Media reports of FRETILIN involvement in anti Sunrise demonstration wrong; Alkatiri meets with Sunrise Joint Venture Partners in Dili

FRETILIN

MEDIA RELEASE

Dili, 6 May 2010

Media reports of FRETILIN involvement in anti Sunrise demonstration wrong; Alkatiri meets with Sunrise Joint Venture Partners in Dili

A report from ABC radio posted on its website, earlier this afternoon claiming involvement by “a member of a branch” of FRETILIN in a very small and insignificant demonstration in Dili this morning against Sunrise Joint Venture executives is incorrect, said FRETILIN MP and party spokesperson Jose Teixeira.

The report alleged: “One of the protest organisers Vincente Mauboce is a member of a branch of East Timor's opposition Fretilin party and East Timor's Chamber of Commerce.” This is simply incorrect. Teixeira said.

Mr. Vicente Ximenes, also known as Vicente Mauboce, is not a member of FRETILIN. He was formally legally expelled from FRETILIN in May 2009, and has not been a member of FRETILIN since.  “His expulsion, along with other members of FRETILIN who joined with and campaigned with Mr. Xanana and his CNRT party during the 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, was political conduct deemed by the party’s Juridical Committee to be grave breaches of the parties rules warranting their expulsion,” Teixeira added.

“FRETILIN was not in any way involved in the demonstration, as the report implies.  The insignificant size and nature of the demonstration is sufficient evidence of this fact. What is more is that under Timor-Leste’s laws, the police must be notified at least 4 days in advance of proposed demonstrations, with five persons signing the notification. If a notification was ever made to the police, it was not made from anyone who was a member of FRETILIN or with its knowledge. Conversely, FRETILIN never engages in unlawful public demonstrations as would be the case if no notification was made,” explained Teixeira.

FRETILIN’s Secretary General Dr. Mari Alkatiri and MP and former Resources Minister Jose Teixeira met today with the Sunrise Joint Venture delegation. According to Teixeira, Dr. Alkatiri told the delegation “that there was a political consensus between the de facto government and FRETILIN that gas and condensate from Sunrise should be processed onshore Timor-Leste, but he also said he would be publicly urging the government to engage in serious negotiations and not simply engage in confrontations in the media.”

“FRETILIN continues to support all appropriate and transparent efforts by the de facto government to convince the Sunrise Joint Venture Partners that the onshore Timor-Leste option is the best option.  However, we also firmly believe that only by keeping dialogue open, maintaining intense negotiations, that progress can be made on this issue that is of great importance to all Timorese,  not just the de facto government,” Teixeira concluded.      

For further information please contact Jose Teixeira MP on +670 728 7080