08 July 2008

National Media Legal News 07 July 2008

JSMP: Horta wrong over amnesty law – Timor Post

The Non-Governmental Organization, Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP), has said that they consider the President’s plan for the amnesty law to be a mistake. The Acting Director of JSMP Casimiro dos Santos said that the amnesty law, approved in the Presidential Cabinet, has taken away criminal responsibility of those directly involved in the 2006 crisis.
JSMP stated that while the court still lacks human resources, it is good to allocate the budget for such programs to solve such cases as those of the 2006 crisis.

PM Xanana: payment for the petitioners in final process – Diario Nacional

Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão said that the payment process for the petitioners is in its final stages. “ I am surprised at Major Tara: we have fed them [petitioners] and supported them, and now he [Tara] is talking to the media with no direction; the pension is in the final stages of being processed,” said PM Gusmão on Friday (3/7) in Bairo Formosa, Dili.

Ed: Good for PM Xanana to respond in Parliament - Suara Timor Lorosa’e

PM Xanana stated that he is ready to respond in Parliament to Fretilin’s allegations that there was corruption, collusion and nepotism (CCN) in the process to give the contract for the rice distribution.

The accusation is based on the contract letter with the PM’s signature to give the contract to a single source, the Tres Amigos Company, to buy and provide rice. “I am ready to respond and discuss the process of the contract,” said the PM.

Is it true that the process of contract should be considered as CCN? The PM said that he signed the contract to respond to people’s need as there is no rice in most places. Many are starving. The opposition party is pressuring the Government to immediately take action.

In this kind of atmosphere, what should be the priority? The legal process or people’s need? Of course, people’s needs.

Here is a question to consider: is the rice sourced from here? If the rice has been distributed to those who are starving and everyone buys it, is this CCN?

The process of granting the contract cannot be classified as a CCN, even though it did not follow the legal process – the position taken by the PM is for the necessity of country, not for himself, his family, or for any party.

But, the PM should go to the Parliament to respond to the allegations that are daily getting bigger.


Syndicated by East Timor Legal Information Site

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