Dili, 28 August 2019

Public Statement on the Prosecution Against Witness K and Bernard Collaery by the Australian Government

MKOTT is greatly pleased to announce today that our petition calling on the Australian Federal Attorney General, Hon. Christian Porter MP to stop the prosecution of Bernard Collaery and Witness K has been signed by 4057 Timorese. Those who signed ranged from Timorese students, activists, journalists, NGO workers, government officials and ordinary citizens. This is a testament to the genuine wish of the people of Timor-Leste for their prosecution not to stain the bilateral relations of Australia and Timor-Leste.

Protest boat in Dili harbor across from Government Palace. Photo from Tempo Timor.

Our petition calls on the Federal Attorney General of Australia to invoke his authority as given by Section 71 of the Australian Judiciary Act of 1903 to immediately put a stop to the prosecution of Bernard Collaery and Witness K.

We understand that the Prime Minister of Australia, Hon. Scott Morrison, MP is travelling to Dili on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 30 August Referendum celebrations. We also understand that while in Dili, Mr. Morrison will oversee the exchange of letters between the governments of Timor-Leste and Australia officiating the ratification of the maritime boundary treaty between the two nations signed on 6 March 2018.

MKOTT wishes to remind Prime Minister Scott Morrison once again, that if it was not for both Witness K and Bernard Collaery, this treaty would not have been negotiated, agreed and signed. We, therefore, urge Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his government to treat this petition as a matter of priority and urgent.

Shirley Shackleton signs the MKOTT petition to the Australian Prime Minister. She later delivered the petition to the Australian Foreign Minister after the PM ignored her. Photo from MKOTT Facebook page.

The celebrations of the 30 of August 2019, particularly the ratification of the maritime boundary treaty, will not complete without the freedom of Bernard Collaery and Witness K, the heroes and great friends of the people of Timor-Leste.

Should their prosecution continue, this will only show the government of Australia has entered into the maritime boundary treaty with Timor-Leste in bad faith and this will continue to trouble our bilateral relations.

MKOTT also wish Prime Minister Scott Morrison to spare a few minutes while in Dili to receive this petition in person and act on it on his return to Australia.

THANK YOU