Frente Revolucionária do Timor-Leste Independente (FRETILIN)
Media Release, December 2, 2008
Timor-Leste's de facto government last week stepped up its assault on the judiciary by blocking the reappointment of a senior judge who ruled against key budget measures last month.
The Superior Council for the Judiciary, a formerly independent but now politicised commission that oversees the functioning and composition of the judiciary, decided on 13 November 2008 not to renew the contract of Portuguese judge Ivo Rosa. This was the same day Judge Rosa published the Court of Appeal's decision declaring a large part of the Gusmao government's 2008 budget unlawful and unconstitutional.
Judge Rosa is one of three foreign judges recruited by the United Nations to serve alongside seven Timorese judges in Timor-Leste.
He was one of three Court of Appeal judges who unanimously ruled on November 13 that:
a) The government's creation of a so-called Economic Stabilization Fund was unconstitutional in that it was equivalent to creating a "secret fund" which is expressly prohibited by the constitution, and
b) Parliament's attempt to transfer more than US$290 million from the National Petroleum Fund was illegal as it breached key aspects of the law mandating sustainable use of petroleum revenue.
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and the President of the National Parliament, Fernando "Lasama" de Araujo have publicly criticised the judgement and foreign judges in particular. In the days following the court's ruling Mr de Araujo was reported on the national state-owned television broadcaster as having said that it was "time the government brought the Court of Appeal into line."
The decision not to reappoint Judge Rosa was taken to and initiated in the Superior Council for the Judiciary by the Council's interim head, Dionisio Babo Soares. Mr Soares is Secretary General of Xanana Gusmao's CNRT party and was national campaign director for the CNRT during last year's elections. He is currently an advisor in the Deputy Prime Minister's office.
FRETILIN MP and spokesperson Jose Teixeira, an Australian-trained lawyer, said today he had never seen such a blatant act of political interference with the Timor-Leste judiciary.
"Dionisio Babo Soares is a political operative with no judicial training or experience, and, while holding some legal qualifications, has never practiced as a lawyer. The Superior Council has only one of four members who is a judge. Yet he and the Council are passing judgement on the performance of a judge with well over ten years experience," Teixeira said.
"Soares may have extremely limited professional experience with the law, but he does have a proven track record of taking riding instructions from Prime Minister Gusmao. This decision that he was instrumental in is proof of that. All our information indicates that this is so.
"The involvement of such a prominent party-political figure in this decision is basis enough for FRETILIN to challenge its soundness and legality."
Teixeira said the de facto government took advantage of the absence of Judge Claudio Ximenes, the President of the Court of Appeal, who is in Lisbon receiving medical treatment, to rush to get rid of Judge Rosa.
"The writing has been on the wall for some time now. We knew there would be moves on the judges involved in the budget decision, especially Judges Rosa and Ximenes. The de facto Prime Minister and the President of the Parliament have voiced their public displeasure with the decision. Now we see the result of their displeasure."
Teixeira said the decision also involved another member of the Superior Council, Cirilio Valadares, who is currently advisor in the Office of Prime Minister Gusmao.
"The de facto government, having stacked the Superior Council for the Judiciary with its political operatives, is now expected to move against Judge Ximenes and install a judiciary favourable to their administration," Teixeira said.
"How will we ever be able to enforce laws in this country with this type of political interference and disregard for the rule of law, the courts and the constitution? From our point of view this is only the tip of the iceberg, and the independence of our judiciary is under a genuine and unprecedented threat."
For information contact José Teixeira MP (now in Australia) 0438 114 960
Source: Timor Online
Mostrando postagens com marcador Ivo Rosa. Mostrar todas as postagens
Mostrando postagens com marcador Ivo Rosa. Mostrar todas as postagens
quarta-feira, 3 de dezembro de 2008
segunda-feira, 1 de dezembro de 2008
Timor-Leste/Xanana Gusmão persegue juiz português
29 de Novembro 2008/Expresso (Portugal)
Ivo Rosa ilegalizou parte do orçamento timorense. O primeiro-ministro de Timor não gostou e afastou-o
O assunto não era tema para a visita de dois dias que Xanana Gusmão fez esta semana a Portugal, aproveitada pelo primeiro-ministro timorense para passar uma imagem de estabilidade política no seu país e obter linhas de crédito nos bancos portugueses, mas a crise entre órgãos de soberania está instalada em Díli e corre o risco de se tornar mais profunda.
Duas semanas depois de ter seguido para publicação no ‘Jornal da República’ (o equivalente ao nosso ‘Diário da República’), o polémico acórdão do Tribunal de Recurso timorense que ilegaliza um terço do orçamento de Estado para 2008 ainda não viu a luz do dia, o que em circunstâncias normais já deveria ter acontecido na semana passada.
Fontes judiciais em Díli garantem que há um bloqueio político ao acórdão por parte do Governo, motivando fortes críticas da oposição e de organizações não-governamentais. Na prática, sem estar publicado, o Executivo de Xanana Gusmão não tem de o respeitar, por não ter conhecimento oficial dele.
A decisão do tribunal proíbe o Governo de gastar uma transferência extraordinária de 240 milhões de dólares do fundo de petróleo timorense, por não respeitar a lei, e foi escrita por um juiz português, entretanto afastado pelo Conselho Superior de Magistratura (CSM), liderado actualmente pelo secretário-geral do partido de Xanana Gusmão (CNRT).
A não renovação do contrato do magistrado Ivo Rosa foi determinada no próprio dia em que o português enviou o acórdão para publicação.
Ivo Rosa tinha assumido em Agosto a função de presidente interino do Tribunal, desde que o magistrado timorense Cláudio Ximenes veio para Portugal para um tratamento prolongado de saúde. Ximenes acumula em Timor as presidências do Tribunal de Recurso e do Conselho Superior de Magistratura.
Dionísio Babo, o secretário-geral do CNRT e presidente-substituto do CSM, admitiu ao Expresso que o afastamento do juiz português foi feito no dia da notificação do acórdão sobre o orçamento, a 13 de Novembro, sem estar na ordem de trabalhos e sem conhecimento de Cláudio Ximenes, mas justificou que se tratou de uma decisão legítima.
“Não estou a pôr em causa a competência do juiz, mas foi uma proposta de dois conselheiros e, apesar de polémica, acabou por ser votada por unanimidade”, confessou o responsável pelo Conselho Superior de Magistratura. “É uma situação normal, já em vezes anteriores tínhamos decidido por não renovar contratos com outros juízes internacionais. Não misturo política com a magistratura”. Babo assume, no entanto, que é assessor no gabinete do vice-primeiro-ministro José Luís Guterres. Além dele, um outro conselheiro, Cirilo, trabalha para o gabinete de Xanana.
Responsável pelos julgamentos dos militares implicados nas mortes de oito polícias durante a crise de 2006 e autor dos mandados de captura em nome do rebelde Alfredo Reinado (contra a estratégia de Ramos-Horta e Xanana Gusmão), o juiz português tornou-se uma figura incómoda em Timor.
A fragilidade do sistema judicial no país tem sido um dos pontos mais criticados pelos relatórios internacionais sobre a situação no país, desde que a comissão de inquérito criada pela ONU para investigar a crise político-militar de 2006 recomendou que todos os seus responsáveis deveriam ser chamados à justiça.
Neste momento, nem mesmo os atentados ao Presidente da República, Ramos-Horta (que ficou gravemente ferido), e ao primeiro-ministro em Fevereiro último têm o inquérito concluído. Nove meses depois, e apesar da polícia australiana e do FBI americano terem contribuído com uma exaustiva investigação aos incidentes, a Procuradoria-Geral da República ainda não disse nada sobre o que realmente aconteceu.
Micael Pereira
---------------
"Ivo Rosa declared illegal part of the government budget. The PM did not like it and so had him set aside."
Translation from Portuguese of article By Micael Pereira – in "Expresso"
30 November 2008
Source: Timor Online/1 dezembro 2008
This issue was not a theme for the two day visit by Xanana Gusmao to Portugal this week, which the Timorese Prime Minister took advantage of to put across an image of political stability in his country in order to obtain lines of credit with the Portuguese banks, but the crisis between the constitutional bodies is entrenched in Dili and runs the risk of deepening.
Two weeks after having been sent for publication in the "Jornal o Republica" (the equivalent of our "Daily of the Republic") [1], the controversial ruling of the Timorese Court of Appeal which declares illegal one third of the State Budget for 2008 still has not seen the light of day, which under normal circumstances should have already occurred two weeks ago.
Judicial sources in Dili assure us that the decision is being politically blocked by the Government, which is arousing strong criticisms from the opposition and non-governmental organizations. In practice, until it is published, Xanana Gusmao's does not have to comply with the decision, as it does not yet have official knowledge of it.
The court decision which prohibits the Government from spending an extra transfer of US$240 million from the Timorese Petroleum Fund, because they did not comply with the law, was written by a Portuguese judge, who has in the meantime been moved aside by the Superior Council for the Judiciary (SCJ), which is currently headed by the secretary general of Xanana Gusmao's party (CNRT).
The non-renewal of the judge Ivo Rosa's contract was decided on the very day he sent the decision for publication.
Ivo Rosa had taken over the role of interim President of the Court of Appeal in August, since the Timorese Judge Caludio Ximnenes had come to Portugal for prolonged medical treatment. Ximenes accumulates the roles of President of the Court of Appeal and the Superior Council for the Judiciary.
Dionisio Babo, the secretary general of the CNRT and substitute President of the SCJ, admitted to Expresso that the moving aside of the Portuguese Judge was effected on the day the notification of the decision regarding the budget, the 13th of November, without it being an item of business on the agenda and without it being known by Claudio Ximenes, but justified it as being a legitimate decision.
"I am not putting in cause the judges competence, but it was proposed by two councilors and that despite controversy was voted by unanimity," confessed the head of the Superior Council for the Judiciary. "It is a normal thing, on previous occasions we had decided not to renew the contract of other international judges. I do not mix politics with the judiciary." Babo also holds the position of advisor in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres.
As the one who was responsible for judging the soldiers implicated in the deaths of eight police during the 2006 crisis and who issued the warrants for the capture the rebel Alfredo Reinado (against the strategy adopted by Ramos-Horta and Xanana Gusmao), the Portuguese Judge became a discomforting figure in Timor.
The fragility of the judicial system in the country has been one of the most widely criticized points in international reports regarding the country's situation, from the time the UN commission of inquiry investigating the 2006 political-military crisis recommended that all those responsible for the crisis should be called to face justice.
.
At this time, not even the investigations into the attempts on the President of the Republic (who was gravely wounded), and on the Prime Minister in February last have been concluded. After nine months, and despite the Australian Police and the FBI having contributed with an exhaustive investigation of the incidents, the Prosecutor General has still not said anything regarding what really occurred.
http://timor-online.blogspot.com/2008/12/ivo-rosa-declared-illegal-part-of.html
Ivo Rosa ilegalizou parte do orçamento timorense. O primeiro-ministro de Timor não gostou e afastou-o
O assunto não era tema para a visita de dois dias que Xanana Gusmão fez esta semana a Portugal, aproveitada pelo primeiro-ministro timorense para passar uma imagem de estabilidade política no seu país e obter linhas de crédito nos bancos portugueses, mas a crise entre órgãos de soberania está instalada em Díli e corre o risco de se tornar mais profunda.
Duas semanas depois de ter seguido para publicação no ‘Jornal da República’ (o equivalente ao nosso ‘Diário da República’), o polémico acórdão do Tribunal de Recurso timorense que ilegaliza um terço do orçamento de Estado para 2008 ainda não viu a luz do dia, o que em circunstâncias normais já deveria ter acontecido na semana passada.
Fontes judiciais em Díli garantem que há um bloqueio político ao acórdão por parte do Governo, motivando fortes críticas da oposição e de organizações não-governamentais. Na prática, sem estar publicado, o Executivo de Xanana Gusmão não tem de o respeitar, por não ter conhecimento oficial dele.
A decisão do tribunal proíbe o Governo de gastar uma transferência extraordinária de 240 milhões de dólares do fundo de petróleo timorense, por não respeitar a lei, e foi escrita por um juiz português, entretanto afastado pelo Conselho Superior de Magistratura (CSM), liderado actualmente pelo secretário-geral do partido de Xanana Gusmão (CNRT).
A não renovação do contrato do magistrado Ivo Rosa foi determinada no próprio dia em que o português enviou o acórdão para publicação.
Ivo Rosa tinha assumido em Agosto a função de presidente interino do Tribunal, desde que o magistrado timorense Cláudio Ximenes veio para Portugal para um tratamento prolongado de saúde. Ximenes acumula em Timor as presidências do Tribunal de Recurso e do Conselho Superior de Magistratura.
Dionísio Babo, o secretário-geral do CNRT e presidente-substituto do CSM, admitiu ao Expresso que o afastamento do juiz português foi feito no dia da notificação do acórdão sobre o orçamento, a 13 de Novembro, sem estar na ordem de trabalhos e sem conhecimento de Cláudio Ximenes, mas justificou que se tratou de uma decisão legítima.
“Não estou a pôr em causa a competência do juiz, mas foi uma proposta de dois conselheiros e, apesar de polémica, acabou por ser votada por unanimidade”, confessou o responsável pelo Conselho Superior de Magistratura. “É uma situação normal, já em vezes anteriores tínhamos decidido por não renovar contratos com outros juízes internacionais. Não misturo política com a magistratura”. Babo assume, no entanto, que é assessor no gabinete do vice-primeiro-ministro José Luís Guterres. Além dele, um outro conselheiro, Cirilo, trabalha para o gabinete de Xanana.
Responsável pelos julgamentos dos militares implicados nas mortes de oito polícias durante a crise de 2006 e autor dos mandados de captura em nome do rebelde Alfredo Reinado (contra a estratégia de Ramos-Horta e Xanana Gusmão), o juiz português tornou-se uma figura incómoda em Timor.
A fragilidade do sistema judicial no país tem sido um dos pontos mais criticados pelos relatórios internacionais sobre a situação no país, desde que a comissão de inquérito criada pela ONU para investigar a crise político-militar de 2006 recomendou que todos os seus responsáveis deveriam ser chamados à justiça.
Neste momento, nem mesmo os atentados ao Presidente da República, Ramos-Horta (que ficou gravemente ferido), e ao primeiro-ministro em Fevereiro último têm o inquérito concluído. Nove meses depois, e apesar da polícia australiana e do FBI americano terem contribuído com uma exaustiva investigação aos incidentes, a Procuradoria-Geral da República ainda não disse nada sobre o que realmente aconteceu.
Micael Pereira
---------------
"Ivo Rosa declared illegal part of the government budget. The PM did not like it and so had him set aside."
Translation from Portuguese of article By Micael Pereira – in "Expresso"
30 November 2008
Source: Timor Online/1 dezembro 2008
This issue was not a theme for the two day visit by Xanana Gusmao to Portugal this week, which the Timorese Prime Minister took advantage of to put across an image of political stability in his country in order to obtain lines of credit with the Portuguese banks, but the crisis between the constitutional bodies is entrenched in Dili and runs the risk of deepening.
Two weeks after having been sent for publication in the "Jornal o Republica" (the equivalent of our "Daily of the Republic") [1], the controversial ruling of the Timorese Court of Appeal which declares illegal one third of the State Budget for 2008 still has not seen the light of day, which under normal circumstances should have already occurred two weeks ago.
Judicial sources in Dili assure us that the decision is being politically blocked by the Government, which is arousing strong criticisms from the opposition and non-governmental organizations. In practice, until it is published, Xanana Gusmao's does not have to comply with the decision, as it does not yet have official knowledge of it.
The court decision which prohibits the Government from spending an extra transfer of US$240 million from the Timorese Petroleum Fund, because they did not comply with the law, was written by a Portuguese judge, who has in the meantime been moved aside by the Superior Council for the Judiciary (SCJ), which is currently headed by the secretary general of Xanana Gusmao's party (CNRT).
The non-renewal of the judge Ivo Rosa's contract was decided on the very day he sent the decision for publication.
Ivo Rosa had taken over the role of interim President of the Court of Appeal in August, since the Timorese Judge Caludio Ximnenes had come to Portugal for prolonged medical treatment. Ximenes accumulates the roles of President of the Court of Appeal and the Superior Council for the Judiciary.
Dionisio Babo, the secretary general of the CNRT and substitute President of the SCJ, admitted to Expresso that the moving aside of the Portuguese Judge was effected on the day the notification of the decision regarding the budget, the 13th of November, without it being an item of business on the agenda and without it being known by Claudio Ximenes, but justified it as being a legitimate decision.
"I am not putting in cause the judges competence, but it was proposed by two councilors and that despite controversy was voted by unanimity," confessed the head of the Superior Council for the Judiciary. "It is a normal thing, on previous occasions we had decided not to renew the contract of other international judges. I do not mix politics with the judiciary." Babo also holds the position of advisor in the office of the Deputy Prime Minister Jose Luis Guterres.
As the one who was responsible for judging the soldiers implicated in the deaths of eight police during the 2006 crisis and who issued the warrants for the capture the rebel Alfredo Reinado (against the strategy adopted by Ramos-Horta and Xanana Gusmao), the Portuguese Judge became a discomforting figure in Timor.
The fragility of the judicial system in the country has been one of the most widely criticized points in international reports regarding the country's situation, from the time the UN commission of inquiry investigating the 2006 political-military crisis recommended that all those responsible for the crisis should be called to face justice.
.
At this time, not even the investigations into the attempts on the President of the Republic (who was gravely wounded), and on the Prime Minister in February last have been concluded. After nine months, and despite the Australian Police and the FBI having contributed with an exhaustive investigation of the incidents, the Prosecutor General has still not said anything regarding what really occurred.
http://timor-online.blogspot.com/2008/12/ivo-rosa-declared-illegal-part-of.html
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