By Cristiana X. Belo
Aliansa Maubere Nasional (AMN) (in English-Maubere National Alliance) demands to the National Parliament (NP) to abolish the Law on life – Long pensions (for retired members of the Nasional Parliament (NP) and council of ministers) obtained from former holders due to social injustice. The protest took the form of a demonstration last Monday. (07-11-2022). at the Central Campus of the University of Timor-Leste (UNTL) the action was carried out which was authorized by the Timor-Leste National Police (PNTL), based on Law no. 1/2006 should be with one hundred meters (100). The demonstration was attended by the academic community of UNTL University, UNITAL, UNDIL and UNPAZ. However, there has been no positive response from NP. AMN plans to continue to protest and urge the NP to find a solution.
General Coordinator of the Maubere National Alliance (AMN – Aliansa Maubere Nasional) Leoniziu Mariz stated. “ The long -life pension law is a great injustice. Because we see that those who are senior politicians still have access to a very large amount of the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (OJE – Orsamentu Jeneral Estadu), a contradiction, while those who are teachers teach all year round with only a small salary ($200 – $300,00). They support their families, pay for their children’s schooling, they want to build a house which is also difficult because the salary is only three hundred ($300) and the salary for the laborers is only one hundred and fifteen ($115) but of them, the former holders are no longer working sitting at home receiving long – life pensions their salary is greater than the salary of laborers and teachers.
Therefore, let us consider that this life – long pension Law, is not made by the people, is not the people’s issues, but the issues that have access to political power, it is a great injustice,
if the Budget is from their own salary it is fine, they can take finish, but the money taken from the existing State Budget is taken from the borrowers, the National rate and from the oil and gas exploration has been sold to the international market after becoming the State and the General State Budget, and therefore, it is true that it is common for public sustainability, contrary to having access to privatize political power in General State Budget (GSB).
This people have little access, and what happens to unemployment, poor problems, malnutrition problems. This faced a lack of access to political power. For those who have access to political power, there is unemployment among them, we see examples between those who during the reigns have never sold eggs in Dili, which are no and that are not part of formal Education, only those who do not have access to political power have children face a problem with Education, their children do not have access to the Hospital in good condition, those who are not home good.
But those with political access have luxurious houses, land somewhere and worse, their big Bank accounts know where the money is coming from, it was generated during their reign, they have taken a lot of it, because of access to a law. But poor little people, they made a law that people who work as manual laborers only get one hundred and fifteen American dollars ($115). It is injustice.
Therefore, we have been demanding a law on life pensions for a long time, but from political parties they accuse each other, but we see that they all have the political power in Parliament to change, because they are inconsistent. They use the Lifetime Pension Law as a political campaign to make people aware, though not for a moment. We also will not be silent and all young people will not be silent when we do all these interventions. It is not our sovereign entity, not our political party at the top, so that we are against the direct, educating the people not to choose also the choice of people’s rights, in the people’s rights, when the people’s rights continue to believe in their will, some options or just resign themselves because we always deliver.
This is what I reinforced the views of my colleagues on what you Note from the long-life pension Law they have decreased from the ninety (90%) to sixty (60), but not only that we want, but what we want is to eradicate and the other we want to make a choice that if sixty percent (60%) are concerned
the percent is still big. If it stays at 60% because the Member of Parliament has more power than the National Maubere Alliance (AMN) because AMN has enough power, we will provide an option to eliminate the remaining sixty percent (60%), if not, it can be reduced by forty percent (40%) ) so that the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (OJE – Orsamentu Jeral Estadu ) does not disburse too much to those who are already long-time holders, I think this is what I can strengthen.
If everyone agrees, then it is mandatory to change, but because the National Maubere Alliance (AMN) has only been established for a few months so some people agree and some don’t, some people still need to play an active role in educating the community. or approach the people that the long – life pension law has no right to happen in this independence because we always say Timor as a country in Asia the level of poverty (1) in Asia
is an indicator that our system or our government has not been supported by everyone and therefore the annual approved State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (OGE), only above, has increased poverty.
We ask for not only one option that we give this forty percent (40%), according to our National maubere Alliance (AMN), if AMN and all the people agree to be an extra Parliamentary force, yes, we force the National Parliament to change.
If all the people ask in public, all the people don’t agree to say today we are hungry, there is no Education, there is a problem today, Health and this problem should be allocated today but they have access to power that decides, they are the most likely to force them to make orders to the Police to secure them, so that they can, we force the Police to be beaten again, hit us, kick us, threaten us so that we don’t have enough force to change completely but I believe that this condition is happening today, I will urge all the people to consent that this is unfair and will invite everyone to struggle to break a minority rule today only sustainable.
Because the Law requires people in public, all people are not accepting today’s day Hunger, Education and non-agrikola is a problem today, Health is also a problem that should be allocated but they have access to power that decides, and they are the most likely to force them to make orders to the Police to secure them, so they can, we force the Police to be beaten again, hit us, kick us, threaten us so that amen does not yet have enough force to change completely but I believe that this condition is happening today, I will urge all people to consent that this is unfair and will invite everyone to struggle to break a minority rule today only sustainable.
In addition, Maubere National Alliance (AMN) member Miguel added, “There is currently no positive Index, to change that. Let’s take a look at the five (5) parties that won seats in Parliament (5) stated that it was not good and that everyone wanted to change, but they said that the party had to win absolutely while the problem was used as material for campaigning for them, but realized that when the law was good, they thought it was good to change. UU, we believe it’s easier to change, even they blame each other for example, offering to the former party is also a Defense campaign, so continue to be a good thing and a good campaign. We think that all these responses are political tactics that do not have good faith to change the law.
We don’t have data on how many people have access, but by 2022, around billions of dollars is earmarked for long-life pensions, which are often more than pensions for those who do not serve any function in the National Parliament or in Government, and most of them are also giving to those who have died, for example Fernando La Sama and others, which is still factual, while it is not yet certain how many people have received it, even though we have seen those who did not play a role in receiving it. When a journalist of Radio Rakambia confirms some of the former holders who are taking Office will receive Long – life pensions, but according to the Law they will not receive their rights because they are taking Office.
said Miguel Monse . “According to the Law when he takes office in this Country he does not accept it, if he accepts he is no longer in Government Office then he accepts as Ramos Horta is no longer there, in the future if he does not carry out any duties in the Government or hold important positions in the Government, including Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao because currently he does not hold any important positions or positions in the Ministry. he has right to receive it. Law no. 1/ 2007, although only ninety percent (90%) have changed it, if not, it has decreased to sixty-five percent (65%), now there are no 12 articles and all of them discuss retirement. What kinds do you proposed? Our last demands are that, the General State Budget allocations are allocated in each year, each Government should be more allocated to Strategic sectors, as we mentioned today, Education, Health, Agriculture, Tourism and the sectors that we see are in a line with people’s style of water, so our actions are essential for non-oil cars and so, it is better to be allocated to Strategic sectors, although we think that many people are right to speak these things, all people do not have a positive step towards our leaders.”,
In addition the AMN also protested the National Parliament to stop buying cars. However, the National Parliament continued to buy cars in 2023.
“ They said that, the Fifth legislature will not be purchased because it would planned to put the money in the General State budget state (2023) was stopped after having a car for Five legislature but we saw that the cancellation was only political.
Nawadays’ AMN have Plan is being outlined and it is possible to invite everyone to raise awareness about the political commitment used to make a Popular trial for our members of Parliament and AMN conscious that we are only few of this great force, so that we are back again to mobilize, all our entities, people, all sectors, so that together we can force the National Parliament to see the situation, we see that from our update, we believe that the President of the National Parliament Aniceto Guterres, who made his statement last week, on what changed cars with Transport allowances, is only one subparagraph that we consider this public opinion. ” Miguel added
On this occasion, the journalists of Radio rakambia confirmed with Dean of the Faculty of Social Affairs of UNTL to proposed point of view of protest activities carried out by movement of AMN and students.
Dean Camilo da Costa stated. “After seeing the student demonstrations still going on, I don’t know. On the last day of Administration with us, the University structure held a meeting with students, especially students who were demonstrating there, as the Dean. FISIP this morning the Deputy Dean held a meeting at the Faculty level, calling the Faculty and their students to join our meeting here, there were several requests from students to buy a car.
This laptops, after meeting with them and they presented, I had analysis and observations that in fact, the long-life pension does not buy vehicles with the letop you see them say that during the 20 years of our independence the State has almost abandoned much, including the vital pension now with such things, they have a lot of discussions between universities to talk to this issue, a vital pension. The students said, “now the elections are near the person who has the initiative to conduct vital pensions and our Prime Minister and President.
The President of the Republic now expressed his wishes to the National Parliament, especially the three parties, namely the Popular liberation party plp, the FRETILIN party and the kunto party, the last FRETILIN party, the promotor of the person that we called for the promotor, so that they may now ask what the National Parliament is silent, especially the members of the political party plp.
The silence of orientation has come from the Prime Minister and until we hear that the Government is already in place, so as to eliminate it, the reality is that they are not able to do so now because they say that it is only a great benefit to those who have political power, for example you see Parliament receives a large amount of money, they have other payments. They should also be regalia who is from vital pensions so that they must be removed from vital pensions when they are accompanied by all these situations.”
The Dean is added,“ We observe, the President of the Republic agrees and the Prime Minister agrees 100%. Therefore, the student movement said we take this opportunity to speak out if the Prime Minister has a good initiative to give directions to his party, to decide because the National Parliament elections are near. added, so the Student movement asked, can you also ask if the will to consent to the lives of these people matter. I think this is what the student youth movement is doing. If we outside also have to help the student movement to stop it.
Where will our country go but not only speak for the 24th struggle that has been fought but at least show the Truth – which the heroes Nicolau Lobatu defended, Amaral do Savier defended the struggle for independence. But now the only maintain their own life. therefore they protest This is what the moviment students talk about when we meet with them.”
The Dean added.”Regarding this matter, our Director call to the each of President of the Faculty Association to report for him regarding demonstration, but we said it is not demand by us. but democracy. We only study democracy, but who implements this true democracy? our brother Xanana Gusmau, was raised by two, brothers Lu-Olo and brothers Ramos Horta, who are democratic people. When talking about democracy, everyone has the right to a constitution. What perpetuates that everyone has the right to express their thoughts so as not to be beaten or arrested, what needs to be done.
We were amazed that those who demonstrated wanted to know about the Demonstration Law when they presented Law no. 1/2006 that the demonstration must be one hundred meters (100 M) from the place where you want to protest and demonstrate, must submit a request to the East Timor National Police (PNTL), within two days to observe the demonstration site, if the demonstration location is not possible, for the place of demonstration must state that the place of demonstration, is not in accordance with the Act applied that 100 meters. if Parliament does not have the possibility to justify that it should not because it is close to the National Parliament but the Police are also silent, and now protesters tell us your elder brother who served as Prime Minister of Home Affairs, who now leads Police, does he understand Law or not?
The demonstrators weren’t wrong when they told us to stop and be quiet. Silence means we don’t look for solutions so that no one else can take advantage of the opportunity, as is currently the case. Every year we discuss this issue, not only related to the corruption we investigate, but also in other Ministries, if we don’t execute this year’s money. The money must return to free the State of possibility, and must not leave any other part.
The firstly I would like to congratulate the Government for detecting that in one day oil will dry but how is to invest the productive area without it, I feel sad. Sad because we have independence for oil. Why not seek money for other resources but still independence for oil. For example, due to the poor irrigation system in Maliana, several rice fields were abandoned, the owner of field rice sold to some people, bought to building houses and oil station (Pertamina). And In Manatuto district people build houses in rice fields because there is no irrigation. Does the current government see this?.”
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