This is a particularly catchy Indonesian song that seems to be enjoyed by most people under the age of 40 in Timor-Leste. It has a good sing-a-long chorus. I'm not sure what the song is about, but it's worth a listen nonetheless.
The people of Timor-Leste got a shock today with the announcement that members of the country’s government have inked an eight-figure deal to take part in their own reality TV show, currently under the working title “Who Wants to Be a Dili-onaire?”
The show is being produced by MTV and camera crews will follow around each of the government ministers, deputy prime ministers Mario Carrascalao and Jose Guterres, and the prime minister himself, Xanana Gusmao.
The show will be aired the course of several weeks, with a week devoted to each person and his or her family, as well as a series of special behind-the-scenes shows, all of which will be broadcast locally on big screens in front of the government palace in the capital Dili.
Gusmao says he has high hopes for the show.
“The whole world will be able to let the government of Timor-Leste into their lives. We are a fun-loving bunch and we made the decision to show the world that we have nothing to hide,” he said.
“There will be lots of surprises in the show. We like to dance, drink, talk on the phone and sometimes we play board games. I recently discovered a new one – Mouse Trap – and we’ve been playing it every night at home,” he added.
The justice minister’s week, dubbed “At Home with the Lobatos”, is eagerly anticipated by fans of the former presidential candidate.
“I welcome the cameras into my home. They can come, any time, any place, any way. My husband and I are just a normal family,” said justice minister Lucia Lobato.
“I recently changed my hairstyle in preparation for the show,” she added.
Meanwhile, government spokesman Agio Pereira shed a little light on the history of the reality TV show.
“The FRETILIN government actually tried to do something similar with Channel V a few years ago. However, I don’t think the previous government was seen as entertaining enough for TV, so the whole thing was scrapped,” he said.
Conspiracy theorists think there may be more to it.
Respected scholar Teddy Hart said, “It’s one of those things that everyone knows, but nobody likes to talk about – like mistresses. A few years ago, FRETILIN was pitching the idea of a show like this to major TV networks, and there was a lot of interest.
“Certain individuals outside of the government heard about this and wanted in on the action, but were told they wouldn’t be featured in the show,” he added.
“Soon enough, the crisis of 2006 happened, there was fighting everywhere and then there was a change in the government. Now all of a sudden, the whole thing is back on. Nobody is immune from the lure of TV stardom,” he said.
When questioned about whether it was justifiable for members of the government to receive huge amounts of money to be filmed for MTV, justice minister Lobato replied, “I have looked in the Constitution and there is nothing there that says members of the government cannot take part in reality TV shows.”
Ramos-Horta, who has declined to be featured on the show, thinks this is a positive step for the country he fought for during the 24-year Indonesian occupation that lasted until 1999.
“How can Timor-Leste be a failed state if we have our own reality TV show? Does Obama have his own TV show? Does Kevin Rudd?” he said.
Shooting for the show was slated to begin this month but has been postponed until September.
“At the moment, all the focus is on the Tour de Timor [bike race],” said the president.
Police commander Longuinhos Monteiro says the nation’s national force will work together with the army provide security for film crews and members of the government at all times.
The United Nations Police has promised to be on hand in case of emergencies while members of the Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana have all confirmed for the wrap party.
FRETILIN leader Mari Alkatiri, meanwhile, vowed to boycott the show in favor of the latest season of Top Chef.
I've been following this story for a while now and it still has me scratching my head. From the Phuket Gazette:
PHUKET CITY: After spending more than five months in a Phuket jail, the German teenager arrested along with 43-year-old Briton Dax Young on child sex abuse charges in March is set to fly home next month.
The 18-year-old, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty at the Phuket juvenile court today and was handed a four-year suspended sentence and fined 17,000 baht.
He plans to fly home to Germany on August 18 and start a new life in Cologne.
The judgment brings to an end a saga that first came to public attention in March this year, when the youth was arrested together with Dax Young.
The pair were accused of sexually abusing boys as young as 9 years old.
Those who know the young man, including German diplomats involved in the case, believe he was a victim of Dax Young’s ascendancy, rather than a perpetrator.
The teenager was a minor when arrested, and claims he was forced to have sex with the boys by Mr Young, who threatened to make problems for the teenager’s family.
The cold, hard facts are that this lad was 17 when he was arrested, which is above the age of consent, yes? He was accused and admitted to having sex with boys under the age of consent. He then pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced.
So, he has been let off because people, including the media, it appears, "believe" he was manipulated by Dax Young. Previous reports suggested that the German youth pleaded guilty because the Thai legal system would never see him as a victim, rather than a perpetrator. So where's the proof he is a victim?
This is from a previous story:
German Ambassador to Thailand Dr Hanns Schumacher said, "…this youngster was irresponsibly left on the streets of Phuket at a very young age for years without any adult supervision. It is therefore no surprise that he was introduced to criminal company. This is the main reason we hope that at the end of the proceedings, [the youth] will be considered rather a victim and not a perpetrator."
That's vague, at best. Here's some more:
The boy, who confessed to conspiring with Mr Young to sexually abuse Thai boys as young as nine years old, allegedly appears in digitally recorded images seized as evidence.
The boy’s mother and sister insist he be released immediately and allowed to give evidence against Mr Young, 41, who denies the charges against him.
The boy was sexually abused by the older man for four years, the family claim.
The family "claim". That doesn't seem like proof to me. Has this been proved in a court of law or is this their word against Dax Young's? And this is the same family that abandoned the youth on the streets of Phuket for "years". Why should we trust them? What are we not being told here.
This is the part of the story that really confuses me:
Maj Gen Apirak said the German youth was renting a house with his mother in Rawai and has lived in Thailand for one year
There has been nothing offered as proof by the media or the police that the German youth should be let off with a suspended sentence.
Discuss.
I'm not sure when it happened as I've been out and about recently, but at some point this blog was "hacked" and some suspect code ended up causing a few problems. I've updated Wordpress and resolved the issue. Posting frequency will still be down until I'm back to work and whatnot, but fear not, I shall return.
Please be advised that two hotels in Jakarta were bombed this morning. They are the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott hotel. Bombs detonated at these hotels five minutes apart from each other. 6 to 12 persons are reported as being killed with several others seriously injured. It is not known if the UN has sustained casualties in these incidents.
Until the situation crystallizes more fully and we are advised by the DO in Indonesia of any related measures, all staff intending to travel to Jakarta are to check with UNDSS Jakarta and sponsoring agency, before doing so until advised otherwise.
