On Tuesday, for the second consecutive time, there were protests in Dili [1]. This time there were more than 2,000 demonstrators, double the previous day, protesting against the purchase of cars for each of the country’s 65 deputies. The acquisition of these Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicles, a large seven-seater SUV, had been inscribed in the state budget for this year.

Many of the demonstrators were students from four universities, and on a banner they carried one could read “stop the thieves, stop the corruptors”. On another banner was written “we need prosperity, not your luxury”.

During the action, tyres were burnt and an official vehicle, and stones were thrown, according to information provided by AFP. Police responded with tear gas. Already on the first day stones had been thrown against parliament, leading to the use of tear gas and rubber bullets by police.

For Justino Menezes, chief superintendent of the East Timorese police, on that day the demonstrators numbered 500, adding that there were “criminal acts”, namely damage to four vehicles.

After that first day of demonstrations, several parties retreated from supporting the measure, now calling for its cancellation. This led the police official to declare to Lusa [2] on Tuesday: “today we have to close the demonstration. They can no longer continue because parliament has already issued a statement cancelling the purchase of vehicles”. He adds that the protests should stop because the deputies complain they cannot work due to the noise.

Regarding the repression of the protest, José Ramos-Horta [3], the country’s president, stated that there will be “no tolerance” for vandalism and appealed for demonstrations to be peaceful, emphasising: “whoever commits acts of violence or vandalism must suffer the consequences”.

Xanana Gusmão [4], the country’s prime minister, has not yet commented on the situation. But his party, the CNRT [5], according to RFI [6], together with its government partner, the Democratic Party, have also given up on the purchase.

At the end of the second day of protests, students collected rubbish from the streets and danced to traditional music.

Students also put on the table issues such as ending lifetime pensions for deputies, changes to the demonstration law, and more funding for development. To Lusa, Caetano da Cruz, presented as spokesperson for the demonstrators, spoke about dissatisfaction with the government in power: “how can we be satisfied with a government whose decisions are, largely, almost unconstitutional, and with deputies, from the first to the sixth legislature, who often discuss more their particular and partisan interests than the interests of the people”.

Regarding the case of purchasing the vehicles, Moniz demands a parliamentary session that effectively cancels the purchase, remembering that there is information that this is already underway.

Other students like César João Batista say that these deputies “do not represent the East Timorese people, do not discuss the legitimate interests of the people” and “take advantage of their position to achieve their personal, group and partisan rights, but do not take responsibility for the suffering that the people face”.

East Timor is rich in gas and oil [7]. More than 40% of its 1.4 million inhabitants live below the poverty threshold, in a highly unequal country. This Wednesday will see the third and final day of protests called by the students.

Esquerda.net