TL presiza duni Portu Tibar ka lae?

Link to this article in English

Fulan ida ne’e, Governu Timor-Leste asina konsesaun ba Parseria Públiku-Privadu (PPP) ho Bolloré Consortium atu halo konstrusaun no operasaun portu bo’ot foun ida iha Tibar, 15km iha diresaun oeste husi Dili. La’o Hamutuk hakerek ona analiza kle’an kona-ba projetu portu ne’e, ne’ebé identifika impaktu negativu sosiál no meiu-ambientál balun, no mós diskute preokupasaun kona-ba portu nia viabilidade ekonómiku no implikasaun ba Timor-Leste nia sustentabilidade iha futuru. Artigu blog badak ne’e sumariza ideia importante balun husi artigu prinsipál, ne’ebé públika iha Tetum ho Inglés.

Ami seidauk hatene portu Tibar nia kustu ba Parseria Públiku, povu Timor-Leste. Kontratu promete atu selu tokon $129 ba Bolloré iha inísiu, maibé Orsamentu Jerál Estadu 2016 aloka de’it tokon $94 ba tinan lima oin mai. Maibé, númeru rua ne’e la inklui gasta adisionál ba estrada, jestaun projetu ka kustu ekstra ne’ebé seidauk antisipa. Projetu PPP barak halo estimasaun ba kustu ne’ebé ki’ik demais, tanba proponente sira sempre hakarak justifika projetu nia viabilidade. Semana ne’e nia laran de’it, Timor-Leste nia lider sira sujere atu aumenta Orsamentu Estadu 2016 atu kobre kustu portu Tibar nian, maske polítika na’in sira hatene kleur ona kona-ba projetu ne’e molok orsamentu ne’e aprova.

Parseria Privadu – Bolloré Africa Logistics hamutuk ho subsidiáriu Bolloré nian SDV – sei investe tokon $278 iha inísiu ba konstrusaun, no sei opera portu ba tinan tolu nulu nia laran, atu nune’e manán retornu hodi hetan fila fali sira nia investimentu, kustu no lukru. Maibé, La’o Hamutuk preokupa katak kontratu konsesaun finál (ne’ebé mak ami seidauk haree) karik sei obriga Timor-Leste atu selu fali Bolloré nia investimentu karik portu la hetan retornu ho montante ne’ebé sira espekta, ezemplu karik tráfiku ladún barak ka diverta ba portu seluk iha rai laran.

Bainhira ideia ba projetu ne’e kria tinan haat liu ba, ema barak espekta katak Timor-Leste sei atinje kreximentu GDP naun-petróleu ‘double-digit’ tinan ba tinan, no sira mós fiar katak ita iha riku-soin mina no gás barak liu duké realidade. Maibé, GDP ‘naun-petróleu’ – parte bo’ot mai husi Governu gasta osan husi mina – la aumenta tuir sira nia espetasaun; dadus foun husi Governu Timor-Leste hatudu katak kreximentu durante 2013 mak 2.8%, no 5.9% durante 2014. Tanba Timor-Leste nia reserva mina-rai tun maka’as, Governu tenke ko’a nia despeza iha tempu badak, no ida ne’e sei fó impaktu negativu ba GDP naun-petróleu.

Bainhira estadu hamenus nia despeza, Governu nia importasaun sei tun, no osan ne’ebé sirkula atu sidadaun sira bele selu ba sasán importasaun mós menus. Durante tinan hira liu ba, Timor-Leste nia importasaun bo’ot liu ba dala tolu nulu kompara ho esportasaun, no tanba ne’e maioria kontainer (peti kemas) sira ne’ebé esporta sai mamuk, no situasaun ne’e sei kontinua ba tinan barak ba oin. Karik la iha atividade ekonómiku seluk, defisit komérsiu ne’e la bele kontinua.

Tanba dezeñu orijinál ba portu Tibar mak bazeia ba projeksaun ekonómiku ne’ebé optimistiku liu, estatístika foun ne’e iha implikasaun bo’ot ba portu nia viabilidade. Aleinde ne’e, tráfiku iha portu foun sei fahe entre portu foun seluk ne’ebé planu iha Suai, Oecusse no Baucau. La’o Hamutuk espera katak desizaun kona-ba projetu Tibar sei bazeia ba evidénsia atuál no projeksaun realistiku. Ami mós fiar katak se karik portu Dili aumenta oras servisu no efisiénsia, ida ne’e bele nato’on ba Timor-Leste nia nesesidade ba tinan barak oin mai.

Aleinde impaktu ba Timor-Leste nia finansas estadu, portu Tibar mós fó subsídiu ba produtu importasaun kompara ho produtu lokál, Maske ida ne’e bele hamenus importasaun nia folin, maibé sei mós sai susar liu ba produtór lokál sira – liu-liu to’os na’in sira – atu kompete hasoru importasaun ai-han ne’ebé baratu liu. Karik ema lokál sira lakohi hola produtu lokál tanba importasaun baratu liu, agrikultór sira sei hamenus investimentu ba kuda ai-han, no ida ne’e sei estraga produtividade, ekonomia, soberania ai-han no nutrisaun. Bainhira Timor-Leste nia Fundu Petrolíferu remata iha futuru (ida ne’e bele akontese iha 2025), to’os barak sei mamuk de’it. La iha osan atu sosa ai-han importasaun, ema bele terus tanba hahán la iha.

Tanba ne’e, portu sei aumenta liu tan Timor-Leste nia dependénsia ba produtu importa husi li’ur, maibé tuir lo-loos ita tenke aumenta produsaun iha rai laran atu garante sustentabilidade ekonómiku bainhira mina maran ona. Portu ne’e sei mós foti povu nia rai, estraga sira nia vida-moris no uza rekursu Governu nian ne’ebé tenke uza ba servisu báziku ba povu baibain sira.

La’o Hamutuk nia artigu kompletu fó informasaun kona-ba istória prosesu tenderizasaun ba projetu ne’e, ne’ebé ikus liu só kompañia ida de’it nia proposta mak hetan konsiderasaun. Artigu mós diskute oinsá mak portu sei fó impaktu ba vida-moris peskadór sira, no sai perigozu ba ai-parapa no ahu ruin sensitivu, no artigu fó rekomendasaun sanulu.

La’o Hamutuk husu bo’ot ba Governu atu analiza ho sériu Timor-Leste nia nesesidade komérsiu ba tempu naruk atu hatene se karik halo operasaun iha portu Dili 24/7 (24 oras lor-loron), no kontrola korrupsaun, hadi’ak jestaun no aumenta númeru no skill traballadór sira. Nune’e Timor-Leste bele poupa osan, proteje ema vulneravel sira no responde ba nesesidade públiku liga ho importasaun. Ida ne’e bele fó oportunidade ba ita atu dezenvolve ita nia ekonomia doméstika atu garante futuru ne’ebé sustentável ba povu Timor-Leste tomak.

Ami nia artigu kompletu kona-ba portu Tibar inklui gráfiku, liga, dokumentu no artigu barak husi fonte oi-oin. Ami sei atualiza artigu ne’e bainhira iha eventu ka informasaun foun.

Is the Tibar container port what Timor-Leste really needs?

Liga ba artigu ida ne'e iha Tetum

This month, Timor-Leste signed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with the French company Bolloré to build and operate a major new container port at Tibar, 15km west of Dili. La’o Hamutuk has analyzed the project in depth, identifying some social and environmental impacts, raising concerns about economic viability and pondering  implications for Timor-Leste’s sustainability. This blog summarizes points from our longer article, which is in both English and Tetum.

We don’t yet know how much Tibar port will cost the Public Partner, the people of Timor-Leste. The contract promises to pay $129 million to Bolloré up front, but the 2016 State Budget only allocates $94 million over the next five years, and neither figure includes additional spending for roads, project management or unanticipated cost overruns. PPPs all over the world underestimate costs in the planning stages, as promoters often bias their research to justify viability. Just this week, Timor-Leste’s leaders suggested a mid-year increase to the 2016 State Budget to cover some Tibar port costs, notwithstanding that officials knew about them long before the budget was enacted.

The Private Partner – Bolloré Africa Logistics in consortium with Bolloré subsidiary SDV – will initially invest $278 million for construction and will operate the port for 30 years, collecting revenues to recover their investment, costs and profit. However, La’o Hamutuk is concerned that the final concession contract (which we have not been shown) may obligate Timor-Leste to guarantee Bolloré’s return if the port does not generate as much income as expected, due to lower traffic or shipping being diverted to other ports.

When this project was conceived four years ago, many thought that Timor-Leste’s non-oil GDP would continue to grow at ‘double-digit’ rates, and that our oil and gas wealth was more valuable than it has turned out to be. However, ‘non-oil’ GDP – which is largely driven by government spending of oil money – has not grown as much as expected; the latest Government figures report growth of 2.8% and 5.9% in 2013 and 2014 respectively. With rapidly falling oil revenues, the Government will have to reduce spending, which is likely slow the growth of non-oil GDP even more.

Lower state spending means fewer imports by the government, as well as less money circulating to enable citizens to buy things from overseas. For the last several years, Timor-Leste has imported thirty times as many goods as we exported, so that most containers shipped out are empty and will be so for decades to come. Without other economic activity, this trade deficit cannot continue.

The Tibar port design was based on overly optimistic economic projections, and more recent data cast doubt on its rationale. In addition, its traffic will be shared with other new ports planned for Suai, Oecusse, and Baucau. La’o Hamutuk hopes that current evidence and realistic forecasts will underpin decisions about the Tibar project. We believe that longer hours and more efficient operation of Dili port may provide for Timor-Leste’s needs for decades to come.

In addition to the impact on State finances, Tibar port subsidizes imported products relative to locally produced ones. Although this may make imports less expensive, local producers – especially farmers – will have to struggle even harder to compete against cheap food products from overseas. Reduced demand for locally-grown produce could discourage Timorese farmers from growing food, hurting productivity, the economy, food sovereignty and nutrition. By the time Timor-Leste’s Petroleum Fund runs out (which could be as soon as 2025), many fields may be unused. Without money to purchase imported food, people will starve.

Therefore, the port will make Timor-Leste even more dependent on overseas products, at a time when we should be increasing local production to ensure non-oil economic sustainability. It will also take over local people’s land, destroy their livelihoods, and divert Government resources away from basic services for ordinary people.

Our longer article relates the three-year process of tendering for this project, which ultimately resulted in only one company’s bid being considered. It also discusses how the port will impact fishing livelihoods, as well as endangering sensitive mangroves and coral reefs, and makes ten recommendations.

Instead of spending hundreds of millions of dollars on this new port, La’o Hamutuk urges policy-makers to seriously analyze Timor-Leste’s long-term shipping requirements to see if they can be met by operating the existing port in Dili 24/7 while controlling corruption, improving its management, and enhancing its workers’ skills and numbers. In that way, Timor-Leste would save money, protect vulnerable people and address public needs, allowing us to focus on building the domestic economy to provide a sustainable future for all of Timor-Leste’s people.

Our longer article, which will be updated as the project evolves, includes many more graphics, links, documents and articles from a wide variety of sources.

LH husu PDHJ atu haforsa implementasaun Lei Lisensamentu Ambientál

English translation of this open letter

Tinan rua liu ba, La'o Hamutuk lamenta katak entitade barak iha Timor-Leste la respeita lei ambientál sira, no ami kontinua atu ajuda funsionáriu tékniku sira iha Ministériu Komérsiu, Indústria no Ambiente (MKIA) bainhira sira koko proteje Timor-Leste nia ambiente frajil. Infelizmente, sira hasoru obstákulu barak -- tékniku, polítiku, podér, riku soin -- ne’ebé limita sira nia kapasidade atu implementa sira nia knaar. Entaun, La'o Hamutuk hakerek karta aberta (open letter in English) tuir mai atu husu Provedoria dos Direitus Humanus de Justisa atu halo investigasaun no halo rekomendasaun hodi dirije órgaun kompetente sira atu prevene aktu sira ne’ebé viola lei no injustisa sira nudár parte ida hosi nia ámbitu servisu nian.

La'o Hamutuk, Bebora, Dili, 31/Maiu/2016

Exmo:       Sr. Silverio Pinto, Provedor dos Direitus Humanus de Justisa (PDHJ)-Timor-Leste

Asuntu:   Implementasaun projetu Infrastrutura boot ne’ebé kontinua viola Dekretu Lei No.5/2011 Lisensamentu Ambientál.

CC:     Sr. Constáncio da Conceição Pinto, Ministru Komérsiu, Indústria no Ambiente
         Sr. João Carlos Soares, Diresaun Jerál ba Meiu-Ambiente
         Sr. Antonio Lelo Taci, Diretór Nasionál-Diresaun Nasionál Kontrolu Poluisaun no Impaktu Ambientál (DNKPIA)
         Sr. Francisco Poto, Xefe Ekipa Tékniku (DNKPIA)
         Ba Media no públiku

Ho respeitu,

La’o Hamutuk, hakerek karta ida ne’e nudár parte ida hosi knar sidadaun nian hodi hato’o keixa ba Provedoria Dos Direitus Humanus da Justisa (PDHJ) atu uza nia podér Konstitusional nian atu promove no proteje direitus umanus ba estabelesimentu estadu direitu ida ne’ebé efetivu, no mós atu promove kultura efisiénsia, transparénsia, integridade no mós responsabilidade ba entidade tomak, órgaun públiku no mós setór privadu nian.

Liu hosi karta ida ne’e, La’o Hamutuk hakarak atu fó informasaun ba Provedoria Dos Direitus Humanus da Justisa (PDHJ) katak iha projetu lubuk iha Timor-Leste ne’ebé la hatuur efisiénsia, transparénsia, integridade no mós responsabilidade atu proteje direitu sosiál, ekonomia no ambientál tuir Dekretu Lei No.5/2011 kona ba Lisensamentu Ambientál no mós Dekretu Lei No.26/2012 kona ba Baze do Ambiente. Ami konsidera katak bainhira proponente projetu sira lakohi kumpre enkuadramentu sira ne’ebé vigora, nune’e, violasaun direitus umanus sei akontese hasoru povu sira, liu-liu sira ne’ebé vulneravel liu ne’ebé presiza ambiente ida ne’ebé mós, saudavel no mós bele garante moris sosiál ida ne’ebé ekilíbriu no sustentável.

Dekretu-Lei No.5/2011 kona ba Lisensamentu Ambientál husu atu projetu sira ho klasifikasaun A[1][bele le'e nota hotu iha ne'e ka iha kraik] ho poténsia risku as ba meiu ambiente nian tenke halo aprezentasaun uluk liu kona-ba sira nia avaliasaun ba impaktu ambientál nian atu bele hetan lisensa,[2] halo konsulta públiku,[3] hetan Opiniaun no Analiza Tékniku[4] nian no mós tenke halo avaliasaun ambientál no mós hetan uluk lai lisensa hosi autoridade ambientál nian iha Timor-Leste (Diresaun Nasionál Kontrolu Poluisaun no Impaktu Ambientál - DNKPIA) uluk DNMA molok implementa projetu.[5] Aleinde ne’e, proposta sira ne’ebé hato’o ba autoridade ambientál sira ne’e tenke aprezenta informasaun kompletu projetu nian atu bele hafasil autoridade DNKPIA hodi deside nia kategoria no kritéria sira ne’ebé tenke kumpre,[6] inklui autoridade ambientál tenke halo lista no rejistu nudár dadus informasaun nian.[7]

Ami hanoin katak enkuadramentu legal sira ne’ebé Timor-Leste estabelese ne’e importante tebes atu regula no proteje ita nia meiu ambiente, bio-diversidade no ekolojia liu hosi regulariza setór públiku no setór privadu atu prodús relatóriu kona-ba impaktu ambientál no sosiál hosi projetu sira ne’ebé sira implementa iha Timor-Leste tuir klasifikasaun projetu. Tanba ne’e, ami husu ba projetu na’in sira atu kumpre lei sira ne’e, inklui ba autoridade públiku nian ne’ebé responsabiliza ba meiu ambiente[8] atu foti desizaun tuir lei. Infelizmente, pedidu sira ne’e ladún hetan prioridade tanba iha projetu balu mak la hetan lisensa ambientál maibé hala’o ona nia atividade,[9] no ami preokupa tebes tanba dala barak mós autoridade ambientál sira la aplika pena ba kompañia implementador sira ne’e.[10]

Ho observasaun sira ne’ebé ami halo ona durante ne’e, nune’e, iha biban ida ne’e, ho abrigu hosi Artigu 6.5[11] Dekretu Lei No.26/2012 kona-ba Lei Baze do Ambiente nian, La’o Hamutuk hakarak atu hato’o Keixa ba PDHJ tuir Artigu 2 Lei No.7/2004 kona-ba Estatutu PDHJ nian, no espera katak PDHJ sei hala’o knar tuir Konstituisaun RDTL Artigu 27.1 atu hare no buka hatán ba sidadaun sira nia problema hasoru podér públiku hodi haree loloos hahalok sira tuir duni lei no halo prevensaun no hahú prosesu tomak hodi haburas fali justisa.

Tuir mai ami hakarak fó lista projetu lubuk ne’ebé implementa hosi instituisaun estadu no setór privadu sira iha Timor-Leste ne’ebé ami hare balu tuir hela lei no balu ami konsidera iha kontradisaun ho Dekretu Lei No.5/2011 kona ba Lisensamentu Ambientál ne’ebé vigora iha Timor-Leste.

Naran Projetu	Nain	Fatin	Obra	Rai nia luan	Estatutu Lisensamentu
Implementa hosi Estadu
Suai Supply Base	TimorGAP	Suai	Baze fornesimentu Suai, Nova Suai, Aeroportu, portu, fatin rua atu hakiak Lafaek	Hektares 1105	Hetan ona Lisensa iha loron 12/6/2013. Lisensamentu ida ne’e fó tanba hetan interferénsia polítika. (Maske nune’e iha ona mudansa ba dezeña tenke halo revizaun ba Avaliasaun Impaktu Ambientál).
Projetu Refinaria	TimorGAP	Betano	Halo indústria refinaria mina, nova Betano no sistema fornesimentu be	Hektares 1420	DNKPIA aprova ona TOR, prosesu dokumentu Esteitmentu Impaktu Ambientál (EIA)
Projetu Refinaria	TimorGAP	Betano	Pipa kondensadu atu transporta produtu refinaria hosi Betano ba Suai	78 km	DNKPIA aprova ona TOR, prosesu dokumentu Esteitmentu Impaktu Ambientál (EIA)
Edifísiu Ministériu Finansa. Andár 11	Ministériu Finansa-RDTL	Dili - Kampung Alor	Konstrusaun remata ona	Hektares 2	La iha aplikasaun ba DNKPIA
Konstrusaun Portu Tibar	MOPTK	Liquiça - Tibar	Seidauk halo konstrusaun	Hektares 41	Aprezenta ona TOR, hetan komentáriu hosi DNKPIA seidauk halo revizaun ba TOR
Sentrál Elétrika Hera	EDTL, MOPTK	Dili - Hera	Konstrusaun remata ona	Hektares 3,5	La halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA dezde konstrusaun hahú iha tinan 2009 no to’o nia halo operasaun iha 2011
Sentrál Elétrika Betano	EDTL, MOPTK	Betano - Same	Konstrusaun remata ona	Hektares 82	La halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA dezde konstrusaun hahú iha tinan 2010 no to’o nia halo operasaun iha 2012
Implementa hosi setór privadu
TL Sement Plant	BGC Australia Pty.Ltd	Baucau	Konstrusaun seidauk komesa	Hektares 3	DNKPIA aprova ona TOR, prosesu dokumentu Esteitmentu Impaktu Ambientál (EIA)
Konstrusaun ba fatin edifísiu, apartamentu no fatin halo komérsiu sira seluk	Palm Business and Trade Centre	Dili - Surik Mas	Konstrusaun remata ona	Hektares 2	La halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA dezde konstrusaun hahú iha tinan 2011 no loke ba públiku iha 2013
Timor-Plaza andár 5 no sira nia konstrusaun sira seluk	Tony Jape	Dili - Comoro	Konstrusaun ba edifísiu komersiál balu remata no kontinua halo konstrusaun sira seluk	Hektares 4	La halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA dezde tau primeira pedra iha tinan 2009 no loke ba públiku iha 2011
Harii hotel fitun lima	Pelican Paradise Holdings Timor-Leste	Dili - Tibar	Kontrusaun seidauk hahú		Seidauk halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA
Harii fábrika bebidas oin-oin	Heineken Asia Pacific Pte.Ltd	Dili, Metinaro	Hahú hamoos ona rai	Hektares 5	DNKPIA halo hela prosesu Esteitmentu Impaktu Ambientál (EIA)
Pacific Beach Resort	Tony Jape	Dili - Dolok oan	Konstrusaun seidauk hahú	Hektares 22	Seidauk halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA
Zetty ba Kombustivel	Sacom Energia	Dili - Hera	Konstrusaun seidauk hahú		Seidauk halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA
Zetty ba Kombustivel	Esperansa Timor-Oan (ETO)	Dili - Hera	Konstrusaun remata ona	Hektares 2	Hetan ona lisensa hosi DNKPIA (TOR)
Implementa hosi Rejiaun Otonomu Oecusse
Sentrál Elétrika Sakato	MOPTK	Oecusse -Sakato	Konstrusaun remata ona	Area ne’ebé uza ba projetu ne’e rai nia luan 79.5 m no nia naruk 165.3 m	Hatama ona dokumentu Esteitmentu Impaktu Ambientál (EIS) ba DNKPIA
Aeroportu	ZEESM	Oecusse-Palaban	Konstrusaun hahú ona		Seidauk halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA
Irrigasaun	ZEESM	Oecusse-Tono	Konstrusaun hahú ona		Seidauk halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA
Estrada	ZEESM	Oecusse-Palaban	Konstrusaun hahú ona		Seidauk halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA
Konstrusaun Hotel fitun lima	ZEESM	Oecusse-Palaban	Konstrusaun hahú ona		Seidauk halo aplikasaun ba DNKPIA

Maske Dekretu Lei No.5/2011 fó podér boot ba DNKPIA atu kontrola projetu infrastrutura hodi labele estraga ambiente, infelizmente, DNKPIA seidauk iha forsa no barani hodi fó sansaun todan hasoru projetu boot sira ne’ebé viola lei, hanesan kansela sira nia lisensa ka hapara sira nia atividade projetu.

Tanba ne’e ami husu Provedoria dos Direitus Humanus da Justisa (PDHJ), atu halo investigasaun no halo rekomendasaun hodi dirije órgaun kompetente sira atu prevene aktu sira ne’ebé viola lei no injustisa sira nudár parte ida hosi nia ámbitu servisu nian hodi asegura direitu ba benefísiu ba ema sira ne’ebé vulneravel sira hanesan ema sira ne’ebé marjinalizadu, feto, labarik ka grupu minoritariu sira ka defisiente sira.

Atu taka, La’o Hamutuk hakarak apresia tebes ho aprezentasaun hosi PDHJ nia estudu preliminár ne’ebé fahe ho ami no organizasaun sira seluk iha fulan balu liu ba, ne’ebé hatudu evidénsia kona ba violasaun sira ne’ebé akontese ba populasaun vulneravel sira iha Oecusse, ne’ebé iha relasiona ho projetu konstrusaun irrigasaun no haluan estrada nian. Nune’e, ami fiar katak ita boot sira sei kontinua asegura direitu povu nian iha projetu sira seluk ne’ebé ami lista tiha ona iha leten.

Ami konsidera katak ita-boot sira nia servisu sei haforsa liu tan DNKPIA nia servisu atu implementa lei, asegura kualidade obra, no salva povu nia moris, ambiente, osan no biodiversidade sira hotu. Obrigadu barak no ami sempre prontu atu responde ita boot sira nia pergunta.

Ami be saran lia

Adilsonio Da Costa Jr.         Juvinal Dias     Charles Scheiner
Peskizadór iha ekipa Rekursu Naturais no Ekonomia - La’o Hamutuk

Health and safety for all workers, not only those in mining & petroleum

Informasaun kompletu iha Tetum iha ne'e.
See La'o Hamutuk's web page for the full submission in Tetum

On 4 March 2016, Timor-Leste's State Secretariat for Professional Training and Employment Policy (SEPFOPE) circulated a draft Decree-Law on Employment in the Extractive Activities for public comment. The proposed law would create a specific legal regime for workers in the petroleum and mining industries, supplementing or replacing the Labor Law 4/2012 which applies to workers throughout the formal economy. SEPFOPE held a workshop on 10 March to discuss the draft with stakeholders.

Although labor rights are not a fundamental part of La'o Hamutuk's work, SEPFOPE's consultation was well-conducted (it is exceptional for a Government agency to ask for input, providing translations of a draft law with enough time for comment before sending it to the Council of Ministers). Therefore, La'o Hamutuk decided to apply our knowledge about extractive industries, especially oil and gas, to write a submission (Tetum) to this consultation process.

The main points of our submission, which also suggests a number of specific changes to the draft, are:

This Decree-Law should follow principles of equality for every worker, rather than creating a privileged class of workers in one sector. It should conform with international human rights covenants.

We agree with many provisions in the draft Decree-Law, and they should be incorporated into the Labor Law and applied to all workers in Timor-Leste. These include:

• Health and safety insurance
• Pension fund, which should be expanded to include workers in the informal sector through a Government-managed pension scheme funded by taxes on companies.
• Minimum wage should be the same for all sectors.
• Protection of women against abuse or discrimination, and recognition of their childbearing responsibilities
• If bonuses (in addition to the 13th month salary applicable to all workers) are legally mandated, they should apply to all employed workers.
• Occupational safety and environmental protection should apply to all sectors, and whistle-blowers should be protected. However, particularly hazardous work, such as some mining jobs, may require special rules.

The law should define minimum standards while recognizing the right of workers to organize and to secure greater benefits through collective bargaining and contract negotiation.

Penalties for employers who violate this law should be severe enough to encourage compliance.

Education at all levels should be improved to prepare Timorese workers for higher-skill, higher-paid jobs in extractive and other industries.

Private investment is a road, not a destination

Liga ba artigu ida ne'e iha Tetum

Many in Timor-Leste see private investment – people or companies putting their money into projects with the intention of earning a return in the future -- as the key to Timor-Leste’s future economic development. They expect Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), where the money comes from other countries, to accelerate economic development in Timor-Leste, resulting in jobs and other benefits for our people. Unfortunately, this does not happen automatically, but needs careful planning, guidance and regulation.

Because Timor-Leste has not yet attracted many significant foreign investors, the Ministry of State Coordinating Economic Affairs (MECAE) is revising Timor-Leste’s Private Investment Policy and Law (replacing the 2011 law currently in effect), citing the need to comply with ASEAN and United Nations Convention on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) guidelines. La’o Hamutuk wrote a submission to MECAE on the draft Private Investment Law and another submission on the summary of the draft Private Investment Policy – and here we summarize some of our main points.

Private investment is a means to an end, not an end in itself, and the policy and law should describe how private investment can promote human development in Timor-Leste, rather than assuming that this will happen automatically. Conversely, the policy should analyze potential negative impacts from private investment which Timor-Leste could avoid. In many developing countries, foreign investments – particularly in extractive industries, palm oil plantations and logging – damage local livelihoods, destroy the environment, take land away from citizens and from food production, increase corruption and deplete natural resources.

La’o Hamutuk is disappointed that the draft investment policy only mentions export-oriented agriculture as having potential for investment, while ignoring the wide variety of food crops grown by most people. We should prioritize investment in organic agriculture and food processing for domestic consumption which would improve productivity, employment, incomes and nutrition. Manufacturing and tourism are other key sectors outlined in the Strategic Development Plan which should be invested in to diversify Timor-Leste’s economy and reduce dependency on imports.

Timor-Leste does not need to adopt ASEAN’s Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) before we join ASEAN; instead, we should keep space to negotiate exceptions or delays to ASEAN investment and importation rules, as most members do. (Current regrets over signing CMATS in 2006, when our leaders agreed to delay maritime boundaries for fifty years, is a lesson in the importance of not giving up bargaining power.) Also, if Timor-Leste follows ACIA’s mandate and gives investors from ASEAN ‘national treatment’, Timorese investors would have to compete with large companies from Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia, which could effectively exclude local businesses.

MECAE wants to enact these rules by this September; we think this is too rushed. Other legislation, such as tax reform and land laws should come first, because they are fundamental both to people’s lives and to economic development, including investment. This draft investment policy needs significant improvement, which will take deeper discussion and thought than the current schedule envisions.

La’o Hamutuk has doubts about some assumptions about ‘free enterprise’ and ‘market principles’ which appear to underlie this law and policy. Although private investment is one aspect of economic development, an “open economic model, based on market principles and led by the private sector”  is not necessarily the most effective way to improve the lives of our people. Private investment is just one avenue among many -- instead of regurgitating free market dogma, our laws and policies should consider all viable alternatives that can foster economic development.

Both the policy and law envision special favors to attract investors and expedite investment applications. However, improved bureaucratic efficiency and rule of law would benefit all of Timor-Leste’s citizens, as well as increasing investor confidence. Everyone has the right to fair and equal treatment -- giving privileges to investors just because they have money undermines this principle and opens a door to corruption.

Finally, we recommend that policy makers evaluate the actual factors that have deterred people and companies from investing in Timor-Leste. Low-hanging fruit like slashing business taxes (2008) and simplifying business registration (2013) were unsuccessful in attracting investors. We believe Timor-Leste needs to confront more challenging obstacles – human resources, land titles, contract enforcement, and reliable, sustainable infrastructure. Overcoming these problems will not only attract investment, but will also improve all citizens’ lives. If we don't do this and simply make special rules to bypass broken or inefficient processes, less scrupulous investors who seek to exploit our resources and limited experience may come, while legitimate investors will not want to do business in an environment of patronage and favoritism.

Private investment policy can bring benefits for Timor-Leste’s people, but if managed poorly it also can create damage and increase inequality. La’o Hamutuk appreciates MECAE’s willingness to take this issue to public consultation, and we encourage citizens and civil society organizations to engage in the process as the Private Investment Law moves through the Council of Ministers, Parliament and the Presidency.

Investimentu Privadu – dalan, la’ós objetivu

Link to this article in English 

Investimentu privadu signifika ema ka kompañia ruma tau sira nia osan iha projetu ho intensaun atu manán lukru iha futuru. Ema barak iha Timor-Leste hanoin katak investimentu privadu xave ba Timor-Leste nia dezenvolvimentu ekonómiku iha futuru. Sira hein katak Foreign Direct Investment (Investimentu Direta husi Li’ur - FDI), bainhira osan mai husi rai seluk, bele halo lalais liu dezenvolvimentu ekonómiku iha Timor-Leste, atu aumenta empregu no fó benefísiu seluk ba ita nia povu. Infelizmente, buat hirak ne’e sei la akontese automatikamente – maibé tenke halo planu, jestaun no regulasaun ne’ebé ho kuidadu.

Tanba Timor-Leste seidauk atrai investimentu boot barak, Ministériu Estadu, Kordenador ba Asuntu Ekonómiku (MECAE) halo hela revizaun ba Timor-Leste nia Polítika Investimentu Privadu no Lei Investimentu Privadu (atu muda lei ne’ebé estabelese iha 2011), ho razaun seluk katak Timor-Leste tenke tuir matadalan husi ASEAN (ACIA) no ONU (UNCTAD). La’o Hamutuk hakerek ona submisaun ba MECAE kona-ba ezbosu Lei Investimentu Privadu no mós hakerek submisaun ida tan kona-ba rezumu ezbosu Polítika Investimentu Privadu – iha artigu ne’e ami sumaríza ideia balun husi submisaun rua ne’e.

Investimentu privadu la’ós meta ida, maibé dalan ida atu atinje buat ruma, tanba ne’e polítika no lei tenke deskreve oinsá investimentu privadu bele promove dezenvolvimentu umanu iha Timor-Leste – la bele asume de’it katak ida ne’e sei akontese automatikamente. Polítika investimentu mós tenke analiza posibilidade ba impaktu negativu husi investimentu privadu ne’ebé Timor-Leste bele prevene no hasees. Iha nasaun barak seidauk dezenvolvidu, investimentu estranjeiru – liu-liu iha indústria estratíva, plantasaun palma mina (minyak kelapa sawit), no indústria tesi ai (industri penebangan) – estraga komunidade nia moris no meiu ambiente, foti rai husi produsaun ai-han, hamosu korrupsaun no uza lalais rekursu naturais.

La’o Hamutuk sente triste katak ezbosu polítika investimentu mensiona de’it agrikultura ba esportasaun nudár setór ho poténsia ba investimentu, maibé polítika ne’e ignora tipu ai-han barak ne’ebé maioria Timor-Leste nia povu kuda. Ita tenke prioritíza agrikultura orgánika no prosesamentu ai-han atu han iha Timor-Leste laran – nune’e bele hadi’ak produsaun, kampu servisu, rendimentu no nutrisaun. Fábriku (ka indústria prosesamentu) no turizmu mós hanesan setór xave seluk ne’ebé diskute iha Planu Estratéjiku Dezenvolvimentu, no ita tenke investe iha setór rua ne’e atu diversifíka Timor-Leste nia ekonomia no hamenus dependénsia ba importasaun.

Timor-Leste la presiza adopta ASEAN nia Konkordánsia Komprensívu Investimentu (ACIA) molok ita tama iha ASEAN; tuir lo-loos, ita tenke mantén ita nia abilidade atu negosia esepsaun ka adia ba ASEAN nia regra investimentu no importasaun, hanesan maioria membru ASEAN sira halo nafatin. (Agora ita arrepende tanba bainhira ita asina CMATS iha 2006, bainhira ita nia polítika na’in sira konkorda katak ita simu Australia nia pedidu atu adia diskusaun  kona-ba fronteira maritima ba tinan 50 oin mai – ita bele aprende husi esperiénsia ida ne’e katak importante atu la bele limita ita nia abilidade atu halo negosiasaun). Ida seluk, karik Timor-Leste tuir ACIA nia mandatu no fó ‘tratamentu nasionál’ ba investidór sira husi ASEAN, ita sei obriga investidór Timor-oan sira tenke kompete ho kompañia boot sira husi Singapura, Malaysia ka Indonézia ne’ebé iha rekursu finansas no umanus ne’ebé forte liu, no ida ne’e bele esklui negósiu lokál sira.

MECAE hakarak implementa polítika no lei ne’e molok Setembru agora, maibé ami hanoin ita la presiza la’o lalais hanesan ne’e. Ita tenke finalíza lejizlasaun seluk hanesan reforma fiskal no lei ba rai uluk, tanba lei sira ne’e báziku tebes ba ema nia moris no dezenvolvimentu ekonómiku, inklui investimentu. Ami mós hanoin katak Governu tenke hadi’ak buat barak iha polítika investimentu ne’e, no atu halo ida ne’e tenke halo diskusaun kle’an liu tan ho tempu ne’ebé nato’on duké oráriu ne’ebé iha agora.

La’o Hamutuk mós duvida kona-ba asumsaun balun ne’ebé inklui iha lei no polítika sira ne’e liga ho ideia ‘negósiu livre’ no ‘prinsípiu merkadu’. Maske investimentu privadu mak aspeitu ida ba dezenvolvimentu ekonómiku, “modelu ekonómiku ne’ebé nakloke, bazeia ba prinsípiu merkadu no lidera husi setór privadu” la’ós dalan úniku ka efetivu liu atu hadi’ak liu tan ita nia povu nia moris. Investimentu privadu hanesan dalan ida maibé iha dalan barak – ita nia polítika no lei la bele tuir no repete de’it ideolojia ‘merkadu livre’, no tenke konsidera alternativa viavel hotu ne’ebé bele promove dezenvolvimentu ekonómiku.

Polítika no lei hotu hanoin atu fó prémiu ka favor espesiál atu atrai investidór sira no trata aplikasaun investimentu lalais liu. Maibé, bainhira Governu hadi’ak efisiénsia burokrasia no regra, sidadaun Timor-Leste hotu sei hetan benefísiu, no mós sei aumenta investidór sira nia fiar. Ema hotu-hotu iha direitu atu hetan tratamentu ne’ebé justu no iguál -- se ita fó priviléjiu ba investidór sira tanba sira iha osan, ita sei estraga prinsípiu ne’e no loke odamatan ba korrupsaun.

Ikus liu, ami rekomenda ba polítika na’in sira atu avalia fatór loos ne’ebé prevene ema no kompañia investe sira nia osan iha Timor-Leste. Ita hadi’ak ona buat simplés sira hanesan ko’a taxa negósiu (2008) no simplifika prosesu registrasaun negósiu (2013) maibé seidauk konsege atu atrai investidór sira. Ami fiar katak Timor-Leste tenke rekoñese no hadi’ak obstákulu sira ne’ebé difisil liu: rekursu umanus, títulu rai, implementasaun kontratu tuir lei, no infrastrutura ne’ebé sustentável no bele garante servisu ho kualidade. Karik ita resolve problema hirak ne’e, ita bele hadi’ak liu tan sidadaun hotu nia moris, la’ós de’it atu atrai investimentu. Karik ita la resolve problema sira ne’e, no kria de’it regra espesiál atu evita prosesu ne’ebé aat ka la efisiente, investidór ho vontade aat hakarak esplora ita nia rekursu ka esperiénsia ne’ebé limitadu bele mai, no iha tempu hanesan investidór lejítimu sei lakohi halo komérsiu iha fatin ne’ebé iha pratika korrupsaun hanesan nepotizmu, ka fahe priviléjiu ho ema ne’ebé besik liu poder na’in.

Investimentu privadu bele lori benefísiu ba povu Timor-Leste, maibé karik ita nia jestaun fraku investimentu mós estraga ita no hasa’e dezigualdade. La’o Hamutuk apresia MECAE nia vontade atu lori asuntu ida ne’e ba konsultasaun públiku, no ami enkoraja sidadaun no organizasaun sosiedade sivíl atu partisipa iha prosesu bainhira Lei Investimentu Privadu tama liu Konsellu Ministru, Parlamentu no Gabinete Prezidénsia.

La’o Hamutuk nia submisaun kona-ba Polítika Investimentu no Lei Investimentu Privadu diskute tópiku seluk, inklui:

• FDI iha nasaun seidauk dezenvolvidu: vantajen no dezvantajen
• Oinsá mak Timor-Leste bele hetan benefísiu husi investimentu estranjeiru?
• Obrigasaun tuir Konstituisaun no tratadu internasionál
• Investidór tenke tuir lei hanesan ema hotu-hotu
• Aranjamentu espesiál no mekanizmu ba rezolusaun dispute
• Polítika investimentu haluha traballadór informal sira
• Lei Investimentu la bele loke dalan ba korrupsaun

Deklarasaun husi MKOTT ba Governu Australia no Timor-Leste

Link to this blog in English

Ohin, loron 22 Marsu, ema rihun balun halo manifestasaun pasifiku iha Embaixada Australia nia oin iha Dili. MKOTT, nudar organizador ba manifestasaun ida ne'e, fo sai deklarasaun rua -- ida ba Governu Australia no ida ba Governu Timor-Leste. Bele hetan foto tan no arkivu PDF sira iha http://www.laohamutuk.org/Oil/Boundary/CMATSindex.htm#Mar16Demos.

Movimentu Kontra Okupasaun Tasi Timor

Rua dos Martires da Patria, Bebora, Dili, Timor-Leste

Tel: +670-7734-8703   email: zebdiaz@gmail.com

Deklarasaun ba Governu Australia

Movimentu Kontra Okupasaun Tasi Timor (MKOTT) nudár movimentu sosiál ida hosi ativista, estudante, eis rezisténsia no indivíduu sira ne’ebé halo advokasia ba prosesu legal, judisiál no diplomátika entre Governu Australia no Timor-Leste atu hetan solusaun ida ne’e justu kona-ba fronteira maritima entre rai rua nian.

MKOTT hare katak Timor-Leste mak nudár viziñu ida ne’ebé besik liu ho Australia. Durante dékada sira iha pasadu, povu hosi rai rua ne’e iha ona relasaun ida ne’e di’ak.  Iha Segundu Guerra Mundial, Timor oan barak mak fó apoiu ba Australia no sakrifiika Timor oan sira nia vida liu 40,000 ne’ebé mak mate tanba Australia mai hodi uza illa Timor nudár baze defeza hodi kontra Japaun. Nune’e mós, iha 1999 Australia fó suporta hodi ajuda hakotu brutalidade militár Indonézia sira.

Infelizmente, istória hosi relasaun di’ak sira iha pasadu ne’e sai fitar tiha tanba polítika Governu Australia ne’ebé halo okupasaun ilegál ba territóriu maritima Timor-Leste nian tanba interese atu hetan riku soin hosi nasaun ki’ik ida ne’e. Tanba ne’e, ohin loron, MKOTT mai fali hodi manifesta espresaun justisa ba delimitasaun fronteira maritima ida ne’ebé justu ba povu Timor-Leste.

MKOTT nia espresaun ba ezisténsia sira mak hanesan tuir mai:

1. Australia tenke fila fali ba mekanizmu rezolve disputa fronteira maritima tuir Tribunal Justisa Internasionál no Tribunal Internasionál ba Lei Tasi nian.
2. Governu Australia tenke respeita direitu povu Timor-Leste nian iha Tasi Timor tuir lei internasionál ba tasi nian (UNCLOS)
3. Governu Australia tenke halo negosiasaun ida ne’ebé onestu no nakloke kona-ba fronteira maritima, no la'os de’it atu ko’alia de’it asuntu relasaun bilateral enjeral.
4. Governu Australia tenke hapara ona nauk rekursu povu Timor-Leste, ne’ebé halakon tiha oportunidade moris di’ak ba feto, labarik no mós ema vulneravel sira iha Timor-Leste.

Aleinde ezisténsia sira iha leten, iha biban ida ne’e, MKOTT mós husu ba povu Australia, nudár povu ida ne’ebé iha ona maturidade no sivismu ida ne’ebé maka’as ona atu:

1. Ezije hodi hamriik iha povu Timor-Leste nia sorin ba luta libertasaun soberania nian, ne’ebé ita-boot sira hatudu ona durante okupasaun Indonézia nian.
2. Tulun ita-boot sira nia Governu atu respeita povu Timor-Leste nia direitu, liu hosi deside fronteira maritima ida ne’ebé justu tuir prinsipiu direitu internasionál nian.
3. Ajuda ita-boot sira nia polítika rai laran, atu sai demokrátiku liu, respeita lei no direitus umanus, hodi halo Australia sai ezemplu nasaun ho sistema demokratizasaun iha rejional ne’ebé nasaun seluk bele banati tuir.

VIVA TIMOR-LESTE
VIVA POVU MAUBERE
VIVA MOVIMENTU KONTRA OKUPASAUN TASI TIMOR

Mandatu MKOTT ba Governu Timor-Leste

Movimentu Kontra Okupasaun Tasi Timor (MKOTT) nudár movimentu sosiál ida hosi ativista, estudante, eis rezisténsia no indivíduu sira ne’ebé halo advokasia ba prosesu legal, judisiál no diplomátika entre Governu Australia no Timor-Leste atu hetan solusaun ida ne’e justu kona-ba fronteira maritima entre rai rua nian.

Nudár movimentu sidadania ida, naun partisan, MKOTT iha responsabilidade mós atu defende povu Timor-Leste nia direitu atu iha asesu ba distribuisaun rekursu estadu nian ne’ebé justu, no mós defende direitu povu atu hatene transparénsia no kontabilidade hosi nia ukun na’in sira. MKOTT fiar katak povu Timor-Leste mak tenke sai benefisiariu loloos no autór ida ne’ebé determina nia ukun na’in sira nia desizaun.

Istória hatudu ona katak, dezde hosi UNTAET nia administrasaun to ohin loron, ukun na’in Timor-Leste nian prefere de’it oinsá atu fahe osan ho Governu Australia ne’ebé kompañia petróleu sira selu hosi esploita ita nia mina-rai no gas iha Tasi Timor, duke hili ita nia soberania.
MKOTT rekoñese katak situasaun ekonomia ne’ebé fraku dezde restorasaun independénsia iha tempu ne’ebá obriga Timor-Leste hodi rende ba presaun Australia hodi asina tratadu no akordu sira ne’ebé la justu mai Timor-Leste, tanba ita foin sai hosi konflitu ida ne’ebé maka’as, ne’ebé liu 80% ita nia infrastrutura sira ne’e hetan estragu. Estadu nia finansa sai maka’as iha tinan balu hafoin ne’e, no MKOTT la konkorda bainhira Timor-Leste no Australia asina no ratifika Tratadu CMATS iha 2006 no 2007.

Dezde 1999 to ohin loron, Australia goza ona besik biliaun $5 hosi reseita petrolíferu no gas hosi kampu mina-rai sira iha Tasi Timor ne’ebé loloos pertense mai Timor-Leste. Sira hetan osan hirak ne’e hosi kampu sira Elang Kakatua, Bayu-Undan, Laminaria-Corallina, Buffalo no Kitan, ne’ebé maioria kampu sira ne’e maran ona. Maizumenus restu 7% hosi rezerva kampu Bayu-Undan ne’e sei maran la kleur tan.

Iha rai laran, Governu Timor-Leste mós gasta ona liu biliaun $7 hosi ita nia rekursu naturais ne’e, no ohin ita sei iha biliaun $16 iha ita nia Fundu Petrolíferu. MKOTT hare katak riku-soin úniku ida ne’e tenke jere ho di’ak atu benefisia jerasaun ohin no futuru. Bainhira ita nia ekonomia sai forte, ne’ebé la depende ba mina-rai, la depende ba importasaun, povu sei iha kampu servisu, ekonomia uma kain sei hadi’ak no mós sei ajuda Governu hodi benefisia nia feto ho mane, labarik, no mós ema vulneravel sira hotu. MKOTT fiar katak, ekonomia ida ne’ebé forte sei halo pozisaun Timor-Leste nian sai maka’as liu tan bainhira halo negosiasaun ho Australia kona-ba fronteira maritima.

Tanba ne’e, ohin, iha povu barak nia oin, MKOTT fó mandatu ba Governu Timor-Leste:

• Atu defende soberania uluk liu duke osan, projetu ka benefísiu doadór nian hosi Australia
• Atu uza rekursu povu nian ne’e ba povu hotu nia bens star, garantia moris ne’ebé ekilíbriu ba ema hotu
• Atu kontrola nia polítika finansa públiku nian atu la fakar osan arbiru, ne’ebé benefisia ema uitoan
• Atu promove transparénsia no kontabilidade kona ba desizaun públiku nian tomak ba povu Timor-Leste nudár na’in ba rai ida ne’e.

Nudár movimentu sosiál, MKOTT promete sei tau matan ba mandatu ida ne’e, nudár parte ida hosi ami nia obrigasaun sidadania atu defende interese povu Timor-Leste nian tuir Konstituisaun RDTL nian.