DILI, 16 december 2022 (TATOLI) – Timorese people living and studying in Indonesia will not participate in the upcoming Parliamentary Election as Timor-Leste’s Electoral Commission (CNE) and the Technical Administrative Electoral Secretariat (STAE) have decided to not set up the voting centers in Indonesia for the election.
“We met with the President of the Republic to discuss our preparation for the Parliamentary Election. We won’t set the voting center in Indonesia due to the security and political relations of the two nations,” President of the National Elections Commission (CNE), José Belo said after meeting President Horta at the Presidential Palace, today.
The acting Director-General of the Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE), Leonardo Amaral, also confirmed that the voting centers would not be set up in Indonesia for the election.
When asked about the large number of Timorese voters living and studying in Indonesia, the acting Director-General revealed that as the electoral body, he respects the decision of the Head of State.
“It is the decision of the Head of State. As an electoral body, STAE is always ready to hold any elections,” he said.
During the meeting, Amaral also informed President Horta about the STAE’s preparation for the upcoming elections.
Last year, Timor-Leste’s Education Attaché’s Office in Indonesia registered a total of 1,714 young Timorese over 18 studying in Indonesia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (MNEC) and STAE had intended to increase the number of voting centers abroad.
The Director-General for Protocol and Consular Affairs of the MoFAC, José Amorim, had said that the ministry would be coordinating with Timorese ambassadors abroad to ensure Timorese voters living overseas fully participate in the 2023 general elections.
“We have many Timorese living in Portugal. Therefore, the Timor-Leste ambassador to Portugal asked the government to increase the number of voting centers across several major cities. The number of voting centers is needed to increase in South Korea and England, where the Timorese community has over 30 thousand inhabitants,” said Amorim.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
