Dear Friends,
The Central Council of FRETILIN External Delegation - CCDEF - met in Lisbon, Portugal from 5 to 8 August 1993.
The Deputy Head of the FRETILIN External Delegation, Mr. Mari Alkatiri, called the meeting to discuss urgent matters concerning the Organization.
The CCDEF is the rulling body of the FRETILIN External Delegation - DEF - and according to the DEF constitution, the Central Council must sit at least once a year. However, is up to the DEF leadership (the Head and the Deputy), to choose the appropriate time in the calendar year.
The refusal, for about two years, of Mr. Abilio Araujo - Head of FRETILIN External Delegation - to, together with Mr. Alkatiri, schedule the sittings for 1992, forcing, therefore the Deputy Head to, in consultation, with other three(3) CCDEF's members, Roque Rodrigues, Jose Luis Guterres and Alfredo Borges Ferreira, call an urgent meeting. Abilio Araujo and Guilhermina Araujo (his wife) refuse to take part.
The four CCDEF's members had to call for the mandate given to them, by the PRESIDENCY of FRETILIN - CDF - on 10th October, 1992, in which they were entrusted with full power to reorganize the FRETILIN external wing, also known as DEF.
CDF - PRESIDENCE of FRETILIN is the rulling body of the whole organization and is based in East Timor. Is made up of Secretaty and two Deputies. After the arrest of Mr.Ma'Huno, the Deputy Mr. Nino Konis Santana took over the position of the Secretary and Mr. Lo-Olo remained as one of the Deputies.
During the meeting the CC's members had examined carefully the role of FRETILIN in the struggle for self-determination and independence of East Timor.
The CCDEF's had also examined the role of Mr. Abilio Araujo as the Head of FRETILIN External Delegation and arrived at a decision that << Mr. A. Araujo has committed acts of insubordination against the FRETILIN PRESIDENCY, by refusing to accept and challenging frequently the authority of the FRETILIN leadership based in the MOTHER LAND>>.
The CCDEF had also examined the activities of the FRETILIN Committee, in Portugal - the smallest outside East Timor - and had ascertained that << The FRETILIN Committee, in Portugal, has given full support to Abilio Araujo in rebelling against the FRETILIN PRESIDENCY>>.
Therefore the members of the Central Council of FRETILIN External Delegation, who met in Lisbon, from 5 to 8 August, 1993 had decided:
1. To remove Mr. Abilio Araujo from his position as Head of ther FRETILIN External Delgation - DEF.
2. To dismiss Mr. Abilio Araujo as the FRETILIN Representative for Europe and Portugal.
3. To dissolve the FRETILIN Committee in Portugal.
4. That the Leadership of FRETILIN EXTERNAL DELEGATION be collectivelly carried out by Mr. Mari Alkatiri, Mr. Roque Rodrigues, Mr. Jose Luis Guterres and Mr. Alfredo Borges Ferreira.
5. The Mr. Roque Rodrigeus be the senior FRETILIN Representative for Portugal and Europe and will be assisted by Mr Olimpio Branco.
6. That two new FRETILIN Committees be organised in Portugal, one in Lisbon and the other in Setubal.
7. The members of the now dissolved FRETILIN Committee can only be accepted as members of the two now organised committees, with full rights, if they signed up in one of the two committees.
8. That, between now and then, none of those members of the former FRETILIN Committee can be seen or act as official members of FRETILIN Committees.
9. That in view of the above &8 the CCDEF ask the Japan Coalition for East Timor to withraw the invitation initially addressed to Mrs. Inocencia Neves to visit Japan next October/November. In her place the CCDEF would like to suggest Mrs. Fatima Guterres, widow of a memeber of FRETILIN Central Committee, who was killed in action, before her own eyes. She can portray to the Japanese people her long suffering as a guerrila-woman (like many others) in the mountains of East Timor.
The CCDEF whis to express its appreciation for the support given by the solidarity groups, around the world, to the struggle for self-determination and independence of East Timorese People.
On financial aid the CCDEF ask that all donations must be channelled to:
BANCO NACIONAL DE MOCAMBIQUE
Departamento de Relacoes Externas da FRETILIN
Conta No:5110/20.00.55.006.967/6 USD
Maputo
Republica de Mocambique
In Solidarity
Signed: Mari Alkatiri, Roque Rodrigues, Jose Luis Guterres and Alfredo Borges Ferreira.