The Council of Ministers decided in an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, April 2, to endorse the Commands of Falintil Defence Forces of Timor-Leste (F-FDTL) and the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) in its mission to safeguard the democratic constitutional order.
The operational engagement of the Security Forces and Defence Forces was approved by the Government (Government Resolution n. 8/2014) in order to restore pubic stability in Laga, Quelicai, Baguia and Wato-Lari. This measure was taken after an armed attack to PNTL, on March 10th, in the district of Baucau, during a community policing action to control illegal groups (in compliance with the National Parliament Resolution n. ° 5/2014, of March 3rd).
Being the State, as a whole, committed to safeguarding the democratic constitutional order, the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Security presented at the Council of Ministers – with the support of the National Parliament and the approval of the President of the Republic – a solution of integrated intervention to address this situation, which is sensitive to the State, to the organs of sovereignty and the social peace of the population.
Given it is the Government’s responsibility to take the necessary measures to the guarantee, promotion and enjoyment of rights and fundamental freedoms of all citizens, and to ensure public order and social discipline, basic to the maintenance of constitutional normality pillars and the feeling of safety of the populations, the Council of Ministers decided to support the engagement of the F-FDTL and PNTL to prevent any outbreaks of unrest.