“The Armed Forces, from here, reiterate their firm conviction that the military can never be an instrument of repression for their fellow citizens, because according to the Constitution we swore to defend them.”
“People are showing their displeasure with regard to the measures that are being implemented, which can be seen in the statements of different multiple personalities of political and social sectors, so that, by this means, we want to extend our warmest Portuguese solidarity with all who are suffering the weight of the terrible sacrifices that are being imposed, as we did in 2011. We have to keep in mind, first, that people are being subjected to unfair and painful measures , being decided by those who, constitutionally, should ensure the common good, using the excuse that it’s the only way to remedy situations penalized in that they have no responsibility, and that has led them to be the first beneficiaries. “
“Being a citizen is not exclusively belong to the Portuguese society, but should also involve the participation of the same, by some mechanism, in its own transformation. Therefore express our solidarity with all initiatives, in the exercise of the right every citizen, serve to end the unfair practices of some who have the same goals under the guise of noble, when in fact what they are doing is:
– Cheat by using fear and making promises that will not be met, knowing that people are defenseless against it.
– Justify absurd solutions that are based on the constant repetition of the only possibilities are responsible, so irrefutable, even though the facts show just the opposite.
– Insist again and again that we must accept the imposition of sacrifice to get a supposed solution is just around the corner, just past, re-fold the dose of these sacrifices, without reaching those solutions, making pay always consequences to the same, while at the same time, either in Portugal or elsewhere, accumulate wealth without limit, preventing others can getting fair wages they deserve for their work. “ ”In this situation, in which can be recognized that social tensions are extremely serious and are causing protests and demonstrations in which citizens express the way the Constitution stipulates, their outrage, Association Forces Officers Armed reiterates its firm commitment to the military, constitutionally recognized as an autonomous body, will never accept the use of repression against the citizens they swore to defend, the same way as was expressed by his Excellency, the Chief of Staff of the Forces Armed“.
The President,
Manuel Martins Pereira Cracel (Colonel TPAA)
AOFA - Associação de Oficiais das Forças Armadas
14 September 2012