DILI, 31 july 2021 (TATOLI) – The President of TATOLI, I.P. Manuel Pinto, delivered his address at the commemoration of the TATOLI’s fifth anniversary, said that: “Looking at the past, acting in the present and projecting the future” is a starting point for the reflection of the commemoration of the TATOLI, I.P’s fifth anniversary.
“We are aware that the determinant factor for shaping the future of the TATOLI, I.P depends on what we are doing these days,” Pinto made the comments when addressing the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the TATOLI, entitled: ‘TATOLI’s role on the success of the 2022 Presidential Election’ on Friday, in Dili.
Pinto said reflecting the title by looking back at the past of TATOLI, I.P: “The distress, difficulties, challenges that TATOLI had been experiencing so far were not an obstacle to prevent it from moving forward, as TATOLI, I.P has a vision, mission, and a clear objective. The past is considered as a valuable lesson to learn and work hard to reach a brilliant future.”
He said the development of TATOLI is dynamic, pretty much the same as the development of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste: “The initiative of establishing Timor-Leste News Agency (ETNA) began during the Indonesian occupation.”
“On behalf of all journalists in Timor-Leste, particularly all journalists and staff members at TATOLI, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the initiative on establishing the News Agency, in which, today’s generation could contribute to the development of the nation through this institution,” said Pinto.
Pinto also thanked the former Secretary of State for Social Communication (SCOMS), Nelio Isac, for initiating the establishment of this institution, when he has assumed the role as the State Secretary for Youth and Sport during the mandate of the IV Constitutional Government of Timor-Leste.
“A decree-law no. 5/2014 issued on November 2014 to establish the Social Communication law gave way for the transformation of ETNA to Timor-Leste News Agency, known as ANTIL, through the decision of the Council of Ministers, on February 3, 2016,” said Pinto.
He affirmed that on July 27, 2016, the former Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araujo officially launched the ANTIL, saying as it is written in Chapter V (4) of Social Communication Law, Citizens and State have the freedom to establish a news agency to spread information on the national, regional and international level.
“Back then, my college Rafael Belo, Rita Almeida, Xisto Freitas, Maria Auxiliadora Freitas, Zezito da Silva, Julia Chatarina, and I were trusted to assume the role as the intern journalists to ensure the functionality of this news agency,” Pinto stressed.
In 2017, the Council of Ministers approved a decree-law no 21/2017, may 24, to officially announce the status of TATOLI, I.P as a public institution based on Government resolution no 9/2016.
The establishment of TATOLI aimed to be the main official source of news of the State, which not only disseminating the information but also assuming a role as ‘National Information Clearing House in combating misinformation and disinformation in the country.
The event was attended by the Nobel Peace Prize, Jose Ramos Horta, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Social Communication, Francisco Martins da Costa Pereira Jerónimo, the Secretary of State for Social Communication (SECOMS), Mauricio Juvenal dos Reis Akara, the President of the National Election Commission (CNE), Alcino de Araujo Barris, the Director-General of Timor-Leste’s Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE), Acilino Manuel Branco, the President of the Press Council (CI), Virgilio Guterres, the representative of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP), Demetrio de Carvalho Amaral, the Representative of the Democratic Party (PD), Nino Pereira, the Director of Justice and Peace Commission of Archdiocese of Dili, Father Demetrio da Conção Xavier, diplomats, and development partners.
The representatives of CNRT, and the FRETILIN party were invited to participate in the colloquy; however, they didn’t turn up for the event.
Journalist : Antónia Gusmão
Editor : Ciprinao Colo
Translator : Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
