Xanana Expresses Discontent Scorn and Anger towards Australia

Written by Tempo Semanal

Kinta, 26 Dezembru 2013 08:41

http://www.temposemanal.com/nasional/xanana-expresses-discontent-scorn-and-anger-towards-australia

 

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão showed clearly that he was not happy with the attitude of the Australian Government in his statement to the media at Nicolau Lobato Airport after returning from an overseas trip on Saturday (07/12).

The country’s former resistance leader sarcastically questioned how a large democracy like Australia, the nation which led the INTERFET peacekeeping force in 1999, could come and lecture Timor Leste.

According to Xanana, the Australian government’s record is tainted because of its support for the integration of Timor Leste with Indonesia. Australia must not forget its past record in supporting Indonesia’s illegal occupation of Timor Leste during twenty four years.

The Prime Minister said that he is concerned for the safety for the ex-intelligence member who has became a witness for the spying case which the government of Australia had done against the Timor Leste negotiating team thought planting of listening devices in 2004.

Therefore he has written to the International Court of Justice in the Hague to ask the Prime Minister of Australia to ensure the safety of the ex-member of ASIS.

The former resistance leader also described the Australian government as “arrogant” and “dumb”, and he asked that the young people holding protests to behave in a disciplined way, “so that we can continue to project a good image in the international community”.

Speaking to the media at Nicolau Lobato Airport the Prime Minister said:

“There are many countries teaching us democracy but it is difficult. That is why in Bali I said in often in large, rich and developed countries they make us sign up to conventions, telling us you have to follow it and you have to be like this. They give us human rights conventions, conventions for this or that, even if we say we don’t have that they say, you must, you must sign it quickly but over in Europe they also many problems”.“The problem with international conventions is that some read it the papers the do the same, these are the so-called really developed countries teaching us telling us that if we follow these conventions then they can set a good example to us. If they set examples to us, it makes us (turn to China). I put a big question saying “what is this democracy for?”

Laughing derisively, the Prime Minister described Australia as “a very big country, such a rich, country.” Gesturing with his hands, and the tip of his fingernail, he showed how “Timor Leste could fit inside Australia like a grain of sand dropped on a beach. That is why we don’t accept that they used military intelligence to explore a country yet to stand on its own, to explore our weakness and unpreparedness.”

Timor Leste is a nation which experienced many different problems after the referendum, and the people still face all sorts of problems since we achieved independence. “That is why,” Xanana said “with all this we cannot allow a very big country to use its military intelligence to exploit us…I am not saying we were dumb but we were ignorant and unprepared and we were naïve.”

The Prime Minister of Timor Leste also explained that journalist had questioned him about the surveillance but he tried dodging the questions and his reply was to “wait and see”.

“It is best to listen, sometimes you ask, and I don’t say anything, and not mention this again. Because although we are small, and a undeveloped country and we so many problems but we have an identity that we are also human, as they would say in Manatuto, we are human too?

“So this was mentioned before lightly, and in the end we found someone that can forward with information. This process took time it did not appeared instantly, no; we studied it, looked at it and studied it, look at it, sought advice”.

“We consulted the top international law professors,not just any ones, but the top ones. They are worldly known and they said that these were the best and we should take it to court. So then we prepared everything, we consulted here and there, I wrote a letter to the Australian Government proposing a meeting to sit together and talk about it. Because that a good thing to do. You have done wrong. But, oh no, the Australian Government denied it. For his part, the Prime Minister said “you don’t have evidence, this is what happened, etc, etc… I said, because we have it that is why we are here and I am writing to you.”

‘After they sent a special envoy and we argued. They sent someone else, and others met Minister Alfredo Pires and other officials. For them they think that “who do you think you are? No we don’t want that, no, no… then they sent a Minister to meet me. I said to that Minister, I have told your Prime Minister that we don’t need heroes. There is a problem, but for us, our principles are that we continue to have good relations with Australia but we have a problem and we must sit and solve it, and not let it affect things. Because the people of Timor Leste are not an irrational people, we don’t behave like other countries where they burn and walk on your flag. No, these people are well-mannered and we must continue to show the world that although we are small, we are a smart people.
Smart does not mean we have PhDs and that not is why we are smart. Our elderly, men and women in the villages don’t know how to read that is not why they are smart.”

“And so because the [Australian government] did not want to set and talk, I wrote to them again and said okay, I have said many times that if you don’t want to sit and talk then the road to the courts in The Hague is a long one. That is why I wrote to tell them that if they refused to sit and talk and for us to solve it amicably then we sent it there (to the courts). But they also prepared their team. For arbitration it is needed three people, we give one of ours they give one of theirs then the two will chose one other to be the head. All is going well.”

“In the beginning we did not want to let this news out,” the Prime Minister said. Pointing at the journalists present, he laughed and said “Many of you had asked me but I said no. It was the Australian government who brought it out first, they brought it out first but they did not say much, they only said that we were not so good.”
“So everything was only completed two days ago on the 5th, to go and speak like we normally do but we were told that we needed to follow a procedure, a procedure to take them to court, and they told us what else may be needed.”

“Our concern is now our witness. We already know that our witness cannot be present; they (courts) will not believe us they will say that we made it up. That is why on the 5th we asked the Courts to caution Australia to protect our witness so that if he is needed then he can fly there and give his testimony. That was on the 5th two days ago.”

Xanana accused Australia of arrogance, and an attitude of “we are bigger than you, we are richer and we are smarter, show us.” “But instead,” he continued, “they showed their stupidity by breaking into the house of our lawyer and stealing all things related to this case. They took our witness for investigation. So if a poor fellow like me is to analyse it I would say: what are you, scared? Or are you ashamed? Do you have a problem? You had denied before why is it that now there is this problem?”

“What is even worse is that the Attorney General who ordered the case to go to court did all these things and said this is because national security.” With an air of derision, poking his tongue out Xanana asked “wow … are we supposed to be invading Australia?” We are supposed to put a bomb and send it, or put them in a plane and drop it on Australia? Wow… the Australian government has forgotten, has forgotten since the invasion until now.” He added “they have forgotten everything. Australia has forgotten that they were like [crossed fingers] with Indonesia, collaborating with Indonesia, that is why they remained silent about the Australian journalists killed in Balibo. They knew but they remained silent about it.” Showing a picture of Indonesian and Australian Foreign Ministers, Ali Alatas and Gareth Evans, flying over our Bayu Undan and toasting each other with champagne, he added: “Our treasures divided between them saying you take 50% and I will take 50%. Sharing our assets while killing us.”

“That is what they are afraid and they talk about security, security reasons and national security, I am totally amazed. That is why I say to be that smart sometimes it can be dumb.”
“That is why these people continue to show maturity and integrity.”

“Now they have confiscated our witness’s passport, if asked in The Hague for his testimony he cannot leave the country. That is arrogance, arrogance saying you (Timor Leste) so small what do you want? That is a lack of morals, a lack of ethics. It is the first time that I hear that they use military intelligence to monitor a problem that is to do with business. That is democracy for you.” Pointing a finger to his chest, Xanana continued “Since they are a big country, a rich country they want to show that they continue to dominate the smaller ones, and so to intimidate.”

“Some of you may remember that I have toured the whole of Timor to discuss the Strategic Plan, I have always said in same places, some people are spies, I knew and I said spies (mata-mata). So now I say, that I am shouting at Australia maybe I will be afraid to go to Australia because they may kill me. All these things. (Xanana concerned with his situation).”

“But I must say that I am afraid. I am very concerned about our witness. If they ask what will I say? I could say that he was eliminated in another place, people do that. They took the witness, destroyed his mobile and no one is responsible. We only have him, if they take him away, what can we do then? So what is Australia scared of? Australia has denied any wrongdoing but why is it scared? Security reasons? So because of security reasons do we take our F-FDTL to ambush them? With our two little navy boats we are going to shoot at each other in the high seas?”

“I feel happy. I feel happy because sometimes we talk and talk and they say wah! Now we tell you, now we are standing up, it’s really arrogant! But no, it is not arrogance. Just showing them that we can also think with our brains, but they say that we are arrogant. Their (Australia’s) arrogance is what they say; you (TL) are so small that we can continue to keep you down.”

Pointing to both shoulders, Xanana said ‘That is what I said when I toured the whole country, 500 hundred years of Portugal weighing on the left shoulder, twenty-four years of Indonesia weighing on the right shoulder, for as long as I live no one will sit on my head.”

“I will simply ask that we express our displeasure or unhappiness with civility. Not to go and destroy or to insult. Together let us show that these people are a smart people. I don’t want people insulting each other; we must show that Timorese people are smart. If he is not happy then he will only protest in front like now.”

Asked if it could have bad impact if the Australia government does not allow our witness to go and testify, Xanana replied: ‘Impossible. The [Australians] have played a trick saying by destroying the mobile phone, losing it etc etc… the impact is that we will not be able to argue our case. But the case is still on, and I have already giving a statement asking Prime Minister Tony Abbot to give security/protection. Security so that nothing can happen to him (witness). When his phone was destroyed we had suspicions. I don’t think it will have a negative impact, unless his other mobile is destroyed or that he goes and have something to eat in some place then all of a sudden he has a bad stomach ache, aah! That is what the rascals in intelligence traditionally do.”

“That is why I have issued a statement to asking Prime Minsiter Tony Abbot to please ensure the safety, the physical safety of the witness.

Governo aprova investimento da cervejeira Heineken em Timor-Leste

http://noticias.sapo.tl/portugues/info/artigo/1422783.html

26 de Novembro de 2014, 10:47

 

O Governo anunciou ontem a aprovação dum projeto da cervejeira Heineken para construir uma fábrica de cerveja no país, num investimento superior a 40 milhões de dólares, segundo comunicado divulgado à imprensa.

 

"Na sequência da avaliação da proposta, por uma Comissão de Investimento composta por várias instituições, cujos resultados foram apresentados ao Conselho de Ministros na reunião de 17 de setembro, o Governo decidiu aprovar um Acordo de Investimento com a Heineken, ao abrigo da qual lhe são concedidos alguns benefícios fiscais previstos na Lei de Investimento", refere em comunicado.

 

A Heineken Ásia, baseada em Singapura, tinha já anunciado intenção de investir 40 milhões de dólares (cerca de 31 milhões de euros) no país para construir uma fábrica e produzir cervejas e bebidas alcoólicas e não alcoólicas.

 

A empresa, que em Timor-Leste está registada como Heineken Timor, S.A, pretende criar 1000 postos de trabalho no país.

 

No mesmo comunicado, referente à reunião de Conselho de Ministros do passado dia 21, o Governo informa que analisou um projeto de investimento de uma empresa com sede em Singapura para a construção e exploração de um complexo hoteleiro de cinco estrelas entre Díli e Tíbar, onde deverá ser construído o novo porto do país.

 

Segundo o comunicado, o investimento ronda os 310 milhões de dólares e na fase inicial de construção deverá criar 1500 postos de trabalho diretos.

 

"Quando estiver concluído e em funcionamento, o investidor prevê que sejam criados e mantidos 830 postos de trabalho, sendo que 70% a 80% podem ser preenchidos por timorenses", refere o comunicado.

@Lusa

PF Q3 Report - "Incomes did not exceed expenses" is an unfair assessment

*Cosme da Costa Araujo

Lao Hamutuk and the Diplomat rightly pointed out that Petroleum Fund balance decreased in Q3, compared to Q2 balance. The decrease, as they mentioned, was due to foreign exchange losses and also transfer made to the State Budget.

But arguing that "FOR THE FIRST TIME, EAST TIMOR'S INCOME FROM OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS DID NOT EXCEED THE EXPENSES RELATED TO THE OIL FUND" is unfair.

It seems that their conclusion is based on the following calculation - petroleum revenues in Q3 ($522 mil) minus losses and transfers ($340+231), resulted in about negative $50 mil.

However, it is an unfair comparison in terms of the time period and not a true representation of the withdrawal. Ideally, the government should smooth the expenditure (withdrawal) over the year, by taking out $158 mil/quarter (of total ESI amount of $632 that is expected to be withdrawn in 2014).

The $340 mil amount mentioned here is the total amount the Government had withdrawn so far in 2014 from the Petroleum Fund, just half of the budgeted ESI amount. This amount happened to be a "lump sump" withdrawal in Q3 (as no withdrawals were made in Q1 & Q2). Q3 therefore is bearing the burden of the withdrawal.

To be fair, in term of period comparison, it is better to look at the-year-to-date (YTD) numbers. In doing so, we can see that even if the Government manages to withdraw total ESI amount ($632 mil) by the end of 2014, it is still less than the total revenue received for the year to date ($1,606 mil), not to mention revenues from investment return ($365 mil year to date).

The declining trend in revenue is something that the Government acknowledges publicly in its Annual Budget Book 1. According to that report revenues have peaked in 2012 and are expected to decline from 2013 onward until they cease in 2020 - 2022.

KOREKSAUN BA NOTÍSIA TIMOR POST - KONABA “INVESTIMENTU FUNDU PETROLÍFERU”

Iha loron Kuarta, dia 26 Novembru 2014, Jornal Timor Post fo sai notísia ida iha seksaun Ekonomia nian, pájina 11 ho títulu “Osan Mina Hamutuk US$ 2,579 Investe iha Nasaun 14”.

 

Notísia ida ne’e bazeia ba aprezentasaun ne’ebé Sr. Cosme da Costa Araujo, reprezentante husi Unidade Administrasaun Fundu Petrolíferu, Ministériu Finansas, ne’ebeé hetan konvite husi ONG Luta Hamutuk hodi halo aprezentasaun iha loron Tersa, dia 25 Novembru 2014 kona ba “Investimentu Fundu Petrolíferu Timor-Leste” iha sede Luta Hamutuk, Farol, Dili.  

 

Objetivu husi aprezentasaun ne’e maka “atu haforsa kapasidade média hodi halo kobertura ba notísia relasiona ho Fundu Petrolíferu no hasae partisipante sira nia konesimentu konaba Fundu Petrolíferu”.

 

Ami nota katak notísia ne’ebé fo sai balun ladun lós. Tan ne’e, liu husi koreksaun ida ne’e, ami hakarak hadiak fali salan hirak ne’e.

 

Leitores sira presiza tau iha neon katak dadus balun ne’ebeé uza ba aprezentasaun ne’e to’o deit iha fim  Juniu 2014. Nune’e informasaun balun seidauk “update” ho relatóriu ofisial sira ne’ebé fo sai tiha.

 

Aprezentasaun ba mídia sira ne’e hahú hodi hateten katak objetivu estabelese Fundu Petrolíferu maka hodi “maneija ho diak reseitas petrolíferas atu nune’e bele fo benefisiu ba jerasaun agora no mos jerasaun futuru”.

 

Wainhira Fundu Petrolíferu hahú investimentu iha 2005, ita adopta estratéjia investimentu ida simples, hodi investe hotu deit iha obrigasaun sira nivel a’as demoninadu iha dolar EUA. Iha tempu ne’ebá Lei Fundu Petrolíferu No.9/2005 permite mínimu 90% husi Fundu investe iha rendimento fixo  (bonds) demoninadu iha moedas EUA ho nivel a’as no 10% investe iha instrumentu finanseiru sira seluk.

 

Iha tempu ne’ebá estratéjia refere importante tebes hodi tulun Fundu evita espozisaun ba risku no volatilidade, no iha tempu hanesan mos hakbiit no hasae ita nia kapasidade. Maibe estratéjia refere la sustentável, tamba kada tinan ita hasai 3% Rendimentu Sustentável Estimativa (RSE) husi Fundu Petrolíferu, enkuantu investimentu husi Fundu refere fo deit retornu menus husi 2% real.

 

Tamba ne’e, razaun fundamental hodi halo mudansa ba Lei Fundu Petrolíferu maka hodi diversifika investimentu Fundu Petrolíferu liu husi halo investimentu ba iha klase ativu oin-oin, hodi nune’e ita bele hetan aliñamentu entre polítika investimentu ho polítika fiskal. Mudansa ba estratéjia investimentu ne’e haforsa liu tan diversifikasaun hodi ajuda Fundu Petrolíferu mantein prezervasaun kapital, no evita risku konsentrasaun iha klase ativu ida deit.

 

Lei Fundu Petrolíferu foun (Lei No.9/2005, amendada ho Lei No.12/2011) ne’ebé foi lalais ne’e hetan revizaun prevee katak Fundu Petrolíferu investe másimu 50% iha ações públicas, no mínimu 50% investe iha rendimento fixo no la liu husi 5% investe iha instrumentos alternativos. Ita espera katak ho estratéjia investimentu foun, 60% iha obrigasaun no 40% iha asaun, iha probabilidade razoável katak iha longu-prazu Fundu bele atinji retornu real 3%, hanesan ho 3% RSE, ne’ebé sai hanesan sasukat transferênsia anual ba orsamentu estadu.

 

Governu desidi iha tinan 2012 hodi hasae investimentu ba ações públicas, ho montante 0.83% kada fulan durante tinan rua nia laran to’o Juñu 2014 hanesan meius ida prudenti liu hodi atinji objetivu alokasaun 40% ba investimentu iha asaun. Hanesan investor longu-prazu, Fundu Petrolíferu prontu atu asumi risku hodi nune’e bele atinji média retornu longu-prazu ne’ebé a’as. Governu mos desidi iha tinan 2013 hodi diversifika liu tan karteira rendimento fixo hodi redúz konsentrasaun iha Tezouru EUA (Estadus Unidus Ámerika) . Espozisaun inísiu 10% aloka ba obrigasaun nasaun soberanu dezenvolvidu sira ex-EUA, ho limitasaun másimu 30% alokasaun ba Zonaeuro no másimu 10% iha nasaun ida.

 

Agora daundaun, Fundu Petrolíferu investe 60% in Tezouru EUA, 10% iha obrigasaun nasaun soberanu non-EUA no 40% iha asaun merkadu dezenvolvidu. Investimentu Fundu Petrolíferu jere husi BCTL (40%), BIS (10%), Jestor Interinu (5%), AllianceBernstein (5%), SSgA (18%), Blackrock (17%) no Schroders (5%). Fundu Petrolífefru investe iha mais de 2,579 títulus finanséirus, husi ne’ebé 70% investe iha EUA, no restu investe iha nasaun zona Europa, Japaun, Reinu Unidu, Kanadá, Austrália no nasaun dezenvolvidu sira seluk hanesan Dinamarka, Hong Kong, Israel, Nova Zelândia, Noruega, Cingapura, Suécia, no Suísa.

 

Desde Fundu estabelese iha tinan 2005, total reseitas petrolíferas ne’ebé hetan husi esplorasaun kampu rua – Bayu Undan no Kitan, hamutuk $19 billoens. Husi montante ne’e, $5,2 biloens transfere ona ba orsamentu estadu. Total retornu investimentu ita hetan desde inisíu hamutuk 4.4% ou reseitas investimentu akumuladu hamutuk 2.4 biloens. Total Fundu nia balansu iha fim Juniu 2014 hamutuk $16.6 biloens.

 

Tinan 2013 sai hanesan tinan ida diak tebes ba merkadu asaun iha ekonomia nasaun dezenvolvidu sira, enkuantu merkadu obrigasaun la fo retornu ne’ebé diak iha tinan ne’ebá. Iha tinan 2013 deit retornu investimentu husi asaun a’as tebes ho 27%. Maibe retornu asaun tinan ida ne’ebá ita konsidera hanesan eksepsaun ida, tamba sei susar tebes ba merkadau asaun hodi fo rezultadu hanesan iha tinan 2014.

 

Diferensia iha dezenpeñu entre asaun no obrigasaun hatudu mai ita importansia husi diversifikasaun. Wainhira ita investe iha klase ativu oin-oin, ne’ebé dala barak iha mudansa la hanesan, maka Fundu sei hetan protesaun husi impaktu temporáriu retornu negativu entre klase ativu sira ne’e ida.

 

Governu agora daundaun hanoin hela atu hadiak liu tan karteria investimentu obrigasaun no asaun hodi investe iha sub-klase ativu sira seluk atu bele hadiak karaterístika risku no retornu Fundu Petrolíferu.

 

Timor-Leste most tax competitive country in Portuguese-speaking world

November 24th, 2014  

 

http://www.macauhub.com.mo/en/2014/11/24/timor-leste-most-tax-competitive-country-in-portuguese-speaking-world/

 

Timor-Leste (East Timor) is the highest rated among the Portuguese-speaking countries in the list of most competitive nations in the world in terms of tax burden, according to the “Paying Taxes 2015″ study by PricewaterhouseCoopers, published recently.

The study puts Timor-Leste in 55th place, ahead of Portugal in 64th and at a great distance from the other Portuguese-speaking countries – Angola (144th), Brazil (177th), Cabo Verde (91st), Guinea-Bissau ( 150th) Mozambique (123rd) and Sao Tome and Principe.

This list is drawn up based on a set of indicators such as the tax burden for businesses, the number of hours spent dealing with tax issues and the number of annual payments.

In the case of Timor-Leste, the tax applied to companies is at a rate of 11 percent, the number of hours needed to deal with tax matters is 276 and the number of annual payments is 18.

In the case of Portugal the corporate tax burden is 42.4 percent, the number of hours is 275 and the number of payments is only eight.

This study by PricewaterhouseCoopers comparing the tax burden of 189 world economies and drawn up in cooperation with the World Bank, shows that on average companies make eight annual tax payments (a number that has remained constant) and spend 275 hours dealing with tax matters. (macauhub/AO/BR/CV/GW/MZ/PT/ST/TL)

“Juíz Timor oan hetan ameasa” – sé lós mak bosok iha ne’e?

*Cosme da Costa Araujo

 Foin lalais ne’e, mídia internasional, liu-liu sira ne’ebé iha Portugal, no “copy paste” tutan husi mídia lokal balun no naklekar makás lós iha mídia sosial hanesan Facebook, hateten “juiz Timor oan sira hetan ameasa”. 

 

Notísia surpresa ida ne’e mosu, hafoin prokuradora portuguêsa, Sra Glória Alves, ne’ebé hetan espulsaun iha semana hirak liuba, hateten ba Lusa katak nia hetan email ida husi nia kolega juíz Timor oan ida ne’ebé hateten ba nia katak “sira nia moris iha perigu” nia laran. Prokuradora ne’e akresenta katak iha email ne’e juíz timor oan sira husu atu nia kolegas juíz portuguêsa sira husu tulun ba komunidade internasional hodi tulun sira nia siguransa no moris. 

 

Iha loron 12 Novembru, koinsidente ho komemorasaun loron Masakre Santa Krus, Micael Pereira no Rui Gustavo relata ba jornal Expresso no nia versaun Inglês distribuidu mos iha ETAN, hateten katak “juiz Guilermino da Silva, Presidente Tribunal Rekursu no SCM, telefone ba Antonio Piçarra, vice presidente CSM Portugal nian hodi husu ajuda ba situsaun ne’ebé juíz timor oan sira hasoru”. Jornalista nain-rua ne’e mos hatutan tan katak “juiz Guilermino da Silva xave-an iha kuartu ida ho nia kolega nain rua tamba tauk lakon sira nia moris”. 

 

Iha loron tuir mai dia 13 Novembru, mídia barak inklui mos SAPO TL hatoo fali notísia kontradiktória ida mezmu husi fontes de informação hanesan. Ba Lusa juíz Guilhermino rasik desmente notísia ida ne’e. Nia rasik dehan “desconhese” ameasas ba juíz sira. Nia hatutan tan “hau la hatene konaba ida ne’e. To’o agora hau seidauk direitamente haré ameasa ne’e”. 

 

Hafoin mídia lokal sira mos buka tuir no konfirma rasik ho Presidente Tribunal Dili, Sr. Duarte Tilman, iha ne’ebé nia desmente notísia ne’e no konsidera hanesan “rumoris”.

 

Pergunta maka ne’e, sé lós maka la koalia lia-lós iha ne’e, alias bosok.

 

Iha senáriu rua, primeiru - fontes de informação, juíz sira maka bosok ou sigundu – ida ne’ebé fo sai informasaun ou rumoris ne’e uluk maka bosok. 

 

Integridade no kredibilidade husi juíz Guilermino no nia kolegas sira “é uma questão inquestionável”. Katak imposível ba juíz sira ne’e atu ohin koalia buat ida no aban koalia buat seluk. Ba ema sira ne’e, ne’ebé okupa fatin importante iha nasaun ida ne’e hodi tesi lia-lós, laiha dúvida katak ema hirak ne’e koalia deit maka lia-lós. 

 

Se nune’e lia-lós maka ne’e, ida ne’ebé fo sai notísia ne’e maka la koalia lia-lós alias bosok. Notísia kona ba “juíz Timor oan hetan ameasa” ne’e laiha faktus no meramente “rumoris” ida, ne’ebé mídia sira ejajera. Ita lamenta tebes ho hahalok Sra. Prokuradora nian ne’ebé la koalia lia-lós no mos hahalok mídia sira nian ne’ebé tolan tomak Sra. Prokuradora nia sokar-lia, seim halo konfirmasaun direita ho fontes de informação orijinal.

 

Ita kompriende katak ema idak-idak iha reasaun oin-oin ba insidente espulsaun juíz internasional sira foin lalais ne’e. Buat ita husu maka ne’e “para reduzir um bacandinho de emoção quando se expressam”.

 

“Timorese judges’ life under threat” – who is not telling the truth here

*Cosme da Costa Araujo

 It was widely reported by international media, especially by those in Portugal and “copied pasted” by few local media and went viral on social media that “Timorese judges’ life was under threat”.

 

The shocking news came out after the then sacked Portuguese magistrate Glória Alves told Lusa that she got an email from her colleague in Dili saying “their lives are in grave danger”. She further added that “they asked their Portuguese counterparts to appeal to the International Community for help”.

 

Coincided with the commemoration of Santa Cruz massacre, Micael Pereira and Rui Gustavo reported for Expresso and its English version was posted in ETAN saying that “Guilhermino da Silva, the President of the Court of Appeal, and Timorese CSM, made a call to Antonio Piçarra, vice president of Portuguese SCM, ask for help against dramatic situation in the past hour confronting Timorese judges”. Both added that “Guilhermino da Silva locked himself in a house with the two other judges because they fear for their lives”.

 

Next day, various news media including SAPO Timor-Leste, quoted Lusa, reported a contradictory version from the very same source. In Portuguese version, the news reads that “Presidente do Conselho Superior de Magistratura de Timor-Leste DESCONHECE ameaças a juízes”.

 

Thanks to Google Translation, the statement can be roughly translated into English as “the President of CSM does not know any threat against the judges”. He further elaborated that “I am not aware of it. So far, not directly seen this threat”.

 

Local media followed up on this issue with Sr. Duarte Tilman, President of Dili Court and he denied that such thing happened and he called it a mere “rumor”.

 

The question now is who is not telling the truth here. It is either “the source of information” or “the one who report it” in the first place.

 

The integrity and credibility of the source of the information is unquestionable and therefore it is highly unlikely that Judge Guilhermino da Silva and his colleagues would one day say one thing and another day say something else. These people who hold such important positions in the country speak only the truth.

 

We are then left with one and the only truth, which is the one who reported it in the first place did not tell the truth. Therefore, the news about “Timorese judges’ life under threat” is unfounded and it is a mere rumor that is overly exaggerated by the media.  It is gravely regretted that such a reputable magistrate could tell such a deplorable lie and regurgitated by media without confirming with the sources.

 

A good friend of mine once told me that apart from coffee, the next big commodity Timorese can export is gossiping. Sadly, this incident tells me that the Timorese no longer have that competitive advantage, as people in other countries are also good at it.

 

It is understandable that everyone has different reaction to the recent sacking of international judges, but what we ask is “to reduce a bit of emotion when expressing them”.