“Minister for Education Stood Behind a Member of his Family to be Able to Remove Protector of the Peoples’ Money”

English Translation:

TEMPO SEMANAL
Edition No. 127- 2 March, 2009
Dili, Timor-Leste.


According to the Director of National NGO Labeh it would be a good example for us to follow the example set by Augusto Pereira to defend the interest of our people in ensuring their money us used properly and according to law instead of removing him from his position. In a letter written by Augusto to our nation’s political leaders Augusto wrote, “I would like to declare to our leaders that during my employment with the procurement service, I was able to safeguard state funds ensuring the proper expenditure of those funds, unlike the intent of the Minister for Education of his family and colleagues who do not understand the Procurement Law’s processes.” On the 18th of February 2009, at 0930 hours the Minister for education ordered Mrs. Ermelinda to telephone Mr. Antonio Pereira at a time when he was participating in training at the Ministry of Finance asking him to return quickly to the Ministry to have a meeting with the Minister. “I went to the Ministry but was unable to meet with the His Excellency the Minister for Education but met instead with his chief of staff Mr. Alexandre Magno together with the AFLA Director Mr. Tarcisio do Carmo.” They told me “from now (18/02/2009) you will not be able to any longer sit in the procurement office.” Then Mr. Magno told me that “the Minister has already decided and you will have to move but not because of any specific case against you but you have become a victim by your superiors inside the Ministry of Education.”

“I underwent all the training regarding the Procurement process which was provided by the World Bank in other countries, and I also underwent training with the Ministry of Finance and Central Procurement when Minister Joao Cancio Freitas removed me from the position I had prepared myself fully to use to execute the budget in accordance with the Procurement Laws.”

Augusto Pereira has already written a letter to the Minister for Education demanding an explanation to him and the public as to his reasons for suddenly remove him from his position as Head of Decentralized Procurement Department of the Ministry of Education. Augusto complained to the national leaders that after having been sworn in on 28 May 2008, the Minister never listened to his advice regarding the technical implementation according to article 19 of Decree Law No. 10, which gives the powers for the work done by the Decentralized Procurement section, as well as Decree Laws No. 11, 12 and 14 which guide the work of the Procurement Service, “but the Minister only faulted me.”

“I personally am not aware of any wrong that I have done which has made me the subject of victimization by my superiors in the Ministry of Education. Because of this I ask the Minister to clearly explain to me, which of my superiors inside the Ministry has victimized me, and for what reason that superior of mine has not been subject to disciplinary proceedings.” Accusations have also arisen from staff in the ministry against their head regarding nepotism. “ This Ministry of Education seems to belong to one family only,” said a staff member from the ministry who did not want his name published in the newspaper because he feared the minister would sack him.

On Tuesday morning last week Tempo Semanal’s journalist visited the Ministry of education to try to confirm the allegations against the Director of Accreditation and Schooling Administration, the AFLA Director and Head of Logistics. “ I cannot say anything with you because I have not been authorized to do so by the minister,” said the AFLA Director. The Head of Procurement Augusto Pereira was able to deny his Minister using Ministry of Education money outside the Ministry of Education’s responsibility. When the Minister for Education and his delegation visited Oecussi he promised to help buy a sofa for the Secretary of State for the Autonomous Region of Oecussi using Ministry of Education funds totaling US$922.82, from the company Wehale Unip. Lda. By memorandum the Minister requested the director of Financial Administration on 13/07/08 to reimburse that amount in accordance with the Minister’s request after having visited Oecussi. But the Head of Procurement Augusto Pereira rejected it saying, “ I rejected the reimbursement because the Minister’s actions were wrong and breached the procurement law and other laws Mr. minister must know that the Secretary of State for the Autonomous Region of Oecussi falls under the Ministry of State Administration’s structure and has his own budget.” According to the law, the minor capital budget for the Ministry of Education can only be used to acquire equipment for that Ministry and not for the Secretary of State for the Autonomous of Oecussi instead.

We have other evidence confirming the allegations that attempts were made to divert minor capital funds such as invoice AB36, AB37, AB38 with a total amount of $10,584 US for the maintenance of a Land Rover vehicle with registration number 02-017 and to repair a Yamaha motorbike DT175 with registration number 385 presented by the company Fomento Motor Workshop which was not signed nor dated and also overstated the number of staff who undertook this service. Because questions arose regarding this invoice, Augosto Pereira as the head of the Procurement Department on 02/07/08 himself went to the premises of the company to investigate, where he discovered that although this company only employs five workers, the invoice from the company stated that 10 to 15 people to repair the vehicle and 10 people serviced the Yamaha motorbike. “The Procurement Department requested that the said company be audited. Before the results of the audit, Procurement would not process the payment,” demanded Augusto Pereira on the 10/07/08 to the Inspector General of the Ministry of Education, Mr. Antonio Sequeira Alves. “I don’t know to where this audit has come but to this day I have not received any communication in response and therefore Procurement is yet to process it.” There is also an allegation against the younger sister of the Minister for Education who holds the position in the Ministry of Education as the Director for Accreditation and Education Administration, Ms. Idalina M da C Freitas, interfering with the work of Procurement by writing dispatches for full 100% payment to the company Bachy Transport Unipessoal which was engaged to carry 15,000 tables and 15,000 chairs from Dili to 11 districts throughout Timor including the island of Atauro. The dispatch from the Director of Accreditation and Education Administration on 30/06/08, stated “the payment process for furniture equipment for the total of $69,600 to this company should be 100%.” Augusto Pereira alleges that Ms. Idalina asked that the payment of $69,600 to the company had to be for 100% and through Mr. Duarte who is a staff member in her Directorate who would in turn pay the company but I said this is in breach of the law and I will not accept it.”

On the commitment payment form signed by Mr. Samuel da Costa Alves as the person in charge of administration and Mr. Apolinario Magno, MBA as the authorizing department dated 16/04/08 was approved by Minister Joao Cancio Freitas on 21/04/08. During the execution period emerged instances which were not all together proper so the Procurement Department agreed to process the payment to the company Bachy Transport Unipessoal for the services they had already rendered and for payments to be made directly to the company’s bank account with the company requesting that the Ministry pay only $14,750. Precisely because of this n the 18/06/08 according to memo number 02/ME/ADM/APROVE/VI/2008 signed by the AFLA Director, Mr. Tarcicio do Carmo and the Director for Accreditation and Administration, Ms Idalina da Costa Freitas where the company Bachy Transport Unipessoal refunded the remaining money for the hire of transport for the total of $55,025 to the Head of Procurement to hold so as to be used for payment when all the equipment was transported. “I managed to rescue these funds so that the equipment was fully transported or otherwise we would have paid the money out but the work would not have all been performed,” stated Augusto Pereira. In the month of December 2008 the Minister of Education signed another form for 11 payments for only one item of freight charges for the transport of tables and chairs to 11 districts, excluding the districts of Same and Atauro, for the total amount of $104,850 US. According to the procurement law the Ministry of Education itself can only execute amounts between US$1 to US$100,000 but the expenditure for vehicles on this freight charter already exceeded this amount so they divided them into separate amounts. “By rights our Ministry had already breached decree law number 10, 11 and 14 regarding decentralized procurement,” reported Augusto.

He also alleged that the Director for Accreditation and Administration that “the total amount of the money on this form has to be paid to the company that won this tender.” But according to Augusto after having selected the 3 companies who had submitted their documents and price until the time the award was made to a company then after having selected the 3 companies that had submitted their documents and prices, in the end the award was given to the company that had submitted he low price of $104,850 US. The transport of the school materials to the districts continued and there was still money to pay for the transport. In February 2009 the Director of Accreditation and Administration requested an increase of 10 additional vehicles to transport tables and chairs form the warehouse to the districts but at that time the warehouse was empty except for material being stored from Unicef support which the Minister did not agree to receive for the school feeding program like beans, mung beans and noodles that had exceeded their use by date. Augusto explained that, “sometimes the vehicles that were to be used to transport chairs and tables would return empty because the companies would find the warehouses empty so why would we need to hire additional vehicles?”

Tempo Semanal was also able to find a sample of beans and mung beans which were rotten but which were transported nonetheless to schools in the Lospalos area. The execution of the budget of the amount of $104,850 was not complete and there remained $71,210 US but the Department of Accreditation and Administration on 09/02/09 asked for the amount of $17,550 US to keep transporting equipment. “In the meantime what happened to the money that was left over,” asked Augusto. It is because of this that some staff in the Ministry accused her of losing money. On the 21/02/09 Augusto Pereira opened the Ministry’s safe to return the wads of money such as the $71,210 which was left over from the $104,850 US, some money from the Office of Protocol in the amount of $1,920 US left over money from the transport of food stuffs for the school feeding program totaling $6,200 US, moneys for the community leaders which until now had not been paid out in the amount of $3,397 US and a cheque for the company Reslau which allegedly involved the Director of Accreditation and Education Administration which could not be paid out because until then they were unable to present proof in the amount of $7,400 US. “They were stunned when they saw the wads of money inside the safe,” said Augusto pointing out the documents that were signed by the AFLA Director, Mr. Tarcicio Carmo for taking delivery of the money on 21/02/09.

Other information has emerged of suspected improper use of Ministry funds for the Minister’s private benefit. There are receipts that exist for reimbursement of some monies to the Minister’s wife for the rehabilitation of bedrooms for guards. But Ministry of Education staff allege that their Minister used this money to rehabilitate his private residence. “This is merely technical because in fact it was used to rehabilitate the Minister’s house.” Said Augusto.

According to a receipt that exists for the purchase of air conditioners to be installed in the Ministry of Education conference hall in Vila Verde but instead were installed in the Minister’s private residence. “We have already taken four air conditioners to be installed at the Minister’s residence and the last one on 18/02/09 when we took an air conditioner to the Minister’s residence in Becusse said a staff member from the Ministry of Education who asked that this newspaper not publish his identity.

According to this staff member the Vice Minister for Education at that time also asked that his house be repaired but because he was told that he would not be able to do so as it would be breaching the law they asked the Vice Minister for his understanding and his residence has not been repaired until now. According to Tempo Semenal’s own inspection of offices inside the some rooms in the Ministry of Education there are some wires hanging from the walls but the air conditioners not installed. But then when the Tempo Semenal journalist raised this issue with the Minister, the room used by the planning section of the Ministry of Education had an air conditioner installed just only a day after. There is also a payment received for the use of telephone in Becusse for which funds were used from the Ministry to pay for and which were approved by the AFLA Director on the 18/06/08, purchase of prepaid electricity, generator fuel each week. The documents show that the head of logistics and assets Mr. Jaime Borbosa Pinto indicated Mr. Gilberto Alamso Sousa to take deli very of the fuel for Ministry of Education generators but the said generators were broken down. According to documents obtained by newspaper they indicate that from September 2008 delivery was taken for fuel each week in the quantity of 50 liters that were used for the generator at the Minister’s residence in Becusse.

“My view is that our Minister’s budget execution plan is not fixed and we have to merely respond to his promises,” said Augusto. He reported that “According to the 2008 general budget plan there was no item for the purchase of motorbikes for school, so all of the CPVs which the Minister himself had approved and already sent to the Ministry of Finance in the end after the Minister had gone on district visits and made promises, when he returned he cancelled all the CPVs and made a mess of our work.” According to the budget plan for 2008 year the Ministry of Education did not have a plan to buy motorbikes but Minister Joao Cancio Freitas requested that a transfer be made from minor capital of eight directorates in the Ministry of Education for a total amount of $150,000 to buy 84 motorbikes. So according to the letter signed by the Minister himself on 09/06/08 to the Minister of Finance with reference number:
267/GM/ME/VI/2008 with reference transfer of funds and number
268/ME/GM/VI/2008 requested the transfer of funds and the cancellation of various FCPs from minor capital. “This Minister has no fixed plan but all that this Minister has is that he likes to make promises so a whole bunch of CPVs which had been processed and approved by the Minister of Education, Mr. Joao Cancio Freitas had to be cancelled and all of our work was made difficult,” alleged Augusto Pereira against the former Republic of Indonesia public servant in Baucau during the Indonesian occupation period. In 2008 the Ministry of Education also did not have any plan to buy a mini laptop (reference documents 266/ME/GM/VI/08) but the Minister wanted to force them to buy one. Then after staff enquired on prices in Timor-Leste and Indonesia the Minister said that it was too expensive. According to what the Minister told his staff Augusto that a mini laptop costing $250; then Augusto said that the Minister accused him of trying to lose state money, “whom did you share the remaining money with?”
The head of the Procurement Department also dressed his Minister down publically for not being interested in quickly sending support materials given by Unicef to repair schools that were in a situation of emergency. According to Unicef proposal documents signed by the Director General of the Ministry of Education Mr. Apolinarion Magno, MBA on 12/09/08 after having received report from his regional directors and Unicef itself. Unicef itself gave a positive response to the request to help with 15,039 sheets of iron roofing, 550 kilograms of 12 nails, 550 grams of 10 nails, more than 2000 5/7 wood panels, more than 1000 6/12 wood panels but these were “left sitting in the warehouse”. “I don’t know why he did not want to authorize these materials to be delivered to the schools in remote areas because they were needed urgently, they were donated by Unicef based on the proposal which came from the Directors (region 1 Baucau, region 3 Maubisse and region 4 Maliana) until now are left sitting in the Fomento warehouse in Dili,” he said. So Augusto joked about his Minister saying, “our young students who attend school in the rain, wind and hot sun – you just have to suffer because Mr. Joao Cancio Freitas is still preparing his organizational structure which has not been complete and when he has done all that he will have this material delivered to you.”

“When Mr. Joao Cancio Freitas called me to ask me why we asked for materials from Unicef and to do what and who would transport it and who would do it he became angry and said to me ‘stupid director’, ordering me to get out of his office. I want to inform you that during this time Mr. Joao Cancio Freitas did not give importance to the work that I gave to him as the Minister of Education. He only liked to go here promising and go some where else making promises, but perhaps the Minister did not see that his attitude would breach the procurement laws.” Augusto asked the President of the Republic Dr. Jose Ramos Horta, “to call attention to Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao to control that actions of the Minister for Education Mr. Joao Cancio Freitas which are always breaching the procurement law and who cannot give a good example to other people, so that he not engage in bad administration and not breach the laws regulating the normal functions of government institutions.” Augusto suggested that it be better to replace the Minister for Education. “Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao can seek out another Timorese who has the capacity and knows how to be a good example to substitute Mr. Joao Cancio Freitas who does not have the capacity.”

He added “if he continues to control the Ministry of Education then there will not be any changes because he likes to get in the way of people as he wishes because in recent months he has already obstructed some national directors for no clear reasons.”
According to information to which Tempo Semenal has had access we can confirm that a bunch of Directors have lost their positions and are inactive in the Ministry of Education although they continue to receive their salaries. The Directors who have been removed are the old Director of Financial Administration Mr. Marcelo Caetano Araujo, the Head of the Finance Department, Angelo Ximenes, the head of the Department of Primary Education, Ms Delfina Borges, the Head of the Department of Teachers’ affairs, the National Director for Curriculum, Materials and Evaluation, Dr. Mateus dos Reis have already been removed and replaced and last of all Mr. Augusto Pereira the head of procurement department in the Ministry of Education.

Dos Leitores

H. Correia deixou um novo comentário na sua mensagem "Chefe da missão da ONU rejeita ilegalidade na polí...":

"Há um princípio básico na lei civil de que as obrigações internacionais prevalecem sobre as responsabilidades nacionais"

Atul Khare joga falaciosamente com as palavras, procurando confundir-nos. Efetivamente, os tratados internacionais prevalecem hierarquicamente sobre as leis do Estado (embora em pé de igualdade com a Constituição), mas aqueles só adquirem eficácia depois de transpostos para o ordenamento jurídico nacional, ou seja, depois de serem ratificados, promulgados e publicados, sob pena de nulidade.

Aliás, isto mesmo foi confirmado pela sentença do Tribunal de Recurso no processo citado.

Das duas uma: ou o Sr. Khare sabe perfeitamente que é assim, mas finge que não sabe para fazer o frete aos seus amigos no poder, ou então não sabe mesmo nada do assunto. Mas se for esta segunda hipótese, o caso é ainda é mais grave, pois a ONU está a pagar principescamente a um indivíduo para este dizer bacoradas e exercer um cargo mal e porcamente, para o qual não está minimamente habilitado.

Seja como for, Atul Khare mostra um assumido desrespeito pelas leis e pelo poder judiciário da RDTL e suas decisões. Nada que não tenhamos já visto aos próprios responsáveis timorenses Xanana e Ramos Horta, bem como ao exército australiano presente em Timor-Leste.

Esta atitude é de tal gravidade que o Sr. Khare deveria ser imediatamente substituído. A ONU não pode desrespeitar desta maneira a soberania dos Estados que são seus membros.

...........................

H. Correia deixou um novo comentário na sua mensagem "Gusmao govt claims 'confidentiality' to avoid corr...":

Quem não deve não teme. Se Xanana não quer revelar o que andou e anda a negociar com terceiros, é porque tem algo a esconder.

Aquele que na propaganda eleitoral dizia, com grande prosápia, que iria acabar com a corrupção, tem medo de ser investigado.

"It is as if the contracts involve dealings of a private nature, involving their own private money, which of course they do not"

Com efeito, Xanana & Cia. parecem ainda não ter percebido que o dinheiro que gastam com esses contratos não lhes pertence. Esse dinheiro é do Estado, é de Timor-Leste, é do povo timorense. Portanto, nos termos da Constituição, o Governo tem o dever de fornecer todos os esclarecimentos aos representantes do povo no Parlamento Nacional, em vez de se esconderem atrás de uma suposta "confidencialidade".

O MP, por sua vez, tem o dever de investigar todos os indícios de corrupção, o que não tem vindo a acontecer por o PGR ser amigalhaço de Xanana e lhe andar a aparar os golpes.

28 acusados no caso 11 de Fevereiro

Díli, 03 Mar (Lusa) - Vinte e oito arguidos foram hoje formalmente acusados no caso do duplo ataque de 11 de Fevereiro de 2008, contra o presidente da República e contra o primeiro-ministro, anunciou hoje em Díli o procurador-geral da República de Timor-Leste.

No grupo de acusados está Marcelo Caetano, autor dos disparos contra o Presidente da República, José Ramos Horta, indicou Longuinhos Monteiro em conferência de imprensa.

“A balística comprova e todas as matérias recolhidas pela acusação verificam que ele estava na posse daquela arma”, com o número 66 no lote de armas testadas no âmbito do inquérito aos ataques de 11 de Fevereiro de 2008, frisou Longuinhos Monteiro.

“O projéctil coincidiu com os invólucros e temos documentos que provam que era Marcelo Caetano quem estava na posse da referida arma”, adiantou o procurador-geral.

“Fora disto, temos duas testemunhas que são escoltas do Presidente da República e que estavam mais próximos (do local do ataque a José Ramos Horta) e que reconheceram Marcelo Caetano por serem do mesmo quartel, da mesma companhia e da mesma secção” na Polícia Militar das Falintil-Forças de Defesa de Timor-Leste.

O Ministério Público pede também a condenação “por conspiração” da ex-companheira do major Alfredo Reinado, Angelita Pires, ex-colaboradora da Procuradoria-geral da República.

“Finalmente chegou ao fim a fase do inquérito deste processo”, declarou Longuinhos Monteiro aos jornalistas na véspera de terminar o prazo legal para formalizar a acusação do “caso 11 de Fevereiro” no Tribunal de Díli.

“Foram constituídos 31 arguidos mas acusados 28”, anunciou Longuinhos Monteiro, aludindo à “falta de elementos suficientes” para fundamentar a acusação dos três arguidos que o Ministério Público decidiu deixar de fora da acusação.

Dos acusados, 23 encontram-se em prisão preventiva, incluindo o ex-tenente Gastão Salsinha e o grupo de militares que, durante quase dois anos, seguiu o major rebelde Alfredo Reinado.

“Foram ouvidas mais de uma centena de pessoas e realizados exames periciais”, notou Longuinhos Monteiro.

A identificação de Marcelo Caetano como o autor dos disparos contra o chefe de Estado foi obtida “cruzando a informação fornecida pela balística”, explicou o procurador-geral da República.

“A conclusão deste processo dentro do prazo legal concedido ao Ministério Público é uma resposta clara para aqueles que apelidam o MP de ‘braço do poder político’”, acrescentou Longuinhos Monteiro.

“Não obstante muita inquietação por parte quer de sectores políticos, quer dos media, quer de alguns sectores da sociedade civil, o MP recolheu, de forma tranquila, as provas que foi possível recolher, imune a qualquer pressão seja de que direcção”, frisou ainda o procurador-geral.

“Devido à complexidadede do caso e às dificuldades próprias de um país ainda com muitas carências a nível investigatório, o Ministério Público foi obrigado a proceder à prorrogação especial do prazo do inquérito mas fê-lo nos termos permitidos por lei”, salientou o procurador-geral da República.

O procurador-geral timorense confirmou também a sua nomeação para o lugar de comandante-geral da Polícia Nacional de Timor-Leste e a indicação, para lhe suceder na Procuradoria-geral da República (PGR), da ex-ministra e deputada da Fretilin Ana Pessoa.

Longuinhos Monteiro afirmou que vai submeter a sua “renúncia” como procurador-geral da República a 27 de Março, dia da sua tomada de posse como comandante-geral da PNTL.

Na próxima quinta-feira, Longuinhos Monteiro inaugura as novas instalações da PGR timorense no centro de Díli.

José Ramos Horta foi alvejado com gravidade a 11 de Fevereiro de 2008, na sequência de um ataque à sua residência pelo grupo de Alfredo Reinado, que foi morto pela guarda presidencial.

Na mesma manhã, Gastão Salsinha liderou uma emboscada à caravana do primeiro-ministro, de onde Xanana Gusmão saiu ileso.

PRM
Lusa/Fim

Ramos-Horta propõe Mari Alkatiri para reunião da CPLP

Díli, 03 Mar (Lusa) - O Presidente da República de Timor-Leste propôs hoje em Díli o líder da oposição, Mari Alkatiri, para chefiar a delegação timorense à reunião de emergência da Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa (CPLP) sobre a Guiné-Bissau.

José Ramos-Horta adiantou aos jornalistas que a proposta do nome de Mari Alkatiri tem o apoio do primeiro-ministro, Xanana Gusmão.

O chefe de Estado abordou a situação na Guiné-Bissau em declarações aos jornalistas no final de uma cerimónia de condecoração dos militares da GNR em serviço em Timor-Leste, na qual participaram Xanana Gusmão e Mari Alkatiri.

José Ramos-Horta declarou sentir “muita dor de alma e dor de coração pelo que se passa na Guiné-Bissau”.

O Presidente João Bernardo “Nino” Vieira foi morto na madrugada de segunda-feira em Bissau, horas depois de um atentado à bomba ter vitimado o chefe do Estado-Maior das Forças Armadas guineenses, Tagme na Waié.

A Guiné-Bissau “atravessa muitos anos, vinte anos, de contínua instabilidade e de crise político-militar e (tem) problemas de toda a ordem social”, referiu o Presidente timorense.

José Ramos-Horta referiu que “a Guiné-Bissau exige muito mais da CPLP, estando isolada geograficamente, sem ter algum país amigo forte como Angola ou Portugal”.

“A CPLP tem que agir para ajudar a serenar os ânimos e tentar organizar alguma estratégia de forma a que o país estabilize, como tem apoiado Timor-Leste”, defendeu o chefe de Estado timorense.

José Ramos-Horta, com o acordo de Xanana Gusmão, propôs o ex-primeiro-ministro Mari Alkatiri para a reunião de emergência da CPLP “e depois veremos se Timor-Leste pode contribuir de mais alguma forma para ajudar a Guiné-Bissau”, explicou.

O Presidente da República recordou a sua experiência na última década como mediador na transição guineense após a instabilidade do início da década, “em duas missões que contribuíram bastante para serenar os ânimos”.

“Conheci o povo da Guiné-Bissau, um povo extremamente pacífico e extremamente bom, (um povo) sofrido por causa da instabilidade política”, referiu José Ramos-Horta.

“Pensávamos que a Guiné-Bissau ia entrar em fase de estabilidade. Afinal, surgiu este novo incidente que pode fazer recuar bastante o processo para o qual a CPLP bastante contribuiu”, adiantou o Presidente timorense.

Segundo José Ramos-Horta, Timor-Leste tem lições a tirar da Guiné-Bissau e vice-versa.

“Aprendemos mutuamente”, salientou José Ramos-Horta.

“É preciso uma extrema prudência e diálogo nacional entre diferenças forças políticas da Guiné-Bissau”, disse.

Ramos-Horta sublinhou a necessidade de dar “atenção urgente às Forças Armadas”.

“Eu já chamava a atenção para esse facto ao Presidente Kumba Ialá quando lá estive em missão em 2004”, adiantou José Ramos-Horta.

“As Forças Armadas da Guiné-Bissau estavam totalmente menosprezadas e abandonadas. O único país que lhes tem dado algum apoio é Portugal mas a responsabilidade primeira é do Estado (guineense) que deve velar por essa instituição tão crítica para a estabilidade do país”, concluiu José Ramos-Horta.

PRM.
Lusa/fim

NOTA:

Pssst... Nem uma palavrinha sobre o narcotráfico?...

Xanana Gusmão "muito chocado" com atentados em Bissau

Díli, 03 Mar (Lusa) - O primeiro-ministro de Timor-Leste afirmou hoje em Díli à Agência Lusa estar “muito triste e muito chocado” com os recentes acontecimentos na Guiné-Bissau.

Xanana Gusmão afirmou à Lusa que discutiu hoje mesmo com o Presidente da República, José Ramos Horta, o envio de um representante timorense à reunião de emergência sobre a Guiné-Bissau que está a ser organizada por Portugal com a Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa (CPLP).

“Decidimos que teremos um enviado-especial de Timor-Leste e contactámos com Mari Alkatiri, um enviado de peso, que está disposto (a aceitar)”, afirmou Xanana Gusmão.

Xanana Gusmão adiantou que o ex-primeiro-ministro e líder da oposição vai “em primeiro lugar para a reunião da CPLP e depois representar Timor-Leste” noutras iniciativas relacionadas com a situação em Bissau.

“Queremos participar na pacificação e no processo de reconciliação de um país irmão que para nós é sempre um ponto de referência, na medida em que foi o primeiro a lutar e a declarar a independência”, sublinhou Xanana Gusmão.

O Presidente João Bernardo “Nino” Vieira da Guiné-Bissau foi morto na madrugada de segunda-feira, horas depois de um atentado à bomba ter vitimado o chefe do Estado-Maior das Forças Armadas guineenses, Tagme na Waié.

Sobre a existência de algum paralelo entre os acontecimentos em Bissau e o duplo ataque contra a liderança timorense em 11 de Fevereiro de 2008, Xanana Gusmão respondeu que “se existe similaridade é apenas no acto: um atentado contra o Presidente da República”.

PRM
Lusa/fim

Contingentes portugueses condecorados por Ramos Horta

Díli, 03 Mar (Lusa) - O Presidente da República timorense condecorou hoje em Díli os contingentes portugueses com a Medalha Solidariedade de Timor-Leste.

José Ramos Horta explicou na ocasião que a recém-criada Medalha Solidariedade de Timor-Leste “destina-se a homenagear os profissionais dos países amigos que, com o seu esforço, dedicação e profissionalismo contribuem para a paz e desenvolvimento” do país.

No caso da GNR, José Ramos Horta sublinhou o contributo do Subagrupamento Bravo para a estabilização do país desde 2006, “a criação de confiança e o reforço da identidade democrática da Polícia timorense”.

Além da actividade operacional desenvolvida após a crise de 2006, a GNR está envolvida na formação das forças de segurança timorenses, incluindo o treino da Unidade de Intervenção Rápida (UIR) da Polícia Nacional.

“É-me particularmente grato que a primeira cerimónia de atribuição da Medalha Solidariedade de Timor-Leste (em solo timorense) seja a um contingente português”, salientou José Ramos Horta.

O presidente timorense homenageou as forças de segurança portuguesas ao serviço das Nações Unidas em Timor-Leste em duas cerimónias separadas.

Ao início do dia, o chefe de Estado timorense condecorou os militares da GNR do sexto contingente do Subagrupamento Bravo, em final de missão em Timor-Leste, e que horas depois regressaram de avião a Portugal.

A cerimónia decorreu no quartel do Subagrupamento Bravo em Díli, centro de operações dos 140 militares da GNR no país.

Ao final da manhã, mas nas instalações da Presidência da República, José Ramos Horta condecorou o contingente português da Polícia das Nações Unidas (Unpol), constituído por 48 elementos da PSP, seis da GNR e dois do SEF.

Os dois contingentes estão em Timor-Leste no âmbito da Missão Integrada das Nações Unidas (UNMIT), onde os militares da GNR constituem uma das quatro forças autónomas de polícia (FPU, na terminologia inglesa) da Unpol.

Na condecoração do Subagrupamento Bravo participaram o primeiro-ministro, Xanana Gusmão, o comandante-geral da GNR, tenente-general Nelson Santos, o novo comissário da Unpol, o superintendente-chefe da PSP Luís Carrilho, o novo embaixador de Portugal em Díli, Luís Barreira de Sousa, e o líder da oposição timorense, Mari Alkatiri.

A condecoração dos militares da GNR aconteceu no mesmo dia da rotação de forças do Subagrupamento Bravo, com a chegada de cerca de 80 elementos e a partida de quase meia centena de efectivos.

Quase um milhar de militares da GNR integrou a FPU portuguesa da Unpol desde a formação do Subagrupamento Bravo.

PRM

Lusa/Fim

Angelita Pires charged over Ramos Horta assassination bid

EXCLUSIVE: Paul Toohey March 03, 2009
Article from: The Australian

ANGELITA Pires has been accused of being an indirect author of last year's shooting of East Timor President Jose Ramos Horta and has been charged with 19 counts of attempted homicide.

Ms Pires, 42, the lover of rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, who was shot dead inside the President’s Dili compound on February 11 last year, remained free yesterday, having earlier been required to surrender her passport and not leave the country.

The prosecution lodged a document with the Dili District Court on Friday which details charges against Ms Pires and all of the surviving 27 rebels who attacked the President’s compound and simultaneously staged an ambush on Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao’s motorcade.

All 27 have been charged with attempted murder.

Ms Pires has been told she will be jailed immediately if she discusses the case with the media.

Most of the prosecution case centres on the alleged influence Ms Pires had over Major Reinado.

The document, from East Timor’s Prosecutor-General, Longhuinos Monteiro, alleges Ms Pires urged Major Reinado to go to Dili and kill both the President and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao.

It is alleged Ms Pires had given Major Reinado a single marijuana joint in the days before the attacks on Dili and suggested this was part of her attempt to get into Reinado’s mind.

Ms Pires is deeply distressed at the charges. A joint Australian-Timorese citizen, she has been prevented from leaving East Timor since early last year. She is defending the charges.

Sobre a Guiné Bissau

Militares assaltaram antiga sede da PJ e libertaram soldados detidos

Bissau, 02 Mar (Lusa) - Um grupo de militares assaltou hoje as antigas instalações da Polícia Judiciária da Guiné-Bissau e libertou os soldados detidos por alegada participação no ataque de Novembro contra o Presidente “Nino” Vieira, disse hoje à agência Lusa fonte judicial.
“Por volta das 09:00 locais (mesma hora em Lisboa), um carro com cerca de oito militares assaltou as antigas instalações da Polícia Judiciária”, afirmou a fonte.
“Entraram nas instalações, arrombaram as portas das celas e libertaram os militares que estavam detidos desde Novembro” por alegado envolvimento no ataque contra o Presidente guineense, explicou a fonte.
A mesma fonte acrescentou que os militares “arrombaram ainda o antigo escritório da directora” e depois saíram das instalações.
O Presidente "Nino" Veira foi assassinado hoje por militares depois de no domingo um atentado à bomba ter provocado a morte do chefe de Estado-Maior General das Forças Armadas, Tagmé Na Waié.
A 23 de Novembro, um grupo de militares já tinha atacado a casa do presidente “Nino” Vieira.

O general Tagmé Na Waié também foi alegadamente vítima de assassínio em Dezembro, acusando a milícia afecta ao chefe de Estado guineense, os "Aguentas".

MSE.
Lusa/Fim

NOTA:

Mas porque é que ninguém diz que o Chefe de Estado Maior foi ontem assassinado por ordem de Nino Vieira?

E que teria ameaçado Nino Vieira que se este o mandasse matar de seguida seria ele...

E foi.

Nino Vieira foin um assassino. Quem com ferro matou, com ferro morreu.

E tudo regado com muita cocaína...

Gusmao govt claims 'confidentiality' to avoid corruption investigation

FRETILIN

Media Release

Dili: Sunday, March 1, 2009

Gusmao govt claims 'confidentiality' to avoid corruption investigation

"FRETILIN MPs and MPs from other parties were stunned and appalled when the de facto Deputy Prime Minister, Jose Luis Guterres, claimed in parliament on Thursday 20th February, that some government contracts are 'confidential', and so details and copies will not be disclosed to parliament", said FRETILIN's parliamentary leader , Aniceto Guterres to journalists in Dili today.

The de facto Deputy PM said that the government could not allow parliament or MPs access to the contracts because "as we all know contracts have clauses in them which state that the agreement are confidential to the parties", and that excluded the parliament and or MPs.

He made the statement during a heated public hearing by the Parliament's Committees A and C, who are holding public consultations on the draft Anti-Corruption Law.

"We can legislate all we like to fight corruption, but the Deputy PM's statement confirms that there is a huge gap between Gusmao's rhetoric and the reality of his governance. He has no serious commitment to fighting corruption. Despite all the hype of reform and fighting corruption, he prefers to govern without being held accountable and without being in the least bit transparent with regard to government contracts.

"We simply ask the following - if his government can sign agreements with 'confidentiality' clauses that he uses to justify withholding disclosure to parliament, what hope will any anti-corruption committee or watchdog have?

None, that's what," said Aniceto Guterres.

FRETILIN has proposed a new law to give parliament legal powers and appropriate procedures to undertake extensive public inquiries of an investigative nature into cases involving allegations of official corruption, collusion and nepotism.

"But we also want the functions of the existing anti-corruption watchdog, the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, to be strengthened, including granting it the powers that have been proposed for the Anti-Corruption Commission. We think the Ombudsman's office has developed capacity and experience that will be lost, and we should reinforce it instead of creating a new institution which will struggle to get up and running now," said Guterres.

"The Gusmao Government has an unimpressive track record in failing to have allegations properly investigated and for not cooperating with the Ombudsman.

This window-dressing exercise of legislating to establish an anti-corruption commission will do nothing to advance the fight against corruption in our country. Gusmao has no political will to make it happen, so we fear it will not happen in reality under this government," said Guterres.

Guterres listed the formal requests that FRETILIN and other parties have made for details of and copies of government contracts, but for which no response has been forthcoming despite months passing. They include:

1. Documents regarding the purchase of Luxury 4 Wheel drive for MPs, which has been opposed by FRETILIN and the National Unity Party;

2. Contracts for international and national advisors employed by the Ministry of Finance, including those of political appointees;

3. Documents for the contract awarded by the government for the acquisition and installation of a second-hand heavy fuel oil power station;

4. Contract for the acquisition of two navy patrol boats from a Chinese company, which was awarded without a tender;

5. Documents relating to the acquisition and importation of US$48 million worth of rice for food security;

6. Agreements and / or MOUs signed by the government with energy companies to grant marketing and / or other rights relating to petroleum from the Greater Sunrise field and the development of that field.

"It is as if the contracts involve dealings of a private nature, involving their own private money, which of course they do not. This in effect, prevents our people, through us as their elected representatives, having access to documents and details regarding transactions involving the people's money, and thereby preventing the parliament from exercising effective oversight of public finances.

"This is both illegal and unconstitutional in our view. On public finances, the government is constitutionally and legally accountable to the national parliament.

Gusmao has thwarted that role of parliament", said Guterres.

FRETILIN has requested numerous investigations by the Ombudsman, that resulted in recommendations made to the government for action, but there has been no follow up.

One such case is the MOU signed by the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on the 15th of January 2008, granting 100,000 hectares to an Indonesian Company, and over which there was substantial public controversy reported in the national and international media.

"Back on October 23 last year, the Ombudsman found that the Minister had not followed the law, especially the Investment Law, and recommended that the agreement be terminated and the company notified. There was a finding of 'maladministration', which is serious," said Guterres.

"Had such a finding been made against a civil servant of conduct of similar severity, that civil servant could well be dismissed. Yet to date there has been nothing forthcoming from the government as to what action has been taken. But this is the way this government does things," added Guterres.

"We were lucky to have had unofficial access to that particular MOU and other documents from non-government sources, such as the one regarding the de facto PM's award of a US$14.7 million rice importation contract to his 'mate', Mr Germano da Silva. It might have been branded 'confidential' too had we asked for it formally. Then we would not have been able to know the details to have it investigated, as it is right now being investigated by the Ombudsman. What will Gusmao do if the Ombudsman finds some fault with his actions? Will he act in accordance with his own rehtoric and resign," asked Guterres.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT JOSE TEIXEIRA M.P.: +670 728 7080

Militares partem para Timor-Leste

02 Março 2009 - 11h16
CM
Para render contingente da GNR
Oitenta e quatro dos 140 militares da Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) que vão render o contigente que integra a missão da ONU em Timor-Leste partiram esta segunda-feira do aeroporto de Figo Maduro, em Lisboa. As despedidas, como habitual, foram emocionantes, com muitas lágrimas, abraços e beijos à mistura.


O primeiro grupo de militares parte hoje, enquanto que os restantes têm partida marcada para o próximo dia 12.

Os 140 militares, que constituem o sétimo contingente do subagrupamento Bravo, vão permanecer em Timor-Leste seis meses, continuando a missão de ajuda 'à restauração da paz e ordem pública' e apoiando a Polícia Nacional timorense 'na sua reconstituiçao e treino'.

O sexto contingente da GNR que integra a missão da ONU em Timor-Leste (UNMIT) regressa a Portugal a 04 e 14 de Março. Antes, os militares vão ser homenageados pelo presidente timorense, José Ramos-Horta, com a medalha da solidariedade de Timor-Leste.