Wikileaks US Cable: President Jose Ramos-Horta Responds US Ambassador Stupid and Ignorant

President Jose Ramos-Horta

Toda6 6 September 2011 President Jose Ramos-Horta returned to East Timor and responded to questions regarding recent Wilileaks cable made public via: http://wikileaks.cabledrum.net/origin/142_0.html.


In responding to journalists' questions President Jose Ramos-Horta stated

"Well couple of things in this regard I have seen but I really dont care. As you know Embassies have rights to make their own comment on politicians and situations. The only things that we should all be very careful about is that the USA tells us about the proper Intelligence services but I would say, excuse me what you know about intelligence services. You cannot even keep your documents secure."

US Ambassador to Timor-Leste 2007-2010.
Currently Coordinating Director Rule of Law and Law Enforcement.
US Embassy Kabul Afghanistan.

The President of East Timor, further stated.

"They are entitled to their opinion whatever it is. That's the work of diplomats. Some of the opinions are totally stupid. Doesnt reflect the reality on the country. Their personal analysis of a particular situation, the only thing I would like to say is some of the analysis is so stupid, ignorant or they are not able to their reports confidential. "

Wikileaks has in the past few days published hundreds of cables relating to East Timor: http://wikileaks.cabledrum.net/origin/142_0.html.

US Amb Questions Emilia role in 2009 Eyepopping Salary Jobs for Friends Scandal

Emilia Pires

On Fri, 22 May 2009 08:04 UTC US Ambassador to Timor-Leste Hans Klemm sent a cable to Washington DC titled "Timor-leste Seeks World Bank Contrition".  This cable has been made available by Wikileaks.  This cable covers the story broken by Tempo Semanal (here and here) about the huge salaries for Worldbank consultants working in the Ministry of Finance the conflict between the Worldbank and Government, and politicised hiring of staff by the Minister of Finance.

"World Bank headquarters may have behaved badly and needlessly by in effect publicly scolding the Timorese without prior consultation and in the midst of a highly politicized debate in Dili."

"The program in question is not without its blemishes: its consultants receive eye-popping salaries by Timorese standards and an ongoing review may reveal inappropriate political influence over employment decisions."

Eyepopping Salaries

The cable continues to outline how the salaries are questionalble in such a poor country.

"Timorese public attention has been drawn to the salaries PFMCBP consultants are receiving.  An intrepid Timorese journalist broke the story several weeks ago and posted online the full recruitment and benefit dossiers of more than eighty World Bank consultants assigned to the Finance Ministry's project.  The remuneration being received by some World Bank consultants was eye popping - over $500,000 annually in a country where more than half the population survives on less than $0.88 a day.  Timorese attention also focused on the cases of three Timorese nationals employed in the program thought to be under-qualified, politically close to the Finance Minister and earning far, far in excess of regular Timorese civil servants.  One such Timorese reportedly is drawing an annual stipend of  $200,000, while public servant salaries here typically hover around several hundred dollars per month.  The opposition party Fretilin accused the government of a variety of sins, including corruption, nepotism and lavishing large sums on low quality advisors.  The cases generated sufficient public outcry that members of a party within the ruling coalition joined Fretilin in demanding that the finance minister appear before parliament to explain."

Despite the fact that the Prime Minister Gusmao initially defended the program when the Worldbank announced a review of the program the PM cut off all ties with the Government.

"The Prime Minister held an extraordinary press conference on May 13 to support the government and the World Bank program.  He stoutly defended the practice of using foreign advisors as essential to improving the qualitative operations of the government and, in a deliberate bid to insulate the World Bank from criticism, described their salaries as determined by the international market.  The PM also asserted that not only did corruption occur more frequently under the old Fretilin government, but so did the practice of hiring expensive foreign advisors (indeed, the PFMCBP was begun by the Fretilin government, although substantially overhauled by the current finance minister).  In the middle of this domestic dispute, and after the Prime Minister's public defense of both the program and the World Bank, the latter released a press statement on May. Although carefully worded (it is available on the bank's website), it states the World Bank is reviewing contracts made between the Timorese government and consultants, notes concern about the level and cost of international technical assistance, suggests the PFMCBP has been too costly, and asserts the bank has raised the need to reduce the number of consultants with the Timorese government.   It is viewed, by both the Prime and Finance Ministers, as unfriendly, damaging and disloyal.  On May 15, the prime minister instructed his government to halt all contact with World Bank staff."

US Ambassador Hans Klemm and President Ramos-Horta

The Finance Minister Pires ask for help from USA to save the project and repair relations between the Worldbank, ex former employer, and the Government.

"The Finance Minister reported that she sent the World Bank president a letter asking the Bank to "undo the damage." She asked the ambassador for U.S. support in convincing the Bank's leadership that it must make an effort to fix the current situation, including offering an apology to Prime Minister Gusmao.  She summarized her view of the World Bank's May 14 actions as "disrespectful," symbolic of the inherent imbalance in the relationship between an enormous international institution and a small nation such as Timor-Leste.  She also urged the U.S. to work to improve communications between the Bank and its office in the Dili (the local World Bank staff reportedly argued against the May 14 press release, but their concerns were overruled by headquarters)."

The US Ambassador also states in the leaked cable the its likley the Minsiter of Finance has made poor decisions - likely regarding the Minister hiring friends on "eyepopping salaries.

"The PFMCBP is not without blemishes.  So far, it has added more international capacity than it has built Timorese skills.  And the ongoing review may well reveal poor hiring decisions including by the Finance Minister."

US Ambassador Informs DC TL President Angry that Prime Minister Drunk.

According to Wikileaks on Mon, 12 May 2008 08:59 UTC the US Ambassador to Timor-Leste Hans Klemm sent a cable to US State Department on the subject titled "Timor-leste Coalition Stable Despite Stresses" classifed as CONFIDENTIAL.

In this cable the US Ambassador informs the US Government on matter related to the Timorese coalition government.  See this link for the full version of the cable. http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=08DILI139&q=08dili139

The US Ambassador Klemm writes that 

"FRETILIN MP Jose Teixeira noted that Gusmao's "refusal to listen to anyone has alienated these parties." These contacts also suggested that the Prime Minister may have an alcohol problem which is impairing his relations with others. During a May 5 meeting with Poloff, James Dunn, author and longtime observer of Timor, reported the Prime Minister angered President Ramos-Horta by turning up "visibly drunk" at a reception in honor of Prince Albert of Monaco in April."

The Wikileaks have released over 1,100 cables referencing Timor-Leste from 1992-2010. they can be viewed via http://www.cablegatesearch.net/search.php?q=timor&sort=0.

SJTL Slammed And Now ETAN Criticised USA Embassy in Dili Over Labor Right

Tempo Semanal-Dili, 23.12.2010

Ambassador Fergin presented her
letter of credential to East Timor
President Jose Ramos-Horta on September 16.


.

“We are writing regarding the dismissal of Mario Baretto and the subsequent refusal of the US Embassy in Timor-Leste to meet with his union,” wrote John Miller, the National Coordinator East Timor and Indonesia Action Network.

ETAN Continued, “We understand that the embassy will not meet with Mr Baretto's trade union, the General Workers Union of Timor-Leste (SJTL), about the dismissal arguing that "as part of the terms of his employment, Mr Baretto was/is not allowed to be a member of any organized union and therefore we will not meet with any representative acting on his behalf."

According to ETAN, “this position is contrary to international human rights law, and we urge you to quickly meet with his union representatives as called for in the Timor-Leste's Labor Code. If needed, we urge the Embassy to accept mediation before Timor-Leste's labor board to resolve the dispute about Mr. Baretto's dismissal.”
The right to form and to join trade unions is a fundamental human right, included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The International Labor Organization Convention on the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, which Timor-Leste ratified on June 16 2009, also protects the right to unionize.

“As you know, the U.S. Department of State each year publishes an annual report on human rights in countries around the world. The chapter on Timor-Leste in this year's report observes that "The country has a labor code based on the International Labor Organization's standards. The law permits workers to form and join worker organizations without prior authorization." The report notes a number of the practical obstacles to the effective exercise of labor rights, to which we would now add the U.S. government,” Said in the letter which also CC to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Michael Posner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

“The U.S. speaks regularly about the need to strengthen the rule of law in Timor-Leste. It has funded a number of programs over the last decade aimed at that goal. Howerver, its words would carry more weight and its actions more credibility, if the embassy were in compliance with Timor-Leste's labor law.”

ETAN, “urge the United States government and your embassy to honor its obligations under national and international law by meeting with Mr. Baretto's representatives and accepting mediation before Timor-Leste's labor board.”

Mario Barreto has fired from his work and East Timor Labor organisation has hold a press Conference in front of the Government office in Dili on December 9th and have criticised badly against American Embassy in Dili.

“The US Mission is denying workers their right to form and join trade unions – in contradiction of Article 23(4) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” the SJTL General Secretary Almerio Vila Nova.

He informed the public that, “the US Mission in Timor-Leste refused to meet with the General Workers Union of Timor-Leste (SJTL) on 22 November 2010, regarding the unfair dismissal of its member Mario Barreto on the basis that: “as part of the terms of his employment, Mr Baretto was/is not allowed to be a member of any organized union and therefore we will not meet with any representative acting on his behalf”

Before the Press conference took place the SJTL issued a Press Release which said, “The US Mission is denying Mario Barreto his right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests as per Article 23 (4) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

“The US Mission is also breaching the International Labour Organization Convention 87, Freedom of Association, and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948, which Timor-Leste ratified on 16 June 2009.”

“US Mission officials had previously refused to meet with the union or to attend mediation by the Labour Board on the incorrect assertion that they enjoy diplomatic immunity.”

Almerio Vila Nova, General Secretary of SJTL stated, “The US Mission seems intent on using any fabrication to avoid their obligations to consult with Mr Barreto and his trade union. We are dismayed that the United States of America is denying Timorese workers their human rights and breaking national law and we are disappointed that the US Mission will not even meet with us or attend mediation to discuss the matter. As such we are left with no option other than to call on the governments of Timor-Leste to intervene and to seek international support.”

Mr Barreto was employed by the US Mission as a security officer from 3 May 2004 and was dismissed on 16 July 2010 in breach of the Labour Code of Timor-Leste.(TS)