FRETILIN objected to "weapons" not individuals or institutions

Response to AMP de facto government Release of 19 November 2009:

I refer to the media release by the de facto Secretary of State for
Council of Ministers of the AMP de facto government, Mr. Agio Pereira,
titled "Personal Protection and Security of Government Officials"
dated 19 November 2009.

Mr. Pereira misrepresented my statement in the parliament, and or
media flash statement, because it was not an objection to any
individuals or police or anyone else being present inside the chamber
of the national parliament, but "weapons" or "armed persons".

It is the expression of a common democratic principle to not allow
weapons in a democratic arena as demonstrated by the CNE (National
Elections Commission) and STAE's (Technical Secretariat for Support of
Elections) rigorous application that no individual with weapons, even
PNTL (national Police) when exercising their democratic right to vote,
are permitted to carry weapons in a polling station.  This is not to
malign the individual PNTL officers but is a standard of democracy.
Not permitting weapons in a particular location in no way excludes the
individual from exercising his or her democratic rights be it to vote
or access to information.

I have worked in parliament's in other countries and it is
unprecedented in a democracy to permit firearms, of whatever
description, inside its legislative chamber and or national assembly.
I repeat unprecedented.  It is not justified in any circumstances, as
Mr. Pereira is endeavoring to justify in his release.

This is not the first occasion on which I have raised my
dissatisfaction and will persist because I aspire for a nation and
community which is free of these destructive human inventions. I will
applaud any efforts to control these weapons in our midst and did so
when the de facto government undertook the amnesty on firearms.

As to my statements allegedly "only degrade our nation in the eyes of
the international community and bring nothing of value to our people.
It does typify excessively unproductive behavior during the budget
period, more of which unfortunately, we will see in coming weeks."

I reject this outright.  The AMP de facto government would prefer to
have a docile opposition that shies away from transparency and robust
public debate.  FRETILIN will use every legal and constitutional means
(never resorting to violence) to air wherever we deem necessary that
the AMP de facto government is taking Timor-Leste down a path that is
detrimental to the aspirations of the people of Timor-Leste.

The international media who receive the FRETILIN.Media alerts and
releases are those who write regularly about Timor-Leste and who
report on it, including the self adulation of the de facto government.
The de facto AMP government today controls the national television
broadcaster and uses it to great effect.  It has a number of highly
paid advisors and consultants paid from the state budget.  FRETILIN
has its own lawful and legitimate resources to assist it in its media
work.

As the member of government responsible for media development it is
Mr. Pereira who is demonstrating a gross and slanted misunderstanding
of media freedom.

FRETILIN will never act detrimentally to Timor-Leste's national
interests or that of our people.  We begun the struggle for our
national independence and are not about to destroy it or denigrate,
but will not allow its ill-governance and misadministration.

I am encouraged by the support I received from family and friends who
serve in the National Police regarding the position I and Mr. Ximenes
took.  I only took my position also seconding FRETILIN MP David
Ximenes, who raised the issue first.  Mr. Ximenes was imprisoned
arbitrarily by the Indonesian Military for 12 years and was tortured
and pursued and persecuted.  He expressed his trauma about weapons in
the parliament, again not the individuals.

Jose Teixeira
FRETILIN MP