Timor-Leste has scrapped a plan to give its lawmakers free cars after thousands of people took to the streets to protest against it. On Tuesday, demonstrators burned tyres and set a government vehicle alight, while police responded with tear gas - hours later, the government bowed to public pressure and dropped the plan.
Despite this, many returned to the streets, with one protester telling the BBC that they estimated a turnout of around 2,000 demonstrators in the capital Dili on Wednesday. Though the protests were initially triggered by the cars, they have now expanded to cover calls to remove lifetime pensions for retired lawmakers.
The unrest comes as governments across Asia, from Nepal to Indonesia, have been rocked by angry young protesters taking aim at the perceived excesses of lawmakers. One student who has chosen not to be identified told the BBC that she was hit by tear gas while she was in front of her university campus. She says she is angry at the lawmakers for '[wanting] to buy luxury cars for work while their people are still suffering.'
Lawmakers in Timor-Leste have an annual basic salary of $36,000 (£26,377) as of 2023, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union. That's more than 10 times the country's average income, which a government report in 2021 estimated to be around $3,000.
The plan to buy lawmakers cars is not a new one - and in fact there have been regular demonstrations against free cars provided to lawmakers since the 2000s, said Cezario Cesar, one of the key figures leading the protests told the BBC. In 2008, police arrested several students for protesting against a plan to spend $1m (£730,000) on new cars for MPs. But it's only now that the movement has really taken off - as the country continues to grapple with high inequality and unemployment.
'We started this protest… when they decided to buy the cars,' said Mr. Cesar. But the demonstrations this week blew up because 'people are tired of things,' he added. 'People don't have access to good education, water and sanitation… we have a lack of facilities, but they're still creating so many laws to benefit themselves,' Mr. Cesar said. 'We think it's injustice.'
The protests followed a parliamentary vote on Tuesday to scrap the plan to buy new Toyota Prado SUVs for each of the country's 65 MPs. However, some protesters remain skeptical about the government’s intentions, fearing that new purchases are already underway.
These protests reflect a growing trend of political discontent across Asia, with youth movements challenging perceived governmental corruption and inequality, reminiscent of recent demonstrations seen in Nepal and Indonesia.
Despite this, many returned to the streets, with one protester telling the BBC that they estimated a turnout of around 2,000 demonstrators in the capital Dili on Wednesday. Though the protests were initially triggered by the cars, they have now expanded to cover calls to remove lifetime pensions for retired lawmakers.
The unrest comes as governments across Asia, from Nepal to Indonesia, have been rocked by angry young protesters taking aim at the perceived excesses of lawmakers. One student who has chosen not to be identified told the BBC that she was hit by tear gas while she was in front of her university campus. She says she is angry at the lawmakers for '[wanting] to buy luxury cars for work while their people are still suffering.'
Lawmakers in Timor-Leste have an annual basic salary of $36,000 (£26,377) as of 2023, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union. That's more than 10 times the country's average income, which a government report in 2021 estimated to be around $3,000.
The plan to buy lawmakers cars is not a new one - and in fact there have been regular demonstrations against free cars provided to lawmakers since the 2000s, said Cezario Cesar, one of the key figures leading the protests told the BBC. In 2008, police arrested several students for protesting against a plan to spend $1m (£730,000) on new cars for MPs. But it's only now that the movement has really taken off - as the country continues to grapple with high inequality and unemployment.
'We started this protest… when they decided to buy the cars,' said Mr. Cesar. But the demonstrations this week blew up because 'people are tired of things,' he added. 'People don't have access to good education, water and sanitation… we have a lack of facilities, but they're still creating so many laws to benefit themselves,' Mr. Cesar said. 'We think it's injustice.'
The protests followed a parliamentary vote on Tuesday to scrap the plan to buy new Toyota Prado SUVs for each of the country's 65 MPs. However, some protesters remain skeptical about the government’s intentions, fearing that new purchases are already underway.
These protests reflect a growing trend of political discontent across Asia, with youth movements challenging perceived governmental corruption and inequality, reminiscent of recent demonstrations seen in Nepal and Indonesia.
