On November 9th, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dili, the Secretary of State for Social Communication, Nélio Isaac Sarmento, participated, as a speaker, in the seminar “Corruption Watchdog Symposium 2012″, organized by the Association of Journalists of Timor-Leste (AJTL) and USAID,

Nélio Isaac stated, “investigation, is a fundamental journalistic activity, to search for information. Through research, one discovers irregularities, power abuse or even crimes which may have a negative impact on society and in the country. The information must be based on facts. Journalists cannot stand and wait for information to come to them; they have to investigate and interview sources to get to the facts. “

The Secretary of State further stressed that, “the investigative reports are successful when there is freedom of the press in the country. In any democratic country, the key to ensuring the welfare of the people is to disseminate information to the public about everything that happens in society”.

“The real media partner is a society that wants transparency, justice and appreciation of common interests. However, our society is still closed to the media. It does not report on irregularities for fear of the impact that disclosure might have in each ones life or in each ones business. But society must collaborate with the media, as a key partner, so it may discover irregularities based on facts, thus helping the authorities and the people to receive true information and contribute to the process of combating corruption”, said Nélio Isaac.

Besides the Secretary of State for Social Communication, Nélio Isaac, other speakers at the seminar were: Prosecutor General, Ana Pessoa Pinto, President of the Board of Directors of RTTL, EP Expedito Dias Ximenes, the Commissioner of the Anti Corruption Commission, José Neves and the Investigator of the NGO La’o Hamutuk, Juvenal Dias.