The Minister of Defense and Acting Interior Minister, Brigadier General Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, and the Secretary of State for Youth and Sports (SEJD), Nélio Isaac Sarmento, accompanied by the Commander-General of the National Police of Timor-Leste, Commissioner Faustino da Costa, made a presentation on the situation of the Martial Arts Groups (GAM) in Timor-Leste on March 14, 2019, to Commission B of the National Parliament, which deals with Defense and Security issues.

The Minister of Defense and Acting Interior Minister, Brigadier General Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus, reported that Commission B intended to hear detailed explanations from the Martial Arts Regulatory Commission (KRAM) and the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Defense on the security situation in Dili and in the municipalities, in particular on the activities of the martial arts groups that have created some instability.

“On the reactivation of the GAM, we will analyze the law, and on the GAM that have terminated their activity in the meantime, we will evaluate well, so this issue will take time, it is not a decision to decide on the run” said the Defense Minister to journalists after the meeting in the National Parliament.

Brigadier General Filomeno da Paixão de Jesus pointed out that he himself already has plans to set up a task force to study and identify the GAM before submitting recommendations to the Government through the Council of Ministers, so a final decision can be made.

At the same time, the General Commander reported on the actions of the security authorities in relation to the GAM elements that committed crimes.

For its part, the President of Commission B of the National Parliament, Adérito Hugo, said that the National Parliament invited the Martial Arts Regulatory Commission (KRAM) to inform MPs about the Commission’s work during the 10 years of its existence, including decisions of the previous Government to cancel the activities of various martial arts groups, and to require other non-forbidden groups to fulfill the requirements set forth in Law 5/2017.

The Chairman of Committee B thanked the presentation of the GAM report, which was good and detailed, despite the fact that the KRAM continues to face some problems, mainly the lack of working conditions. In any case, KRAM has exercised its function adequately and has complied with the established rules.

On the question of the reactivation of the three GAM, whose activity was canceled, the Government established the regime, which was in force from 2009 to 2017, in order to regulate martial arts organizations that have not yet fulfilled the requirements and have not registered .