Dili – The East Timor Students Forum is threatening hunger strikes because its members feel deceived by the National Parliament about the agreement to purchase luxury motor vehicles being reduced from 65 to 26 vehicles.
The threat was pubicised by the spokesperson for the ETSF, Sisto dos Santos, in a press conference at the East Timor National University Old Campus in Kaikoli, Dili on Wednesday (2/7).
Previously, ETSF demonstrated outside the national parliament for two days 11-12 June 2008) to demand that the national parliament cancel the purchase of luxury cars. The demonstration ended after there was an agreement that the national parliament would buy on 26 instead of 65 luxury cars. However, the national parliament secretly authorised a budget of US$1.400 thousand to buy 39 of the cars.
It is because they felt deceived (lied to) that the ETSF is going to distribute a film throughout the whole country about the national parliament's action in respect of the agreement between the parliament and the students about the plan to reduce the luxury motor vehicle purchase.
He explained that the students forum will press the President, Jose Ramos Horta, to veto the ratifying budget which will take about 3% of the Petroleum Fund.
"If all of our demands are not heeded by the National Parliament, then the students will go on a hunger strike in front of the offices of the national parliament until parliament's plan to buy the luxury cars is cancelled," said Sisto.
Earlier, the President of [the National Parliament's] Commission C on Economic, Financial and Anti-Corruption Affairs, Cecilio Caminha Freitas said that the 2008 ratifying budget was taken to the cabinet of the National Parliament and was in the sum of US$1.400 thousand to buy 39 luxury cars. It has already been registered and can not be disturbed again.
According to him, the cars are not to be owned by members of parliament but will be national parliament assets. That means that, after 5 years, all of the cars will be taken back.
At the same time, Andre da Costa (L-4), who was asked his opinion about the planned purchase of the motor vehicles, said that the principle of the resistance was to struggle to free the people from the shackles of colonialism for the sake of independence not to fight to own luxury cars.
"The struggle has achieved its objectives. But the people are still suffering hunger and there is no employment. Even the veterans have yet to receive a single cent. So the plan to buy luxury cars is an extravagance on top of the people's suffering," he added.