“National Parliament Does Not Want Lere to Apologize to Hercules”

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Jornal Independente - Wednesday, 16 January 2013 

The National Parliament of Timor-Leste rejects the demand that FALINTIL-FDTL Major General Lere Anan Timur apologize to an ordinary Indonesian citizen such as Hercules.

F-FDTL Commander Lere, had declared that he would arrest the Timorese man named Hercules who is currently a regular Indonesian citizen if he again visits Timor-Leste.  But his statements have resulted in a big controversy in Indonesia, with the Central Board member of the Indonesia New People’s Movement (GRIB) lamenting the statements made by Major General Lere Anan Timur regarding the GRIB boss Rosalio Marsal (Hercules).

"An army chief in a democratic society should not make such a statement that openly that harms organizations or agencies in other countries. GRIB strongly rejects the statement of Chief of Army Major-General of Timor-Leste Lere Anan Timur, accusing GRIB Chairman of wanting to intervene in Timor-Leste," said GRIB Vice Chairman Ghazali Ama La following a press conference on Sunday (13/01/2013).

Ghazali added that GRIB considers unfounded the accusation by Lere that Hercules was armed with a firearm when he entered Timor-Leste, which also affects them as an organization that forms part of the Indonesian state.

"For us, the statements by General Lere, are highly tendentious because most of the people of Timor-Leste and the majority of the citizens of Timor-Leste, formerly a part of Indonesia, are proud of him," Ghazali said. General Lere’s statement rejecting the return of pro-integration citizens to Timor-Leste is also thought to reflect the attitude of the military, which does not support national unity as is hoped by the United Nations (UN).

“We ask that whenever Hercules enters Timor-Leste, that the constitution and laws of Timor-Leste are respected in that nation, and not to threaten to arrest our boss, as General Lere has arrogantly shown with his attitude,” Ghazali said.

GRIB has therefor asked Major General Lere Anan Timur to withdraw his statement and apologize to Hercules, because they consider his statement has also damaged relations between the two nations, and the Timor-Leste also has to apologize to the Indonesian government.

However, FRETILIN Member of Parliament Josefa Pereira said that the F-FDTL Major General Lere Anan Timur made these statements because he is aware of the political situation prevailing in the country right now and its impact on national security.

“I think it is very relative whether he should apologize or not, but how many times have Indonesians massacred Timorese in the past, but Indonesia has not yet made a formal apology,” said FRETILIN MP Josefa Pereira in the National Parliament on 15 January last.

Similarly, the Democratic Party (PD) MP Virgilio Ornai also said that Major General Lere does not deserve to be asked to apologize to an ordinary Indonesian citizen as is the case here.

“Apologize in what context? This is not in defence of a high leader of a nation, such as President of the Republic, but an ordinary citizen,” said MP Virgioi Ornai in the National Parliament on 15 January.

Therefore, the MP from the Democratic Party said, that people should not create controversy that can affect the future relations between the two countries.

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