East Timorese have “not panic” with illegal weapons

 

DILI – The issue of illegal weapons has become a very hot political discussion among politicians especially from the present government.

But the evidence shows that until now almost all the people are “not so panic” with this issue. The main subject of discussion in their daily lives is about the political situation that has not been clear. 

But this issue has shaken the national parliament by delaying the discussion agenda on budget rectification. According to the agenda, this budget rectification discussion was held on December 14-15, but the president of parliament Aniceto Guterres postponed it on December 18 because he felt unfavorable to the statement of the Minister for Defense and Security and Commander of the Timor - Leste Defense Force, Major General Lere Anan East.

A two-day parliamentary debate over the government's amended budget, which was increased to $1.61 billion from the 2017 budget of $1.39 billion, ended with most members of the ruling coalition walking out late Tuesday.

The Parliamentary Majority Alliance, or AMP, the country's opposition with 35 seats in the 65-member parliament, then voted to reject the budget just before midnight. It was the second defeat suffered by the government after its policy program was rejected on Oct. 19.

The present government not only faces the opposition in parliament but also confronts the illegal weapons that allegedly enter from the border between Batugade (Timor - Leste) and Atambua (Indonesia).

Major General Lere has stated that illegal weapons are already widespread in Timor - Leste because these weapons allegedly come from the Atambua border, but the Indonesian embassy in Timor - Leste until now has not given a statement on this matter.

Minister for Defense and Security José Agustinho Sequeira 'Somotxo' has alerted civilians who still have weapons in their homes to be immediately displaced to the government on 31 December this year.

Somotxo added that suspicion of illegal weapons that spread across Timor - Leste was a problem for defense and security in Timor - Leste.

“I appeal to civilians who still keep weapons in their homes that the deadline is on 31 December. More than this is already considered as a crime” he said.

New gun laws in East Timor defeated in Parliament

According to the WikiLeaks that, the document presents a draft for a new gun law in East Timor, proposed by Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão and successfully defeated by the FRETILIN opposition in a parliament session on 25th of June 2008.

According to first news reports the document is relevant especially within the context of the 2006 ruling over firearms regulations in East Timor. Section 4 of the draft holds the main controversial angle of the proposal, granting sole and discretionary power over authorizing civilian arms possession to the Commander of the East Timor National Police. 

The history of firearms in the hands of civilians has contributed to all the bloody episodes in the country's tortured history and the new law comes in the wake of the 2006 illegal weapons distribution case when the then FRETILIN government Interior Minister, Rogerio Lobato, was involved in the distribution of weapons to civilians. This illegal weapons distribution contributed to a catastrophic breakdown in law and order in East Timor and Mr Lobato was subsequently sentenced to more than 7 years imprisonment for his role in the weapons distribution and manslaughter.

The presidential office “temporarily closed” to all guests

By Raimundos Oki

DILI, East Timor — East Timor’s President Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres has decided to close his office to all guests following a new political crisis looming in tiny nation after opposition parties rejected a rectification of the current budget.

The Parliamentary Majority Alliance, the country's opposition with 35 seats in the 65-member parliament, voted out the amendment of the 2017 budget by the new government which increased it from $1.39 billion to $1.61 billion.

A two-day debate over the issue ended with most members of the ruling coalition walking out late Tuesday.

The official news agency Tatoli reported that President Guterres remains active as usual despite the office closure.

The president would hold some of his activities including Christmas celebration with his staff and journalists, Tatoli said without specifying when the office would be reopened.

The East Timor Press Council has invited the president to participate in the Professional Card for journalists event on December 20th, but he did not participate because he was busy. So he has been represented by his spokesman Francisco Vasconselho.

East Timor's new government suffered a defeat in parliament on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 when a coalition of opposition parties rejected the budget rectification. The majority parliamentarian alliance also was rejected the government policy program in last October 19. 

The voting process for budget rectification has been start at 8 pm East Timor time where the government party has walked out, only five people have voted against 35 seats from the opposition or majority parliamentarian alliance. Thus, this budget rectification has been rejected.

National parliament president Aniceto Guterres stated that the opposition party has rejected this rectification budget.

"We'll meet again on January 8, 2018," he said. 

The spokesman of CNRT’s party Arão Noe de Jesus considered the rectification budget was unlawful and not too much necessary for the country needs.

“The priority for the people and the State is in the 2018 state budget not in the rectification budget or reviewed budget,” he said.

There is no certainty that whether the government will bring its second program back to parliament or not. If brought to parliament and the opposition party refuses again then this government will fall by itself.

The debate for the rectification budget during two days without presence of prime minister Mari Alkatiri but he was replaced by former prime minister Rui Maria de Araújo. 

“Once again the opposition with their own vote will bring them to defeat. Fight to win!” Alkatiri said in his Facebook.

Alkatiri has always maintained that if opposition parties reject all his programs then the government party prefers to advance to new elections, but the president of republic not yet take any decision on this situation. 

Spokesman of the majority parliamentarian alliance Taur Matan Ruak stated that historically it was recorded that Timor - Leste had never held a double parliamentarian election.

Previously, FRETILIN was part of a national unity government with the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction party of independence hero Xanana Gusmão, or CNRT. In the July election, CNRT lost support and FRETILIN was narrowly the largest party, but they failed to agree on a new grand coalition.

East Timor, a former colony of Portugal, was occupied by Indonesia for a quarter century and gained independence after a U.N.-sponsored referendum in 1999. Indonesia's military responded to the independence referendum with scorched earth attacks that devastated the East Timorese half of the island of Timor.

Today, the country of 1.3 million people still faces desperate poverty. Leaders have focused on big-ticket infrastructure projects to develop the economy, funding them from a dwindling fund of former oil riches, but progress is slow.

The July vote was East Timor's first parliamentary election without U.N. supervision since peacekeepers left in 2012.