MANILA, Philippines – Activists in Timor-Leste released a manifesto warning that transnational crime syndicates are trying to infiltrate state institutions through corruption and illicit financial flows.
The 26-page document, titled “Manifesto for the Defence of Timor-Leste,” circulated this week in Portuguese and Tetum. It alleges that officials allowed private aircraft to land carrying about $11 million in cash, exempted from customs inspection under official orders. The manifesto says a total of $45 million entered the country to influence government officials.
The statement accuses networks from Cambodia, Malaysia, Macau and Hong Kong of using Timor-Leste as a base for illegal gambling, money laundering, cyber fraud and human trafficking. It cites a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime alert describing the country as a target for organized crime infiltration.
The document calls on students, civil servants and security forces to resist what it describes as the “capture” of the state. It urges the government to investigate implicated officials, revoke licenses issued to suspect companies and work with international law enforcement.
The manifesto does not name individuals or agencies. Its authors identified themselves only as “patriots of Timor-Leste.”
Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Timor-Leste restored independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a violent referendum period. The country continues to face challenges in strengthening state institutions and diversifying an economy reliant on oil. Analysts say those vulnerabilities leave it open to corruption and foreign influence. The manifesto’s claims could not be independently verified.
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