Tackling Gang Violence in Timor-Leste

19 Aug 2010

Tackling Gang Violence in Timor-Leste

Dili, 18 August 2010 - The Martial Arts Groups in Timor-Leste constitute a substantial social problem for the authorities.

The violence that erupted in Timor-Leste in 2006 is a constant reminder of how quickly unrest and trouble can spread.

Although many members of Martial Arts Groups (MAGs) are entirely peaceful, there are elements within the membership who consistently resort to illegal behaviour and violence.

Januario Freitas is the Baucau District Coordinator for Kera Sakti (Magic Monkey), which claims to be the largest MAG in Baucau. He admits that some Kera Sakti members are involved in violence:

"We have thousands of members around the country. The problem is that even within a single district members are so spread out. It makes it very hard to control individuals. Personal vendettas often trigger violence between rivals, and the actions of individual members are blamed on the whole MAG".

Kamis Miguel Mendonca is the Head of Community Policing in Baucau. He says there are seven MAGs operating in the district, with a total membership of over 3,000.

"Since the start of the year there have been around 15 incidents involving MAGs in the Baucau district; resulting in one fatality, multiple injuries and substantial physical damage. We can't always wait for the formal justice system to deal with offenders. We have to work with the communities to identify and defuse potential conflicts before they end in violence".

A recent roundtable discussion in Baucau, organised by the United Nations Development Programme's Justice Sector project, highlighted many of the key issues and challenges relating to the MAGs, and the wider community. It was attended by the leaders of the main MAGs, the Police, the Church, the Baucau Sub-District Administrator, and members of the civil community. It was an opportunity to exchange ideas and build bridges between the different groups.

In January Mr Mendonca spearheaded the establishment of a Baucau Task Force, to try to address the violence. Although they have seen some success in preventing the spread of violence, when an incident occurs, they are limited in their ability to tackle the root causes of the problem.

"Lack of education, unemployment and family issues are the key factors leading these young people to fight", Mr Mendonca explained.

The issue of unemployment cannot be ignored. A huge proportion of the MAG members in Baucau are out of work. Most of them are young men aged between 15 and 30. Without job prospects the men are left angry, bored and impoverished. Joining a gang, and fighting, often serves as a way to vent their frustrations.

One idea that is enthusiastically supported by the leaders of the MAGs is the creation of a National Martial Arts competition.

"It would provide an outlet for the groups", says Egidio Alixo Soares, who is the Baucau Coordinator for another MAG, Korka.

"Members train around three times a week and at the moment the only way to express their skills and training is through street fighting. A national competition would bring MAGs into the mainstream and celebrate Martial Arts as a sport".

Embracing the positive aspects of MAGs is an approach favoured by FESTIL (Federation of Traditional Self-Defence Arts in Timor Leste), the fledgling national umbrella organisation for the MAGs.

"Every year over 1000 young men join MAGs. Allowing them to become alienated from society is only going to cause more problems. They need to be legitimised and supported", says Sergio Gusmao de Freitas Belo, the President of Baucau's FESTIL.

All parties in Baucau agree that the Martial Arts Law, which was brought into force in July 2008, could be an important tool for educating MAG members about their civic responsibilities and the consequences of their actions.

But Regina de Sousa, the Baucau Sub-District Administrator, says that the detail of the Martial Arts Law has not filtered down to the grassroots of the MAGs:

"Copies of the Martial Arts Law have been distributed to FESTIL and all the MAG leaders in Baucau. They now have a responsibility to inform their members about the law. Hopefully the threat of imposing sanctions upon MAGs will deter individuals from breaking the law".

Gui Karson Goncalves is the Baucau District Secretary for PSHT (Brotherhood of the Sacred Heart Water Lily), a MAG which is often involved in fighting with Kera Sakti. With around 1,000 members in the Baucau District he says the PSHT leadership struggles to control all the sub-groups and individuals. He is a strong supporter of the Martial Arts Law:

"Tough Government penalties against those who commit misdemeanours are the best way to resolve the conflict. We don't want juvenile delinquents causing trouble any more than the authorities do."

All the involved parties in Baucau agree that discussion and cooperation between the MAGs, the Police and the community is vital. Dialogue meetings, as organized by UNDP, provide a forum for sharing information and experiences. Violence between the MAGs is of particular concern in a country where stability and conflict-resolution are paramount. To ensure that Timor-Leste's future is peaceful the emphasis has to be on preventing conflict, rather than reacting to it.

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Hapara violénsia entre Gang sira iha Timor-Leste

Dili, 18 Agostu 2010 - Gang juventude sira, ninia tipu ida mak Grupu Arte marsiál, grupu sira-ne'e mós nu'udar fonte ba instabilidade no insidente seguransa iha Timor-Leste. Violénsia ne'ebé nakfera iha nasaun ne'e iha tinan 2006 nu'udar ezemplu ida ne'ebé hatudu katak perturbasaun no problema bele naklekar lalais de'it. Mezmu membru barak husi Grupu Arte Marsiál (GAM) nunka komete violénsia, maibé iha elementu ruma iha grupu laran mak sempre hatudu hahalok kontra lei no halo violénsia.

Januário Freitas nu'udar Koordenadór Kera Sakti Distritu Baukau nian, hato'o katak, Kera Sakti nu'udar mós grupu arte marsiál ne'ebé boot liu iha Baukau. Tanba ne'e, nia admite katak membru Kera Sakti balun envolve an iha violénsia:

"Ami iha elementu hamutuk rihun tomak iha nasaun laran. Problema mak ne'e, mezmu iha distritu ida nia laran de'it mós membru sira namkari iha fatin hotu-hotu. Tanba ne'e, kusta uitoan atu kontrola ema ida-idak. Vingansa ema ida-idak nian dala ruma bele provoka violénsia entre grupu, no hahalok husi membru ida nian dala barak ema fó sala ba GAM tomak".

Miguel Mendonça nu'udar Komandante Polísia Komunitária Baukau nian. Nia hateten katak iha ne'ebá iha Grupu Arte Marsiál hamutuk hitu mak eziste iha distritu refere, ho totál elementu sira hamutuk 3,000 resin.

"Dezde tinan foun to'o agora iha ona insidente 15 mak envolve grupu arte marsiál sira iha Distritu Baukau; nu'udar rezultadu mak ema ida mate liu, balun hetan kanek oioin no estragu fíziku lubuk ida. Ita labele hein de'it sistema justisa formál mak atu haree ba ema sira ne'ebé komete hahalok hanesan ne'e. Ita tenke serbisu hamutuk ho komunidade atu identifika no hapara konflitu polítiku antes sira rezulta ba violénsia".

Diskusaun meza kabuar foin daudauk hala'o iha Baukau, organiza husi Projetu setór Justisa Programa Dezenvolvimentu Nasoins Unidas nian, konsege diskute kona-ba asuntu prinsipál no dezafiu sira relasiona ho Grupu Arte Marsiál sira, no komunidade jeralmente. Diskusaun ne'e hetan partisipasaun husi ulun Boot Grupu Arte Marsiál sira nian, Polísia, Igreja, Administradór Sub-Distritu Baukau, no membru husi sosiedade sivíl. Ida-ne'e, nu'udar biban ida atu troka hanoin no hodi hametin liu tan konfiansa entre grupu oioin.

Iha fulan Janeiru Sr. Mendonça lidera prosesu estabelesimentu ba Unidade Task Force Baukau nian, hodi tenta rezolve violénsia ne'ebé akontese. Mezmu iha rezultadu balun sira nota relasiona ho prevensaun ba violénsia atu labele mosu iha fatin oioin, maibé bainhira insidente ida mosu, sira iha limitasaun atu buka tuir problema ninia hun loloos.

"Falta edukasaun, serbisu laiha no problema uma laran mak dala barak sai hanesan xave ne'ebé halo foin-sa'e sira baku malu", salienta Sr. Mendonça.

Problema serbisu laiha nu'udar buat ida-ne'ebé ita labele ignora hela de'it. Iha Baukau membru arte marsiál sira barak mak la hetan serbisu no maioria husi sira mesak mane klosan ho tinan entre 15 no 30. Tanba laiha serbisu mak halo ema sira-ne'e sai nervozu, baruk no ki'ak. No bainhira sira tama ba gang ida, no baku malu, dala ruma nu'udar dalan ida atu espresa sira-nia frustrasaun.

Buat ida-ne'ebé hetan entuziazmu makaas husi Ulun Boot Arte Marsiál sira nian mak atu kria kompetisaun Nasionál Arte Marsiál nian.

"Ho mekanizmu hanesan ne'e bele prepara fatin ida ba grupu sira", informa Egídio Aleixo Soares, Koordenadór GAM ida naran Korka husi distritu Baukau.

"Membru sira treinu maizumenus semana ida dala tolu no agora daudauk ne'e dalan atu hatudu sira-nia abilidade no treinu mak liuhosi baku malu iha estrada. Se iha kompetisaun nasionál ida, entaun bele lori Grupu Arte Marsiál sira hotu tama ba iha órgaun ida nia okos no sei selebra Arte Marsiál nu'udar modalidade desportu ida".

Federasaun Arte Marsiál Tradisionál iha Timor Leste (FESTIL) mak organizasaun nasionál ne'ebé foin estabelese hodi hamahon organizasaun Arte Marsiál Sira hotu. FESTIL hakarak foka liu ba aspetu pozitivu husi Grupu Arte Marsiál sira.

"Kada tinan foin-sa'e feto no mane sira hamutuk 1000 resin mak tama grupu arte marsiál sira. Bainhira ita husik de'it sira sai marjinalizadu husi sosiedade, ida-ne'e sei kria tan problema de'it. Sira presiza hetan lejitimasaun no apoiu", haklaken, Sergio Gusmão de Freitas Belo, Prezidente FESTIL Baukau.

Parte hotu iha Baukau konkorda ho Lei Arte Marsiál, ne'ebé vigora tiha ona komesa fulan Jullu 2008, bele sai hanesan meius importante ida atu eduka Membru Grupu Arte Marsiál sira kona-ba sira-nia responsabilidade sívika no konsekuénsia husi sira-nia asaun.

Maibé Regina de Sousa, Administradora Sub-Distritu Baukau, hateten katak detalla husi Lei Arte Marsiál nian seidauk kompriende di'ak husi elementu GAM iha baze:

"Kopia husi Lei Arte Marsiál nian entrega tiha ona ba FESTIL no mós ba ulun boot Arte Marsiál sira hotu iha Baukau. Agora sira-nia responsabilidade mak atu informa ba sira-nia membru sira kona-ba lei ne'e. Hein katak ho ameasa atu fó kastigu ba Grupu Arte Marsiál sira, ho ida-ne'e sei bele prevene membru arte marsiál sira atu labele halo tan hahalok kontra lei".

Gui Karson Gonçalves nu'udar Sekretáriu PSHT Distritu Baukau nian (Persaudaraan Setia Hati Terate), Grupu Arte Marsiál ida-ne'ebé dala barak envolve iha problema ho Kera Sakti. Ho ninia membru maizumenus 1,000 mak iha Distritu Baukau tanba ne'e nia hateten katak lideransa PSHT arraska atu kontrola sub-grupu sira no ema ida-idak. Nia mós nu'udar ema ida-ne'ebé apoia makaas Lei Arte Marsiál:

"Dalan di'ak liu atu rezolve konflitu mak atu hatún kastigu makaas husi Governu hasoru ema sira-ne'ebé halo infrasaun. Ami, no mós autoridade sira, lakohi delinkuente juveníl sira kauza problema."

Parte hotu ne'ebé envolve iha Baukau konkorda katak diskusaun no kooperasaun entre Grupu Arte Marsiál, Polísia no Komunidade importante tebes. Diálogu, sorumutu, hanesan buat ne'ebé organiza daudauk husi UNDP, kria forum ida atu bele fahe informasaun no esperiénsia. Violénsia entre Grupu Arte Marsiál sira sai nu'udar preokupasaun ida ba nasaun-ne'ebé estabilidade no rezolusaun konflitu sai importante tebes. Atu garante katak Timor-Leste nia futuru sei nakonu ho pás entaun tenke tau énfaze makaas ba iha prevensaun konflitu, duké halo reasaun hasoru konflitu.