Repúblika Banana

FRENTE REVOLUCIONÁRIA DO TIMOR-LESTE INDEPENDENTE

FRETILIN

MESSASGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF FRETILIN TO PARTY MEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE

Today, the 12th of June, I, Lu Olo, President of FRETILIN, through this message convey to all FRETILIN members and sympathisers spread across the 13 districts of Timor-Leste, that:

Timor-Leste is going through an enormous crisis. Therefore, the FRETILIN Party as the largest political organisation in Timor-Leste with the support of individual members must contemplate carefully,

a) why did this crisis occur?

b) how did it occur?

c) and how can all of us together free ourselves from this affliction so that we can unite once again to establish and develop peace and stability – the only condition which can guarantee reduction of poverty and ignorance in order to carry out development in Timor-Leste.

With respect to the current situation, FRETILIN maintains that:

1) From the south to the north, from the west to the east, we are all East Timorese.

2) The Maubere People were the only people responsible for carrying out the different tasks in the clandestine front, the armed front and the diplomatic front so that we were able to restore our independence on the 20^th of May 2002. When we fought for our national independence and restored our State – the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, we all showed to the whole world our determination, our national unity and our identity as one People.

3) As the biggest political force in Timor-Leste, FRETILIN is conscious of its responsibility and duty to maintain and promote democracy in Timor-Leste in harmony with the Constitution of the RDTL. In the second Congress, FRETILIN taught its members to look at different ways of electing delegates and party leaders in line with the law of the political parties and FRETILIN's statutes. The Congress strengthened FRETILIN's institutional life and is of the highest value as it complied with important democratic processes and contributed to the strengthening of democracy in our country. The decisions made at the second congress are valid for five years. During the Congress, 97% of the delegates reinstated comrade Lu-Olo as President and comrade Mari Alkatiri as Secretary General. The Congress also elected members of FRETILIN's Central Committee who will oversee the party's tasks for the next five years. Last Sunday, the 4^th of June 2006, the CCF established the National Political Commission, an organ with the powers to make decisions and carry out the Central Committee's directives.

According to the law of political parties, FRETILIN has the right to elect its own leaders. As such, every East Timorese, individuals or members of other political parties must accept FRETILIN's decisions.

In order to find a solution to this crisis, FRETILIN is appealing:

First of all to its members:

- To continue to support the FRETILIN leadership – the President, Comrade Lu Olo and the Secretary General, Comrade Mari Alkatiri;

- To create and strengthen FRETILIN's structures to carry out vigilance within their neighbourhoods;

- To avoid falling into manipulations committed by others with the objective of deposing our Constitutional Government through petitions, demonstrations or other manoeuvres contrary to the RDTL Constitution.

To the People:

First of all, FRETILIN conveys its highest salutation because even if we live in distress, the vast majority of the Maubere People know better to live in peace and to continue to work promoting development in our country. They continue to be alert and tolerant.

- FRETILIN appeals to the People not to fall for rumours being spread by irresponsible individuals in order to create confusion and instil fear within the people.

We also want to guarantee every East Timorese that FRETILIN, a legally established political party, has never distributed firearms to its members or sympathisers in order to intimidate people or to kill anyone. FRETILIN is confident it will win the upcoming general elections therefore it does not need to distribute firearms to win power. FRETILIN does not have any firearms and does not need firearms to conduct politics.

FRETILIN has its own history when it resisted against Indonesia's occupying forces so that we can become independent. During the resistance, FRETILIN took it upon itself to separate FALINTIL from FRETILIN. As a result, today FALINTIL is a people's Armed Forces of Timor-Leste. Thus, FRETILIN would never harbour any intention whatsoever to use violence to intimidate the people.

FRETILIN appeals to everyone in possession of firearms to hand them over to the authorities in accordance with instructions from the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister

When everyone has surrendered their firearms, the people will feel secure and return to their homes and live in peace.

To the other political parties:

- FRETILIN appeals to their leaders and their members to respect the constitutional legality which comes from the RDTL Constitution so that we can develop democracy and peace in our country.

- FRETILIN also appeals to the other political parties to carry out their responsibilities with peace so that we can all contribute to the democratic general elections which will be held in our country in 2007.

# posted by Timor oan : 6/12/2006 07:22:00 PM