Weather in Dili

Election

Observers lament irregularities at the Polling Stations

Thursday, 19 July 2012 14:25 Written by Ezequiel Freitas

Observers working in the legislative elections at some of the Polling Stations lamented the attitude of some officials coercing visually impaired voters to vote in the officials’ own interests, while assisting them in the polling booths.

“Currently the elderly sit at a table, prick their ballot papers, fold them and then place them in the ballot boxes,” lamented Bernardino Gusmão (07/07), in Wailili, Baucau.

According to him, some officials were showing visually impaired people, only one party’s icon and not the others. By rights, all icons should have been shown, and then voters be allowed to choose, he added.

Party membership card not appropriate identification, voter turned back

Thursday, 19 July 2012 14:19 Written by Ezequiel Freitas

Electoral staff in Wailili a Baucau Sub-District, turned away an elderly woman who presented her political party’s membership card instead of the required identification at the recent Parliamentary elections (7July, 2012).

“Today I asked her to go home and come back with her electoral card so she could vote,” said Polling Staff, Julião Gusmão Belo, at the Wailili Voting Station (07/07), in Baucau.

Minister of Justice Lobato appeals

Tuesday, 10 July 2012 13:44 Written by Venidora Oliveira

Defence Counsel for Lucia Lobato has lodged an appeal at the Court of Appeals (Tribunal de Recursos-TR) immediately after being handed down a five year sentence by the Dili District Court (Tribunal Distrital de Dili -TDD).

Journalist must abide by STAE regulations whilst providing coverage for the elections

Saturday, 07 July 2012 10:45 Written by Ezequiel Freitas

In order to avoid misunderstanding during the election, journalists must abide by the regulations set forth by the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE).

According to Diane Almeida, STAE’s information liaison, it’s not to control the media coverage, but to ensure social communication abides by STAE’s rules when dealing with all any election, be it Presidential or Parliamentary.

“This guides you on how to do the coverage from a voting station,” said Almeida at a STAE briefing at Caicoli, Dili (22/06).

She explained on the day of the election all media must obtain appropriate authorisation from the voting station’s president, before proceeding with coverage.

Unknown individuals tear political parties’ propaganda material

Wednesday, 04 July 2012 19:10 Written by Venidora Oliveira

Unknown person or persons have torn some political parties’ electoral pamphlets, and it’s the Police’s duty to arrest them.

“Personally I have not received any specific information, however I have heard about it and clearly it’s up to the District Headquarters to resolve, it is their responsibility to resolve his issue,” said Afonso de Jesus Second Commander General of the National Police Timor-Leste (PNTL), from Caicoli, Dili (19/06).

The parties whose material was destroyed were the Party Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO) in the District of Liquiçá, and the Democratic Party (PD) in Aileu.