Repúblika Banana

Timor Oan,

I find it absolutely disgusting and despicable that you would use the photos of the suffering commited on our whole nation by indonesia just to serve your petty political interests in supporting a political candidate.

Please show more respect for the memory of these most unfortunate brothers and sisters who paid the ultimate price for our nation so we could be free today.

They died for our nation and freedom and their memory should never be desicrated in such a vile manner just to support a party in a democratic contest between fellow timorese citizens.

You should be ashamed of yourself and Fretilin should be ashamed of having supporters as you.

Matebian sira sei kastigu o no nia partidu! o nia vida sei badak!
 

Thank you for publishing those photos and I can only say the more the better! Publish the atrocities committed by the army of a great son of a bitch who deserves nothing more than the gallows! The only reason that nothing happened to him is because he is a protegee of the American Government. The proof of this is that the Yankees invaded Iraq to clean Sadam because this bloke was a murderer! Sohearto is 100 times worst and the Yanks do f... all about him!
So, my dear brothers in East Timor, if that Xanana "fankidun" is ever fraudulentely elected to be Prime Minister, be careful, as he will be worst than both Sadam and Soharto, and what will happen is exactly what you can see in those photos! If you oppose you are dead meat! So act now and make sure he never gets there!
Please publish more photos and if possible send some of them to that Fankidum!
Ze Cinico
 

Xanana Fankidung also said recently that people were happier under Suharto regime. Sure. People like his siblings and Manatuto family.

He embraced Wiranto, a candidate for GOLKAR party, Prabowo, and other violent pro-Indonesia figures.

Now it has come to a full circle.

Xanana is a pro-Indonesia fascist and he will be another violent dictator like Suharto.

He is the most out of touch guy in Timor.
 

From Geta Lolo,

I lamented whoever posted these photos for political interest. How come these photos are used for a campaign!!! Not all of these people were fretilin, some were just an innocent people who did not know anything about politic!

Fretilin is once again has lost their mind, very irresponsible!

I believe that the time to loose is there now, the more you discredit Xanana, the stronger he is. Indonesian couldn't break him down, do you think you could?? Be realistic!

Vote for people who has heart, not those who are heartless!

Geta Lolo!
 

You are right about onething Get Loolo. These people were inocents and non political. They were East Timorese who suffered in the hands of Suharto's army whom Xanana said is the "father" Indonesian development. Many Indonesians also feel insulted by this Xanana statement. I am also insulted by this. That was the whole point. Sorry if you missed the point. Maybe Xanana and his cronies will win but one lost battle is not a lost war. A luta continua as they say. But I do hope that Xanana and his cronies loose the elections and give the younger people a chance to lead the nation. Xanana is a demagogue and his statements are full inflamatory languages that only divide and never unite. After his March speech of 2006 which I found to be the most insensitive and inflamatory, people immeditely left Dili and run away to their villages. The tensions took on a different turn straight after his speech. Mari Alkatiri is another politician who makes a lot of inflamatory speech. But at least his sphere of influence is not as far reaching and the consequence is minimal. Xanana on the other hand is a national leader and people of different political colour regard him as the FATHER of the nation. His words were by any means more irresponsible that Alkatiri's. Even to this day he continues to make speeches that are divisive and inflamatory. If he was able to restrain himself from allowing the FALINTIL to retaliate against the militias in 1999 when the violence was far greater, why not make the same call for restraint today? He makes a lot of accusations which are baseless and have only one objective to divide and increase the tension. Luckily he has lost so much respect from the general public and his supporters are today divided.

I can't tell who will win the Monday's election. I think we will all be surprised by the results. But judging from the way Horta's campaign has performed, I think the results may be pretty bleak for Horta/Xanana camp. The rally held at the stadium even with the CNRT flag and Xanana present, the turn out was very disappointing.

Come Wednesday we will finally find out.
 

OS CINCO ANOS QUE LEVARAM XANANA

A DEIXAR DE SER O MANDELA TIMORENSE

A menos de 24 horas de saber quem é que lhe sucederá na presidência de Timor-Leste, Xanana Gusmão é hoje um homem muito diferente daquele que há cinco anos foi eleito para o Palácio das Cinzas. Nessa altura, o "Mandela timorense", como o herói da resistência à invasão indonésia era muitas vezes designado, fazia o pleno do país. Ao ponto de ter sido eleito com quase 83% dos votos. Uma percentagem que poderia ter sido ainda maior não fosse o próprio Xanana ter andado atrás de quem o enfrentasse nas urnas.

Como explicar, então, que Xanana se tenha transformado num factor de divisão em Timor-Leste?
Nas sucessivas declarações e entrevistas que Xanana tem dado nos últimos meses, percebe-se que o Presidente está apostado na eleição de Ramos Horta para o seu lugar. Porque se sente mais próximo do Nobel da Paz e porque acredita que só ele pode travar a eleição do candidato da Fretilin: Francisco Guterres (Lu-Olo). Um homem de quem Xanana já disse o pior, apesar de ter sido escolhido para liderar o Parlamento. Mas o que Xanana pretende é muito mais do isso. O que ele verdadeiramente quer é impedir que Mari Alkatiri volte a ser primeiro-ministro. Por isso, criou um partido - o Congresso Nacional para a Reconstrução de Timor-Leste (CNRT) - e impulsionou Ramos Horta a avançar para o Palácio das Cinzas.

O que já é mais difícil de explicar é a razão de tanta animosidade contra o ex-primeiro-ministro, um dos poucos dirigentes timorenses que Xanana considerava incorruptível. Explicando as razões porque, ainda na prisão indonésia de Cipinang, Xanana lhe deu a gestão das verbas que o país haveria de receber do petróleo e do gás do Mar de Timor.

Amigos de juventude, Xanana e Alkatiri sempre foram suficientemente próximos para poderem ser considerados cúmplices. Sobretudo, em matérias que extravasavam a política e que ainda hoje são muitas vezes recordadas. Mas a política sempre fez parte do seu relacionamento. Quando Xanana anunciou, por exemplo, a sua saída da Fretilin em 1987, colocando-se acima de todos os partidos, não deixou de a tutelar e de a manter unida até ao regresso de Alkatiri, 12 anos depois.
Que sucedeu entretanto?
Aparentemente, nada. Se calhar, Xanana sempre foi o que é hoje. É certo que Alkatiri e a Fretilin cometeram muitos erros durante estes anos de governação e que a maioria dos timorenses vive como sempre viveu, sem que Díli lhes tivesse proporcionado melhores condições.
Mas o herói da resistência, que se habituou a nunca ser posto em causa, sempre conviveu mal com o formalismo do poder. De tal forma que nem sequer se deu ao trabalho de exonerar Mari Alkatiri do cargo de primeiro-ministro, quando optou por nomear Ramos Horta. Mas como Timor-Leste é o que é, também não foi questionado. E se tivesse sido, o mais provável é que o Presidente não entendesse.

Já foi, assim, ao longo da crise que o país viveu há uns meses. Quem se lembra agora que Xanana foi o primeiro a pronunciar-se sobre a expulsão dos quase 600 peticionários das forças armadas quando estes se recusaram a voltar aos quartéis?
E quanto saberão que no auge da crise ninguém conseguia falar com o Presidente pela simples razão que ele não saída de casa, nem tem telemóvel, deixando, por isso, pendurados todos os que pretendiam falar-lhe. Como sucedeu, numa primeira fase, com o ex-presidente Jorge Sampaio ou até com o então secretário-geral da ONU, Kofi Annan.

Xanana é assim: desprendido, mas também impulsivo e, por vezes, errático, dizendo num dia o contrário do que afirmou na véspera ou fingindo assumir responsabilidades quando ataca os outros. O que poderá ser muito perigoso, tendo em conta que Xanana se tornou cada vez mais fechado às influências do mundo que o rodeia.
Com quem fala Xanana nos momentos de crise? Com quem se aconselha? Desde logo, com a mulher, Kristy Sword. E depois com o seu chefe de gabinete, Ágio Pereira.

Quem mais? Ramos Horta? Os bispos? Mário Carrascalão? Ao que o DN apurou, só com os dois primeiros. Não espanta, por isso, que muitos dos seus antigos companheiros, nomeadamente os que ainda estão na Fretilin, digam hoje que a crise dos peticionários foi o que fez mudar Xanana definitivamente. Porquê? Porque, nessa altura, o Presidente quis afastar Taur Matan Ruak da chefia das forças armadas, tentando ajustar contas antigas, e percebeu que já não conseguia impor a sua vontade e que as F-FDTL já não lhe obedeciam. A partir daí, Xanana adoptou uma nova postura.

Demitiu Alkatiri, invocando uma acusação que se provou ser falsa, e publicou quatros textos de opinião que representam uma ruptura com o seu próprio passado, antes de se revelar disponível para ser primeiro-ministro.
Será que consegue? Parte desta resposta começará amanhã a ser divulgada, quando os eleitores timorenses forem votar para eleger o seu sucessor.

in "Diário de Notícias" - por Armando Rafael
 

I'm absolutely disgusted with the tactics of this blog.

These victims of indonesian brutality deserve more respect than this blog is showing. Their deaths and suffering is now being used in a most disgusting way of supporting a political party.

It just shows how Fretilin could not care less for the maubere and buiberes who lost their lives for the nation.

I'm not only appalled at the brutality commited by the murderous Indonesian troops as evidenced in these images but also at the people running this blog for using them to forward their party interests.

Shame on you!
 

More FRETILIN garbage.

I used to have respect for FRETILIN. I am sure a great many FRETILIN members and supporters still deserve great respect. But the current paranoid leadership and their acolytes on this blog make me fear greatly for T-L's future.

Wake up you stupid bastards. You bring great shame to T-L.
 

Timorese people are becoming victims once again when their leaders openly endorse the perpetrators who violated their rights through oppression and genocide.

SUHARTO IS KNOWN FOR HIS MURDEROUS REGIME AND NOT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDONESIA. SUHARTO IS KNOWN FOR HIS CORRUPT TACTICS WHICH HELPED HIM AMMASS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOT FOR HIS HUMANITY!

It's a shame that Xanana endorses Suharto in the face of the 25 years of brutality in Timor and 35 years of brutality in Indonesia.

SHAME ON YOU XANANA!!!
 

Timorese people are becoming victims once again when their leaders openly endorse the perpetrators who violated their rights through oppression and genocide.

SUHARTO IS KNOWN FOR HIS MURDEROUS REGIME AND NOT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDONESIA. SUHARTO IS KNOWN FOR HIS CORRUPT TACTICS WHICH HELPED HIM AMMASS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS NOT FOR HIS HUMANITY!

It's a shame that Xanana endorses Suharto in the face of the 25 years of brutality in Timor and 35 years of brutality in Indonesia.

SHAME ON YOU XANANA!!!
 

As usual these maggots conveniently distort Xanana's messages is such a way as to turn him into a devil he is not.

Clearly his mention of Suharto is just to emphasise the failure of Mari and his governmentt in creating prosperity for the Timorese. As such, even though Suharto was what he was, i.e the head of a murderous and oppresive regime, the economy was still running smoothly.
On the other hand Mari and his government were even unable to achieve that despite the fact that there was freedom and independence and much money poured into East Timor.

What Xanana was saying (and unfortunately most Timorese would have to agree) is that economically at least East Timor was better off under Indonesia then it is after independence. And it shouldn't be like that at all.

It's like that only because of Mari's government's enormous failure to implement economic reforms and initiatives that could bring some prosperity to the timorese people.

Here Xanana is absolutely right and his comparison to Suharto makes it even more damning on Mari Alkatiri and his government.

SO get your conclusions straight and stop reading things that are not there.
 

PS: you have any respect for the victims in the photographs don't use them in this way.

This is not what they died for.
 

I'm Timorese and I don't like Xanana!

Xanana frinds with milisia.

Xanana bad man and make lorosa'e and loromonu hate each other.

Long live Lu Olo.
 

I'm Timorese and I don't like Xanana!

Xanana frinds with milisia.

Xanana bad man and make lorosa'e and loromonu hate each other.

Long live Lu Olo.
 

the previous anonymous is a timorese who doesn't like the person (Xanana) who led the struggle for independence for 24 years (in the bush and from prison) by accusing him of being a friend of milicias? What da...

Instead he likes Luolo who is a puppet to the Mozambique clique led by Mari who lived a confortable life throughout the years of struggle...Go figure...

It is true that the great majority of timorese are illiterate and not very smart. The previous anonymous is a prime example of that.
 

the previous anonymous is a timorese who doesn't like the person (Xanana) who led the struggle for independence for 24 years (in the bush and from prison) by accusing him of being a friend of milicias? What da...

Instead he likes Luolo who is a puppet to the Mozambique clique led by Mari who lived a confortable life throughout the years of struggle...Go figure...

It is true that the great majority of timorese are illiterate and not very smart. The previous anonymous is a prime example of that.
 

For anonymous 1:12PM read the following comments or visit: http://timor-today.blogspot.com/


Xanana: unrealistic promises


On the 4 April it was disturbing to hear President Xanana's new comments that have done more to contribute to a climate of instability than to resolve any differences that may exist in Timor at the moment. His careless comments were reported in the Portuguese media http://diariodigital.sapo.pt/news.asp?section_id=10&id_news=270271. Two important points were made by Xanana, one was that Timor Lestes petroleum fund should be released and the other he idolises Suharto the former Indonesian President who instigated the invasion of Timor Leste resulting in 25 years of human rights abuses 9this speaks for itself, however Xanana's actions during the crisis Timor Leste became close to falling into a new dictatorial state (I will write why soon as his comments may be a justification for the creation of such a state).

The first comment in regards to releasing the petroleum fund is not only irresponsible but absurd since Timor Leste relies on this fund to be self sufficient. The petroleum fund is what will ensure a viable future for Timor Leste as an Independent state. It is essentially Timor Leste's "Futures fund", as such will provide a source of sustainable revenue for Timor Leste allowing Governments to develop budgets without being reliant on international aid thus ensuring Timor Leste is truly independent and not dependent.

I don’t know how much though Xanana had in making such an unrealistic proposition. On one hand it is politically cunning as it takes advantage of Timor Lestes vulnerability as a poor country to stake his political claims to win the hearts minds of the people. On the other hand it is irresponsible as his comment is detrimental to future Governments including his own should CNRT win an election. Self interest groups may rally people to force the Government to irrationally release the funds rather than continuing the controlled and transparent regime set in place that has been installed by the Mari led Government.

The impact of the fund has been significant, considering that Timor’s budget in 2002 was only US$77 million to what is over USD$300 million in 2006-2007 (budget developed during Mari Alkatiri’s tenure as Prime Minister). Given this substantial rise we could expect that Timor Leste's economic outlook will improve and this was reported by the ADB (see previous post A growing economy). Taking this into perspective the Timor Leste governmentability in the last four years work to ensure a functioning administration was impressive. In 2006 major steps were actually undertaken in Timor Leste, from free schooling and a free meal for primary school to pre secondary school student (taking a lot of financial burden from poor families) to finally the ability to be flexible in the budget and in 2006-2007 programming extensive infrastructure development that may have offered increased employment opportunities. Timor Leste in 2006 enjoyed what was a very effective health system, for the first time in Timor Leste’s history Doctors were posted in sub districts thanks to the cooperation fromCuban Doctors. New health clinics and schools were also constructed all over the country.

Given what I have said above with the Government priority has been tied up with limitied financial resources and developing the administrative capacity of the country, Timor Leste has actually on the surface progressed well in the last four years. The Indonesians were in Timor Leste and even as late as 1999 motor bikes and cars were luxury of the privileged few. Today it seems traffic in Dili made the capital during Indonesian occupation look like a sleepy town. Markets that were once filled with Indonesians vendors are now being run by Timorese improving economic conditions for Timorese. Rural communities farmed lands that were once full of Indonesian transmigrants can now travel freely to Dili to sell their produce. In Dili the sight of a market vendor holding a mobile phone is something I have never seen in Timors history. People I knew who only once walked or caught microlets now travel in their own private cars. Looking at popular sites like Hi5 (www.hi5.com) the Timorese youth have embraced technology that was not available to them before.

Believe it or not Timor Leste has changed may it be a subtle change. When the Portuguese were here for four hundred years if you travelled to the rural areas most people lived in traditional huts, during the Indonesian period many were still living in such conditions, today there is a sight of zinc roofs in areas that were once isolated is amazing.

So what does this all have to do with Xanana’s comments. Well it has a lot to do with. Timor Leste has only existed in four years not forty, changes are being made slowly but the changes made as highlighted are significantly important. Timor's budget has improved in years as the result of steady and managed growth and of course petroleum revenues. I think Timor Leste has passed through the four most difficult years of Governance where the priority of the need to develop a functioning administration has now been replaced with the need to develop the living conditions of the people. There is no need to irrationally release the Petroleum fund, when Timor Lestes budget amount is still improving year by year. Timor Leste has a 20 year development plan that has been successfully implemented thus far with key objectives being met each year. The Government has also balanced its budgets for fours years consecutive, these are right environments to establishing a successful sovereign country. Wouldnt FRETILIN or any other political party love to have the next four years of Government with a more flexible budget. Now its time for real change not empty and irrational promises.

Xanana's comments adds to the concerns many people have on his ability to run Timor Leste as Prime Minister, when people are just realising that as President his tenure was a forgettable one.
 

This last comment is a case of a couple of good points mixed up with a lot of crap to cook up a shallow analysis.
It neither contributes to our understanding of the causes behind the crisis nor does it convincingly clear Mari's from his inadequate 4 year governance.

Time permiting, I shall refute this little "essay" in far more detail.
 

I have just read the comments posted on 10:10 am

There is nothing there to suggest it is looking to respond to the crisis. It is actually relevant because it places a different account of the Mari led Government. Yes there are shortcomings but what the comments emphasises is patience. In four years after receiving a country that has had most f its infrastructure destroyed no income apart from aid it would be difficult to run a country in such circumstances. Obviously there has been progress and the author is right, four years is nothing in governance specially if your first few years of governance is based on running a country of 1 million with less than UYD300 million that is as much as the budget as some Australian councils.
 

Irresponsible to post these photos, whoever posted these photos has no morale and is offending Timorese!! I lamented to have seen these photos are exposed for one party's interest!!

Geta Lolo.
 

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