East Timor election hopefuls cry foul

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4020559a12.html

By LINDSAY MURDOCH - SMH | Monday, 9 April 2007

Four candidates in East Timor's presidential election have complained they have been disadvantaged by intimidation, violence and a delay in distributing passes for their scrutineers to monitor Monday's vote.

Veteran politician Joao Carrascaloa told journalists in Dili that election officials have been manipulating arrangements to favour the ruling Fretilin Party.

Flanked by other candidates Burnando "Lasama" de Araujo, Lucia Lobato and Francisco Do Amaral, Mr Carrascaloa said the candidates will complain to the National Electoral Commission, which is supervising the election and the United Nations.

Mr Carrascaloa said the four non-Fretilin parties supporting the candidates only received scrutineer passes yesterday (Friday), making it difficult if not impossible to get them to remote polling stations by Monday.

"It's the wet season, many roads are difficult to pass," he said.

Mr Carrascaloa said Fretilin had already delivered passes to 500 polling locations throughout the half-island nation.

Mr Carrascaloa said the candidates would complain that the passes do not have photograph identification, making it easy for non-party people to fraudulently claim they are representing the candidates.

"We believe there is an attempt to manipulate the whole process," Mr Carrascaloa said.

Mr Carrascaloa said the candidates would also seek an assurance from the United Nations that adequate security would be provided at the polling locations.

"If there isn't we will take it upon ourselves to provide our own security," he said.

Mr Lasama, head of the youth-based Democratic Party, said the candidates did not know how many passes had been issued.

"There are many issues we are concerned about," he said.

Mr Lasama is one of three frontrunners to win the election that is being contested by eight candidates.