Tension between security institutions and community flares in East Timor ETLJB 07/09/2012 - Tensions between the East

Timorese community and the military and the police have flared again in a recent brutal attack on a civilian by the son of the East Timor Defence Force Commander's son and four soldiers last Tuesday night (4/9) at a bar in the capital Dili. According to a report in Timor Post yesterday, the five military members beat a guard at the My Flower bar in Dili because he took too long to open the gate and allow them to drive in to the parking area at the bar. Security sector monitoring civil society organisation, Fundasaun Mahein (FM), says that this is the latest in a series of assaults on civilians by both the East Timor police and members of the country's military force. FM fears that this will lead to increased violence against the police and the military. There has been a series of unsolved killings of soldiers over the past year. According to FM, the F-FDTL Commander's son also referred to the names of state leaders who are his relatives to threaten people who were present at the bar when the violent attack occurred. Such behaviour only exacerbates the situation and creates a time bomb for future explosions of violence. The illegal assaults of citizens by the security forces is a flagrant violation of the rule of law and will cause the community to lose confidence in the police and military which will generate even more resistance towards them from the people. Despite an enormous investment in training of the police and the military personnel and expenditure on facilities and equipment by the government and other nations such as Australia and Portugal, the desired result of disciplined and professional policing and military operations has not been achieved. Everyone should be concerned about these events. FM has urged the government to create stricter oversight and auditing of the police and the military and that training programs prioritise non-lethal methods of managing security problems such as crowd control. FM has also urged the National Parliament Committee B to function fully as a civilian oversight commission that can receive and respond aggressively to public complaints. Finally, FM expressed the view that the perpetrators of violence by the police and military be prosecuted in the criminal courts rather than subject to mere internal disciplinary proceedings. Earlier this week, the Timorese Defence Forces Commander General Lere Timor has said that people should not blame his soldiers for incidents involving military personnel because they are the defenders of the country. According to Diario Nacional, the Commander made the comment in reference to a recent incident in Tibar involving an F-FDTL member. Commander Lere said that F-FDTL was always blamed when soldiers were bashed or killed. There has been a spate of killings of soldiers in East Timor this year.

In a recent press release, security sector monitoring NGO, Fundasaun Mahein, expressed concern about the F-FDTL soldiers themselves and why they put themselves in unsafe situations even while off-duty. According to FM, this behaviour puts at risk the integrity of the entire institution of FFDTL and soldiers should remember that the reputation of the military institutions depends on each and every soldier. Fundasaun Mahein recommended that the F-FDTL Command institute tighter rules with more rigid discipline and to create military compounds where soldiers families and relatives can stay together.FM also recommended that all soldiers not involve themselves in private conflicts and disputes. Related stories Autopsy shows soldier killed with hammer and iron bar not stones Investigation in stoning death of soldier begins Soldier stoned to death in Timor-Leste Soldier's body found on Dili beach Warren L. Wright BA LLB 08 September 2012