We liberated the country... ...now we liberate the people of East Timor
Our Vision
MEDIUM TERM PROGRAM- Economic and Social Reform
- Non-renewable Resources Policy
- Rural Urbanization
- Defense and Security Policies
- International Policy
1. Economic and Social Reform
CNRT calls for wide-ranging debate about a Strategic Plan of Development for the nation. Vision 2020, based on wide-ranging community consultation remains both relevant and inspiring, reflecting people’s desires and dreams yet to be realized.
It is only with a Strategic Plan of Development that the people will be able to understand and follow the phases and stages of the National Reconstruction process, in which the people themselves will be active participants. Unless this is done, we will continue to follow a path of isolated projects that are of little or lasting benefit.
a. Agriculture, Cattle Farming and Fishing
East Timor is still in the craft stage of subsistence agriculture and fishing, we have to change this situation. Agriculture has to become more industrialized, it has to grow from small production and local dispersion, to cater to the regional specification of products. It has to develop from the cycle of constant drought, building the infrastructure to save water and irrigation canals to distribute it.
CNRT knows that agriculture, fishing and cattle farming are a priority for national development.
CNRT knows that no Development Plan can be realistic if it only addresses the country’s industrialization.
CNRT knows that with the decentralization of administration the diversification and intensification of agricultural production can eventuate. This will establish an internal marketplace for the food products and, as a result, will allow the victual’s self-sufficiency.
CNRT calls for cattle farming to be supported and stimulated in order to guarantee the development of small and medium meat industries, milk, butter and cheese production to cater for both internal consumption and for markets outside our nation.
In order to accomplish this, CNRT sees the construction of dams and irrigation canals as a priority so that farmers can have a measure of guarantee in their crop production. Good quality crop production, especially organic crops, might create “niche markets” outside the country.
In the same way, fishing must also be supported to allow access to fish produce to the populations in the countries interior. The development of a small and medium fishing industry will be not only a source of employment, but also a source of income for the country.
b. Investment and Private Sector
All know that the private sector is an important partner in development as it creates employment opportunities and produces revenue.
Over the last four years the people of East Timor have anticipated the introduction of foreign investment to stimulate the economy and create employment in our country. This has not happened. Radical reform is required to make East Timor a viable investment for foreign firms.
CNRT then calls for the establishment of a specialized Investment Agency, independent of political influence. A private agency will better guarantee necessary transparency. CNRT commits to overhauling the existing systems that have presented a poor image of East Timor to overseas investors, created only to benefit the political elite of those in power.
CNRT highlights the need for a Development Plan for integrated infrastructure, in order to respond, in the medium term, to the needs of foreign investors.
CNRT considers this crucial to the development of the local private sector, in order to participate in the country’s development. Therefore, CNRT has the principle of giving support to the local private sector, without discrimination and under an honest and transparent criteria based system. A system based on technical and professional capacity, and void of the political nepotism that , to date, has ruined the country’s opportunities for reconstruction.
CNRT pledges to give all necessary support to the creation of small and medium sized business, not only to appreciate our national assets, but to stimulate production activities.
All these necessary reforms will create further employment opportunities for the population and ease poverty.
CNRT vows to fight, without hesitation, the corruption, conspiracy and nepotism present in our State Institutions.
c. Reforestation and Environment
CNRT will develop a state of the art policy on the environment and will mobilize the population to be part of this.
CNRT is deeply concerned about uncontrolled deforestation and we need to without which it will be impossible to avoid permanent environmental destruction.
Education on the environment for children and the youth of school age is crucial to establish a love of the earth and nature. CNRT proposes to mobilize the youth of our nation to care about the environment.
In this plan of national development, CNRT will promote studies for the preservation of forests through scholarships, promoting studies to stimulate a systematic and disciplined culture of harvesting indigenous wood with commercial value, and investigate the introduction of new wood in order to create a sustainable forestation program, reducing wood importation.
CNRT proposes a clear policy of better protection of sea life, especially coral, to avoid its destruction so that in the future it can be an international diving site, attracting tourists to the country.
d. Education and Youth
CNRT knows the strategic challenge that the youth of the country face, especially as half of the population of East Timor is still of school age.
CNRT rejects programs that focus on teaching and development of students through its schools, when there is insufficient action and focus on ensuring that there are enough teachers with adequate training.
CNRT backs quality teaching, and promotes the development of an Action Plan that guarantees basic primary education, which must be free to all the children of East Timor.
This requires investment in the curriculum, in teacher’s quantitative and qualitative training, in basic education. This is an investment for the country’s future. CNRT does not agree with the automatic ‘pass the year’ policy as a way of guaranteeing new student’s enrolment, only for the statistics. CNRT will not gamble with the education of our youth.
CNRT defends the Oriented Professional Training formula, assisting those parents who tried through all means and sacrifices to put their children in Private Universities, despite the lack of uniform teaching quality.
CNRT commits to offering the children of East Timor, from primary through secondary school, better options of professional qualifications. CNRT Commits to overhaul Private Tertiary education that doesn’t adequately prepare the youth, on the contrary, giving them a false hope of their future.
Only with professional training, oriented to the needs of the country’s development, can we manage the problem of unemployment among the youth.
CNRT also values physical development of the Youth of East Timor alongside the intellectual. CNRT calls for the construction of sport infrastructure in all schools in order that the children can grow healthy in body and spirit.
CNRT calls for serious legislation, which establishes transparent and efficient mechanisms for the development of sport in East Timor, rather than the individualized initiatives currently in place without clear plans, objectives and goals to be achieved.
e. Communities and Aged People
CNRT supports participation of NGOs, whether national or foreign, in the development of communities and respects the independence of their actions.
CNRT advocates, however, a mechanism of better coordination between the NGOs and the Government, in order that we never loose focus on our common goal of supporting communities.
CNRT promotes constant dialogue with the NGOs, in order that their efforts are not seen by the population as “projects” designed to benefit only select Timorese, or some international organizations.
CNRT will promote cooperation between East Timor’s communities and those of other countries, making it easier for local leaders to communicate and interact with their foreign equivalents.
CNRT advocates the education of the population in ethics and sociability, of the spirit of solidarity and the value of debate to the solution of problems, in order that all communities can be integrated into collective nation that is of community benefit.
CNRT will along with creating conditions for the realization of rights, promote to all citizens a sense of responsibility in the community for the development of our youth and children, who must be exposed to the values of respect for life, the dignity of the human being and for other people’s assets, and assume the principles of tolerance, solidarity and justice.
CNRT will ensure that targeted assistance for the elderly people, who after 24 years of sacrifice, do not deserve to die of starvation, cold and isolation in the final years of their life.
2. Non-renewable Resources Policy
CNRT advocates reasonable and realistic policies in the utilization of our non-renewable resources income.
CNRT rejects the current government’s philosophy of being a poor country, with its people in misery, and incomprehensively proud of having lots of money in the country’s bank.
CNRT is dismayed and knows too well the vacuous political statements that have prevented this income being used for the good of the people. The people after all own the money, and the leaders are its trustees. Leaders have duty to manage it well, exercising fiscal responsibility which we applaud, but it must be accompanied by social responsibility, so that people’s basic needs are served.
CNRT advocates that within the Strategic Plan of National Development that CNRT will adopt, it must include a management mechanism of controlled and efficient use of the monies, guaranteeing a plan of secure investment to generate future income. A fundamental condition is transparency in the management area. This transparency can only exist if the matter of managing natural resources is not exclusive to the government and those politicians in power. It is crucial to the non-partisanship nature of this matter that the organizations that control this mechanism must meet the technical and professional development criteria, and not be political appointments.
CNRT advocates that there is a need to invest in national reconstruction, and for that, we should use the petroleum’s income. CNRT is not against the policy of savings, but savings for a purpose, to cater for today’s needs and for future needs on a sustainable basis.
CNRT will define these priorities within its Strategic National Development Plan, which will be developed as a priority. This will define the timing and the amount of savings needed, with a clear investment plan for these incomes in line with the Petroleum Fund Law and in line with the measurable investment needed to ensure income for future generations!
CNRT asserts that all the people of East Timor should be clearly informed of these policies, and recognize that it is the responsibility of the State to adequately inform the citizens about such strategies of national importance. And the petroleum fund must be a matter for our people!
3. Rural Urbanization
CNRT knows that this rural urbanization programme is an ambitious one-but it can be done. It is ambitious if we continue to think that everything will be built under the ‘2000 model’ of the National Bank paying for the reconstruction of infrastructure.
It is not ambitious if we believe, as CNRT firmly does, knowing it is for their own benefit and that of their children, the people can and will participate without hesitation in the rebuilding of our nation.
It isn’t ambitious if we know how to trust in the strength and will of our citizens.
It isn’t ambitious if we assume that the country’s development process will always be a continuous process of correction, adjustment and improvement that can only come from the scientific, technical and professional improvement of our society.
It isn’t ambitious, therefore, to think that this development program proposes itself to guarantee, in acceptable ways, the fundamental rights of the Timorese citizen (a decent home, potable water, energy, schools for the children, clinics for the community, free access to information, open markets for the sale of goods in the local area).
CNRT advocates that the ‘pro-poor policy’ must be focused on rural areas and not only on the cities. Handouts will not single handedly improve the life of our communities. It is not with public subsidies that the population will have water, energy, and playgrounds for the children or the assurance that farmers don’t have to come to Dili to sell their products.
CNRT declares that it has to have a wise and well worked out policy to support the population living in isolated centers, a long way away from the basic services.
CNRT counsels that a well organized community is the center of the country’s stability, and a strong cell of the social tissue that will ultimately strengthen our National Unity.
CNRT commits to define this policy, and knows already that we have the full support of the people in the huge undertaking to reconstruct our nation, from the villages to the districts and the sub-districts.
CNRT believes that a decent home for each family, potable water for everyone, electricity in every house, education for all children and effective sanitation and elementary education, are the most important aspects of the Strategic National Development Plan.
4. Defense and Security Policies
The people’s most profound desire is peace. Peace demands an atmosphere of stability without conflicts of minor or major dimensions.
It is the responsibility of the State to promote stability in the country, and the profound obligation of the State to guarantee the population’s security.
In April and May 2006, the State was remiss in its duty of guaranteeing the population’s security. Guaranteeing the population’s security does not necessarily mean putting the intervention forces on the ground or ordering police to shoot demonstrators.
The best way of guaranteeing security is to know the causes of a possible destabilization, recognizing social realities and delivering preventive solutions so that these causes do not take root.
In April and May 2006 the state allowed both institutions, which constitutionally were committed to the duty of guaranteeing the population’s security, to become part of the country’s destabilization.
CNRT promises to follow an innovative policy of reform for the Police Service, the PNTL, allowing it to become a truly professional and totally non-partisan organization, deserved of the trust and confidence of the people and communities.
CNRT also commits to a policy for the Falintil-Defence Forces of Timor-Leste, the F-FDTL, delivering model military behavior and professional actions. We aim for the F-FDTL to not only have an active part in the reconstruction of our country, but to ultimately proudly participate in International Missions, and contribute to World Peace.
5. International Policy
CNRT believes that the peace and stability of our country is not guaranteed purely through internal programs, it is only truly possible with an external policy of friendship and co-operation with other nations, where personal relationships play an important role.
• CNRT proposes to:
- Abide by and acculturate the Universal Principles of Human Rights consecrated in the International Conventions regarding Human Rights
- Contribute to the best of our abilities to the community of nations through the United Nations, through multilateralism, mechanism which make the people of the world reinforce their democratic values of dialogue, tolerance and peace, dignifying, therefore, the presence of East Timor in the pre-eminent world body
- Reinforce the good neighborhood policy with all countries of the region and promote co-operation and links with all countries of the world, guided by the principles of mutual respect and non-interference in the internal matters of each state
- Reinforce the ties of friendship with Indonesia and Australia, and promotes a greater co-operation between the Governments, between the people, between the communities and between the private sector of the region and the world
- Participate in the ASEAN, Pacific Forum, ACO and APEC, in order to enlarge the co-operation opportunities to the benefit of the people of East Timor
- Maintain existing relations with CPLP countries