que vivia no Campo do Aeroporto e já regressou a casa, para
o Sub-Distrito Dom Aleixo mostra a felicidade que sentiu na altura do regresso : “Eu
agradeço muito ao Governo porque nos dá comida e material de construcão para
reconstruirmos as nossas casas”.

O Governo espera que os deslocados aproveitem e utilizem os apoios dados pelo Estado
para os ajudar no regresso às actividades do dia-a-dia e para que todos, unidos,
contribuam para o estabelecimento da normalidade o mais depressa possível em Timor-
Leste.

***

Mensagem de Natal do Ministro do Trabalho e da Reinserção Comunitária Arsénio
Paixão Bano.

Queridos Irmãos.

Dirijo-me a vós com uma mensagem de alegria neste momento difícil com votos de :
"Santo Natal e próspero Ano Novo de 2007.

Olhamos para trás e vemos um ano difícil no nosso querido pais. Desde a crise de Abril e
Maio o nosso povo viveu o sofrimento e a tristeza nalguns casos de perder tudo. Com
eles todos nos sofremos também.

Este Governo, como representante do Povo timorense, tem o dever de fazer tudo para
acabar com as dificuldades com que muitos dos nossos irmãos se têm debatido nos
últimos meses.

Esta é por isso também uma mensagem de esperança.

Unidos, agora mais do que nunca, todos devemos dar as mãos, no mais profundo espírito
do Natal, para devolver a dignidade humana e as condições mínimas de bem-estar a uma
população ja tão habituada a sofrer.

Estamos, passo a passo, a aprender a caminhar. Como mais jovem Nação independente
do mundo temos que mostrar a comunidade internacional que conseguimos ultrapassar os
obstáculos que nos aparecem pela frente...

Já o fizemos no passado, durante os 24 anos de luta até alcançarmos a libertação. Fomos
exemplo de resistência, de luta, de dedicação rumo a um futuro livre dependente apenas
do nosso trabalho.

Todos juntos, podemos e devemos construir uma nova vida com alegria numa pátria que
é a nossa virada para o desenvolvimento.

Eu peço a todos os irmãos, de Este a Oeste do nosso território, para celebrarem com
alegria este Natal e desejo um novo ano, passado já em casa.

Aos que não têm essa possibilidade que o novo ano seja de regresso. De regresso a um
passado que já foi glorioso.

Eu peço a todos os queridos irmãos para nos ajudarmos uns aos outros, para ajudarmos
este Governo a resolver esta crise que enfrentamos, pois só unidos podemos alcançar a
vitória.

Aproveito esta oportunidade para apelar aos deslocados que querem voltar para as suas
casas, para os seus locais de origem para se registarem no Levantamento de Dados no
Ministério do Trabalho e da Reinserção Comunitária para poderem receber a ajuda do
Governo para regressarem então a casa.

O Ano de 2007 já está perto, um ano muito importante para a nosso Historia.

Ano de eleições Presidenciais e Legislativas, para que juntos possamos mostrar a quem
nos olha de fora que mesmo a mais jovem nação do mundo sabe viver numa próspera
democracia, a nossa democracia é e deve ser nossa e para todos nós.

Queridos Irmãos, acabo como comecei. Com um grande abraço de Natal cheio de alegria
e Ano Novo com paz para todos vós.

De
Arsénio Bano
Ministro do Trabalho e da Reinserção Comunitária
.

Before celebrating his birthday, the PM hit a child in the street.

Timor Post article
27 December 2006


Dili, TP
Event though for his 57th birthday, Tuesday (26-12), Prime Minister Dr. Jose Ramos Horta invited young children to dine together at his residence in Areia Branca, Meti Aut, in order to show that he always places great importance on children’s well being today and their future, at another time in reality he showed a different side.

On the Friday before the Prime Minister celebrated his birthday (15-12) a 13 year old child was a victim of violence when he was hit by the head of government and Nobel Laureate for Peace together with Bishop Belo in Norway in 1996.

The young boy with the pseudonym Ajoy, was hit only because he had lit a firecracker that went in the direction of the PM’s car, accompanied by one security car. Soon after the assault occurred, a Portuguese security officer put the victim Ajoy in the car and took him to the Fatuhada police station.

Because he was scared and knowing he was just a child, after he was released within an hour, Ajoy chose to remain silent about the incident and continued to live at the IDP camp by the airport. His family has lived there since the political and military crisis. However TP was successful at meeting Ajoy under his tarpaulin tent at the airport on Saturday 23-12. Although scared, Ajoy was able to calmly describe the violent incident involving the PM. Ajoy stated that on that Friday afternoon, Ajoy, like other children, were playing with small fireworks along the street around Lafatik with some friends.

It was there, Ajoy stated, that when PM Horta’s car with a security car passed close by, he lit a firecracker. But he did not do it to hit the car. Ajoy says the firecracker did not hit either car. “The firecracker I lit did not hit the PM’s car. Nor did I light the firecracker because the PM was going by. But before the incident, we had already been playing there.” said Ajoy.

Perhaps because it surprised them, Ajoy (a first year secondary student) said the two cars stopped suddenly. The Portuguese security officer, armed with a pistol, got out of the car and grabbed and held Ajoy while PM Horta hit his face twice.

As to what he felt about such conduct on the part of the PM, Ajoy lowered his head and said: “I was surprised when he (Horta) came up to me and straight away slapped my face. He hit me twice on the face. But I couldn’t do anything because perhaps I had done wrong and that’s why he hit me.”

After he was hit, Ajoy said, the Portuguese security officer put him in the car with Horta’s concurrence to take him to the Fatuhada police station. After they left Ajoy at the police station, Horta and his security officer continued on their way to the center of the city.

Because Ajoy was a child and was not culpable, the police there took him back to the IDP camp where he resides.

Meanwhile on the other hand when speaking with TP at the President’s palace, PM Horta acknowledged what he had done to the child Ajoy. But he said that he did not hit the child twice in the face, he hit him once and pulled his ear.

The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate considers the method of hitting he used as an appropriate means to discipline an unruly child.

“A slap and pull on the ear is to teach him not to be naughty. The problem is with stone throwers and parents aren’t teaching their children. I appeal to fathers to ensure that their children don’t do these things, throwing stones at people’s cars randomly. Government and private citizens have spent thousands of dollars because of the bad behavior of children, because parents don’t teach their children.”

As to whether the child really stoned Horta’s car, Horta answered: “Yes, yes. He threw stones at my car and many other people’s cars. Using a firecracker, that I didn’t see.”

This conduct by the PM was witnessed by many people because it was a very public incident. When TP met with a witness who lives near the street at Lafatik, the witness said: “I certainly saw Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta hit the young child in the street over there (Lafatik).” As to the incident of the PM Horta hitting the child, the witness agreed with what the victim stated. “The white foreign security officer got out of the car and grabbed the victim. PM Horta got out of the car and slapped the victim’s face. I saw that Horta perhaps was surprised by the noise of the firecracker at the moment when his car passed by.”

The witness, who did not want to give his-her name for reasons of security also said, “As the most senior member of government, PM Horta must not display that attitude in public.”

As to whether there are a lot of stones thrown at cars in that area as Horta said, the witness indicated that after the PM hit the child Ajoy, he certainly saw cars being stoned but he only saw government cars going past Lafatik. He said, that the government cars were stoned because an unidentified group were upset with the PM’s conduct in hitting a young child.

On the other hand, the family of the victim said that they understood what the PM did because perhaps the child was already in the wrong. They ask only that as a national leader, PM Horta shouldn’t hit the child in public as that can dirty his name.

The victim’s family said that like a father, Jose Ramos Horta has the right to teach Ajoy and they also recognize that what Ajoy did was perhaps wrong. At the same location, the coordinator of the airport IDP camp, Jose da Conceição, said that he received a complaint about PM Horta slapping the child. Also he didn’t want to politicize the incident because the victim’s family had already informed him that the child was in the wrong.

But Jose said that PM Horta’s conduct was not right because Horta is a national leader and recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize. “Like a father, Horta can teach naughty children but also not in the public eye because it’s not appropriate. As Prime Minister, Horta must control himself to not do anything that can dirty his name.”

Meanwhile whilst answering about Horta’s attitude, the President of the Democratic Christian Party, Antonio Ximenes, feels sad and strongly criticizes PM Horta’s conduct as not on the right path because it just dirties the image.
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Alkatiri is still a suspect: Monteiro

27/12/2006

Unotil


In response to news and rumours that former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri’s case of allegations of illegal distribution of weapons had been dropped, the Prosecutor General, Longinhos Monteiro stated that there is no official announcement as yet from his office on the issue. Asked about the status of Alkatiri in this regard, Monteiro said that “so far, his status is still as a suspect and there have been no changes yet to this status.” Monteiro further stated that in case of any change, whether archiving or processing the case, the public would be notified of all the processes and arguments supporting it. (DN & STL)

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Notícias de 1 e 2 de Dezembro de 2006 - traduzidas pela Margarida

Tradução da Margarida.

The Sydney Morning Herald – Segunda-feira, Janeiro 1, 2007

Como a Austrália temerosa abandonou Timor-Leste
Por Tony Stephens

Somente três anos depois de da Indonésia ter invadido Timor-Leste há 30 anos atrás, o governo Australiano do primeiro-ministro, Malcolm Fraser, estava a apoiar encobertamente a total integração da pequena colónia no seu vizinho gigante, de acordo com documentos do gabinete de 1976, liberados.

Os documentos de 1976 do gabinete, liberados sob a lei que os mantém secretos durante 30 anos, mostra que ao mesmo tempo que o ministro dos estrangeiros, Andrew Peacock, dizia publicamente que as forças Indonésias se deviam retirar e que devia haver um acto genuíno de auto-determinação, os chefes de defesa da Austrália estavam a tomar uma visão de política real.

Um relatório do comité de defesa de 5 de Fevereiro anotava que apesar de ser improvável que a Indonésia desenvolvesse qualquer acção militar contra a Austrália ou a Papua Nova Guiné, "a Indonésia é um poder com potencial a longo prazo para um assalto significativo contra a Austrália".

O relatório continuava: "Tentativas para negar à Indonésia os seus objectivos e para garantir a sua co-operação numa retirada militar de Timor-Leste e num acto genuíno de auto–determinação vão por isso provavelmente encontrar dificuldades políticas e práticas intratáveis e no final vão provar que são fúteis."

Paradoxalmente, mais de duas décadas depois, em 1998, um membro desse ministério original de Coligação, o Primeiro-Ministro, John Howard, foi um autor chave em garantir que Timor-Leste ganhasse a independência num referendo.

O comité de 1976 compreendia Sir Arthur Tange, o responsável do Departamento da Defesa, General Sir Francis Hassett, o chefe de pessoal das forças de defesa, Alan Renouf, o responsável dos negócios estrangeiros, e Gordon Jockel, o director da Organização Conjunta dos Serviços de Informações. Disseram que a Austrália podia objectar o uso da força, mas que era do melhor interesse da nação manter um perfil baixo sobre o assunto. E avisaram contra o apoio à “liderança de centro duro” da Fretilin, que tinha ligações com "elementos radicais internacionais ".

Secretamente, o governo aceitou a integração de Timor-Leste na Indonésia como um facto consumado. Uma revisão da defesa estratégica em Setembro argumentava: "Dado que a alternativa é no essencial um Estado fraco, aberto à interferência do exterior, os interesses de defesa são servidos melhor pela incorporação de Timor-Leste na Indonésia."

Peacock tinha recomendado ao Gabinete, em Fevereiro, que o governo continuasse a criticar o uso da força, "peça a retirada das forças Indonésias " e "peça (com pouca esperança) um processo genuíno de auto -determinação". O seu documento de desistência dizia: "As forças Indonésias já se dirigem bem no caminho de integrar Timor-Leste na Indonésia. A tragédia é que a integração podia ter sido alcançada de modo mais pacífico mas isso já pertence à história”.

"Não há nenhum interesse nacional Australiano real, isto é de comércio ou de segurança, envolvido directamente em Timor-Leste. Se (não há) nenhum, a preferência estratégica será a integração … a capacidade da Austrália para alterar o rumo dos eventos em Timor era limitada e agora é na verdade muito limitada."

Os documentos da defesa não resolverão o debate sobre talvez o mais doloroso exercício Australiano em negócios estrangeiros desde a II Guerra Mundial, até ao envolvimento do país no Iraque. A maioria dos documentos relevantes foram liberados em 2000, no seguimento de pressão pública e com o apoio de Gough Whitlam.

Críticos afirmam que Whitlam deu ao presidente Soeharto da Indonésia uma "luz verde " para ocupar a antiga colónia Portuguesa pela força. As próprias anotações de Whitlam remontam à correspondência entre António Salazar, o ditador Português, e Robert Menzies, onde Menzies parece não reagir à contenção de Salazar de que Timor-Leste era inviável económica e politicamente.

Arquivos de encontros entre Whitlam e Soeharto mostram que os dois pontos básicos de Whitlam eram que Timor-Leste devia tornar-se parte da Indonésia mas que "isso devia acontecer de acordo com o desejo do seu povo de modo adequadamente expresso …"

Uma questão é se Whitlam fez força suficiente para um acto de auto -determinação. Os documentos de Peacock criticam a opção de Whitlam como sendo de política real. Contudo a linha Fraser-Peacock mostram poucas diferenças. Peacock rejeitou a opção de cortar a ajuda económica e militar e de retirar o embaixador, argumentando: "conquanto tais passos seriam aplaudidos publicamente por alguns sectores de opinião na Austrália, os prejuízos que podiam causar às relações com a Indonésia tornam-nos inviáveis."


The Age (Melbourne) – Segunda-feira, Janeiro 1, 2007

Receada a intervenção da China em Timor
Por Russell Skelton, Canberra

O gabinete de Fraser foi avisado por um comité poderoso de chefes de defesa que uma guerra de independência prolongada pelos rebeldes da Fretilin podia levar à intervenção pelo Vietname ou pela China em Timor-Leste.

Uma avaliação dos serviços de informação nacionais, apresentada ao Gabinete dois meses depois da brutal incorporação de Timor-Leste, urgia o Governo a tranquilizar os interesses Indonésios, dizendo que a auto-determinação Timorense era um objectivo irrealista.

O documento de 26-páginas, que delineia claramente a política em relação a Timor, não teve em consideração os abusos dos direitos ou o problema de 140,000 Timorenses deslocados.

Em vez disso a avaliação dizia: "Não será do interesse estratégico da Austrália que a Indonésia seja frustrada da absorção de Timor-Leste ou que o processo seja complicado ou atrasado. "Isso fortalecerá o estatuto político do grupo da Fretilin e encorajará e facilitará o desenvolvimento das suas ligações com países interessados em apoiá-lo contra a Indonésia."

Acautelava também o gabinete para não se associar a qualquer força de manutenção da paz da ONU ou a qualquer acto de auto-determinação.

A história mostra que a avaliação estava bem longe do alvo. Em 30 de Agosto de 2001, dois anos depois de ter votado pela independência num referendo patrocinado pela ONU, Timor-Leste realizou as primeiras eleições democráticas. Apesar da intervenção da Austrália no processo, as relações entre Canberra e Jacarta, apesar de tensas, não se romperam.

A avaliação de 1976 foi preparada pelo Comité de Defesa, que incluía as figuras mais influentes do campo da defesa e civis. Presidido por Sir Arthur Tange, os seus membros incluíam o director da Organização Conjunta dos Serviços de Informações Gordon Jockel.

Incluída na análise de alto-nível estava um aviso de que a China e o Vietname podiam vir em socorro da Fretilin. A avaliação dizia que "o centro duro da liderança da Fretilin " tinha-se alinhado com movimentos de "libertação nacional " e procurava ajuda de Pequim e Hanói para uma luta armada.

Expressava preocupação que a Indonésia pudesse ter um papel desestabilizador na Papua Nova Guiné se as relações entre Canberra e Jacarta se azedassem por causa de Timor.

A avaliação do comité incluía ainda um documento esboçado por Jockel, enquanto presidente do Comité Nacional dos Serviços de Informações, que revela que o público Australiano estava mantido no escuro sobre as actividades secretas da Indonésia em Timor que levou à invasão armada da antiga colónia Portuguesa. Os serviços de informações Australianos sabiam o seguinte:

* Um ano antes da invasão Indonésia de 1975, o Presidente Soeharto tinha aprovado a introdução de forças especiais em Timor e estava a planear opções secretas para a intervenção militar.

* A Indonésia já tinha 2500 tropas em Timor-Leste quase oito semanas antes da declaração unilateral de independência da Fretilin em 28 de Novembro de 1975, e que Jacarta usou para justificar a sua invasão.

* Em Fevereiro de 1976 cerca de 200 tropas Indonésias já tinham morrido ao lado de 600 lutadores de resistência da Fretilin. A luta tinha deslocado mais de 100,000 pessoas e criado mais de 40,000 refugiados.

Apesar destes factos, o governo de Fraser aceitou o conselho de que eventualmente Jacarta pacificaria Timor-Leste e que havia pouco que a Austrália pudesse fazer.

Na improvável eventualidade de que um governo da Fretilin emergisse, o comité dos serviços de informações acreditava que seria "pobre e fraco " e que promoveria instabilidade regional.

Em 9 de Fevereiro, o gabinete decidiu continuar a política do antigo primeiro-ministro Gough Whitlam de se dobrar aos interesses da Indonésia não pressionando pela auto-determinação Timorense. O gabinete, temendo que a Austrália se pudesse tornar uma base do governo da Fretilin no exílio, ordenou ainda posições contra as actividades e as visitas do grupo.

A decisão 200 do gabinete diz em parte: "em relação ao possível envolvimento em qualquer eventual processo de auto-determinação do povo de Timor-Leste, os (Comité dos Assuntos Estrangeiros e de Defesa do Gabinete) concordaram em não tomar qualquer decisão nesta altura …"

O impulso do conselho dos serviços de informações apresentado ao gabinete dizia respeito à necessidade de preservar os interesses Australianos, o que significava manter Soeharto no poder e as relações com a Indonésia numas base sólida. Havia preocupações que um grupo de generais de linha dura pudesse emergir para derrubar Soeharto, substituindo-o por um “líder mais combativo”.

O Comité de Defesa disse que de um ponto de vista estratégico partilhava as preocupações da Indonésia quanto ao futuro de Timor-Leste, mas não aceitou que as preocupações eram suficientemente urgentes para ter descartado a gestão política da situação ou assegurado a tomada do território pela força.


The Australian – Segunda-feira, Janeiro 1, 2007

Tomada de Timor-Leste inquietou Peacock
Patrick Walters, editor de segurança nacional

Há trinta anos atrás o governo de Fraser lutou com as consequências da tomada da Indonésia de Timor-Leste.

Documentos do gabinete de 1976 mostram que o novo governo teve de se reconciliar com o facto que nada podia fazer para alterar a integração de Timor-Leste na Indonésia. O governo tinha de determinar se tomaria uma forte atitude moral de condenação da invasão Indonésia – arriscando romper as relações com Jacarta – ou se adoptava uma posição mais pragmática.

"É uma escolha entre o que pode ser descrito entre idealismo Wilsoniano ou realismo Kissingerniano" escreveu o embaixador da Austrália na Indonésia, Richard Woolcott, num telegrama que enviou em Janeiro de 1976.

"O primeiro é mais adequado e com mais princípios mas os interesses nacionais a longo prazo pode ser bem servidos pelo último. Não pensamos que podemos avançar nos dois caminhos."

Em Fevereiro de 1976, o gabinete considerou um documento do ministro dos estrangeiros Andrew Peacock, que na sua essência aceitava a linha de Woolcott mas que tentava em vão salvar alguma rectidão moral.

"A capacidade da Austrália para alterar o rumo dos eventos em Timor era limitada e é agora muito limitada na verdade. Contudo, o governo não deve ser conivente com uma tomada pela força Indonésia," reconheceu o Sr Peacock'.

O Sr Peacock disse que o governo deve expressar a sua oposição ao uso da força para resolver um problema, "especialmente um tão perto das suas fronteiras ".

Anotou que em breve a Austrália seria chamada para emitir a sua opinião sobre Timor-Leste no Conselho de Segurança da ONU.

A posição do governo de Fraser tinha sido criticar publicamente e em privado o uso da força pela Indonésia, pedir a retirada das tropas de Jacarta, pedir um processo genuíno de auto-determinação, e "mostrar em privado a disponibilidade para considerar favoravelmente a participação da Austrália em qualquer presença internacional que possa substituir a presença Indonésia em Timor-Leste (a possibilidade de se vir a estabelecer tal presença é muito pequena)".

"Decidi esta política ao mesmo tempo que admitia que muito provavelmente a Indonésia não se desviaria do seu rumo presente e que é muito provável que aconteça a incorporação de Timor-Leste na Indonésia," admitiu Mr Peacock. O ministro dos estrangeiros disse que tinha tomado na devida consideração a "grande importância" da Indonésia para a Austrália e que tinha procurado limitar os estragos nas relações com Jacarta. A Austrália concordou calada com a tomada de Timor-Leste pela Indonésia e em breve mexeu-se para reconhecer de facto a incorporação.


The Australian – Segunda-feira, Janeiro 1, 2006

Recusados vistos à Fretilin
Patrick Walters

O governo de Fraser recusou vistos a proeminentes membros de esquerda Timoreses forçados ao exílio depois da invasão Indonésia da antiga colónia Portuguesa nos finais de 1975.

Os membros da Fretilin incluíam Mari Alkatiri, que no ano passado se demitiu do cargo de primeiro-ministro de Timor-Leste, e Rogério Lobato, que recentemente serviu como ministro do interior no governo de Alkatiri.

Há trinta anos atrás, o governo de Coligação de Malcolm Fraser estava preocupado com a possibilidade da Austrália ser usada pelo movimento de resistência Fretilin como a base para um governo no exílio.

O conselho dos Departamentos da Defesa e dos Negócios Estrangeiros foi de não dar nenhum oxigénio político à Fretilin, então engajada numa guerra de libertação contra as forças armadas da Indonésia.
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