UN must launch an investigation into the murder of Mauk Moruk immediately - António Ximenes

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27th August 2015

To His Excellency Secretary General of the United Nations

Mr Ban Ki-Moon

United Nations Head Quarters

New York, NY 10017, USA

United States of America

Dear Mr Secretary-General,

I am writing to inform you that the leader of the civil opposition to Timor-Leste’s government, Mr Mauk Moruk, and some of his supporters were attacked on 6th August 2015. He escaped with very serious injuries, and was eventually captured and killed cruelly on 8th August 2015. Timor-Leste’s politicians ordered this murder, and they should be held responsible.

In my letter dated 17th July 2015 I advised you that Timor-Leste’s politicians are ignoring the country’s constitution. I described how some politicians have usurped the country’s political system and are blatantly using state funds to further their personal and collective interests. In particular, the state has been using military power to resolve a small political problem within Timor-Leste. The ruling politicians allowed Mr Taur Matan Ruac, the current President of Timor-Leste and General Lere Anan Timor, commander of the Timorese Defense Force (F-FDTL), to deal with Mauk Moruk through military force. They aimed to capture Mauk Moruk alive or dead, and now they have succeeded in the latter. However, Mauk Moruk with his friends should not have been killed in this way, without trial, and in clear defiance of Timor-Leste’s laws. Mauk Moruk was only expressing his political and moral views.

Mr Mauk Moruk was a former leader in the struggle for independence, in which many members of his family were killed. In particular, his wife was killed by the Indonesian military and her severed head was paraded in the streets of Venilale, Baucau and Laga; as a result of these terrible events, Mauk Moruk was one of many of Timor-Leste’s leaders who suffered post-traumatic stress. Mauk Moruk’s treatment at the hands of Timor-Leste’s rulers took no account of this history; indeed, Timor-Leste in general requires political moderation and dialogue, not the aggressive militaristic approach that the authorities are using at the present time.

As I wrote previously, this use of the military is contrary to Timor-Leste’s constitution. Article 147 says that the police are responsible for security within the country, not the military. In contrast, the crisis of 2006 involved a permissible use of the military, because the problem was within the military itself; both sides had weapons. But this is not the case in the current crisis; Mauk Moruk had no military force or sophisticated weaponry, and posed no danger to the security of the country. The Timor-Leste government’s mobilization of state power and expenditure of state funds for this operation was totally disproportionate to the size of the problem.

My interpretation of these events is that the politicians in Dili wanted to demonstrate their loyalty to Mr Xanana Gusmão by moving against Mauk Moruk. However, their actions have been disastrous for Timor-Leste, its democracy and its people. Mr Mauk Moruk was killed when in a helpless state; if he was truly a criminal, then he should have been arrested, charged and tried in court.

Secretary General, I urge you to immediately launch an investigation into the murder of Mauk Moruk and the events in Timor-Leste, from 2006 until the present, which contributed to it. People who should be interviewed as part of the investigation are Mr Xanana Gusmão, ex-President of Timor-Leste, Mr Ramos Horta, ex-President of Timor-Leste, Mr Mari Alkatiri, ex-Prime Minister, Mr Taur Matan Ruac, current President, Mr Rui Araujo, current Prime Minister of Timor-Leste and members of Timor-Leste’s parliament. I ask this of you because:

1. When Mr Xanana Gusmão was the President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, I asked him to initiate a dialogue with Mauk Moruk’s group, but this failed. When Mauk Moruk was imprisoned without due legal process in 2014, I asked the President of Timor-Leste, Mr Taur Matan Ruac, to reconcile Mauk Moruk and Xanana through dialogue, but this also failed;

2. I have officially informed the Estate of Timor-Leste that, I as the initiator of the dialogue between Xanana and Mauk Moruk, will be responsible for the legal defence of any criminal charges against Mauk Moruk;

3. I have previously asked you to support the peaceful dialogue that I had proposed officially to the state of Timor-Leste to be held on October 12, 2015;

4. I wrote to Pope Francis I to support the dialogue, and suggested that Bishop Basilio do Nacimento and Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo should mediate this dialogue;

5. Mauk Moruk had requested the state of Timor-Leste cease military operations in order to hold a dialogue;

6. Mauk Moruk’s family had asked the President of Timor-Leste, Mr Taur Matan Ruac, to hold dialogue;

7. Mauk Moruk was not a threat to the security of the state of Timor-Leste. He had problems only with Xanana Gusmão and disagreed with government policy;

8. The murder of Mr Mauk Moruk with his friends is a violation of human rights and the Constitution of Timor-Leste; and

9. Timor-Leste is a member of the United Nations and one of the youngest and poorest countries in the world. It is highly deserving of international attention;

Finally, I ask you and the United Nations Security Council, along with the international community, to urge politicians in Dili to stop the elites abusing power and restore the authority of the constitution in the nation’s politics. History shows that too much power in the hands of elite figures results in the destruction of a nation’s economy. Solving problems by force only produces devastation. Innocent people are suffering and dying unnecessarily.

I thank you for considering my letter.

Sincerely yours,

Antonio Ximenes

- Former member of the Constitutional Assembly of Timor-Leste

- Former political philosophy’ lecturer at Undil University (UNDIL)

- Former coordinator general of CONEFTIL (National Commission to Study the Future of Timor-Leste)

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cc:

• His Ex. The President of Timor-Leste, Mr Taur Matan Ruac;

• His Ex. The Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Mr Rui Araujo;

• His Ex. The President of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste, Mr Vicente Guterres, and the parliamentary bench;

• His Holiness Pope Francis I, The Vatican;

• His Ex. The President of the Episcopal of Timor-Leste, Rev. Bishop Basilio do Nascimento;

• His Ex. The Secretary General of the CPLP, Mr Murade Isaac Murargy;

• His Ex. The Secretary General of ASEAN, Mr Le Luong Minh;

• His Ex. The President of the European Union, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker;

• His Ex. The President of the European Parliament, Mr Martin Schultz;

• His Ex. The President of the Republic of Portugal, Professor Anibal António Cavaco Silva;

• His Ex. The President of the Assemble Republic of Portugal, Ms Maria da Assunção Esteves;

• His Ex. The President of Indonesia, Mr Joko Widodo;

• His Ex. The Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Tony Abbott;

• His Ex. The Leader of the Opposition of Australia, Mr Bill Shorten;

• His Ex. The Governor-General of Australia, General Sir Peter Cosgrove;

• The heads of all the embassies and diplomatic missions in Timor-Leste;

• The heads of all the embassies and diplomatic missions in Australia;

• His Ex. Former President of Timor Leste, Mr Xanana Gusmao;

• His Ex. Former President of Timor-Leste, Mr Ramos Horta;

• His Ex. Former Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Mr Mari Alkateri;

• Amnesty International; and

• Attach.

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