By Raimundos Oki
DILI – Political
differences and rivalries between the CNRT party and the FREILIN party are
still ongoing, the proof is the former war commander and liberation hero of
Timor-Leste has not participated in the inauguration of the Rota do Sandalo
international airport in Ousi - Kusi Ambeno last week.
In his
speech, the President of the Oé-Cusse Ambeno Special Administrative Region
Authority (RAEOA – ZEESM – TL), Mari Alkatiri stated that he felt very sad about
Xanana Gusmão's absence at the event.
“Therefore
if today my heart is rather sad because my brother Xanana Gusmão is not here. I
believe that even though he is not in Oe-Kusi now, I believe that even though
he is in Dili or elsewhere, he will accompany or watch this direct
transmission,” he said.
Nobel Peace
Prize laureate José Ramos Horta considered the absence Xanana in Oe – Kusi
Ambeno because there is political difference among them.
“He was
dissappointed. I think maun boot Xanana he is the real founder of this country.
There are two people in our history that the biggest. One is Nicolau Lobato and
the other is Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão,” Horta said.
Without
Xanana Gusmão maybe we wouldn’t be free today. We all fought. FALINTIL,
clandestine network, international solidarity, and us abroad in diplomacy, but
you need a very wise leader that when he sees an opportunity he takes it.
That’s mean that you have the courage to do it. Like the referendum, if Xanana
was a weak leader he probably would have said postpone there are no security
condition. He decided to postpone, no referendum, will never happen.
“So I say,
Xanana is a real the architecture of our independence. He is the real father of
the country. He has to behave as a grandfather, as a father and a leader”.
Alkairi or
Lú – Olo or anyone offend him, upset him, he is bigger and he should invite
them for dialogue.
“But I know
maun boot Xanana will invite them for dialogue because he doesn’t hate people.
He get upset today than he . . . but he is very sensitive, upset because of the
blocking or the swearing in of some government ministries”.
But maybe
the president and Mr Xanana and the Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak, they three
can sit together and find a compromise and restructure the government. CNRT is
right, they are the largest party in the government, and they should have more
members.
The AMP
high-level conference consisting of three political parties, the CNRT party,
PLP and KHUNTO has decided and issued a resolution not to extend the Mari
Alkariti position at Oe-Kusi Ambeno because there are many suspected corruption
cases.
The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
recognizes the special status of Oe-Cusse, an enclave in the north west of the
island of Timor, stating that it “shall enjoy special administrative and
economic treatment” and “be governed by a special administrative policy and
economic regime.”
In June last year Law No 3/2014 was passed creating the
Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno and establishing the Special
Zone of Social Market Economy also known as ZEESM. Oe-Cusse Ambeno has faced
significant development challenges compounded because of its isolation from
contiguous Timor-Leste. The law notes the objective of the Special Administrative
Region is to achieve “inclusive development of the region prioritizing
activities of a socio economic nature to promote the quality of life and
well-being of the community.”
Former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, President of the
Authority of the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno and Chair of
the Special Zone of Social Market Economy of Oe-Cusse Ambeno and Ataúro, notes
that the Authority will use an “integrated approach to sustainable, social and
economic development” accomplished by “investing in the training, education and
health of the people of Oe-Cusse Ambeno while simultaneously investing in vital
infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, school and more to help build a dynamic
regional economy.”
The 2015 Budget allocates $81.9 Million to the Authority to
invest to accelerate inclusive economic development and develop basic
infrastructure. The Region will be using its status as a Special Economic Zone
to attract quality foreign investment and long-term business initiatives.
A version of this article
appears in Tempo Timor Online on June 25, 2019 with the headline: Rivalries between Xanana and Alkatiri not yet
finished.
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