25 October 2017

Authorities report a higher than normal move to the districts in Timor-Leste

!WARNING MACHINE TRANSLATION! ORIGINAL PORTUGUESE TEXT Lusa 23 Oct, 2017, 07:26 | World Uncertainty about Timor-Leste's political future and the scenarios at stake in the case of the fall of the government, after the program's parliamentary lead, are marking the country's political debates.

A situation that is particularly evident in social networks, especially Facebook, which in recent months have been one of the main stages of political debate, with many party and political leaders, public and private institutions and citizens using profiles to defend their positions .

This trend has increased significantly during the campaigns for this year's presidential and parliamentary elections and has again become "lit" over the weekend, after the opposition passed a first lead in the government's program.

To dominate the debate in the last days is the question of the scenarios that are put to the country in case the opposition rejoins the government program, which the executive said he is reviewing to present again to the deputies.

In the case of the second lead, the Government falls and it is up to the Timorese President, Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo, to decide whether to invite another party to form a Government, whether to advance to an Executive of presidential initiative or to opt for early elections.

The opposition has been insisting on the first scenario, arguing that the three forces that have hammered the government's program - National Congress of East Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), People's Liberation Party (PLP) and Kmanek Haburas National Unity Timor Oan (KHUNTO) Alliance of Parliamentary Majority (MPA) capable of ensuring government stability, which accuse the current minority Government of not having.

Leaders of the CNRT and PLP have come in recent days to share an excerpt from a video of a statement by Lu-Olo in which the head of state seems to defend that the option of inviting a new party to form a government would precede the option. [EMPHASIS ADDED]



In response, leaders of the Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor and the Democratic Party (Fretilin and PD, government parties) used their profiles to share the video of the full interview, stating that the commentary is being "taken out of context" . They also insisted on the option of early elections, and many militants are already campaigning on social networks.

The issue even came to the Church with the president of the Timorese Episcopal Conference, Bishop Basílio do Nascimento, to declare to journalists of the diocese's communication services that "normally" when a government falls "goes to early elections."

It all depends, however, on what happens to the second possible lead.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the government explained that it is preparing "a new program" that will be presented simultaneously with the budget rectifying until the end of the year.

The government has assured that "everything will do to give the people a more dignified future, in a more inclusive, just and prosperous Timor-Leste" and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri stressed that "everything will do to elevate the nation to a situation promised by the historical leaders during the arduous years of struggle. "

The executive stressed the "maturity" shown by the population at the moment and considered that the motion of rejection to the program "represents another moment of growth of this young democracy, in a country committed to respect the fundamental values ​​that the Government serenely accepts."

"Democracy will not be driven by values ​​other than the highest. This position has already earned Timor-Leste international recognition and, as far as the Government is concerned, it will continue," according to the statement.

One of the less positive aspects of the recent debate, which has been criticized by some members of the public at the end of the parliamentary discussion of the Government program, has been accusations against some leaders that in the past favor of Timor-Leste's autonomy under Indonesian sovereignty.

In recent weeks there have been repeated messages posted on social networks that accuse some of the new members of the Executive of being pro-autonomists, an accusation that was later addressed to some deputies from the opposition benches by supporters of government parties.

Despite the tranquility, political tension did not go unnoticed, especially since the television was still live when, at the end of the debate, some deputies from the government benches, and their public supporters, instigated insults to the opposition deputies.

Even though no physical incidents have been reported and the authorities have ensured that the situation is peaceful in the country, Defense Force Commander Lere Anan Timur reiterated on Friday that a lesser Dili.

Authorities reported a higher than normal move to the districts.


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