Fundasaun Mahein, February 13, 2013
Press Release
Border Issue and Migration Control
Current threats present in various forms of crimes passed through the border either in individuals and groups organized character. These threats could be in form of drugs traffic, illegal commerce, resource theft, illegal entry, human traffic and other forms.
In these context, the relevant institutions are obliged to establish the control with a specific and integrated mission in the border. However this integrated mission is encountering tremendous human resource shortcomings, facilities and other conditions limitation which deeply embedded in Border Patrol Unit (UPF), Maritime Police Unit (UPM), Immigration Service (SM), Custom and Quarantine.
It is verified various unlawful incidents and activities include irregularity practices in the border which involve the individuals, organized groups and security authorities (UPF and Indonesia Military/TNI).
The illegal entry in the border is heavily related to family, culture, commerce, bureaucratic and lack of control from the Border Patrol Unit (UPF). Another problem the weak implementation of “Border Pass” which have not covered all district in the frontier and border market in the integrated post which left unattended.
The contextual threats to Timor-Leste are tremendous risks to public and population security, in which the individual and organized groups take advantage of the fragility of Timor-Leste institutions especially lack of control and unimplemented laws. Therefore, it is verified the severe consequents are drugs enter to Timor-Leste in various forms through land border, airport, human trafficking, easy entry of prostitution and AIDS/HIV. Consequently, the traditional market is occupied by the foreigners and the job employments are taken away by foreign workers that use tourist visa.
The very underlying problem of such threats is the fundamental weakness in the immigration service (SM) which unable to verify the foreigners that enter and leave the country which now widespread in all territory from District to village level. On the other hand, the weakens of law implementation is tightly related to budget limitation. “Deportation” have become public concern and the immigration service (SM) recognized that Timor-Leste is incapable to do so due to budget limitation. Therefore, the immigration service only apply “voluntary renounce”. The individual and organized groups take advantage of these limitations to continue the illegal and unlawful business and violate the law.
Recommendation:
1. To Immigration Service (SM), Border Patrol Unit (UPF), Custom, FALINTIL-FDTL, Maritime Police Unit, Quarantine, Commerce and Transport Direction to establish a work coordination to carry out an integrated control in the border.
2. To Minister of Defense and Security to equip the Border Patrol Unit with facilities such as transportation, electricity and health facility. According to Fundasaun Mahein observation, there are some integrated post in the border which don’t have electricity and water sanitation and also maintenance.
3. To Minister of Justice, Minister of Defense and Security and Minister of Foreign Affairs to implement “Border Pass” to the population in the frontier to prevent irregularities such as illegal entry. Also to allocate the authority of immigration service in the border posts to legalize the “Border Pass” in all the border points not only in Mota-Ain.
4. To relevant institutions to implement “frontier market” to avoid illegal commerce and other unlawful activities through the border.
5. To Immigration Service to carry out effective operation and control to foreigners that enter to Timor-Leste using tourist visa for work purpose.
6. To authorities in the integrated post in airport, port and land border to carry out effective control and patrol to prevent unlawful activities such as human trafficking, illegal commerce and illegal activities which currently widespread in Timor-Leste especially in the border.
7. To National Parliament Commission B to conduct a comprehensive study about defense, security and foreign affairs, and effective fiscalization to the work of border authority in the integrated post.
For further information, please see the following:
FM Director Nélson Belo
Website: www.fundasaunmahein.org
E-mail: nelson@fundasaunmahein.org
Telephone: (+670) 7737 4222
