Global Voices » East Timor

Southeast Asia: ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection Website

Mong Palatino — Sun, 20 May 2012 09:33:49 +0000

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations committee on consumer protection has launched a website to inform consumers in the region regarding banned or recalled products.

East Timor: New President takes office

Janet Gunter — Sat, 19 May 2012 20:19:17 +0000

Taur Matan Ruak, East Timor's new president, was sworn in today, on the eve of the celebration of 10 years of independence since the UN transition from Indonesian rule. CJITL shared his inaugural speech [Tet], in which he emphasized the need to diversify the country's oil-dependent economy.

East Timor: Government Results Portal

Mong Palatino — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:44:32 +0000

East Timor Government Results Portal is a website that aims to publish outcomes information for the most important government targets, projects and programs. It is part of the government's transparency campaign.

East Timor: Presidential Runoff Election Accomplished With Stability

Sara Moreira — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:17:59 +0000

Following the presidential runoff election in East Timor, April 16, Fundasaun Mahein (a security sector watchdog) published a note on “the smooth and peaceful” ballot, celebrating the strengthening of the country's “democratization and developmental process”. According to the Electoral Management Body, Taur Matan Ruak will be the new president. The Court of Appeal has yet to proclaim the final result.

East Timor: Early Warning Early Response Mapping System

Mong Palatino — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 05:51:21 +0000

NGO Belun in East Timor has teamed up with Columbia University to establish the Early Warning Early Response mapping system which was designed to increase early responses to conflict and prevent the escalation of violence at the national and community levels.

Southeast Asia Digital Library

Mong Palatino — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 09:24:20 +0000

The Southeast Asia Digital Library provides educators and students with materials published in Southeast Asia. The online library contains digital facsimiles of books and manuscripts, as well as multimedia materials and searchable indexes of additional Southeast Asian resources.

Postscript to East Timor Presidential Elections

Mong Palatino — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:07:37 +0000

Nobel Laureate and East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta conceded defeat in the recently concluded presidential elections. The top two candidates are Francisco “Lu Olo” Guterres of the leftist Fretilin party and former military chief Taur Matan Ruak. They will both compete in the run-off elections next month.

Former President Ramos Horta conceding defeat in the elections. Photo from Twitter page of Brian Thomson

Alex Tilman of Di'ak Ka Lae? recognizes the peaceful conduct of elections:

The presidential election has been a success so far, and conducted in an atmosphere of peace and optimism, with a palpable desire to show the world the great leap Timor-Leste has taken since self-rule

There is a general mood of triumph in these messages and others like them, hand in hand with the most basic of expectations a people can ask of their leaders. By taking part in this election peacefully and enthusiastically, the people of Timor-Leste have shown the world, and more importantly, proved themselves before their leaders that they are conscious of their rights and responsibilities as citizens, and they want nothing more than a democratic country where they can exercise their choices freely and follow whatever dreams they may have. Now it is up to their elected leader to make good of his or her promises, and lead them towards a better future.

The author also gathers reactions from voters who are satisfied with the election turnout. Below are the reactions of Estanislau Saldanha, Abuty Soares, and Josh Trindade (translations provided by Alex Tilman).

Estanislau Saldanha praises the victory of Timorese citizens:

It is not the victory of presidential candidates, but rather the victory of Timorese people because the presidential election was going on safely and peacefully. We need to come together in delivering our prayer to the god in order to achieve a peaceful, safe and prosperous situation for the people and the nation of Timor Leste.

Abuty Soares notes the absence of violence during the election period:

Many congratulations and respect for the people of Timor-Leste (grandparents, uncles and aunts, and the youth, as well as the politicians) who took part in the first round of presidential election yesterday in Timor-Leste. The greatest success in this election is peace. Yesterday you showed your love for this country to take part in the election, removed from violence. With this event, it is our hope that Timor-Leste will be better than what it had always been. Viva Timor-Leste.

Josh Trindade notes that the international media has not been providing adequate coverage of the historic presidential elections:

Congratulations to all Timorese who took part in the campaign and the ballot peacefully and calmly! Let's change the depiction from violence to peace… We note that the international media is not providing an adequate coverage during the campaign and election process, which has been marked with peacefulness. I am proud as a TIMORESE!

Vote counting center. Photo from Twitter page of Edward Rees

Here are some Twitter reactions using the hashtag #eleisaun2012:

@meaganweymes: lu olo says 'support is coming in from everywhere' RE other candidates supporting him in second round election

@ashbetteridge: a thing that struck me about the campaigns here over the past week or so is that they are predominately male #eleisaun2012

@malaebulak: Will President Jose Ramos Horta pardon anyone before he leaves office?

@MikhailShoaib: President Jose Ramos-Horta, I admire your humility.

East Timor: Notes on the Presidential Elections

Mong Palatino — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:22:26 +0000

The election campaign in East Timor lasted for 15 days and the voters are now ready to elect a new president. What happened during the campaign period? NGO La'o Hamutuk sent questionnaires to candidates but didn’t receive a reply:

Nearly two weeks ago, La’o Hamutuk circulated a questionnaire to all the Presidential candidates and their campaigns, asking for their views on issues important to the future of Timor-Leste. Although several candidates told us they would respond, in the end, we did not get any answer other than printed campaign brochures.

We had planned to tabulate the candidates’ responses to inform the voters, but the lack of response makes this impossible.

Below are some of the issues which the NGO wanted the candidates to address:

- Today, Timor-Leste depends on imports. How do you think we can increase local production to reduce import dependency?
- Nearly 80% of Timorese people live by agriculture. What can be done to strengthen the agricultural economy?
- Perpetrators of crimes against humanity during the Indonesian occupation live freely with impunity. What do you think about this?
- How can Timor-Leste find the balance between diplomacy with Indonesia and the legal obligation to achieve accountability for 1975-1999 crimes? What is the President’s responsibility for truth, justice and accountability? How will you use your power to grant pardons and clemency?
- Timor-Leste plans to borrow money from international lenders. What do you think about this?

Election rally. Photo from Facebook page of Nurima Ribeiro Alkatiri

Campaign violations were reported after only five days of campaigning, according to the election body:

- Violation of freedom of propaganda
- Use of State owned vehicles during campaigns
- Involvement of public servants in the campaign
- Racist language, threats, and attacks against other candidate’s private life
- Use of religious symbols during campaign
- Use of sample ballot papers in campaigns
- Mobilisation/involvement of children in the campaign.

Most of these violations were resolved as witnessed by the peaceful atmosphere in which the electoral campaigns took place. In some cases, the candidates themselves intervened directly in order to maintain the peaceful environment

Election boat parade. Photo from Facebook page of Rui Araújo

Di'ak Ka Lae? writes about the campaign rally of Dr Lu Olo, one of the presidential candidates:

If the size of these rallies matters, then Dr Lu Olo's closing campaign in Tasi Tolu today provides the clearest indication yet as to who will be moving into the Palacio in Aitarak Laran comes 20th of May 2012, where Timor-Leste will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Restoration of the Democratic Republic. Dr Lu Olo's rally today eclipsed that of his closest competitor, former army chief, Taur Matan Ruak, where he also counted on Xanana's somewhat “unplanned” appearance to publicly endorse him.

Some are not comfortable with the military symbolism used by candidate Taur Matan Ruak:

Taur Matan Ruak's choice of military camouflage as his trademark appears to be drawing a lot of controversy, even suspicion from some quarters. The military camouflage is definitely a good campaign strategy, which serves to remind people of Taur's past contribution as commander of the guerrilla force and chief of F-FDTL

However, although the use of military symbolism appear innocent, I fear that this is not the best way to do things. Glorifying militarism in a society with a long history of violence, committed by the (Indonesian) military cannot be good. Look around Timor-Leste and you see the military everywhere, guns, uniforms, and facilities.

The Prime Minister appeared in the rally of candidate Taur Matan Ruak. Photo from Facebook page of Jose Antonio Belo

What did the candidates promise to voters? Translation provided by Di'ak Ka Lae?

Manuel Tilman (number 1 on the ballot) has promised the people of Same that if elected, he would build a seaport and an airport in Same. He also promised to establish Timor-Leste's first air force as F-FDTL's commander in chief.

Incumbent Dr Jose Ramos-Horta cancelled his door-to-door campaign in Dili to pay his respect to the late Xavier do Amaral.

Francisco Gomes of Partidu Liberta Povu Aileba carried out his door-to-door campaign in Ailok Laran, distributing his campaign paraphernalia in the process.

José Luis Guterres “Lugu” campaigned in Gleno, Ermera where he talked about development in science and technology. He appealed to the people not to elect a head of state who is a flip-flopper, and who would rather defend the interests of other countries.

Fernando Araujo ‘Lasama' was in Manufahi where he promised to strengthen relationship with other countries, specially the near neighbours.

East Timor: Nation Loses a Treasured Political Elder

Janet Gunter — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:57:49 +0000

Francisco Xavier do Amaral, known affectionately as “Avó Xavier” or “Avó Xavi” (Grandfather Xavier), succumbed to illness on Tuesday morning at the national hospital in Dili. He was 75 years old. Xavier do Amaral was a founding member of Fretilin, the political party for which he read the unilateral declaration of independence in November 1975 on the eve of the Indonesian invasion. (The Archive and Museum of the Timorese Resistance has the original document online.)

Upon hearing of his death, Facebook users reposted this video interview of him in 1975 with Australian media - here we get a sense for Xavier do Amaral's age and experience at the time, as he was older than most of the passionate, young student nationalists who formed Fretilin.

Xavier do Amaral took part in the mountain-based resistance against Indonesia until he and his supporters mostly from his home-based the mountain region of Turiscai and Maubisse, were accused of betrayal by Fretilin in 1977. (Listen to the accusations here on “East Timor Calling” radio archive of a September 1977 broadcast on the Timor Archives blog.)

Xavier do Amaral was imprisoned in the mountains only to be later captured by Indonesian soldiers and taken as a trophy prisoner to Jakarta. He returned to East Timor after Indonesia's scorched earth exit from the territory in 1999.

In 2001, he was elected to the first Constituent Assembly with his party ASDT, mostly with the devotional support of mountain people in central Timor.

View over Xavier do Amaral's region of origin, central Timor. Author's photo

While he was generally quiet politically, his influence in coalition politics in recent years is not to be discounted. At the time of his death, he was a candidate for the upcoming presidential elections, for a third consecutive time.

Immediately following news of his death, Facebook user Baumali Quintao posted a public photo of Xavier do Amaral on his deathbed, generating over one hundred comments. Adeza Freitas posted a photo of the funeral car taking Xavier do Amaral back to his residential compound on the Dili sea front.

Tributes to Grandfather of the nation

Tributes are flowing in from Facebook, Twitter, on blogs and as comments on YouTube, from Cambodia, Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Japan and Portugal.

Many commenters wished Xavier do Amaral a “safe journey” to the beyond in many languages, mostly in East Timor's own official language Tetum.

Justin Amaral wrote publicly on Facebook [tet]:

Husu ba Timor oan sira iha nebe deit atu reza ba ita nia avo francisco Xavier do Amaral nebe fila hikas ona ba aman maromak nia kuana.Francisco Xavier Do Amaral nudar ema ida nebe fo nia vida tomak ba rai Timor Leste […]

I ask for Timorese people to pray for our grandfather francisco Xavier do Amaral who is returning to God's side.Francisco Xavier do Amaral was a person who gave his whole life for the land of Timor Leste […]

Alzira Mota Pereira commented on a tribute posted by the Timorese Rede Feto (Women's Network) [tet]:

Francisco Xavier do Amaral, nrn nebe Uniku no ema nebe brani tebes hodi kaer no ukun TL iha tempu Krize 75. “Francisco Xavier do Amaral” ita nia naran morin no Sagrada tebes mai ami Timor oan!!! Viva Proklamador, Viva avo Xavier

Francisco Xavier do Amaral, a unique name and person who was brave enough to take leadership in TL in the Crisis of 75 “Francisco Xavier do Amaral” your name is sweet and very Sacred to us Timorese people!!! Long live the Proclaimer of Independence, Long live grandfather Xavier.

Nailorotiris commented on YouTube:

His charisma, gentleness, honesty and unassuming character will be missed among world leaders.

Nug Katjasungkana wrote in Indonesian [id] on Facebook:

Berdukacita atas meninggalnya Francisco Xavier do Amaral (pejuang pembebasan rakyat Maubere, Ketua Fretilin pertama, Presiden Republik Demokratik Timor-Leste pertama, tawanan politik Pemerintan Republik Indonesia)…

Mourn the passing of Francisco Xavier do Amaral (the liberation fighter of the Maubere people Maubere, first leader of Fretilin, First President of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste, the political prisoner of the Republic Of Indonesia)…

NGO Fundasun Mahein wrote on its blog in English:

Our young nation has lost one of its great elders. […] since the restoration of independence, his role in our struggle for independence has never been truly and properly recognized and valued.

Xavier do Amaral's supporters are known for gathering in Dili at his residential compound. Freelance journalist Meagan Weymes described the scene there today on her blog: “family and supporters had gathered outside the home to pay their respects, singing hymns and crying”.

As the Timorese government has declared a national period of mourning until Thursday, there will doubtless be images of mourning in coming hours and days, both from the capital city but also from his mountain home.

East Timor: Photos of Presidential Candidates

Mong Palatino — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:00:35 +0000

Sapo uploads photos of East Timor's presidential candidates in the campaign trail. More than 600,000 voters have registered for the elections this month

East Timor: Oil and Politics

Mong Palatino — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 00:41:36 +0000

Silas Everett writes about the impact of rising oil revenues on the politics of East Timor

East Timor: Cats, Monsters in Pre-Election Video Humor

Sara Moreira — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 01:37:15 +0000

The presidential elections in East Timor are scheduled for March 17, 2012, and the electoral campaign [tet] period is expected to start next week, on February 29. Meanwhile, a few candidates have been using social networks for outreach, and Timorese netizens are debating the democratic process and the future of this ten year old country mostly through Facebook and blogs.

One of the most original uses of citizen media in the anticipation of the elections, however, is not serious at all - user Slogheinn on Youtube, has uploaded a series of humorous videos that mock four of the best known presidential candidates.

Such is the case of Francisco Guteres Lu-Olo, the President of the historical opposition party Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN), who presented his candidacy with the highest number of undersigned proponents, 22,590. As the video plays, the mimic of “Comrade Lu Olo”, feels frustrated for being in the “shadow” of Mari Alkatiri, the Secretary-General of Fretilin. Lu Olo whines for having to run once again for president, after he headed the National Parliament of East Timor from 2002 to 2007, and was defeated in the second round when running for the presidency of the country in the 2007 presidential election:

Problema nia Alkatiri obriga mak husu ha'u ba deit ona.
Ha'u baruk sai tiha prezidenti hotu, Alkatiri mak manda nafatin ha'u hanesan uluk quandu ha'u sai prezidente Parlamento.
Ha'u hatene katak ambisaun sem capacidade ne'e crime, mais se chefe obriga ne'e ha'u tenki ba deit mesmo que laiha qualidade.
Ha'u la hatene tamba hira mak Alkatiri tenki uza ha'u conforme nia hakarak…
Dala ruma ha'u tenki marca diferensa husi nia (…)

The problem is that Alkatiri made me [do it], asking me to go, full stop.
I'm fed up with being President, Alkatiri is always ordering me just like when I became the president of the Parliament.
I know that ambition without capacity is a crime, but if the boss makes me do it, I just have to do it, even if there is no quality.
I don't know why Alkatiri has to use me as he wants to…
Sometimes I have to make a stand to differentiate from him (…)

The current President of East Timor, José Ramos Horta, whose candidacy according to Centru Jornalista Investigativu Timor Leste (CJITL) was supported by 7,977 proponents (though his website announces he has received around 116,300 petitions), is represented by a kitten in a rather catholic video approach where he recalls the assassination attempt he suffered in 2008:

Ha'u hakarak recandidata ba Prezidenti da Republica, mais ha'u tenki ba consulta lai ho amu bispo nain rua, papa nain tolu ho kuku nain ha'at para hare se sira apoiu ha'u ka la'e.
Se la'e ha'u ba koko tok iha ONU. Se ema lakoi hili ha'u, ha'u fila lalais mai Timor […] ha'u nia povu sei presiza ha'u.
Imi hakarak hatene uluk ema tiru ha'u ne'e ha'u ba tiha ona lalehan. Jesus dehan ha'u atu troka orasaun Pedro sai porteiro iha neba mais malai mos diak, maibé ha'u dehan labele. Ha'u tenki fila ba Timor (…)

I want to re-candidate for President of the Republic, but I must go and ask three bishops, three popes and four owls to see if they are going to support me or not.
If not, I am going to check with the UN. If people don't want to pick me, I am coming back to Timor very fast […] my people still needs me.
If you want to know, in the past someone has shot me and I have gone to heaven. There Jesus told me I should replace Peter, to become the gatekeeper over there, but the foreigner was nice but I said I can't. I have to go back to Timor (…)

Fernando de Araújo, also known as Lasama, the current President of the National Parliament, supported his candidacy with 8,314 signatures. As part of his mocked electoral promises, he supposedly intends to lower the price of “noodles to 5 cents and palm wine to 1 dollar, as well as to open a big casino for playing cards”. As his avatar says, “listen to me! I want to be president of the republic too!”:

The Major General of the Armed Forces of East Timor, known as Taur Matan Ruak (Tetum for “Two Sharp Eyes”), whose candidacy was supported by 10,000 proponents, “takes the opportunity to explain to the voters why he wanted to be the first starting to campaign”, in anticipation of the date scheduled:

Even the Prime Minister and former President of the Republic, “Maun Bot” (big brother) Xanana Gusmão, has had his own avatar making a call to the “dear people of Timor Lorosae to prepare themselves for the party of democracy”.

East Timor Presidential Candidates

Mong Palatino — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:43:40 +0000

Centru Jornalista Investigativu Timor Leste uploads the list of presidential candidates in East Timor who have registered with the Court.

East Timor: Monitoring the 2012 Elections

Mong Palatino — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:50:39 +0000

There are 10 candidates so far in the coming elections in East Timor. Centru Jornalista Investigativu Timor-Leste is one of the media networks monitoring the polls

Online Highlights from the Portuguese-Speaking World in 2011

Maisie Fitzpatrick — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:11:32 +0000

2011 has been another year in which bloggers and activists from a number of Portuguese-speaking countries have come together to report, translate and promote blogs and citizen media from all over the world. This article selects the highlights in the coverage of Lusophone countries on Global Voices over the last year.

Portuguese language and culture

In February we covered several blogs that gave voice to their love of the Portuguese language, paying tribute to the great variety of dialects spoken by more than 200 million people worldwide.

Hau nia lian, hau nia rain (My language, my country). Photo by Sapo Noticias Timor Leste (public domain)

In May the newspaper @Verdade, our partner in Mozambique, described Portuguese as a language that is bound up in what it means to be Mozambican.

In its coverage of Timor Leste, Global Voices examined the role of languages in asserting the identity of a country which has 16 national languages and dozens of dialects. Some blogs on Cape Verde also suggested that there are “distinct social functions” for both the language spoken by the people, Crioulo, and the official language, Portuguese.

Online demonstrations brought a more political dimension to bear on this issue, with heated reactions to the proposal for Equatorial Guinea to become a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, despite having a poor track record on human rights.

Brazil: Paths towards Development

In spite of the current global crisis, Brazil is experiencing a period of economic optimism fuelled by domestic consumption. In order to maintain this growth, ongoing development policy in the country has been putting pressure on the environment and human rights.

The social cost of the rising demand for biofuels: the indigenous Guarani Kaoiwa community of Laranjeira Nhanderu were expelled from their lands 14 months ago to make way for sugarcane plantations. Photo by Annabel Symington, copyright Demotix (10/21/10).

The Amazon rainforest is seen as potential land for agriculture and as a source of raw materials and energy. Brazil's new forestry code, which regulates the use of the country's forests, has led to concerns and public demonstrations against the encouragement of farming and deforestation. “Green” agribusiness focused on biofuels and the replacement of felled trees with eucalyptus plantations have been shown to be unsustainable practices in both social and environmental terms. The dispute for land provoked by agribusiness led to the killing of activists and indigenous leaders during 2011. Yet Brazil is persisting in exporting its agribusiness model to other countries, such as Mozambique, regardless.

Coverage of events surrounding the Belo Monte Dam certainly caused the greatest outcry this year, uniting environmentalists, indigenous people and Brazilians living alongside the affected rivers. Protests in the immediate area of the dam and in major cities attracted international attention and challenged the human rights policy of Dilma Rousseff's government. This action did not wane after construction of the plant began, but rather took on different forms, including an Occupy protest by the Tupiniquim people and court cases.

These and related issues have been organised into four special features: Forest Focus: Amazon, Dossiê Belo Monte [only in pt], Indigenous Rights and Global Development.

Portugal: Crisis, Austerity and Protests

From the “Scraping-by Generation” protest in March to participation in the global protests on 15 October, Portugal has seen its political and economic crisis reach unprecedented proportions in 2011, with the fall of a government and the EU committee coming into the country to effect the financial “rescue” of public debt.

Keep calm and protest: outraged protesters outside Porto Town Hall. Photo by the protest organisers, 15 October.

Netizens took to social networks to mobilise action against severe austerity measures and to speak out in opposition to the racket conducted by the rating agencies, but also to gain inspiration from other countries, such as Iceland, on other forms of public participation.

Having launched a page devoted to special coverage of the current situation, Europe in Crisis, in September, Global Voices has acted as a bridge between different languages and has facilitated greater dialogue between outraged citizens from European countries that are suffering similar problems.

Angola: 32 Years in Power sparks Protests

In Angola the sense of revolt against the 32-year government led by José Eduardo dos Santos is becoming increasingly palpable in the streets and on the internet. Protests would have begun in March had the government not been successful in pre-empting them.

In September the police used heavy force to break up a protest, resulting in at least 18 protesters receiving prison sentences. Against all expectations, the movement has regrouped, while the number of citizen reporters in the country is also on the increase.

Video uploaded to the post Angola: Videos of Repressed Youth Protest in Luanda

Internet and the digital culture in Brazil

The fruits of increasingly widespread access to the internet in Brazil were borne out in 2011 by many creative, collective and effective examples of action. One such case was the mobilisation of social networks to take down a paedophile blog, and the call put out on Facebook to join in the unique “Different People's Big Barbeque Protest” in an upscale São Paulo neighbourhood.

Protest poster which reads "We want to be Maria Bethania", organised by Leon Prado on Facebook.

The online arena has also been the scene for a number of less auspicious episodes related to digital culture. In January the Ministry of Culture announced that it was abandoning Creative Commons licensing on its site, a blatant step backwards in public policy on the internet and copyright. Shortly afterwards, in March, the same ministry allowed the famous signer Maria Bethânia to raise 1.3 million reais tax-free for the creation of a poetry blog, thereby rousing the ire of bloggers, the twitterati and activists involved in the cultural sphere.

Cases of online censorship continue to crop up and, on occasion, overflow into the non-virtual world, with attacks on bloggers who are critical of the authorities.

In December we became aware of renewed death threats made against Ricardo Gama, who blogs against cases of the abuse of power and other irregularities by the Brazilian police. Gama had already been shot in an attack in Rio de Janeiro in March. Towards the end of this year, many were not convinced by the reason of “suicide by hanging” given for the death of Hamilton Alexandre, a controversial blogger from Santa Catarina, and social networks are being used to call for a thorough investigation of the case.

In 2012 we will continue to listen to the stories that are being told by the citizens of the world through the internet, and to amplify them so that they reach a global audience. Our doors are always open to anyone who wants to get involved in what Super magazine earlier this year dubbed “one of the 10 coolest projects on the internet”.

http://pt.globalvoicesonline.org/?p=25165

João Miguel Lima collaborated on this post.