05 November 2008

Parliament to discuss Chega this week

From Patrick Walsh 26 October 2008 - The President of the Parliament and bench party leaders have decided to hold an extraordinary sitting of Parliament this coming Thursday, 30 October 2008, to discuss the Chega! and CTF recommendations. The initiative comes 3 years after Chega! was handed to then President Xanana on 31 October 2005.

President Ramos-Horta urged Parliament to discuss the two reports during his recent address to the Parliament. In 2006, as Prime Minister, the President described the CAVR process as 'an extraordinary endeavour' and pledged to see Chega's 'do-able' recommendations implemented. 'We owe it the people. We owe it to the victims. We owe it to the current generation and the future generation so that Timor-Leste can live in peace and in harmony'.

As it is obviously impossible for all MPs to do justice to both reports in one day, it is expected that the Parliament will take the opportunity to focus its comments on the practical recommendations already put forward by Committee A.

These recommendations include the creation of a new institution with responsibilities to facilitate the implementation of the principal recommendations common to both reports. Feedback from the members of Parliament will help Committee A to develop these recommendations further and to provide detailed draft legislation for the consideration, and, hopefully, approval of the Parliament in 2009.

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