Demonstrations shake Timor-Leste now

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Timor-Leste’s capital, Dili, on Tuesday (September 16) over a government plan to provide luxury cars to members of parliament.

The demonstrations forced the government to cancel the scheme, but protests continued on Wednesday as demonstrators broadened their demands, including calls to scrap lifetime pensions for former MPs.

BBC reports that demonstrators set tires ablaze and torched a government vehicle, prompting police to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd. One student told reporters he was caught in a gas attack outside his university, saying: “The people are suffering while MPs are busy buying luxury cars.”

Timor-Leste’s MPs earn an annual salary of $36,000, roughly 12 times the country’s average income. Critics say the plan was particularly controversial given that MPs already have government cars in good condition. Cesario Cesar, one of the protest leaders, said: “People are deprived of basic services, including education, water, and sanitation, yet MPs are making laws for their own benefit.”

According to UN data, over 70% of Timor-Leste’s population is under 35. While one of Southeast Asia’s poorest countries, Timor-Leste is considered relatively democratic.

Analysts note parallels with the recent youth-led ‘Gen Z’ movement in Nepal, which contributed to the ousting of the Oli government just a week ago.