Timor-Leste as the youngest country in the world and a model of democracy in the Southeast Asia region, addressing democracy that rule or power comes from the people. So the people have the right to live with freedom in this country to access education, health infrastructure and other aspects of democracy. However freedom does not mean that the people can do everything freely, but must use that freedom responsibly and in accordance with the laws enshrined in the Timor-Leste Constitution.
One of the rights of citizens in a country that adopts a system of democracy is to vote or to be elected in the same election. According to Section 47 of the Timor Leste Constitution concerning Right to Vote in paragraph 1. Every citizen over the age of seventeen has the right to vote and to be elected. 2. The exercise of the right to vote is personal and constitutes a civic duty.
In political terms the election is an important moment or culminating moment for voters to express their confidence in deciding the future of the State or the existence of the State in the world, because according to the nature of democracy the power that is from the people and that it returns to the people.
Therefore, every citizen will exercise his/her right to choose the leadership they trust to be the number one person in Timor Leste for the next five years.
Although citizens must exercise their right to participate in the election, in the 2022 Presidential Election some youth were unable to exercise their right to participate in the election due to transportation problems.
On 30 March 2022, the RKM journalist interviewed some young citizens at the AHISAUN Foundation for their reasons not participating in the Presidential Election held on 19 March.
Andre da Costa Cunha Soares is a citizen with physical disability who was not able to vote in the first round because there was no transportation that will allow him to return to his village to participate in the election.
“The reasons I didn't take part in the election because first, we talk about transportation, then we talk about our condition with disabilities. There are a lot of people at the terminal, then with conditions like this, we can't compete with normal people to get places in transportation. It's so difficult for conditions like us to be able to access transportation,” said Andre
Andre added that in this election he was supposed to go to Baucau but couldn't because there was no transportation.
The journalists from the RKM also asked Andre's hope for the new president-elected. He said that he wanted a President who gives priority to the needs of disabled people especially accessibility for transport and health education among others.
“Yes my hope in our new President who will be the president for the next five years is to be able to facilitate transportation for people with disabilities to participate in the election. Because we see that people with disabilities have problems accessing public transportation, such as when we have to go to formal education school in the morning waiting for the mini bus which is often inaccessible. There are many people with disabilities who criticize this, it should be accessible,” said Andre.
Carmelinda da Costa Sexta who with the same condition as Andre also did not attend the election due to illness and other issues such as lack of transportation so she did not participate in the election
“My reason is because I am sick, and like today my friend has said that I have to go to the election even though I am sick. As a citizen of Timor-Leste I have to go to the elections but there is no transportation, so I didn’t take part in the election" said Carmelinda.
Carmelinda's dream and hope for the new President is to be a president for all people and care for all, including people with disabilities.
“My hope to the new President for the next five years should be seen in persons with disabilities, and the next election should be provided with transportation to facilitate the people with disabilities”, said Carmelinda.
At different times and places, on 31 March 2022, the RKM interviewed Marcos Jose Exposto, a student from the Municipality of Ermera who lives in Dili. On March 19, he was not in the election because he didn’t have money to pay transportation back to his village for participating in the election.
"I didn't attend the election because I didn't have any money to pay for a car, we also can't attend the next election, because it’s hard for students to have enough money to pay for the car,” said Marcos.
Regarding the elected President, Marcos asked the Government to see the suffering of the people and to work together with the Government to accelerate development.
"The new President must look at the people and it is important to focus mainly on roads and water," he concluded. []
JACINTO AMARAL SOARES
Reporter Radio Rakambia
