The Government of Timor-Leste is currently free of debt. Despite current substantial income from petroleum resources, the government has announced plans to begin borrowing.

In September, more than 137 organizations based in 32 countries endorsed a statement that urged "the government of Timor-Leste to keep the nation debt-free and refrain from borrowing money from international lenders.... to protect its future generations." The groups argue that "Rather than repeat the mistakes of other developing countries that have struggled with debt during recent decades, Timor-Leste should learn from their experiences, which often inflicted great hardships on their people." http://etan.org/news/2011/08debt.htm

Income from oil and gas provides 95% of state revenue, making Timor-Leste the most petroleum-export dependent country in the world. Timor-Leste has not yet borrowed funds from other countries or international financial institutions, but the government has passed laws to enable borrowing. In the 2012 budget, the government has proposed borrowing.

This petition is a joint project of the the Movimento Kontra Deve, a coalition of civil society organizations in Timor-Leste opposed to their country taking out loans, and the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (www.etan.org), a 20-year old U.S.-based group working in solidarity with the people of Timor-Leste.

Additional background on Timor-Leste and borrowing can be found in English at http://www.laohamutuk.org/econ/debt/09Borrowing.htm and Tetum: http://www.laohamutuk.org/econ/debt/09BorrowingTe.htm

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Lian Dahuluk

Governu Timór-Leste agora dadaun sei livre hela hosi deve. Maski hetan rendimentu naton hosi rekursu petroleu, governu Timór-Leste anunsia nia planu atu komesa deve. http://etan.org/news/2011/08debt.htm

Iha fulan Setembru, liu organizasaun 137 ne’ebé baze iha pais 32 suporta estatementu ida ne’ebé husu “governu Timór-Leste atu mantein nasaun ne’e livre hosi deve no hases’an hosi impresta osan hosi kreditor internasional….. atu proteze ninia jerasaun futuru.” Grupu ne’e argumenta katak “Infez ita repete erru sira ne’ebé nasaun sub-dezenvolvida sira komete iha pasadu, iha ne’ebé sira luta ona durante dekade barak nia laran, Timór-Leste tenki aprende hosi esperiénsia hirak ne’e, ne’ebé dala barak lori naha todan ba sira nia emar sira.”

Rendimentu hosi mina no gas fornese 95% hosi rendimentu estadu nian, halo Timór-Leste hanesan nasaun ne’ebé depende liu ba esportasaun petroleu iha mundu. Timór-Leste seiduk deve osan hosi nasaun seluk ka instituisaun finanseiru internasional, maibé governu aprova ona lei balu atu loke dalan ba deve. Iha orsamentu estadu 2012, governu hato’o ona proposta atu deve.

Petisaun ida ne’e hanesan projektu hamutuk hosi Movimentu Kontra Deve, koalisaun ida ne’ebé kompostu hosi organizasaun sosiedade sivil iha Timór-Leste ne’ebé kontra sira nia pais atu deve, no East Timór and Indonesia Action Network (www.etan.org), grupu ida ne’ebé baze iha Estadus Unidus da Amerika ho sira nia solidaridade ho Timór-Leste durante tinan 20.

Informasaun liu tan kona ba Timór-Leste no deve iha dalen Inglesh bele hetan iha
http://www.laohamutuk.org/econ/debt/09Borrowing.htm no Tetum: http://www.laohamutuk.org/econ/debt/09BorrowingTe.htm

The Japanese army was moving south rapidly and the island of Timor was seen as a possible place from which Australia could be attacked. The few Australians conducted a successful guerilla campaign against the thousands of Japanese military who subsequently arrived. The Timorese people sided with the Australians, feeding, sheltering and guiding them.

Young men carried the Australians' packs, led them through the jungles, advised on the best attacking positions and proved themselves loyal companions. They took them to their homes and the families shared what they had, nursing the Australians when they were wounded or sick. The toll on the Timorese was heavy, with at least 40,000 civilians dying as a result of Japanese reprisals and Australian bombing raids on Japanese positions. The Australians who returned testify to the courage, generosity and kindness of the Timorese.

There has yet been no official Australian recognition of this unique contribution to the welfare of Australians during the War, nor of the toll exacted on the small Timorese population.

AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT BOTH the PROVISION OF EXCLUSIVITY OF 15 YEARS FOR THE INCUMBENT TIMOR TELECOM WHICH WILL CEASE ON 19 JULY 2017 AND THE RECENT ASSURANCES by the GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER XANANA GUSMÃO NOT TO LIBERALIZE THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR WITHIN THE NEXT (12) MONTHS BASED ON THE RECENT VOWS OF THE DIRECTOR OF PORTUGAL TELECOM TO IMPROVE THE COVERAGE, QUALITY AND SERVICES OF TIMOR TELECOM: