Bahasa Indonesia Headlines ­ Friday 20 July 2001

1. Fretilin shakes Liquica town 
2. Fokupers not using Dr Sergio Lobo’s case to seek more funding 
3. Quotes from the political parties

1. Fretilin shakes Liquica town (Suara Timor Lorosae, front page headline)

Fretilin yesterday went on the campaign trail to Liquica, 30 kilometres west of Dili. Thousands of men, women and children turned up at the Liquica football field to hear Fretilin leaders speak.

Liquica town was revived ­ for the first time since the Liquica massacre in 1999 the people came in out huge numbers for a political rally. No longer were they afraid of being arrested or tortured. They were now expressing themselves in a free environment.

All the Fretilin leaders were there to meet the people ­ from president Lu-Olo, Secretary-General Mari Alkatari to Rogerio Lobato ­ the brother of legendary Falintil leader Nicolau Lobato. For the past 24 years, the Liquica people only heard their names. Now, it was an opportunity to see them in the flesh.

The Liquica campaign coordinator Luis Lobato said the Fretilin campaign, now, was after a long period of suffering.

“But today we are gathered here full of hope. Now we live free in a democracy. We do not have to be afraid of the enemy, because the enemy has left the country. Democracy, now, is not the same as democracy during the time of the Indonesians. Democracy now will bring us to the road of independence,” said Luis Lobato.

2. Fokupers not using Dr Sergio Lobo’s case to seek more funding (Suara Timor Lorosae, front page second lead)

Fokupers, Timor Lorosae’s leading women’s organization, said yesterday it was not using Dr Sergio Lobo’s case for its own campaigning purposes to seek more donor money for its domestic violence work.

Fokupers’ Advocacy Coordinator Ubalda Alves was responding to Dr Sergio Lobo’s comments made at his hearing at the Dili District Court.

At the hearing, Dr Sergio Lobo told the presiding judge that his case was sensationalized by the NGOs in order to get more funding for their work.

He said cases like his were common in the country, but previously they were not blown up by women’s groups. He questioned their motives now.

“What Dr Sergio did to his wife was against the law and Fokupers as an advocacy body has the responsibility to protect his wife from further violence,” said Ubalda Alves.

“Fokupers handles all domestic violence cases ­ not just Dr Sergio’s alone,” she added.

3. Quotes from the political parties (Suara Timor Lorosae, centrespread)

Social Democrat Party (PSD):

“PSD is of the opinion that the main social problems in the country are attributable to its occupation by foreigners and not directly from the independence struggle….” --- Mario Viegas Carrascalao.

Socialist Party of Timor (PST):

“We have liberated our country but the people are yet to be free. Our people will not be free if we do not fight for their rights and liberate them. But in fighting for independence we must also fight for a change of the political system….” --- PST President Pedro Martires da Costa.

Democratic Maubere Party (PDM):

“We at PDM will champion the militant youth. They must be patriotic and democratically-spirited and have the intellectual capability to be good PDM cadres…” ­ PDM Secretary-General Dr Santino Oliveira Barros.

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