Association of Timorese Heroes
( Depending on the source called " Sons of the Mountain Warriors Timor " or " sons of the dogs of war from the mountains of Timor ", also "Association of Timorese Heroes" ) The Klibur Oan Timor Asuwain COTA is a traditionalist party in East Timor.
The Party
The party was established in November 1974 as Associacão Popular Monarqui ( c ) a de Timor APMT (People's Association of Monarchists of Timor ) founded, but soon renamed to its present name. She saw herself as a balancing element between the Western-oriented UDT and FRETILIN the left. The colonial power Portugal did not recognize her at a party, because they had too little trailer. Founders were Pedro da Costa Ramalho, Pedro Leão dos Reis Amaral and José Martins. Your support was KOTA especially in the Liurais, the traditional petty kings Timor, but less in the population. Even today, it is more an association of Liurais.
The COTA argued for an indirect election system in which each tribe could determine a chief of the men of a lineage. These bosses should then choose from among its representatives for Parliament, and in turn the king. Most foreign observers are of the opinion that the COTA has never had the chance, so that in the population to gain approval, only the journalist Bill Nichol believes that they are the majority could very well with these ideas can win if they do not consider themselves would have shown so incompetent and get airtime on the radio. On January 26, 1975 COTA introduced an election campaign in Dili with 10,000 participants on their feet.
The late party leader José Martins was a contact man of Indonesia and the pro- integration stance of COTA was used as a legitimation of the larger neighbors in the invasion of East Timor. 1976 Martins fled before the Indonesians under the protection of the United Nations. Later, the COTA directed against the Indonesian occupation. As of April 1998, she was a member of CNRT. On August 11, 1998 rejected the COTA, as well as the other four old parties of East Timor, the Indonesian offer for a limited autonomy and demanded a referendum on the independence of East Timor.
On 30 August 2000, COTA has been reorganized. She wants to promote the Timorese culture and traditions, in conjunction with the universal human rights, and seeking greater political and social role of Liurai to. It is regrettable, the influence of Western society and the declining prestige of Liurais. From the aim of a monarchy, the COTA adopted widely, it now supports the multi-party system, but with a stronger federal focus on the ancient empires of the country and a stronger role of the President. When he social policy is oriented in 2007 on the Portuguese Partido Socialista program. A strong social system with a modern tax system should be created with a system of " four subsidies ": for births, marriages, families and funerals. Through the further development of agriculture, fisheries, tourism and coffee growing poverty is to be tackled. During the discussion of the official language, the COTA favored a promotion of Tetums. Portuguese, Bahasa Indonesia and English should be taught in school. The party has contacts to Macau, Australia and Dom Duarte, Duke of Braganza and direct descendant of the last King of Portugal. As the only party of East Timor, the COTA emphasizes stronger cooperation specifically with West Timor to liberalsieren passenger and goods traffic. Secretary-General Manuel Tilman called the union with the western part of the island as his project, since one was a nation, even if not at this time. With this aim it is to far space alone in the East Timorese politics.
Members
In 2007, at the COTA, it had 30,000 members.
The first chairman was José Martins. Later Leão took over Pedro dos Reis Amaral, who was represented at the age of 83 already during the restoration of the independence of Clementino dos Reis Amaral ( MP 2001-2007 ). Clementino dos Reis Amaral was in the Portuguese Colonial District Administrator of Baucau, 14 years as a member of the Indonesian Parliament and seven years as a member of the Indonesian Commission for Human Rights. Party spokesman was then João Francisco dos Reis Amaral. Augusto Pires represented the COTA in the former counsel of the CNRT, the umbrella organization of the East Timorese resistance.
Due to the dispute over the party leadership COTA was weakened in the election year of 2012. Transitional Pedro da Costa Ramalho 2011 party chairman. The infighting escalated, as General Secretary Tilman arbitrarily tried to bring the party into an alliance with the FRETILIN. Tilman prevailed, even if Ramailho in May 2011 his resignation as Secretary-General called for, since the majority of the members Tilman would no longer recognize. Ramalho threw Tilman misuse of party funds before and that he would never take part in meetings of the Central Committee. Finally, split off under the leadership of the Associação Popular Ramalho Monarquía Timorense. Tilman now leads the COTA.
At the 2007 elections Manuel Tilman difference already after the first round on April 9 with 4.09 % of votes. After all, he was awarded in seven Sucos in Ainaro the most votes thanks to the support of Jacob Xavier and his PPT. As only one of the defeated candidates of the first round Tilman told his voters in the second round, Francisco Guterres to choose from FRETILIN, which then but the independent candidate José Ramos -Horta was defeated.
In the elections to the Constituent Assembly on 30 August 2001, COTA had received 2.13% of the vote and two of the total 88 seats in the parliament of East Timor.
For the first parliamentary elections after the independence on 30 June 2007, the COTA a joint election list of the Partido do Povo de Timor PPT under the name Aliança Democrática KOTA / PPT on.
The Aliança Democrática KOTA / PPT finally received 13,294 votes, or 3.20% of the valid votes. The greatest support she found in the district Ainaro where it 18.15% ( 4066 votes ) received the votes and the second largest list was. About 3 % of the votes, the Alliance was still in Aileu (5.60 %).
Then subjected to the Alliance Manuel Tilman from KOTA and Jacob Xavier of the PPT in the National Parliament of East Timor with 65 deputies. The alliance was disbanded after the election again.
In the 2012 presidential election Tilman took up again and only received 1.56 % of votes.
In the parliamentary elections of 2012 KOTA formed together with the Partido Trabalhista (PTT ) is a new Aliança Democrática. The PPT submitted no choice list in the election authorities. COTA / PTT but failed due to the three- percent threshold. It received only 2,622 votes (0.56 %). Even in the ancient stronghold Ainaro Aliança Democrática received only 0.92 % of the votes, which was the best result in a district.
Party flags
Manuel Tilman explained in the presidential campaign in 2007 that black darkness and white representing the light. There is a movement out of the darkness into the light. The Eight is a magic number, both Hindus as well as Buddhists. In algebra, it symbolizes infinity. The one indicates that the COTA members believe in only one God.
According to Tilman, the flag on Timor has existed since the first man, 6000 years BC When asked whether the case raised the same flag, Tilman, " exactly the same " said. They have existed since the beginning. He himself had not accepted it, but inherited from his grandparents. Tilman calls himself a descendant of the former kings of Timor.
The second flag, also in black and white, wearing a Aitos, a symbol that is worshiped according to Tilman long time. It stands for the fertility of the earth and the existence of only one God. The Christian cross, which finds itself in Aitos, Tilman sees as evidence that God revealed himself independently both in Timor, as well as the Europeans. A logo in the upper leech is a logo with a Timorese house in traditional style, two Suriks ( Timorese swords) and a Kaibauk ( Timorese crown).
Earlier it was a flag with eight stripes ( black, yellow, red, green, white, blue, red, green ) is used to draw an arc in the upper right corner where the strips are tapered to a point. In the black strip to the left were a yellow, 32 - rayed sun and the white lettering COTA. In the center was a white disk, which is enclosed with a blue ring. Around the ring was the full name of the party. On the ring is 33 yellow stars were. On the white disk found from top to bottom a house in traditional style, two crossed Suriks and a Kaibauk.
Besides the party flag the COTA also performs a black flag, which should represent the Timorese culture.