Reply to Petrus Suryadi Sutrisno

Petrus Suryadi

By Raimundos Oki
Once more, although I am not comparable to a Petrus Suryadi but I am not a sycophant who covers up his mistake to seek the face in the land that he used to despise. In addition, Petrus Suryadi’s pieces always represented the government of Timor - Leste, the legal experts of communication, and the press in Timor - Leste. In fact, the media community mentioned in Petrus’ pieces did not speak nor comment. Petrus Suryadi Sutrisno’s pieces were only a stepping-stone to seek the face of the leaders in Timor - Leste in order to cover his mistakes in the past.

Before answering Petrus Suryadi Sutrisno’s piece, first I want to emphasize here that I do not want to comment on the case of the Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo’s defamation demands against me, Raimundos Oki, Lorencio Vicente Martins, and Timor Post. I do not want to intervene on the work of the prosecution of this case. [I trust the authority to carry out their duties in accordance with applicable law in Timor - Leste, not in Indonesia. As the son Saben, Oe - Cusse (Timor - Leste), I am ready to accept the consequences of any of the Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo’s demands. As the son of the people of Timor - Leste, I have collaborated with the legal and justice system in this country because I dared to act (do) and dare to be responsible. Once again, this article is not heading to the Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo’s defamation demands, which are still in progress at the High Prosecutor's office Timor - Leste (Prokuradoria Jeral Republika).

I am Raimundos Oki not appropriate at all to compete equally with a senior reporter such as Petrus Suryadi Sutrisno who has already became a journalist since January 1976 when I was not yet born on earth. In addition, Petrus Suraydi was more than ten times active and involved in the Intelligence Operations abroad, particularly in Europe, and Portugal/East Timor. He used to be the first Indonesian journalists who managed to enter Portugal despite at the time of the Republic of Indonesia and Portugal did not have diplomatic relations. Assignment Communication-Public Relations-Social & Community Development Interdept Military Headquarters - Ministry of Home Affairs, as Senior Communications - Media Consultant for East Timor, 1985 - 1997 Senior Consultant in East Timor Media Centre, 1997.

However, my analysis to Petrus Suryadi Sutrisno’s piece that was published at the opinion column in printed edition of Timor Post Daily on Wednesday, 4 May, 2016, as well as in the Independente Daily, on Thursday, 5 May, 2016 was filled with expressions of his disappointment on the support of four world press organizations as International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Freedom House, as well as the Asosiasaun Jornalista Timor - Leste (AJTL) and Timor - Leste Press Union (TLPU) to me, Lorencio Vicente Martins and Timor Post. In my view, before such press organizations of the international community and TL supported me, Petrus Suryadi had been visiting the Timor Post with the aim and intention to give a legal advisor and an expert witness on the case of Defamation sue of Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo in court, but his good will was rejected by Chief Editor (Editor in Chief) of the Timor Post, Santina Araujo that time. It was very unfortunate.

Learning from the support of such global media groups, Petrus Suryadi Sutrisno also attempted to cancel the presence of the IFJ and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) in an international seminar on 3 May and at the JL Villa, Fatuhada - Dili. For Petrus Suryadi, IFJ and SEAPA presence at such an international seminar should be rejected because such organizations are the main supporters of Raimundos Oki, Lorencio Vicente Martins, and Timor Post. [In addition, he viewed that] Lorencio Vicente Martins, Timor Post, and I should not have the support of the global media group, because, such global media groups had blindly defended Defamation case performed by Raimundos Oki, Lorencio Vicente Martins, and Timor Post they had three times violated journalistic ethics.

Here I want to explain to the public that Petrus Suryadi, the former subordinates Defense Attaché Embassy in the Netherlands, has been blind. He considers himself old journalist but simultaneously he failed to get news updates relating to me, particularly about the case of Becora and the salaries at the FDCH. The victim of Becora case had filed the traffic police that was allegedly involved in the case to the prosecutor's office in Dili and the victim has given recognition to the PNTL Department of Justice last week. When this case occurred at the first time on 12 March, I went straight to the crime scene (TKP). I then immediately provided evidence what was happening at that time. On the next day, Monday 13 March, I immediately confirmed the traffic police at his workplace, but he refused to give a statement on the allegations of the victim. I did not know exactly whether the victim’s allegation was right or wrong. Let us wait for the results of the ongoing investigations in the PNTL (justice department) and the prosecutor in Dili.

Regarding the news of Fundo do Desenvolvimento do Capital Humano (FDCH); Timor Post published such a story based on the documents that had been accessed from the official site of Transparency (Portal Transparansia) under the control of the Ministry of Finance. In the description segment was written that the salaries for secretary Director of FDCH, Ismenio, was $ 11,000/month. However, when Ismenio was asked for confirmation, he denied such information, since the salary of $ 11,000 was not for one month, but it was a collection of two months. Ismenio also acknowledged there had been a human error on the portal transparency and he promised to fix it. Unfortunately, until now, the public does not have access at this portal, and they do not know whether the payroll staff of FDCH has been repaired or not. I did not know because after writing the news of payroll employees FDCH, I could not access the portal anymore

Petrus Suryadi Sutrisno set two of my reports as the main sources in his piece to undermine the reputation of the Global Media Groups for the sake of economic and other interests in Timor - Leste. Especially, in the current governance structure. Global Media Groups were comprised of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Freedom House, and South East Asia Journalists' Union (SEAJU) including Asosiasaun Jornalista Timor - Leste (AJTL) and Timor - Leste Press Union (TLPU) is not very important in the eyes of Petrus Suryadi.

Again, although I was not comparable to Petrus Suryadi but I am not a sycophant that covers his mistake for seeking the face on the land that he used to despise. Petrus Suryadi’s piece always represented the government of Timor - Leste, the legal experts of communication, and the press in Timor - Leste. In fact, the media community mentioned by Petrus’ piece had not yet spoken nor given any comments. Petrus Suryadi Sutrisno’s piece was only a stepping-stone to seek the face of the leaders in Timor - Leste in order to cover his mistakes in the past. Petrus also criticized Jim Nolan of the IFJ, because he did not consult to Petrus when coming to participate in recent international seminar on the World Press Freedom Day in Timor - Leste. Petrus Suryadi felt inferior because the Global Media Groups did not acknowledge him as an advisor of SEKOMS on Defamation case that was still in ongoing process.

Petrus Suryadi was also very upset to the reaction of the Global Media Groups to the defamation case charged by Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo of criminal cases because, in Petrus’ eyes, the case was not a national problem (a big issue?) in Timor - Leste, so that it should not necessarily invite the reaction of the Global Media Groups that provided solidarity and protection to Raimundos Oki, Lorencio Vicente Martins, and Timor Post. However, why should Petrus Suryadi blame this case? I have been ready to accept the consequences of any of the Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo’s demands. Indeed, I will not interfere the Prime Minister’s sue, but let the authorities to resolve it in accordance with the applicable law and justice in Timor - Leste. In addition, I am ready to accept the good or bad consequences of this case of defamation demand.

Translated by Former Program Manager at Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) Wisnu T Hanggoro. 

Formalizada acusação contra dois jornalistas timorenses por "denúncia caluniosa"

06 de Maio de 2016, 18:54

Díli, 06 mai (Lusa) - O Ministério Público timorense notificou hoje dois jornalistas timorenses de que deduziu a acusação contra ambos por "denúncia caluniosa" relativamente a um artigo publicado no jornal Timor Post em novembro do ano passado que visava o primeiro-ministro.

A acusação, assinada a 21 de abril último pela magistrada Lídia Soares - e que a Lusa teve acesso - só foi hoje comunicada aos dois jornalistas, o redator Raimundos Oki e o editor do Timor Post Lourenço Martins.

"Cometeram os arguidos em coautoria material, um crime de denúncia caluniosa", refere o texto da acusação.

"Os arguidos agiram de forma deliberada, livre e conscientemente, bem sabendo não lhes serem permitidas tais condutas. Os arguidos sabiam que a sua conduta era proibida e punida por lei", sustenta.

Os dois jornalistas são acusados com base no artigo 285 do Código Penal timorense, que prevê pena de prisão até três anos e multa para quem "por qualquer meio, perante autoridade ou publicamente, com a consciência da falsidade da imputação, denunciar ou lançar sobre determinada pessoa a suspeita da prática de um crime, com a intenção de que contra ela se instaure procedimento criminal".

O processo refere-se a um caso que começou com a publicação a 10 de novembro de um artigo no diário Timor Post intitulado "suspeitas de que um ex-assessor do Ministério das Finanças (MdF) entregou um projeto a uma empresa indonésia".

Este artigo incluía erros factuais, incluindo o nome errado da empresa, e outros aspetos que foram depois corrigidos no dia seguinte pelo jornal.

Na acusação, o Ministério Público considera que Raimundos Oki "depois de obter a referida informação, não verificou a verdade dessa informação e nem a confrontou com o lesado, a fim de obter a sua versão dos factos".

"Fê-lo no intuito de atingir a honra, o bom nome e a reputação devidas ao lesado Rui de Araújo, bem sabendo que tais direitos são constitucionalmente protegidos e que a notícia não correspondia à verdade", refere o texto.

"O arguido tinha a plena consciência de que a sua publicação causaria prejuízos morais, sociais, familiares e profissionais incalculáveis à pessoa do lesado", refere.

Também o editor do jornal Vicente Martins "não mandou previamente averiguar a veracidade e a autenticidade das informações publicadas" tendo apesar disso autorizado a sua publicação.

A acusação, que mantém as medidas de coação - termo de identidade e residência - considera que os dois arguidos "sabiam que a notícia era falsa" e que com a publicação "o lesado seria sujeito a um processo de investigação criminal, por suspeita da prática de crimes no exercício de funções públicas".

"Pretendiam desse modo, com a denúncia, fazer com que o lesado fosse submetido a um processo criminal", refere ainda.

O caso tem suscitado apelos de várias organizações internacionais de jornalismo para que o primeiro-ministro timorense, Rui Maria de Araújo, retire o processo criminal contra os jornalistas.

Em resposta, numa carta às organizações internacionais, Rui Araújo disse que não troca liberdade de imprensa por "irresponsabilidade de imprensa" e que lhe é impossível intervir no gabinete do procurador para decidir se avança ou não a queixa.

Em declarações recentes à agência Lusa, o jornalista Raimundos Oki manifestou-se "muito preocupado" com o caso, considerando que os seus direitos fundamentais "estão a ser condicionados" e que desde que foi alvo da queixa sente "muito medo" cada vez que escreve uma notícia.

Quando foi ouvido pelo Ministério Público, no passado dia 11, o jornalista "usou o direito a silêncio", não respondendo às perguntas que lhe foram feitas.

ASP // VM

Lusa/Fim

http://noticias.sapo.tl/portugues/lusa/artigo/20685362.html

PM timorense não troca liberdade de imprensa por "irresponsabilidade de imprensa"

O primeiro-ministro timorense afirmou hoje que não troca liberdade de imprensa por "irresponsabilidade de imprensa" e que não intervirá no gabinete do procurador para decidir se avança ou não uma queixa contra dois jornalistas e um jornal.

"Como cidadão timorense que teve que suportar perseguição durante 24 anos de ocupação indonésia, apoiada pelos principais poderes ocidentais, incluindo alguns dos defensores de liberdade de imprensa no mundo, não trocarei liberdade de imprensa e liberdade de expressão por irresponsabilidade de imprensa e expressões irresponsáveis de liberdade", afirma Rui Maria de Araújo.

"Não tenho, como pessoa ofendida, controlo da decisão do gabinete do procurador. Seria impossível para mim, de qualquer forma, intervir junto do gabinete do procurador no exercício das suas funções de investigação e implementação da lei em Timor-Leste como eles considerarem adequado segundo a lei", afirmou.

A posição de Rui Maria de Araújo está numa carta de resposta a quatro organizações internacionais de jornalismo que escreveram esta semana ao primeiro-ministro timorense, a apelar para que retire uma queixa contra dois jornalistas e um jornal timorenses.

A Freedom House, o Committee to Protect Journalists, o South East Asia Journalist Unions e a International Federation of Journalists referem-se à queixa apresentada pelo chefe do Governo contra os jornalistas Oki Raimundos e Lourenço Martins e o jornal Timor Post, por um artigo publicado em novembro.

A resposta de quatro páginas datada de hoje, a que a Lusa teve acesso, não está em timbre do Governo e é assinada apenas por Dr. Rui Maria de Araújo, que afirma ter apresentado documentação ao gabinete do procurador relativamente ao artigo em causa enquanto cidadão e não como chefe do Governo.

O caso começou com a publicação a 10 de novembro de um artigo no diário Timor Post intitulado "suspeitas de que um ex-assessor do Ministério das Finanças (MdF) entregou um projeto a uma empresa indonésia".

Além de uma imagem de um documento assinado pelo agora primeiro-ministro, Rui Araújo e por dois outros assessores do MdF, referia-se a empresa PT Sistemindo Teknomata Mandiri mas quer a legenda da foto quer o texto do artigo referiam a empresa PT Packet System Indonesia, "apesar do jornalista afirmar no mesmo artigo que o Timor Post tinha uma cópia da carta de recomendação".

No texto, o jornalista referia que os três signatários tinham recomendado dar o contrato - em causa estava o fornecimento de conteúdos para o novo edifício do MdF - à empresa (com o nome errado) "porque a empresa cumpria o critério de concurso", acrescentando que "algumas pessoas consideram que se trata de uma mera entrega de projetos".

"Com todo o respeito à liberdade de imprensa e de expressão, são estes erros factuais? Podem jornalistas escrever e jornais publicar este tipo de notícias só por causa da liberdade de expressão e liberdade de imprensa?", questiona Rui Araújo.

Rui Araújo rejeita ainda o argumento das quatro organizações de que o jornal tenha publicado uma correção do artigo limitando-se a publicar uma notícia com declarações numa conferência de imprensa em que o primeiro-ministro negou "as falsas acusações" e um pedido de desculpa "que mencionava apenas um "erro técnico".

"Nem uma única palavra corrigindo as acusações sem qualquer base que referi. Isto foi muito mais do que um erro técnico ou factual. Todo o artigo estava baseado numa alegação de que um contrato tinha sido recomendado relativamente a uma empresa, algo que nem sequer era apoiado com base na documentação apresentada pelo jornal", refere Rui Araújo.

O chefe do Governo recorda que a lei de imprensa estabelece o direito de resposta a qualquer pessoa afetada por artigos de imprensa e o direito à correção, prevendo responsabilidades civis e criminais.

"O que fiz foi apresentar ao Gabinete do Procurador os factos de uma falsa acusação contra mim que tinha sido publicamente disseminada. Depende do procurador apresentar ou não uma queixa", escreve.

Apresentou os factos, insiste, porque a lei de imprensa lhe dá o direito de o fazer e porque "sendo alegações de corrupção crimes públicos" que podem ser investigados pelo Ministério Público, "é prudente que os cidadãos que tenham sido alvos de acusações publicas apresentem os factos" ao procurador.

Independentemente ou não de haver queixa, sublinha, o crime de "denúncia caluniosa", previsto no código penal e a que se referem as quatro organizações, é também um crime público que pode se investigador pelas autoridades, com ou sem queixa.

"É uma provisão da lei criminal para prevenir falsas acusações de conduta criminal. Existe para proteger a integridade da investigação criminal e do processo de procuradoria. Existe num número de democracias desenvolvidas, especialmente as que se baseiam na lei civil", escreve.

Raimundos Oki e Lourenço Martins estão com Termo de Identidade e Residência enquanto decorrem as investigações.

ASP
Lusa/Fim
http://24.sapo.pt/article/lusa-sapo-pt_2016_04_28_2044693195_pm-timorense-nao-troca-liberdade-de-imprensa-por--irresponsabilidade-de-imprensa 

High-Level Defamation Cases Curb Critical Journalism

Timorese journalist Raimundos Oki, pictured with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, is being sued for defamation by the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste. Credit: Hikari Rodrigues.

UNITED NATIONS, May 4 2016 (IPS) - High-level defamation, libel and sedition cases in Asian countries are sending signals to journalists that writing critical journalism can cost millions of dollars or years in prison.

“Increasingly we’re seeing countries, especially countries that call themselves democracies, (using) this more subtle approach within the means of the law to silence criticism,” Sumit Galhotra a Senior Researcher at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) told IPS.

In two current cases in Bangladesh and Timor-Leste journalists are being sued for articles they wrote about their respective Prime Ministers.

Mahfuz Anam, editor of Bangladesh’s Daily Star, is currently facing billions of dollars in lawsuits.

“Over 70 defamation and sedition cases (have) been filed against this amazing editor at one of the largest English language papers in the country,” Galhotra told IPS. “The staggering number of them is really alarming.”

“There’s a signal being sent that this is what can happen to you,” he said. “You can also be in a court room facing financial devastation so think twice before you lift your pen to criticise.” -- Sumit Galhotra.

“Anam’s admission that he published unsubstantiated information accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of corruption has led to a barrage of defamation and sedition cases against him,” Galhotra wrote in a blog post published by the CPJ.

On the other side of the Indian ocean, Raimundos Oki a journalist with the Timor Post is facing possible jail time for an article he wrote about Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Rui Araujo.

Araujo is suing Oki for defamation over a factual error in Oki’s reporting on a government tendering process.

Yet, according to a letter from four international journalism organisations, including CPJ, sent to Araujo, Oki and Timor Post published a correction and right of reply “in accordance with Timor Leste’s own Press Law.”

The Australian newspaper reported that Araujo’s response to the letter said that “press freedom and freedom of ­expression” should not be traded for “press irresponsibility” and “irresponsible ­expression of freedom.”

IPS spoke with Oki about what it is like to be a journalist in Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste is one of the least developed countries in Asia, according to the UN Human Development Index, and journalists there are paid less than $200 per month.

Oki said that the journalists have an important role in Timor-Leste’s development.

“To develop this country we need a journalist sometimes who pushes the government or pushes another institution in order to accelerate the development process,” he said.

Due to Timor-Leste’s oil and gas revenues, the national economy is dominated by the Timorese government, which uses this money to provide services to the Timorese people.

Oki said that it is important for journalists to follow where government spending is going, because it isn’t always known where these funds end up.

“The role of the journalist (is) to follow the money, where is the money going,” he said.

Yet, according to Galhotra, defamation cases such as the one Oki is facing send a signal to journalists who write about governments and large corporations.

“There’s a signal being sent that this is what can happen to you,” he said. “You can also be in a court room facing financial devastation so think twice before you lift your pen to criticise.”

He said that it is very hard to know exactly how many articles don’t get written because of the resulting self-censorship.

Commenting on Oki’s case, Galhotra told IPS that Oki has also received threatening phone calls telling him that he should “be careful.”

“Governments are very quick to take to courts to proceed on defamation proceedings but when it comes to affording journalists protections when we’re under threat we don’t see any action on that front,” said Galhotra.

http://www.ipsnews.net/2016/05/high-level-defamation-cases-curb-critical-journalism/ 

Timor PM Rui de Araujo lashes out at Western press critics

Prime Minister Rui de Araujo at the start at the Tour to Timor race

East Timor Prime Minister Rui de Araujo has lashed Western critics, saying their nations had “acquiesced” to the 24 years of Indonesian occupation.

Dr de Araujo responded to a letter from four press freedom groups condemning his defamation action against two journalists, and the related criminal sanctions in Timor’s penal code.

The letter says the case against two Timor Post journalists is seeking to apply Article 285 of the Penal Code, the “slanderous denunciation” clause, which carries a penalty of three years’ jail. The groups say the case is ­already “engendering a culture of fear and intimidation among journalists who report on issues of national import”.

Raimundos Oki and former editor Lourenco Martins have been called before the prosecutor’s office for interview after Dr de Araujo filed the suit, and have had limitations placed on their freedom of movement.

“We strongly urge you to call on the prosecutor general to drop these damaging charges and to consider legal reforms that abolish Article 285,” says the Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, the International Federation of Journalists and the Southeast Asia Journalists Union.

Dr de Aruajo hit back fiercely in a four- page response obtained by The Weekend Australian.

He said he was a Timorese citizen who had “endured ­harassment during 24 years of Indonesia occupation, acquiesced by all major Western powers”, including “by some of the worldwide press advocates”.

He would not trade “press freedom and freedom of ­expression with ‘press irresponsibility’ and ‘irresponsible ­expression of freedom’.”

The case centres on an article last November that reported on the awarding of a $US13.4 million ($17.5m) contract to install IT in the new finance ministry.

Dr de Araujo was working as an adviser in the ministry when the contract was awarded. His main contention appears to be that the newspaper published the wrong name for the company that won the contract.

Surprisingly, he claimed “there is no such thing as ‘criminal defamation’ in East Timor”.

However, a UN translation of the code states that any person who “informs or casts suspicion on a certain person regarding commission of a crime, with the intent of having criminal proceedings initiated against said person, is punishable with up to three years’ imprisonment.

Australian lawyer Jim Nolan, who is acting for the journalists, says the investigation is aimed at “finding material to ‘fit’ the contorted features of the ‘crime’ created by article 285”. Mr Nolan was speaking this week at a conference on press freedom in Dili.

It was “repugnant” that the prosecutor had placed legal restrictions on the freedom of movement of the two journalists.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/timor-pm-rui-de-araujo-lashes-out-at-western-press-critics/news-story/8099831a0c9560b4d835164ed1f2fca8