Maternus Bere - In LIving Colour

Maternus Bere - Secretary to the Camat (Chefe de Posto) Betun, Timor-Barat, NTT.

Indonesia has come a very long way in the last ten years. But the fact that the Indonesian government 1) employs Bere 2) gives him a passport to travel abroad 3) claims they do not know where he is when indicted by the UN - suggests that Indonesia has a long way to go, and its accession to INTERPOL is a joke.

















Maternus Bere - Sub-Commander Laksaur Militia 1999

Nakar Twitter

Lets Talk about Rice Baby, Lets Talk About you and Me. From 120,000 tonnes to 200,000 tonnes.

The Minister of Rice Version 2.o (the first being Senhor Bano) is in Vietnam while the Bere Scandal unfolds in Dili. While attention is elsewhere, massive contracts are being signed, for equally massive amounts of rice. The rice is worth between 60,000,000 and 180,000,000 USD depending on the deal that was struck. Emphasis on "deal".

While the President, Provedor, Media, Opposition have all called for a review/investigation into last years rice deals, more rice deals are being inked. All under the nose of Ho Chi Minh a good capitalist if ever there was one.

Vietnam knows how to spot a Petro Fund which is ripe for picking (looting).


Above: interesting how Joao Meco - a lawyer from Oecusse, who works for Wiranto has a cheeky thing to add.

Perhaps we will be seeing more scenes like this in Dili harbour in 5 months time?

One has to wonder if there will be another ricegate story with contracts like this being signed again, and then trebled at the last minute.

Is there a Food Crisis? Last year the rice was bought the mitigate a food crisis - or was it about politics.....

VN doubles exports of rice to Timor Leste

(24-09-2009)

HA NOI Vietnamese companies will double their exports of rice to 200,000 metric tonnes to Timor Leste next year, under an agreement signed yesterday in Ha Noi by Viet Nam's Ministry of Industry and Trade and the country's Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry. All rice eaten in Timor Leste is imported. The two ministers also agreed to start negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement.

They have encouraged companies and associations to promote bilateral
economic and trade activities.

Increasing cooperation is also sought in energy, petrol, mining and
forestry. VNS

--etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan

The President On Maternus Bere - TVTL Transcript.

Ida ne'e transkrisaun ida bainhira Prezidente Jose Ramos-Horta halo intervista no TVTL iha loron 21 Sept 2009.

Sira koalia naruk liu kona ba kazu Maternus Bere. Lei didiak, Horta proklama buat barak.

TRANSKRISAUN

JRH : ami simu relatorio ne'e, tanba relatorio ne'e hateten maioria responsabilidade, maioria Violensia instituisaun TNI mak halo, ne'e mak faktus importante maibe laos depois atu fila fali halo Tribunal Internasional. Hau lahatete que hau lakohi justisa, justisa Indonesia sei lao, maibe Indonesia mak bele halo, ita mos Timor Leste ita lakohi ema internasional atu mai bongkar tun bongkar sae ho ita nia sistema judicial ou ita nia governo. Timor oan barak baruk ona hare estrangeiro barak-barak mak mai manda tun manda sae, tinan 10 nia laran sira iha ne'e, atu halo kapasity building, kapacity building saida ? entaun se ita hatete Indonesia nasaun ida que orguilho teb-tebes, nasaun ne'e laos sesenta anos deit, nasaun ne'e mai husi civilizasaun atus ba atus, civilizasaun Javanesa, entaun hatete ba sira atu hari Tribunal Internasional ida hau hanoin ita mangame, ita mehi.

TVTL : Sr. Presidente hanoin sira, desizaun sira nebe estadu foti ladun intende ho razaun sira seluk, ho situasaun ida hanesan ne'e oin sa mak ita bele fo garante ba ita nia povu sira katak situasaun dame ne'e bele moris?

JRH : hau nudar ita bot sira hatene, populasaun sira hatene iha tinan hirak ne'e nia laran, mesmo nudar Ministro Negosiu Estrangeiro maske hau viagem ba mundo tomak sei iha tempu atu viagem ba distritu sira, desde tempu ministro Estrangeiro, desde tempu UNTAET, nudar Primeiru Ministru iha tempu krize mos hau tama fatuk koak sai fatuk koak, tama distritu sai distritu. Nudar Presidente tinan rua liu ona ba distritu, sub. Distritu, aldeia lubuk ida. Se povu nia preukupasaun numeru 1 mak problema 99, hau la rona ida ne'e iha hau nia viagem ba distritu hotu-hotu, koalia ho ema rihun ba rihun nunka hau rona liafuan ida mai kona ba 99 ka 75. Klaru iha vitimas, vitimas nebe ita respeita, maibe sira hakarak hetan rekonyesementu husi estadu, estadu halo rekonyesimentu, vitimas hakarak tulun ba sira nebe la konsege servisu ne'e estadu nia obrigasaun, maibe hau nunka rona vitima sira hateten ami hakarak Tribunal Internasional, hau nunka rona ida ne'e. foin dadaun Senhor Primeiru Ministru ba Suai aniversariu Masacre igreja Suai. Hau la ba tanba hau hateten ba primeiru Ministru como ita ba hau lalika ba tanba hau la gosta que Primeiru Ministru, Presidente sai husi capital ou sai husi nasaun. Ami kombina uluk kedas se nia sai ba tasi balun hau tenki iha ne'e, hau sai nia tenke iha ne'e, portantu ida tenki iha ne'e. Povu iha Suai, povu nebe moris iha fronteira, povu nebe vitimas direitu ba massacre igreija Suai sira rasik hatudu maturidade bot teb-tebes, iha neba momentu ne'e laiha manifestasaun, laiha hakilar sira hatudu sira nia dignidade, vitima sira hatudu sira nia kumpriensaun ba politika estadu, I hau kuandu halo viagem hirak ne'e hau rona, ita halo ne'e que hetan konsensu ida tinan sanulu ne'e nia laran ou tinan lima ne'e nia laran, husi fatin hotu –hotu iha Timor nia laran hau rona hotu-hotu ezizi Tribunal Internasional ida, ne'e estadu ne'e tenki hanoin ne'e duni, maibe se ida ne'e mak povu hakarak, Presidente da republika, Primeiru Ministru ou Parlamentu tenki sukat didiak . Se povu hotu-hotu dehan ami hakarak tribunal internasional, maibe hau nudar Presidente hau hatene, se hau tuir povu nia hakarak I halo lobby ba Tribunal Internasional hau sobu relasaun ho Indonesia, hau sobu dame iha Fronteira entaun hau labele simu ida ne'e, e se hau la simu, lasimu povu nia ezizensia, entaun hau resigna husi Presidente da Republika, tanba hau nia konsiensia hatete hau lakohi kaer politika ida ne'e tanba ne'e bele hamonu estadu ida ne'e.

TVTL : Fila fali ba kazu Maternus Berek nian, karik ida ne'e tanba presaun husi Indonesia ka ne'e mak estadu nia hanoin duni atu kria relasaun diak ho estadu iha futuru?

JRH: Indonesia la halo presaun, sira telefone, sira kontakta ita nia Ministro Estrangeiro, hau koalia telefone ho Ministru Hasan Wirayuda nebe hau konyese diak e sira hateten mak ida ne'e deit, ita halo akordu verdade no amizade iha tinan hirak ne'e nia laran Indonesia buka halo buat hotu-hotu para tulun Timor Leste nia estabilidade apoia ita tama ASEAN, apoia ita membru ARS, simu ita nia estudante sira e mos halo presaun hahu iha 99-2000 ba milisia sira para keta bok ami. Iha tinan 10 nia laran ne'e, elementus Timor be ita bolu milisia hela iha Atambua, Kupang, Kefa sira mos hatudu sira nia laran diak, iha tinan sanulu nia laran sira la halo problema ba ita. Tes Durante tinan sanulu ita hakarak tes tinan hira tan tinan rua nulu tan tinan tolunulu tan. Se Fronteira ohin hakmatek laos tanba deit TNI, tanba ita nia alin, ita nia maun sira iha Fronteira, iha Atambua, iha Kupang, iha Kefa sira mos hadomi nafatin nasaun ida ne'e, sira mos hatete ami lakohi kontribui tan ba halo at ba ami nia rain e ne'e ba hau hanesan sentimentu arependimentu ida, sentimentu ida que hateten sim ami sala ami lakon. Depois ema oan ida Sr. Berek, tama, hau la kunyese, hau rona dehan nia tama tanba buka medico, populasaun hare nia, kaer nia, baku nia e polisia salva nia, ne'e normal kuandu populasaun hirus teb-tebes derepente hare elementus ida que tinan sanulu liu ba halo at ba sira, Polisia mak salva nia e lori ba kadeia. Ita nia pergunta primeiru hateten nune'e ne'e legal ka illegal ? hau hateten nune'e nem tudo, laos buat hotu-hotu nebe legal apoia interese nasional, interese estadu nian. Se lei maka tenki iha leten liu, leten liu interese estadu nian, relasaun estadu ho vizinho sira, entaun hau fo exemplo ida iha 2002 Governu Dr. Mari'I Alkatiri nian halo akordu rua ho Estadus Unidos da America que hau rasik assina nudar Ministru Estrangeiro, ida akordu naran SOFA (The Status Of Force Agreement) akordu ida ne'e hau assina iha Washington ho Secretariu do Estadu Collin Powel akordu ne'e hateten Militar Americanu ruma nebe servisu iha Timor, se halo sala ruma labele julgamentu iha Timor, Timor laiha direitu atu julga, ita fo fiar judisiariu Amerikanu maka bele julga nia. Se ita la halo akordu SOFA forsa Amerikana nem ema ida mai iha ne'e, e akordu ne'e halo iha rai lubuk ida iha mundu tomak. Se ita hatete ita entrega fila fali ba Amerika sira nia soberania julga sira nia ema, se ita aseita. Ne'e Governu konstitusional mak halo ida ne'e, e ida tan iha 2003 Tribunal Penal Internasional nebe Timor mos halo parte ona, tratadu de Roma nebe Timor mos ratifika, Amerika nunka ratifika ida ne'e, Indonesia mos nunka, Xina, nebe iha Asia ne'e iha nasaun rua ka tolu deit ; Timor Leste, Korea do Sul, no Japaun maka ratifika. Tribunal Internasional Penal ne'e existe ona, funsiona iha Aya. Maibe wainhira ita halo akordu ida ne'e estadus Unidos kontakta kedas ita hatete ami hakarak halo akordu ida ho imi para que se tribunal internasional Penal ne'e halo mandatu kaptura ba elementu Amerikanu ruma nebe iha imi nia rai, imi labele entrega ba Tribunal Penal ne'e, entrega fila deit ba ami. E Timor halo akordu ne'e ho America, e momentu kuandu Timor assina akordu ne'e Timor hamutuk deit ho rai nen ka hitu.

TVTL : ita hare ba kazu Maternus Berek ninian, iha Timor ita kaer ba regulamentu UNTAET no 15 / 2000 ninian nebe ema sira nebe envolve iha Crimes Garves ne'e sei bele julga iha ita nia prosesu judisiario iha Timor Leste. Se karik hanesan ne'e ho desizaun estadu ninian nebe mak foin dadaun Sr. Presidente esplika, oin sa ita bele responde sistema judisiariu nebe bele lao diak iha ita rain ?

JRH : kuandu hau esplika kona ba SOFA, kona ba akordu ho Estadus Unidus hau kontinua hateten nune'e se ita halo akordu ho estadus Unidos e konfia se elementu estadus Unidus ruma komete krime ita entrega ba sira mak halo julgamentu tanba sa mak ita la konfia mos estadu Indonesiu para halo justisa. Se Republika America halo ka lahalo ne'e sira nia responsabilidade moral e politika, se Indonesia halo ka lahalo sira mak bele fo resposta. Mas timor Leste hateten ami nudar estadu ho maturidade ami labele, estadu ida labele hateten ba estadu seluk, diskulpa estadu Indonesia ami la konfia imi nia justisa, ne'e laos linguagem relasaun diplomatico iha mundo laos nune'e, liu-liu kuandu estadu ne'e demokratico e nia demokrasia dinamico liu fali ona Timor Leste nian e sira halo reforma barak ita hateten diskulpa maibe ami la konfia ita bot sira. Se maka hakarak kaer relasaun estadu nune'e, favor iha 2012 hili fatin kadeira nudar Presidente da Republika, hau lae. Hau hateten deit nune'e sr. Berek nia sidadaun Indonesia, Indonesia la aseita dupla nasionalidade, ema nebe Indonesiu labele iha duas Nasionalidade nia sidadaun Indonesia, maske uluk komete krime iha ne'e e krime ne'e nia komete iha ne'e laos de depois de 2002, nia komete iha 99, estadu ne'e seidauk existe, entaun hau nia preferensia hau hateten nia laos nia labele enfrenta justisa maibe estadu Indonesia maka bele halo justisa. Hau hatete dalabarak estadu Indonesia, sosiedade Indonesia maka bele halo analiza reflesaun ba sira nia istoria. Problema hotu-hotu nebe akontese iha Indonesia 65,66, Aceh, Tanjung Priok sira mak bele hare ida ne'e, laos Timor Leste. Sidadaunida ne'e, Senhor berek sidadaun Indonesia, hau hateten entrega ba Indonesia para halo justisa

Se ita iha informasaun hotu-hotu, e hau fiar katak ita iha, prosesu ne'e Tribunal Timor Leste nian, Prokurador geral da Republika, hau lahatene prosedimentu birokrasi lolos formal ne'e oin sa, deporta ema ne'e ba Indonesia, ita nia polisia akompanya ba fronteira entrega ba autoridade Indonesia atu hare ba krime nebe senhor ne'e halo iha 99.

TVTL : Sr. Presidente, ohin ita dehan povu laiha preukopasaun sobre kazu Maternus ne'e ita nia orgaun politika, soberania sira mak preukupa barak liu hodi hamosu opiniaun kona ba kazu Maternus Berek. Maibe problema ida mak ne'e se ita kompara ho nasaun seluk kuandu ita hare ba interese Nasional, konserteza iha buat ida naran konsensu Nasional, e iha kazu ida ne'e nusa mak Sr. Presidente mos la halo konsensu Nasional ?

JRH : hau fo hatene hau hasoru ho bankada sira, ho Primeiru Ministru, Dr. Mari Alkatiri, dalahira ona, e ultimaves hau hanoin foin iha fulan Julho liu ba ne'e, reuniaun ho sira hotu-hotu iha sala konselho do estadu iha Presidente da Republika I iha momentu ne'e dala ida tan hau hateten ba sira, tanba laos primeira vez, iha hau nia uma antes de atentadu kontra hau ne'e, halo reuniaun iha kantor iha Farol hau hateten ba sira, ita hotu-hotu liu-liu bankada sira, tanba lei tenki mai husi Parlamentu laos Governo ho presidensia da Republica, hetan lei ida, projetu lei ida Amnestia para taka problema 74-99, hau hateten dalabarak, maibe hau labele obriga kada partidu e momentu ne'e hau rona kuaze sira hotu-hotu hatudu sira nia kumpriensaun e hau hateten hau hakarak iha fulan Agusto ita hetan projetu lei ida ne'e, maibe hau mos kumpriende que tempu apertadu teb-tebes tanba Parlamentu tama iha …..e iha 15 de Agostu tempu laiha. Portantu ne'e diskuti dalabarak hau lembra bebeik, tanba hau hateten se ita lahalo ne'e loron ruma buat ruma sei nakfera iha ita nia oin. Kazu berek konfirma buat nebe iha tinan rua nia laran ona halo la biban.

TVTL : Se ita hare ba kazu Berek , ita mos hare ohin senhor Presidente esplika kona ba CVA, iha rekomendasoens CVA nia la foka liu katak haluha buat nebe iha kotuk, mas iha termus ida nebe dehan katak forgive but not to forget. Iha termus ida ne'e oin sa Timor atu responde ?

JRH : diak, liafuan ida ne'e hau konkorda 100%, forgive katak ita fo perdaun ba sira nebe uluk hasoru ita, uluk halo at ba ita individualmente, perdaun ne'e mai husi ita nia fuan e perdaun ne'e bele mai mos husi legislasaun, maibe liu-liu fo perdaun ka la fo perdaun konforme ita nia sentimento, haluha labele, hau lahaluha hau nia alin, bin hirak nebe mate

TVTL : signifika katak haluha ne'e Justisa mos ita haluha ?

JRH : lae, laos signifika atu haluha justisa, ba hau justisa que bot liu nebe mundo halo ba Timor Leste, que mundo nebe to'o 99 hipokrasia bot teb-tebes, sira mak tapeti mean ba Soeharto, sira mak faan kilat ba Soeharto, sira mak apoia Soeharto halo okupasaun Timor, bolu ita komunista, sira ohin mak koalia ibun bot kona ba justisa. Maibe sira hotu-hotu iha 99 muda, America muda, Australia muda, Europa muda. Iha Europa ne'e unika nasaun ativamente iha Timor Leste nia sorin mak Portugal laiha nasaun seluk, ida ka rua simpatisa maibe ativamente nia diplomasia 100% foka ba Timor mak Portugal. Sira seluk Alemanha , faan ro, faan, kilat, helikopteru. Fransa, pior liu Englaterra, pior liu tan America, Australia entaun hakuak Soeharto makaas los, maibe sira hotu-hotu muda, maibe kuandu sira muda iha 99 ita hateten ita lalika koalia tan ba sira nia hahalok at iha kotuk tanba ita ohin relasaun metin los ho America, se ita relasaun metin ho Amerika ita hakarak hateten ami relasaun metin ho imi maibe imi tenki julga ……., Jimmy Carter tanba se mak halo esportasaun kilat ba Indonesia laos ……., Jimmy Carter , se hau hateten nune'e entaun lae, husik ba kotuk. Entaun ho Indonesia mos nune'e. Se ita hateten ba Amreica ami lakohi julga Jimmy Carter, maibe ami hakarak julga nafatin Jeneral Indonesia sira , tanba sira fraku liu Amerika. Ou ita tauk Jeneral Indonesia sira maibe latauk milisia oan ain tanan ita hatudu an ba sira, politik laos nune'e. 99 komunidade Internasional muda sira nia pozisaun ita hateten ; haluha sira nia hahalok at ne'e, ita lahaluhan ita nia vitima, ita nia terus.

TVTL : Sr. Presidente se ita kaer ba relasaun ho Indonesia, lembra ita selebra desimu aniversariu referendu, iha diskursu Sr. Presidente ninian hateten klaru kedas ona lori estadu nia naran katak estadu la hanoin ona atu husu Tribunal Internasional e iha neba mos Sr. Presidente husu ba Indonesia atu lori fila mate ruin sira nebe mak sekarik uluk Indonesia mak oho ka halo mate, lori mai hodi halo tuir seremonia Timor nian. Depois de ida ne'e mosu kedas ho kazu Maternus Berek , ida ne'e polemika saida mak ne'e ?

JRH : Hau kumpriende, hau la hirus kritika sira nebe mai hau, mai Primeiru Ministru kona ba kazu ida ne'e, maibe hau nudar Presidente da Republika hau labele tuir tanba NGO ida hakilar, tanba labarik oan ida UNMIT nian Human Rights Unit koalia hau hakfodak kedas, tanba hau hanoin laos UNMIT tanba Sr. Atul Khare SRSG, tanba nia ema mai husi India, diplomata bot, nia kumpriende problema iha Asia nian. Maibe malae balun husi Europa, Amerika nebe iha sistema ne'e sira hateten nune'e e hau kuandu rona ne'e hau hanesan atu hamanasa fali, hatudu sira nia beikten. Sira hateten nune'e ; tanba Timor labele halo justisa, Indonesia labele halo Justisa, entaun devia iha Justisa Internasional. Hau hanoin sira tau ona sira nia ain iha laho laran, tanba sa agora Altu Komisario Direitus Humanus se sira hakarak, tanba sira berani teb-tebes favor ba Konselho Seguransa, koalia ba Konselho Seguranasa para halo Tribunal internasional. Se ne'e iha High Commisioner Human Rigths Unit iha Geneva mak hakarak Tribunal Internasional. Se sira la konsege Tribunal Internasional ba Sudan, ba Darfur, nem redus tan Konselho Seguransa oan ida kona ba Birmania, sira la konsege rezolusaun kiik oan ida ba problema lubuk ida iha Medio Oriente. Sira hanoin que Indonesia ohin que kredibilidade maka'as ohin iha mundo ne'e, hotu-hotu respeita sira nia progressu, sira la mangame iha Konselho Seguransa nem hetan votu oan ida. Hau hanoin sira hatudu karik sira nia beikten ou demagozia.

TVTL : Sr. Presidente ita fila fali ba desizaun nebe que halo polemika, tensaun politika manas uitoan, tanba sa mak hau bele hateten dehan ne'e manas uitoan tanba wainhira desizaun ne'e kuandu sai Parlamentu halo kedas ……ita bot nia Viagen ba rai liur maibe ikus mai aprova. Hafoin ikus mai mosu fali mosaun sensura ba Governo, ita hare todan ne'e komesa dudu ba dudu mai, mas kuandu ita hare lolos wainhira kuandu atu hasai desizaun ba kazu Maternus Berek Sr. Presidente mos rona ideas husi Dr. Mari'I Alkatiri, rona mos husi juis sira maibe ikus mai todan ne'e komesa halai ba, ita bele dehan hatudu lima ba malu. Saida mak ida ne'e, Sr. Presidente bele fo tok hanoin ruma ba ita nia povu sira kona ba situasaun ida ne'e ?

JRH : Sim, Dr. Mari Alkatiri reuniaun duni ho Primeiru Ministru, ho hau rasik ba kazu ida ne'e, e hau rasik maka hakarak koalia ho nia kona ba kazu ida ne'e, para nudar lider nasional ita hetan saida ida ba problema ida ne'e. E Dr. Alkatiri halo nia kontribuisaun diak que dalan saida mak bele resolve, nia lahateten que tenki julgamentu iha Timor, nia kumpriende relasaun diak ho Indonesia, tanba nia ho Xanana Gusmao autor Komisaun Verdade Amizade e nia nudar Primeiru Ministru partisipa e bele simu kreditu kredibilidade ba relasaun ho Indonesia laos Presidente Xanana deit, Primeiru governo Konstitusional sira hamutuk. Ne'e duni hau mos suprendido hakfodak que buat nebe Dr. Alkatiri hatudu ho moderasaun la reflete iha bankada Fretilin nian iha Parlamentu. Sira kahur buat rua, buat ida Presidente da Republika informa Parlamentu, husu Parlamentu atu halo viagem ida, ne'e buat ida hanesan formalidade deit tanba sa mak buat ne'e mosu iha neba tanba ita nia konstituisaun copia buat barak husi Portugal ninian, rai sira seluk Presidente hakarak sai nia sai ou devia nia informa. Ita copia husi sistema Portugal nian, Amerika laiha ida ne'e, Australia laiha, rai barak-barak iha mundo, Presidente Republika informa kona ba nia saida. Maibe Parlamentu kahur fali problema rua ne'e, problema Berek nian ho problema direitu autoridade que ekslusiva Presidente da Republika nian, mas pronto sira kurizi sira muda e problema ne'e taka ona e akontese iha Parlmentu dalaruma bele halo desizaun mos sala e reve lei, konstituisaun mos bele muda e halo emenda porque ne'e laos buat ida nebe que grave.

TVTL : Sr. Presidente mos ameasa atu resigna?

JRH : Sim, hau pronto atu rezigna se Parlamentu manteim desizaun ida ne'e, tanba ne'e hanesan interferensia ona que hau konsidera inkonstitusional que instituisaun ida que laiha mandatu ba Presidensia da Republika. Iha Konstituisaun laiha buat ida que hatete presidente da Republika presta contas ba Governo ka ba Parlamentu, Presidente da Rfepublika presta kontas ba povu ba nasaun. Kuandu nia hakarak halo mkomunikasaun ba Parlamentu nia tenki informa ba Parlamentu halo komunikasaun Parlamentu la konvoka Presidente da Republika. Uluk kuandu hau Primeiru Ministru fulan sanulu deit hau oferese an ba Parlamentu lubuk ida, tempu Dr. Mari Alkatiri ninian tinan 4 Parlamentu keixa que nnia nunka mosu iha neba. Hau buat kiik oan ruma hau rasik mak ba iha neba tanba hau gosta duni ba iha neba tanba hau gosta duni rona deputadu sira koalia debate. Maibe nudar Presidente da Republika, instituisaun ne'e seluk hau ba kuandu iha komunikasaun ruma importante, maibe liu tiha ona, hau ba Nova iorke representa estadu Timorense iha neba tanba sekretario geral insisti hakarak hau ba e laos konvida rai hotu-hotu ba rai balun deit. Ne'e orgulho bot ida tanba Sekretario Geral pessoalmente konvida hau. Hau la hatete deskorda ba mosaun sensura, mosaun sensura mos pratika normal iha Parlamentu hotu-hotu iha mundo, hakarak halo, halo deputadu sira depois sukat didiak sira nia konsiensia atu vota oin sa ? Fretilin hakarak halo mosaun sensura bele halo, mas hau hateten buat ida hau Jose Ramos Horta, Presidente da Republika hau apoia nafatin governo AMP nebe hau konsidera konstitusional hau lasimu argumnetu que mai husi opozisaun nebe hateten laos konstitusional, tanba hau mos hatene interpreta ita nia konstituisaun, I kuandu hau atu halo desizaun konsulta ema barak los, iha Timor Leste, ba Portugal, fransa, Amerika. E hau fo ezemplo oan ida ba ita bot sira foin lalais eleisaun iha Israel Partidu nebe mak manan kadima e partidu nebe sai Segundo lugar, Netanyahui ninian, e debates bot iha Israel no jornalista hotu-hotu hateten desizaun ne'e agora iha Presidente simon Perez nia liman e halo tuir konstituisaun Israel. Finalmente nia halo desizaun, se mak nia bolu forma Governo mak Netanyahu segunso partidu mais votadu, maibe tanba Segundo partidu mais votadu ne'e halibur partidu 5 ka 6 entaun nia hetan maioria Parlamentu. E partidu Kadima nebe mais votadu la konsege halo koligasaun e sira la halo protesto dehan ne'e inkonstitusional, Simon Perez halo buat nebe hau halo iha ne'e. Portantu Governo AMP ne'e konstitusional, legitimo, mundo tomak rekonyese, governo ne'e halo kontribuisaun ba dame, solusaun problema petisionario, solusaun problema deslokadu, ita nia ekonomia lao ba oin. Iha problemas barak opozisaun koalia hateten mal governasaun, korupsaun ne'e iha prosesu mekanismu atu halo. Hau tau konfiansa bot ba maun bot Xanana Gusmao, laos deit tanba Primeiru Ministru. Se maun bot Xanana Gusmao mak la kaer luta ne'e iha 81 ba oin e nia mak la kaer luta ne'e iha 99 ho Taur Matan ruak, ita ohin laiha nasaun ne'e. Nasaun ne'e rahun kedas iha 99, Xanana gusmao ho Taur mak hatudu nia vizaun, Taur iha ailaran, Xanana iha Cipinang, e tanba ne'e mak hau hatene nia fuan ba povu ida ne'e , nia terus ho povu ne'e, nia terus ho ema kiak, nia terus ho katuas sira, e buat nebe nia halo, nia halo tanba nia kunyese povu ne'e. Portantu opozisaun hakarak atu hatun Governo ne'e ita sei hare.

TVTL : ho Desizaun estadu nian klaru katak laiha Tribunal Internasional depois ita mos husu ba Indonesia tuir xefi estadu nia hanoin, vantagem saida ba Timor Leste ho buat hirak hanesan ne'e ?

JRH : Ita nia justisa fraku, fraku laos tanba juis sira fraku, fraku tanba lei mak seidauk iha, pessoal seidauk iha, juis seidauk iha. Buat ida hau kritika Nasoens Unidas mak ida ne'e, sira iha ne'e 99 –2002 sira gasta osan juta ba juta halo Serious crime Panel ka Serious crime Unit, e halo julgamnetu ida ka rua ba Timor oan sira deit, sira lahalo julgamentu ba ema ida iha TNI nia laran. 2002-2003 sira hatene que Timor sei fraku hela foin mak sai husi crize bot 24 anos derepente taka tiha, serious Crime hatete ne'e agora responsabilidade Dili District Court e halai tiha. Entrega problema bot ne'e ba ita depois agora koalia bot hatete hakarak Tribunal Internasional. Tanba sa iha 2000 sira la koalia kedas kona ba tribunal internasional, ne'e duni hau hatete ba sira favor Hipokrasia to'o ona, ami laos beikten, ami laos lekirauk be hela iha ai leten ida han hudi be imi bele koalia ba ami, ami nonok deit. Ita bot sira mak kaer destinu Timor nian husi 99-2002, se uluk kedas kria Tribunal Internasional tanba sa mak administrasaun esklusiva mandatu mai husi konsellu Seguransa nusa la husu kedas ba Nove Iorke atu halo tribunal Internasional. Sira hanoin que sira kkoalia, ita nonok ita tauk, diskulpa. Sira nia papel devia atu hare oin sa tulun Timor Leste atu taka kanek ne'e, kanek povu nian, kanek terus nian, laos ke bebeik problema iha kotuk ne'e.

TVTL : hakarak rona mos idea ida husi Sr. Presidente, de vez enkuandu preukupasaun sira estadu ninian entre orgaun Soberanu sira ne'e, agora ho situasaun sira ne'e labele halo povu sira preukupa demais ho politika sira hanesan ne'e, saida mak Presidente nia hanoin ?

JRH : Povu ne'e iha tinan hirak nia laran kunyese ami, ita lider idak-idak, sira hatene se maka hamutuk duni ho povu, se mak laran mos, se maka hadomi duni povu ne'e, e se maka koalia tun sae, agoria eleisaun suku hare kedas, maske partidu politiku la halo parte hare kedas se imi hakarak hili xefi suku ida ne'e konotadu demais ho partidu ida ne'e ka lae, depois prepara an ba 2012, tanba hau sei koalia, sei hatete ba povu ne'e, hau lahatene se hau sei bele serbi to'o 2012 ka lae, hau nia mandatu sei to'o 2012 maibe hau iha direitu atu sai antes ka lae komforme razaun nebe bele mosu momentu ne'e. kuandu hau simu todan nudar Primeiru Ministru mandatu durante fulan 10 e hau fo hau nia kontribuisaun hodi hadia sittuasaun iha PNTL, FDTL depois simu todan nudar Presidente da Republika simu todan hodi hadia situasaun to'o ohin situasaun e agora situasaun hakmatek. Ne'e duni hau hatete ita hare situasaun to'o 2012 oin sa ? se eleisaun akontese iha 2012 hau pronto atu koalia ba povu hare lista politico sira nebe iha tinan hirak nia laran koalia, sira nia komportamentu oin sa, hau sei hatete ba povu favor elementu ida ne'e iha partidu nia laran la vota, tanba sa ? hau preukupadu teb-tebes relasaun ho Indonesia se elementus balun que ohin koalia ibun bot teb-tebes dehan hakarak tribunal Internasional, se 2012 sira mak ukun relasaun nasaun ne'e ho Indonesia ba los iha nebe ? hau hatete ba politiku sira nebe hakarak ukun nasaun ne'e sukat didiak lia fuan komunikadu nebe imi halo tanba Indonesia rai sira seluk estuda ita. Sira hare komportamentu lider ne'e para depois sira hare se partidu ida nebe kaer poder ita bele konfia sira halo relasaun diak ka lae ? ne'e duni hau nia konselo mak ida ne'e sukat didiak ita nia lia fuan para tinan ruma nia laran ita labele arrepende fila fali hodi hateten ; afinal buat nebe hau hateten laos los duni hanesan bosok, diskursu deit, maibe sira nebe rona ita lahanoin nune'e.

TVTL : Hau hakarak husu Sr. Presidente nia mensagem ba vitima sira , nebe oras ne'e ema barak ejiji justisa maibe pozisaun xefi estadu nian klaru kona ba ida ne'e

JRH : wainhira estadu iha meius, meius finanseiro tenki sai estadu ida social, tenki sai estadu ida solidariedade para fo tulun ba hotu-hotu nebe presiza tulun, laos vitima deit nebe 99, laos vitima 75 no 99 deit, kualker ema ida nebe vitima ba moras bot ida, nia mos vitima, nnia mos iha direitu simu tulun. Por exemplo se Timor oan ida veteranus tempu luta nia lakon tiha nia ain ho nia liman agora labele servisu nia iha direitu atu estadu tulun nia. Maibe se ohin jovem ida tanba nia jovem lanu sae motor monu ain liman tohar, estadu iha obrigasaun ka lae atu tulun nia ? iha obrigasaun. Portantu hau nia filosofia mak ida ne'e ita labele hateten ida ne'e mak iha direitu, ida neba laiha direitu. Vitima hotu-hotu que presiza estadu nia tulun iha direitu, tanba vitimas balun que ohin la presiza estadu nia tulun. Vitimas hirak que uluk iha Cipinang Sr. Caetano Guterres, Consul Timor nian iha Kupang, nia tinan hitu iha kadeia, tortura nia, nia ezemplo ida ba mundo tomak que hatudu nia perdaun, nia amizade, ba Indonesia e ba Timor oan sira maibe nia ohin konsul manan osan diak, e Timor oan balun seluk, balun iha Parlamentu, deputadu, balun iha Governu que uluk vitima, Xanana mos uluk vitima tinan 7 iha prizaun, maibe nia la presiza tulun husi estadu, nia primeiru Ministru. Vitima sira nebe nem uma kakuluk ida iha, toba iha rai bokon han mos laiha, ne'e presiza tulun.

Hunting Laksaur and Halilintar Militia - Maternus Bere and his friends.

This is an interesting account of ADF and NZDF battles with Laksaur/Halilintar militias on the Timor border. Maternus Bere and his Laksaur friends were a serious group of people with serious TNI friends.

Australians, Kiwis, Nepalese, Fijians etc died and were wounded fighting Bere and his Laksaur friends - what do they and their families/governments think of all this?

The account is slightly "over the top" as our Australians friends might say - but it is very informative about the kind of people that are now seemingly allowed to return to Timor, get arrested, and then be released.

From: Austrlian Military Magazine Australian Defence

Gone are the days of ratbags on motorcycles armed with pipeguns. The second generation Militiaman is fully uniformed in TNI cammos, is armed with a range of assault rifles (M-16, G-3, SKS and SS-V1), wears webbing, carries South Korean made fragmentation grenades and operates in well trained groups that make well reccied and planned random attacks on United Nations positions.

The supposed Laksaur and Halilinti (now pronounced Hali Linta) groups operating along Sector West's approaches bare all the marks of professional irregular Special Forces cadre similar to that operated by the Free World Forces in MACV – SOG during the Vietnam War. They may be arseholes, but these are talented and battle experienced arseholes.

Sooner or later it was bound to happen, but it was still an awful shock to Sector West's Australian and Kiwi battalions when the Militia killed their first Anzac on Monday July 24. During a routine follow up patrol, a five man team from the NZBAT's 2/1 RNZIR was tracking Militia sign near the village of Nano about 10 kilometres out of Suai when they were ambushed by what was believed to be a group of nine Militiamen from the Laksaur Group.

The Militia opened up with automatic weapons from less than 10 metres on the Kiwi patrol, firing from concealed positions in the undergrowth. The opening burst caught Kiwi grunt Pte Leonard Manning in the chest. The balance of Manning's patrol initiated a break contact drill firing their Steyrs, Minimis and six 40mm HE rounds from their M-203 unders, leaving Mannings' body in the field. It was only after regrouping that the Kiwis realised that they'd lost Pte Manning.

Leonard Manning was not recovered until the following day, after 150 reinforcements were air inserted to conduct sweeps of the area. The Militia scored his weapon, ammo, webbing and boots and had cut off his ear to take home as a trophy.

Manning's body was given a warrior's farewell; his comrades performed a haka as his coffin left for home. Men had died in East Timor before. A Kiwi had crashed his vehicle, and an Aussie had died of sickness. But Manning's death was more than the 1649th Blue Helmet to die in UN service. He was conclusive evidence that there was a hot, albeit low grade, war going on along the Indonesian frontier.

Instead of shaking WESTFOR's morale, Mannings' death brought a new sobriety to the troops along the border. Manning was the first Kiwi KIA since Lt. Kidd got knocked during 6RAR/NZ's second tour of Vietnam in 1970. After hearing that his ear was taken, the Kiwi rank and file have vowed to avenge his death. Manning was the first, but not the last Anzac to come home in a coffin, as the AUSBAT would find out a few weeks later.

Things may have been going the Militia's way, but 6RAR had a few tricks of their own up their sleeve. On June 22, Charlie Company OC decided that he would conduct a series of random Vehicle CheckPoints on the feeder roads out of Atambua into East Timor. The aim of the surprise VCPs was to keep the Militia off guard and add an element of unpredictability to the AUSBAT's border screening process.

The first surprise VCP was established at the roundabout in central Batugade where the Balibo Road intersects the road to Atambua via Motaaine. Charlie Coy wasn't at it long before a busload of East Timorese aroused their suspicions. A thorough search of the bus soon revealed two Militiamen, an M-16, an SKS and South Korean hand grenades.

Charlie Coy's two new mates were soon enjoying a long questioning period, but it was obvious to all that the AUSBAT was now facing a new dry season offensive. Local reports and sign of Militia passage picked up by trackers increased after Manning was KIA.

On August 2, less than a week after the Nano contact, a platoon minus patrol from Alpha Company 6RAR was following up sign six klicks out of Maliana. The lead section (Callsign 1/1 Charlie) was following hard sign down a creek bed, the scouts following a trail of still filling TNI boot prints, empty Gutang packets and cigarette butts when the signal to harbour up for the midday meal came.

Having sited the Minimis in all round defence, the patrol settled down to pick at their dehyd patrol rations when the Dig on the 12 o'clock gun noticed a group of three armed Militia coming down through the creek bed patrolling aggressively.

The patrolling pattern was a clear sign of 'intent' under the new robust definition of the ROEs, and the young Dig cut loose with the LSW into the lead bloke with 20 rounds before following up with 200 rounds on a second target.

After the opening bursts, which dropped one Militiaman armed with a K98 Mauser rifle, the Militia (supposedly from Halilinti) broke into a professional and swift break contact drill returning a large volume of fire on the Australian patrol and attempted to work around its flanks. Unseen Militia joined in the firefight, while the Alpha Six patrol put in a platoon attack in an attempt to cut off the Militia's escape.

During the consolidation phase of the platoon assault, a second blood trail was found which led to a second dead Militiamen armed with an SKS. In either a super staunch or drug addled frenzy, the Militiaman had run 200 metres with two SS109 rounds in the guts and one in the ankle before carefully taking up a fire position, placing out his ammo and grenades for easy access and preparing to fight a suicide delaying action to help his mates escape. Fortunately he died of blood loss before implementing his plan.

The Alpha Coy Digs were stoked with their success, with the exception of an M-79 that refused to fire during the battle, the manoeuvre under fire went smoothly. The soldiers had reacted exactly as they were trained and prevailed on the field.

The bodies of the two dead Militia told a big story. Clothed completely with TNI issue DPM uniforms and wearing basic webbing, the KIA Militia were clean- and shorthaired. Underneath their DPM they wore civilian clothes. They carried plenty of ammunition and grenades and had local fruit in their pockets. Weird talismans of silver coins and weird stringy bits of dark frayed organic material were worn in little crocheted bags around their necks along with quantities of a red pharmaceutical drug in thin clear sealed sachets. While not clinically tested it was suspected that the liquid was Ba – a new super speed which is sweeping Asia - which would go along way in explaining KIA Two's 200 metre final.

Trouble was again in the air a few days later (August 6) when the 6RAR Battalion Group was contacted twice within 30 minutes at opposite ends of its AO. In the first contact a patrol from Bravo Six spotted a group of three armed Militiamen wearing black T-shirts and TNI trousers inside East Timor near the coastal town of Batugade.

The Bravo Six Diggers twice challenged the Militia group warning them to put down their weapons, but after the second challenge one of the Militia raised his weapon and aimed it at the Australians. The Digs opened fire on the group, wounding one armed with an SKS and probably wounding another in the brief engagement.

Thirty-five kilometres east, a Section from Reconnaissance Platoon 6RAR was manning an OP near Maliana not far from the August 2 contact site. Recon had only just heard about the Batugade contact over the radio, and one Dig said, "I wish we could have a contact." At that moment a group of nine armed Militia strode into view and a Recon Minimi gunner opened up with a series of well aimed bursts at the intruders.

>Luck was with the lead Militia, when reacting to the Minimi burst he was literally blown into the only dead ground around. Recon maintained fire on the intruders for a minute while the Militia conducted a high speed organised break contact drill. "Shit they were fast," the Recon gunner reckoned.

Reaction to the increased rate of Militia incursions saw a number of changes within the 6RAR Group. Patrol Heavy - helmets and kevlar body armour – was instituted throughout the AO.

A detachment of four S-70 Blackhawk helicopters and support crews from the Townsville based 5 Aviation Regt and extra 6RAR Diggers were deployed to Balibo in early August, bringing the online 6RAR Group strength to almost 1100 personnel. The 5 Avn Det moved into the big hill to the west of Fort Balibo, and 1 CER Engineers dozed the top off the feature to provide four hard LZs for the Blackhawks and workshop and accommodation lines for the Avos.

Included in the 5 Aviation Det, were an Aero Medical Evacuation Team, who were soon at work with a run of accidents and WIA flowing in from the battlefield.

The following day near Maliana, August 9, a Steyr lying in a bundle of field equipment on the floor of a 2 Cav ASLAV –PC discharged accidentally fatally wounding 2 Cav Recon Scout section commander Corporal Stuart 'Monster' Jones. Monster Jones was rushed to 6RAR's Forward Aid Station at Maliana before being airlifted by the AME team Blackhawk to Dili where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Monster died from an unfortunate accident, but there would soon be more combat casualties for UNTAET. Having banged their heads against the Aussie door and found it well guarded, the Militia groups focused their attention on the Fijian and Nepalese Company AOs south of the giant mount Foho Leo Laco that dominates the Maliana horizon.

The worst casualty rate of the entire East Timor deployment was about to occur. On August 10, four Nepalese infantry were wounded in action in two separate contacts with a large Militia force that had entered their sector of border. All were whinched out of the battlefield by the 5 Avn AME Team in a dramatic NVG night rescue mission. One of the Nepalese later died of his wounds.

The following day, August 11, a rubbish fire exploded injuring four Alpha Company Diggers at Junction Point Memo. While seriously injured, three of the four wounded Diggers are expected to return to duty with their Company by the time this issue hits the shelves. The fourth WIA is expected to make a complete recovery and return to light duties with the Group.

The accidental death of Monster Jones and the wounding of the Alpha Coy Digs at Memo certainly put on a downer on 6RAR which had been on a high since the successful Maliana contact. A moving ceremony was conducted on the bare hill overlooking Balibo to pay last respects to the fallen Recon Scout. ASLAVs lined up as an honour guard as the sun went down over the Savu Sea and another young Aussie Dig was farewelled by his mates during an Asian war. Hymns and tears flowed as the ASLAVs symbolically carried Monsters' empty Alice from the field, every soldier on that hill no doubt asking whether his mates will one day gather to say good bye to him on an East Timorese hill top.

Operations however could not stop. With the increased tension and reports of Militia activity throughout the border region, 6RARs Diggers and the armoured vehicle and helicopter crews are hard at it maintaining a solid presence throughout their Company AOs.

NZD's last night in AO Matilda (17 August 2000), the Fijian Company of the NZBAT fought a sharp contact with a group of four Laksaur Militia near Suai firing more than 40 rounds at the group and pursuing them as they fled into West Timor.

After the elation of INTERFET, and the brief pause in Ops due to the Monsoon the cold reality is that Australia's combat operations in East Timor are now far more intensive than ever.

After the speed and aggression of INTERFET's expansion Operations during September and November, the existing Militia were obviously too shocked to mount a coherent campaign of nuisance raids. Things have changed. The security environment within which 6RAR is operating has deteriorated seriously since the Militia and TNI were chased out of town pre Xmas.

Obviously the Militia and their sponsors within the Indonesian security apparatus have had time to think and have learned a few lessons. The Groups that violate the border now are serious Hombres. A&NZD suspects that they may be the paid uniformed irregulars seen riding TNI trucks with the Kopassus scarlet berets and balaclava wearing INTEL SF during the TNI's withdrawal from Dili. If so, these operators could have years of experience fighting Falintil behind them.Either way, the situation is far more serious than it was when INTERFET handed over to UNTAET in late February.

Prior to their deployment, the 6RAR Group's Digs copped a lot of slagging from INTERFET vets who teased them for being too late for the party. Four months after rotating in, 6RAR stands proud. The battalion may have missed the brilliant opening sequence of the ADF's East Timor story, but have no doubt that Six is doing The Hard Yards in a much more threatening environment than existed last year.

Despite Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister's claims to the contrary, the men of the 6RAR Battalion Group are facing an organised and well armed military incursion which is being actively aided by at least sections of the TNI's Bali based western command.

The nature of the Militia has changed too – the thousands of renta-thug Militia with their pipe guns, T-shirts and cigarette lighters have now given up the cause and turned into stand over criminals in Atambua and Kupang. What the Digs on the border are currently facing is a much smaller, very well trained and experienced irregular cadre who are good to very good in a rumble.

For a battalion that barely existed this time last year, 6RAR and its support units have given a sterling performance on the scrubby ridgelines of the Bobonaro Regency. After 16 weeks constant intensive security operations and two serious accidents, the men of 6RAR are still Mad Keen to hunt the raiders from over the border.

Credit, must go where credit is due. NZD has no doubt that 6RAR is finding more trouble because it has hunted the hardest. The professionalism and aggression of the 6RAR Groups' Digs is a credit to the ADF.

No doubt a combination of factors are contributing to the Group's achievements. The detailed preparation of the battalion prior to rotation, the steady build up of ADF operational experience in East Timor and a well respected command team have all contributed to the continued success of the Australian occupation of the border region.

Go down to any patrol base, junction point or company position and you'll walk away impressed with the quality of Ops and the dedication of the blokes in the paddock.

As this issue goes to press, tensions are building along the border. Sector West Command was openly canvassing the opinion that a major Militia offensive was expected to coincide with the first anniversary of the August 30 Independence Referendum. 30 August 200.

Yacobus Bere - Maternus Bere

Yacobus Bere formerly a Laksaur militia man is free man.

He was convicted in November 2001 in Indonesia for the killing of New Zealander Private Manning (UNPKF) during a militia incursion in a Cova Lima border area in July 2000. He resides in the village of Laktutus just 2km from the Fatumean border. His commander was Egidio Manek and who was was intimately involved in the planning of his attack that killed Manning. Manning's body was badly mutilated. Manek stole the young girl Alola as a warbride. Manek was also Maternus Bere's Commander.

They all played a role in the Suai Church Massacre - see the video here.

Is Yacobus related to Maternus Bere? Maternus resides in Raihenek Oan/Noanfalus, Belu, West Timor - not far from where Yacobus is. Before becoming Kecamatan Sub Secetary in NTT government was employed as a functionary at the TNI border post at the Salele/Metamauk junction point.

Wonder if Maternus played a role in the Killing of Private Manning? What would the Government of New Zealand have to say about things then?

Hercules Alert

In an email from a reader:

"At 19:55 24 September 2009 Xanana Gusmao, Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, entered the Hotel Timor. Upon entering the lobby he met Rosario "Hercules" Marcal - notorious Jakarta gangland figure. After shaking hands and embracing they sat down for a chat as if among old friends on the sofa next to the restaurant on the western side of the lobby area."
You can read alot about Hercules gang life here and here and here.

and connection s to militia here.

and his 2008 arrest in Jakarta here.

UNDIL - Hotu Ona?! So Says Council of Ministers

Universidade Dili (UNDIL) just got word it is not going to be accredited. Wonder what the hundreds of UNDIL students will do now that they have a degree which is worthless, and they paid for it too?!

Jendral Muda Komandate PNTL sira - Basilio Sae Ba Chefe Admin

Jendral Longuinos Monteiro muda ninian elementos PNTL ba fatin ba-barak. Interessante teb-tebes Inspektor Basilio de Jesus sai ba Komandate Administrasaun - maibe uluk nia halo sala barak bainhira nia kaer Direktor Administrasaun.....? Uluk sira dehan katak nia lakon ninia kilat ka fo kilat FNC ba ninia tiu iha Suai...

Atu lei artgo tan kona ba Jendral LM hare iha ne'e no iha ne'e

Doing Business in Timor. The full story.

The authorities Government and Worldbank etc are making much of Timor-Leste's new tax regime and ease of obtaining a construction permit (despite no land law...).

However, Timor-Leste is still at the bottom of the list for "enforcing contracts", as their is litttle rule of law in Timor, one might surmise. It will also cost the plaintiff 163% of the total amount claimed in order to get one's money when a contract is breached. So if you want 100 bucks back, you need to pay 163 bucks in order to get it - if you ever will. Make sense? Not really. And that is only after jumping 51 procedures over the course of 1,400 days of legal battles - that is about 3.5 years....

Read the full report here and make up your own mind.

Treeplanter

The object of the Global Dashboard poke in the eye.

100 Million Euros - Just Borrowed in the name of Timorese citizens so Portuguese companies can make money????

(macauhub)

Portugal grants 100 million-euro credit line for projects in East
Timor [ 2009-09-22 ]

Dili, East Timor, 22 Sept – The Portuguese government has granted a 100 million-euro credit line to East Timor for projects to be chosen by the East Timor government.

The initial amount of the Aid Credit Line may be increased up to 500 million euros according to a memorandum signed Monday in Dili.

The credit line is for funding infrastructure investment projects in East Timor with the participation of Portuguese companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the areas of energy, transport and communications, health and education.

The two sides also signed a memorandum on double taxation, the convention of which is due to be signed by the end of January 2010, as both East Timor and Portugal consider it important to fight tax evasion and to stimulate private enterprise and create a favourable business climate.

A third memorandum also signed Monday created a technical cooperation
programme which includes a visit by technicians from the Portuguese
Finance Ministry in October.

The governments of Portugal and East Timor in September signed the Indicative Cooperation Program (PIC) for the next four years, estimated at 60 million euros.

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Ministry of Agriculture Pays Well.

International and national Adviser salaries were big story in the news in April 2009. One national adviser was even paid 220,000 USD/annum. All well and good, if there is value for money one would suppose.

Above document sent it from a reader: it would seem that the national advisers in the Ministry of Agriculture are paid well. Very very well if you consider that most people in this country can only dream of earning (or not) these salaries. Salaries range from 800 to 8,600 USD/month. In some cases it is in doubt if the "adviser" even has a University degree, or even any real life skills in Agriculture.

What is certain is that they are political loyalists to the Minister in question.

Tax Evasion. Timorese and Portuguese Tax Men Unite.

Given the very low taxes in Timor-Leste. It can be expected that many Portuguese become tax refugees in Timor?

PRESS RELEASE

Meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 16^th, 2009

The Council of Ministers held, on this Wednesday, September 16^th. 2009, a meeting, in its meeting room, at the Government House, in Díli, and approved:

1. Agreement of Double Taxation with Portugal and Memorandum of Understanding on Double Taxation with Portugal.

This agreement aims to avoid Double Taxation and to prevent tax evasion in taxation issues on income and it is applicable to resident people in one or both countries.

It is the State's responsibility to collect the taxes on goods, immovable properties, companies' profits, air and sea transports, jointed companies, dividends, interests, royalties, surplus values, independent professions, dependent professions, artists and sportsmen, percentages of the members of the councils, pensions, public remuneration, investigating professors, students.

About MoU with Portugal

From a reader:

Hello Dili insider: I read your message about the agreement with Portugal on borrowing money and using only Portuguese companies. You may find it interesting to read what the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) says about matters like this. See this link: http://www.oecd.org/document/18/0,2340,en_2649_3236398_35401554_1_1_1_1,00.html

There are two relevant agreements, the Paris declaration and the Accra Agenda for Action, which is based on the Paris declaration. When reading the Accra Agenda for Action, read paragraph about "untying". That is clear talk

Regards, A reader.

Rogerio

RDTL will return to Dili in March 2010. So says the man himself. Politics should be become very interesting then.

Online Timor - still sucks.

"Although it was difficult to get accurate figures on the Internet market, the evidence suggested that growth in this sector remained constricted and there was little optimism about online activity in the short term."

Full website on the Timor Telecoms market here.

In a strange way Timor Telcom should thank Tempo Semanal - without Tempo's criticisms, TT would never have dropped prices and seen 66% increase in mobile users. Perhaps TT should give Tempo a share?

Anyway TT and internet still sucks.

AMP's Achilles Heel - Article 93.

AMP may live to seriously regret Maternus Bere ever crossing the border. FRETILIN are preparing their ace in the hole. Article 93 Section 2. If FRETILIN believes feel that public opinion is past the tipping point on AMP it will use Article 93. Eleisaun Anticipada?

Sep 18, 2009

E.Timor may force election

AFP

DILI - EAST Timor's opposition threatened on Friday to force an early election in an escalating row with the government over the release of an Indonesian militia leader accused of crimes against humanity.

Fretilin party spokesman Jose Teixeira told AFP the party will 'seriously consider' pulling out of parliament if a motion to censure the government of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao is not passed by parliament.

Fretilin, which controls 21 of the parliament's 65 seats, submitted the motion on Monday over the Gusmao government's decision last month to release militia leader Martenus Bere.

'We can't continue to be a part of what has become a violation of law,' Mr Teixeira said.

'If the censure does not go through, we can't see any way out,' he said, adding the withdrawal of Fretilin's MPs would be enough to automatically force an election. Bere was arrested after crossing into East Timor on August 8, five years after being indicted for his role in a string of human rights violations including the 1999 Suai church massacre in which up to 200 people were killed.

The United Nations' human rights representative in East Timor on Tuesday criticised government 'interference' in freeing the militia leader. But Gusmao and President Jose Ramos-Horta have said reconciliation with giant neighbour Indonesia is more important than dwelling on past abuses.

At least 100,000 people were estimated to have died during Indonesia's 24-year occupation of East Timor, which ended with bloody violence surrounding a 1999 UN-backed independence vote. -- AFP etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan

Lets Borrow and Spend.

Timor takes the first step towards becoming a Borrower. No Parliamentary debate, no nothing.

PRESS RELEASE

Meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 16^th, 2009

The Council of Ministers held, on this Wednesday, September 16^th. 2009, a meeting, in its meeting room, at the Government House, in Díli, and approved.

3. Memorandum of Understanding with Portugal for attribution of a line of credit.

This line of credit aims to finance the investment projects in Timor-Leste, by involving the acquisition of portuguese goods and services or the participation of portuguese companies (without prejudice of the associated local component).

The areas intended to this Line of Credit will be: construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges; construction and rehabilitation of physical infrastructures, including Health and Education; construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures of transport and communications; and the production, transportation and distribution of energy and water.

Ricegate Version 2.0

Vietnam-East Timor to sign rice export contract

16/Sep/2009 Intellasia | Thoi Bao Kinh Te Vietnam page 2

16 Sep, 2009 - 11:28:23 AM

Le Duong Quang, deputy minister of industry and trade yesterday Sep 15 had a meeting with East Timor's minister of foreign affairs Zacarias Albano da Costa.

East Timor's minister of foreign affairs expressed his hope to strengthen the cooperation relationship between the two countries, especially in the field of exporting rice. East Timor would like Vietnam to cooperate in other fields of oil and gas, minerals, agricultural products and consumer goods.

East Timor's minister of industry and Tourism planned to visit Vietnam in Sep. On this occasion, the two governments will negotiate and sign the cooperation contract in exporting rice between Vietnam and East Timor.

Moe ka lae? Lae.

Less that a week aftering ordering the release of one of the alleged masterminds of the Suai Church Massacre Prime Minister Gusmao attends the Suai Church Massacre Memorial in Suai on 6 September 2009.  Over 200 people were murdered during on that day in 1999.  Moe ka lae?  Lae?  Bele ba Komarka Becora ka lae?  Ita hanoin lae....?

UNMIT and the Bere Scandal?

What exactly did UNMIT do to pressure /intervene in the Bere scandal?  Who in UNMIT did what - against the stated position of the UN on the matter of human rights, serious crimes and impunity in Timor-Leste.  Which Senior Manager in UNMIT facilitated this breach in UN Policy? 

"After this, on 10 September the United Nations mission in Timor-Leste intervened and asked the National Parliament to withdraw the resolution. On the same day, the National Parliament approved a new request for the President to travel to USA, Denmark and Germany."

East Timor NGO Forum
Caicoli Street, Dili-East Timor phone 7394011/ 7265169 nicorede@yahoo.com

JOINT DECLARATION
CIVIL SOCIETY STATEMENT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT'S AND THE PRESIDENT'S INTERVENTION IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

14 September 2009

Introduction

On 30 August 2009, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão freed Maternus Bere, formerly of the Laksanakan Sapu Rata Militia (Clean Sweep Militia also known as LAKSAUR Militia). Maternus Bere is the former commander of the Laksaur militia, which on 6 September 1999 was directly involved in the Suai Church Massacre when many people were killed, including three priests. In 2003, the United Nations Serious Crimes Special Panel released a strong indictment against Maternus Bere and his fellow militia (Case Number 09/CG/TDD/2003).

On 30 August 2009, the Indonesia Foreign Minister Hasan Wirahuda had received a special invitation to attend the Tenth Anniversary Celebration of the Referendum in Timor-Leste. According to information we have gathered, Hasan Wirahuda pressured the Timor-Leste Government, saying that he would not attend the August 30 Celebration if Maternus Bere was not immediately freed.  In connection with this political pressure, the President of the Republic asked the Prime Minister to immediately release Maternus Bere.

The Prime Minister then asked the Justice Minister to release Maternus Bere from Becora Prison and hand him over to the Indonesian Ambassador in Timor-Leste. The release of Maternus Bere did not come from a court decision.

On  6 September a group of human rights activists together with victim's families from the Suai Massacre went to light candles in a peaceful protest in front of the Indonesian Embassy.

On 8 September the National Parliament voted on a resolution related to a journey abroad by the President of the Republic. The majority of the parliament voted against the President's travel abroad. On 10 September, the President threatened to resign.

After this, on 10 September the United Nations mission in Timor-Leste intervened and asked the National Parliament to withdraw the resolution. On the same day, the National Parliament approved a new request for the President to travel to USA, Denmark and Germany.

The NGO Forum and its members have identified a number of institutions that prejudice the spirit of the Constitution in relation to the principles of separation of power and justice, and threaten the sovereignty of the State.


We declare:

1.      The NGO Forum and its members strongly lament the Government's politics of direct invention in the independence of the judiciary by releasing former militia Maternus Bere without a court order. We request all the organs of the state respect the principle of separation of powers between each of the state organs.

2.      The NGO Forum and its members are saddened by the weakness of the State's institutions, especially the President of the Republic and the government that continues to bow down to international intervention, particularly from Indonesia to release the perpetrator of serious crimes. We request the Government, President, Court and National Parliament to strengthen its commitment to promote justice in Timor-Leste.

3.      The NGO Forum and its members condemn the political intervention by the Republic of Indonesia into the judicial sovereignty of Timor-Leste. We request the international community to continue to pressure the Republic of Indonesia through various avenues and embarrass Indonesia and Timor-Leste on the question of justice for the victims of human rights violations in Indonesia and in Timor-Leste.

4.      We ask the President of the Republic to promote the principle of the separation of power to lessen intervention in the judicial organ, and we ask the President to comply with his oath as laid out in Article 77 of the RDTL Constitution.

5.      We request the court issue a warrant for Maternus Bere based on the accusation of the Dili District Court Special Panel for Serious Crimes (no. 09/CG/TDD/2003).

6.      We request that each organ of the state understand the duties of every state organ and not intervene in the independence of any state organ, especially not to intervene in the functioning of the courts.

7.      We request all state institutions to value the demands of the victims of the Suai Massacre in relation to justice for Maternus Bere, especially relating to the location of the remains of the victims of the Suai Massacre.

8.      We honor the Government of Timor-Leste for creating the Indonesian heroes cemeteries (Taman Makam Pahlawan) in Liquiçá and Dili, Timor-Leste. We request the Republic of Indonesia to take up its respective duties for the victims in Timor-Leste, and especially for the Government of Indonesia to reveal where they buried the remains of those people who to this day have not been found.

9.      Based on Article 160 of the RDTL Constitution, Serious Crimes from 1974 to 1999 must be tried in Court or by an International Tribunal, not processed by cheap political decisions. We request the State to respect the principle of Article 160 of the Constitution. In addition, we urge the National Parliament and all organs of the State to quickly and immediately debate the CAVR Report Chega and implement all its recommendations.

Representatives of Civil Society Organizations:

***********************************************************
La'o Hamutuk (The Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis)
P.O. Box 340, Dili, Timor-Leste (East Timor)
Telephone:  +670-3325013 or +670-734-0965 mobile
email: cscheiner@igc.org    website: http://www.laohamutuk.org    skype: cscheiner