KHUNTO

Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan
AbbreviationKHUNTO
LeaderJosé dos Santos Bucar [de]
PresidentArmanda Berta dos Santos
SecretaryMário do Rosário Mesquita
Founded22 June 2011 (2011-06-22)
(officially registered)
HeadquartersManleuana, Dili, Timor-Leste
IdeologyUnemployed youth interests
Anti-corruption
Traditional Timorese spirituality
SloganTane ó rai, tane ó emar, no tane ó lisan
"Support your country, your people, and your traditions"
National Parliament
5 / 65
Party flag
Website
khunto.org.tl

Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (KHUNTO; lit. 'Enrich the National Unity of the People of Timor') is a political party in Timor-Leste. KHUNTO is affiliated with the Kmanek Oan Rai Klaran [de] (KORK) martial arts group [de], and has a largely rural, young membership base that consists of various martial arts groups throughout Timor-Leste.[1] Since the 2023 parliamentary election, the party holds five seats in the National Parliament.

Name and symbols

The name "Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan" in Tetun can be translated as "Flourishing of Timorese National Unity",[2] "Enrich the National Unity of the People of Timor",[3] or "Enrich the National Unity of the Sons of Timor".[4][5] Some English-language sources translate Timor oan literally as "sons of Timor"; however, in Tetun the phrase refers not just to children but to Timorese people in general.[6][7][8]

KHUNTO is associated with the color green, which it uses in its flag, promotional materials, and campaigning. The party's logo and flag feature a dove descending into a circle with rings of black, green, red, and white, with a yellow center.[9]

History

KHUNTO was officially registered on 22 June 2011[10] and is affiliated with the martial arts group KORK.[11] In the 2012 parliamentary elections it received 2.97% of the vote, narrowly failing to cross the electoral threshold of 3%. However, in the 2017 parliamentary elections the party's vote share increased to 6.43% and it won five seats in the National Parliament. In the 2023 parliamentary elections the party's vote share further increased to 7.51% and it again won five seats in the National Parliament.

On 4 July 2021, KHUNTO celebrated its tenth anniversary and inaugurated its new national headquarters in Manleuana, Dili.[12]

On 20–21 April 2024, KHUNTO held its fourth national congress, attended by 880 party members and officials.[13] At the congress, Armanda Berta dos Santos was re-elected as the party's president.[13]

Ideology

KHUNTO's central philosophical principle is "Support your country, your people, and your traditions" (Tetun: Tane ó rai, tane ó emar, no tane ó lisan).[12][13][14]

KHUNTO has made combating corruption the focus of its program. The party combines the democratic system with traditional Timorese beliefs as interpreted by ritual arts and martial arts groups in recent years. Although almost all East Timorese profess the Catholic faith, these ideas are widespread. Voters declare their loyalty to the party with a "blood oath" (juramento). According to belief, if it is not kept, the oath-breaker faces misfortune, illness and death. Conversely, the politicians are obliged by the oath of their electorate to help them with problems and not to enrich themselves through political offices. The details of the implementation of political goals are less relevant for the electorate than the trust that is placed in the KHUNTO members. In the event of a government takeover, the party aims to have state officials also swear a juramento, so that they would fear punishment by supernatural forces in the event of corruption. KHUNTO followers do not see the customary oath on the Bible as being very effective, because according to Christian belief, punishment for misconduct only occurs after death in the afterlife.[15]

The binding of the voters through the oath seems only partially successful. According to a party leader, 89,000 voters passed the juramento ahead of the 2017 general election, but KHUNTO received only 36,547 votes. On the one hand, the votes came from the ranks of unemployed young people who see no prospects and are often supporters of the various martial arts groups, but the majority of the votes came from the rural regions of the country.[15]

Organization and structure

The highest authority in KHUNTO is the party's supreme leader, under whom serves a president, five vice presidents, a secretary-general, and five vice secretaries-general.[13] The president, vice presidents, secretary-general, and vice secretaries-general are elected positions with four-year terms.[13] There are also a number of national councilors, three treasurers, and a financial council (Tetun: Konsellu Juridisaun Verifikasaun Konta).[13]

Since KHUNTO's founding, José dos Santos "Naimori" Bucar [de] has been the party's supreme leader, and his wife, Armanda Berta dos Santos, has held the office of president.[16] KHUNTO's current leadership structure, serving for the period of 2024-2028, were elected at the party's fourth national congress in 2024.[13] The party's vice presidents, in order of seniority, are: Nicolau Lino Freitas Belo [de], Pedro dos Reis, Juvinal dos Santos, Ivo Lay Kolimau, and Odete Bilou.[13] The secretary-general is Elídio de Araújo [de] and the vice secretaries-general, in order of seniority, are: Zéto, Julião da Silva [de], Teodoro, and Mesale Benito.[13]

KHUNTO is closely linked with the martial arts group [de] Kmanek Oan Rai Klaran [de] (KORK), from which it draws many supporters. José dos Santos "Naimori" Bucar, the party's supreme leader, is also the leader of KORK. The party also has subsidiary organizations for youth and women.[17][18]

Election results

In the parliamentary elections of 2012, the KHUNTO failed with 13,998 votes (2.97%) at the three percent hurdle as the country's fifth strongest party. In its stronghold Ainaro it received votes that corresponded to a share of 5.09%; in Manatuto with 1,085 votes or 5.33%. KHUNTO also received over 3% in the municipalities of Aileu (3.95%), Baucau (3.08%), Bobonaro (3.17%), Ermera (3.05%), Lautém (3.01%) and Liquiçá (3.19%).[19]

In the parliamentary elections in East Timor in 2017, KHUNTO was the smallest party to enter parliament with 6.43% of the votes.[20] and resulting in five seats.[21]

In the parliamentary elections on May 12, 2018, the AMP coalition managed to win 34 of the 65 seats and thus an absolute majority in parliament with a share of 49.6% (309,663 votes).[22][23][24]

Presidential elections

Election Candidate First round Second round Outcome
Votes Percentage Votes Percentage
2022 Armanda Berta dos Santos 56,690 8.70% N/a N/a Lost Red XN

Parliamentary elections

Election Party leader Votes Percentage Vote swing Seats won Change Position Outcome
2012 Armanda Berta dos Santos 13,998 2.97% New
0 / 65
 New 5th Extra-parliamentary
2017 36,547 6.43% Increase 3.46%
5 / 65
 Increase 5 Steady 5th Opposition
2018 Part of AMP
5 / 65
 Steady 0 Increase 4th Coalition
2023 52,031 7.51% Increase 1.08%
5 / 65
 Steady 0 Steady 4th Opposition
  • KHUNTO campaign in 2012
    Supporters of KHUNTO campaigning on motorcycles during the 2012 parliamentary elections.
  • KHUNTO supporters in 2017
    KHUNTO supporters at a 2017 election campaign organized by António da Conceição in Maliana.

References

  1. ^ Raue, Ben; Maley, Michael (16 June 2023). "Podcast #96: Timor-Leste's parliamentary election". The Tally Room. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  2. ^ Politicisation of Martial and Ritual Arts Groups: Implications for National Security, Peacebuilding & Development (PDF). Fundasaun Mahein. 2023-07-11. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
  3. ^ Scambary, James (2019-05-15). Conflict, Identity, and State Formation in East Timor 2000 - 2017. Leiden: Brill. pp. X. ISBN 978-90-04-39679-1.
  4. ^ Abud, Matthew (2024). Situasaun Media: Timor-Leste 2024 [Media Situation: Timor-Leste 2024] (PDF) (in Tetum). Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Asia Foundation. p. 4. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
  5. ^ Adamy, Aulina; Caritos, Rona Ann; Abeyrathna, Tharindu (2023-07-20). 2023 Timor-Leste Parliamentary Elections: Celebrating Independence through Genuine Elections (PDF). Bangkok: Asian Network for Free Elections. p. 4. ISBN 978-616-8264-20-1. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
  6. ^ Williams-van Klinken, Catharina; Hajek, John; Nordlinger, Rachel (2002). A Short Grammar of Tetun Dili. Lincom Europa. p. 25. ISBN 978-3-89586-429-2.
  7. ^ Tsuchiya, Kisho (2024-05-31). Emplacing East Timor: Regime Change and Knowledge Production, 1860–2010. University of Hawaii Press. p. 198. ISBN 978-0-8248-9499-3.
  8. ^ Hull, Geoffrey (1999). Tetum Language Manual for East Timor. University of Western Sydney Macarthur. p. 90.
  9. ^ "Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan (East Timor)". CRW Flags. 2023-06-10. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
  10. ^ Dennis Shoesmith (2011) Political Parties and Groupings of Timor-Leste, Australian Labor International
  11. ^ Timor-Leste election: 'Disenfranchised youth' party wins first seats in parliament ABC, 24 July 2017
  12. ^ a b "Inagurasaun Sede Nasionál Partidu KHUNTO, Armanda: "Ha'u Sei La Tolera"" [KHUNTO National Party Headquarters Inauguration, Armanda: "I Will Not Tolerate"]. G-News (in Tetum). 2021-07-04. Retrieved 2026-07-25.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i Costa, Natalino (2024-04-22). "Armanda Berta re-eleitu ba kargu Prezidente Partidu KHUNTO" [Armanda Berta re-elected as President of KHUNTO Party]. TATOLI Agência Noticiosa de Timor-Leste (in Tetum). Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  14. ^ de Sousa, Nelson (2023-06-19). "Ohin, PN hala'o plenária ikus lejislatura dalimak" [Today the National Parliament held the final plenary of the fifth legislature]. TATOLI Agência Noticiosa de Timor-Leste (in Tetum). Retrieved 2026-07-25.
  15. ^ a b Edward Aspinall & James Scambary: Fighting corruption with spiritual power in East Timor, In: New Matilda, 3. November 2017, retrieved on 5 November 2017.
  16. ^ "Lider Supremo no Presidente" [Supreme Leader and President]. Partido Khunto (in Tetum). Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  17. ^ "Organizasaun Juventude" [Youth Organization]. Partido Khunto (in Tetum). Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  18. ^ "Organizasaun Feto" [Women's Organization]. Partido Khunto (in Tetum). Retrieved 2026-08-09.
  19. ^ "STAE". Retrieved 2022-10-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link), retrieved on 9 September 2012
  20. ^ STAE: Vorläufiges Endergebnis vom 24. Juli 2017.
  21. ^ "Who is in Timor-Leste's new Parliament? / Se tuir iha Parlamentu Nasionál foun?". La'o Hamutuk. 2017-07-23. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
  22. ^ "Apuramento CNE 2022". www.cne.tl. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
  23. ^ "Timor-Leste/Eleições: Tribunal de Recurso valida resultados, vitória da Fretilin". www.dn.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-10-12.
  24. ^ List of Candidates, retrieved on 22 Mei 2018.

Further reading

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