International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
Remarks by Eric Tan
Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General
for Security Sector Support and Rule of Law
29 May 2007
Dili, Timor-Leste
Your Excellency the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, Dr José Ramos-Horta,
Your Excellency the Prime Minister, Eng Estanislau Da Silva,
Your Excellency the Minister of Interior, Mr Alcino Barris,
Your Excellency the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Adalgiza Magno
FALANTIL-FDTL Commander, BG Taur Matan Ruak
PNTL General Commander (Designate), Afonso de Jesus
Acting Commander ISF, Colonel Paul Van der Broek
Excellencies members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Fellow Peacekeepers from UNMIT, and colleagues from the larger UN family comprising Funds, Agencies and Programmes,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning,
I am delighted to see so many here today at such an early hour to commemorate the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers. This is a day set aside to honour and pay tribute to the men and women who have served, and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations. It is also a day to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. In 2002, a General Assembly Resolution designated the 29th of May as the International Day of the United Nations Peacekeepers. This was the date in 1948 when the first UN peacekeeping mission began operations in Palestine. This mission was the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO).
On a more personal note, I recall fondly the very first Peacekeepers Day in 2003, celebrated right here in Dili, on the road just in front of the Palazio das Cinzas. Then President Gusmao reviewed a combined parade of police, military and civilian peacekeepers, and awarded medals to some, including myself. A Timorese school band marched together with us. Today we are most privileged to have His Excellency, Dr Jose Ramos-Horta here with us for the fifth Peacekeepers Day.
In a statement issued today, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-moon stated, and I quote:
“Last year, for the first time, more than 100,000 peacekeepers were deployed by the United Nations. One hundred and fifteen countries now contribute uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations. Both of these figures are at an all-time high. They speak of unprecedented confidence in – and expectations of – UN peacekeeping.
The ordinary people who benefit from these unseen efforts are often among the world’s most vulnerable. Peacekeepers ensure that refugees and displaced persons can return to their homes; that ex-combatants are disarmed and reintegrated into society; that children are taken off the battlefield and sent to school; that people exercise their right to vote in democratic elections; that individuals human rights are protected, not violated, by police forces and judicial systems; and that fields and forests are de-mined so that they can be used to sustain life instead of trigger death.” End of quote.
UN personnel have been continuously deployed in Timor-Leste since 1999 to assist and support the people of this country. Today, we are here to fulfil a very different role compared to the one before. We first assisted an emerging country to rebuild itself and recover from a long struggle. Now we are assisting the second democratically elected President, and soon a new Government, to solidify, stabilize and make this young democracy sustainable. The evolution of our mandate is surely a most tangible sign that progress has been made.
Young though it may be, Timor-Leste has already demonstrated its readiness to do its part for peace in other post-conflict nations. In December 2005, 10 members of the PNTL were sent to serve in the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. These officers continue to make the PNTL and Timor-Leste proud. We in the United Nations are truly grateful for their contributions.
Turning back to UNMIT, I am pleased to report that the mission today includes 3195 peacekeepers from 86 countries. To each of you, I say a big “Thank You”! You have left your families and homes to contribute towards Timor-Leste in the areas of security, electoral support, development and strengthening of democracy and the rule of law. Your tasks have by no means been easy, but their accomplishment has helped achieve the mandate of UNMIT.
We must also not forget the dangers peacekeepers face. To this end, I wish to take this opportunity to recognize the many United Nations peacekeepers -- civilian, police and military -- for having made the ultimate sacrifice “In the Service of Peace.” Such sacrifices are not in vain, for they avoid even more tragic losses of lives especially among the vulnerable, wherever peacekeeping missions are deployed. Nonetheless, it saddens me to announce that 71 peacekeepers have lost their lives here in Timor-Leste. To these, we owe an enormous debt of gratitude, and are here to pay them a special tribute today.
Excellencies, friends and colleagues,
Thanks to the many expressions of recognition we have received from the people of Timor-Leste, it is clear that they know and appreciate the difference the presence of peacekeepers has made. I am grateful for these expressions. At the same time, I have also welcomed, and listened carefully to the words of constructive criticism from our generous hosts. We have much to learn, and must remain willing to do so.
In closing, I would like to remind all of us UN peacekeepers, that in our interactions with the people of Timor-Leste, we project the face of UNMIT, and it is us being identified as the United Nations. Men, women and children of Timor-Leste, young and old, will remember, and either cherish our actions, our words and our compassion. Or they will take away with them a very different opinion. I therefore urge all of us to continue doing our duty with an unshakeable sense of responsibility, for on our shoulders rests the ultimate success and reputation of this mission, and of the United Nations.
I now have the pleasure and honor to call upon the President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, His Excellency, Dr José Ramos-Horta to address us.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Goff to go on night patrol while in East Timor
5:05PM Monday May 28, 2007
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10442259
Defence Minister Phil Goff will go on a night patrol with the army while in East Timor.
Mr Goff heads to East Timor tonight to visit New Zealand Defence Force personnel and police working there, as well as East Timorese officials.
Mr Goff said he would visit Defence Force troops and police officers who had been working to achieve security and stability in East Timor.
"While with the New Zealanders I will accompany New Zealand army personnel on a night patrol in Dili."
Mr Goff will meet with newly-elected President Jose Ramos-Horta, whom he has known for almost 20 years, care-taker Prime Minister Estanislau da Silva and senior military and United Nations officials.
This will be Mr Goff's second visit to East Timor in his role as defence minister.
"... I am looking forward to returning and getting a first hand understanding of the current political and security situation."
He will be in East Timor from May 29-31.
Mr Goff will then go to Singapore for the 6th Asian Security Summit, commonly known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, from June 1-3.
Advertisement
AdvertisementThe dialogue was the key forum for discussing public policy on defence and security in the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Goff said.
Delegates from 26 countries were taking part and he would meeting with counterparts from Australia, Singapore, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Germany.
- NZPA
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10442259
Defence Minister Phil Goff will go on a night patrol with the army while in East Timor.
Mr Goff heads to East Timor tonight to visit New Zealand Defence Force personnel and police working there, as well as East Timorese officials.
Mr Goff said he would visit Defence Force troops and police officers who had been working to achieve security and stability in East Timor.
"While with the New Zealanders I will accompany New Zealand army personnel on a night patrol in Dili."
Mr Goff will meet with newly-elected President Jose Ramos-Horta, whom he has known for almost 20 years, care-taker Prime Minister Estanislau da Silva and senior military and United Nations officials.
This will be Mr Goff's second visit to East Timor in his role as defence minister.
"... I am looking forward to returning and getting a first hand understanding of the current political and security situation."
He will be in East Timor from May 29-31.
Mr Goff will then go to Singapore for the 6th Asian Security Summit, commonly known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, from June 1-3.
Advertisement
AdvertisementThe dialogue was the key forum for discussing public policy on defence and security in the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Goff said.
Delegates from 26 countries were taking part and he would meeting with counterparts from Australia, Singapore, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and Germany.
- NZPA
Don’t withdraw too soon: The lessons of East Timor
http://www.bloggernews.net/17199
This post was written by Nancy Reyes on 28 May, 2007 (20:27) | All News, Asian News, The United Nations, Iraq War, Philippines News
Those who want a “mini lesson” on how to rebuild a civil society after years of oppression need to look at East Timor, where 200 000 people were killed since Indonesia annexed it in 1975.
Finally, with the help of the UN an election was held, and people voted for independence. Alas, after the vote, Indonesian assisted rebels started a major massacre of civilians, leading an Australian led UN peacekeeping force that had to fight to protect the people.
The intervention by Australia led to two things: One, true independence for that country.
The second was enmity by Alqaeda: The Australian intervention was cited by Islamic extremists as the reason for both the Bali bombing, where Australian tourists were targeted, and the killing of UN Ambassador de Mello when a suicide bomber attacked the UN mission in Baghdad shortly after the US liberated that country.
The UN Peacekeepers stayed in East Timor for several years, but were phased back, starting in 2004, and full removed by 2005.
However, in 2006, factional fighting broke out again, leading to over 100 000 refugess and a couple dozen deaths. The UN quickly returned with outside troops, again mainly Australian.
They oversaw the mainly peaceful election earlier this month elected Nobel Peace laureate Jose Ramos Horta as president. It is hoped that he could unite the country.
The opposition “insurgents” denounced the election while demanding the withdrawal of Australian troops.
Last week, during a protest, one of the Philippine plolicewomen was hurt by the mob. There are 155 Filipino police peacekeepers serving in UNMIT..the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste.
Those in the US Congress who are impatient about Iraq would do well to ponder the lessons of East Timor.
One:Building a democracy when some become corrupted with the power of the gun is not easy, but without those trying to promote peace by preventing violent men from destroying a country.
Two: That premature withdrawal can result in resurgence of violence. It was only the quick reinjection of Australian troops that stopped thousands of deaths in 2006.
Three: Americans should be aware of the peacekeeping by Australia in the Asia Pacific area.
Four: Alqaeda/Islamofascism is not the cause of much of the disorders any more than international communism was the cause of the Huk/NPA rebellion, but the ability of these outside groups to coordinate funding and illegal arms smuggling to the most extreme groups lead to instability in many places in the world.
—————–
Nancy Reyes is a retired physician living in the Philippines. Her website is Finest Kind Clinic and Fishmarket
This post was written by Nancy Reyes on 28 May, 2007 (20:27) | All News, Asian News, The United Nations, Iraq War, Philippines News
Those who want a “mini lesson” on how to rebuild a civil society after years of oppression need to look at East Timor, where 200 000 people were killed since Indonesia annexed it in 1975.
Finally, with the help of the UN an election was held, and people voted for independence. Alas, after the vote, Indonesian assisted rebels started a major massacre of civilians, leading an Australian led UN peacekeeping force that had to fight to protect the people.
The intervention by Australia led to two things: One, true independence for that country.
The second was enmity by Alqaeda: The Australian intervention was cited by Islamic extremists as the reason for both the Bali bombing, where Australian tourists were targeted, and the killing of UN Ambassador de Mello when a suicide bomber attacked the UN mission in Baghdad shortly after the US liberated that country.
The UN Peacekeepers stayed in East Timor for several years, but were phased back, starting in 2004, and full removed by 2005.
However, in 2006, factional fighting broke out again, leading to over 100 000 refugess and a couple dozen deaths. The UN quickly returned with outside troops, again mainly Australian.
They oversaw the mainly peaceful election earlier this month elected Nobel Peace laureate Jose Ramos Horta as president. It is hoped that he could unite the country.
The opposition “insurgents” denounced the election while demanding the withdrawal of Australian troops.
Last week, during a protest, one of the Philippine plolicewomen was hurt by the mob. There are 155 Filipino police peacekeepers serving in UNMIT..the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste.
Those in the US Congress who are impatient about Iraq would do well to ponder the lessons of East Timor.
One:Building a democracy when some become corrupted with the power of the gun is not easy, but without those trying to promote peace by preventing violent men from destroying a country.
Two: That premature withdrawal can result in resurgence of violence. It was only the quick reinjection of Australian troops that stopped thousands of deaths in 2006.
Three: Americans should be aware of the peacekeeping by Australia in the Asia Pacific area.
Four: Alqaeda/Islamofascism is not the cause of much of the disorders any more than international communism was the cause of the Huk/NPA rebellion, but the ability of these outside groups to coordinate funding and illegal arms smuggling to the most extreme groups lead to instability in many places in the world.
—————–
Nancy Reyes is a retired physician living in the Philippines. Her website is Finest Kind Clinic and Fishmarket
EDITORIAL: East Timor's troubles
05/29/2007
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200705290078.html
East Timor is celebrating its fifth year of independence, and we well recall the feelings of uplifting joy when this country finally gained freedom after a quarter century of Indonesian rule. Today, that joy has all but disappeared, and East Timor is on the brink of becoming a "failed state."
Earlier this month, Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta was elected president. One of his first declarations in office was that his priority is to enable women, children, elderly and young people to sleep in peace at night. The fact that he felt compelled to state this at his inauguration vividly illustrates the country's troubles.
A year ago this month, the capital Dili was a center of violence when elements of the East Timor military rioted. Houses and cars were torched and order broke down. Even today, tens of thousands of people are still in refugee camps.
Since independence, the gap between rich and poor has gradually widened. Animosity between different regions and ethnic groups is strong. It was such discontent festering among the people that coalesced and erupted into the 2006 crisis.
After fighting for independence and winning control of the government and military, the new East Timor government lapsed into a mire of corruption and inefficiency, losing popular support. Horta won the presidency by campaigning against corruption and inefficiency.
The United Nations played a large role in the initial period after East Timor's independence, until the new government activities could get under way. The United Nations sent 3,500 peacekeepers, including troops from Japan's Self-Defense Forces. But all peacekeepers had left East Timor by 2005. Things disintegrated into crisis the next year.
To quell the violence, Australia and other countries sent a multinational force to East Timor. The United Nations also sent in 3,000 peacekeepers. These troops made the latest presidential election possible.
U.N. officials admit that it pulled out its earlier peacekeeping mission too early. In conflict-ridden countries, it is common for civil war to flare once international groups pull out support.
This failure must not be repeated. This is why we stressed in our recent editorial series, "Proposals for Japan's New Strategies," the importance of peace-building. Helping rebuild war-torn nations is a task in which Japan can and should play a major role.
Now more than ever, the government must do everything in its power to help rebuild peace in East Timor. In the U.N. peacekeeping mission, the core functions needed from now on will be civil administration--something that Japan excels in. But only a few Japanese staff are in East Timor to help.
The government should urge the U.N. mission to accept Japanese into senior positions so as to help direct its mission in East Timor. At the same time, Japan should provide the personnel and funds for administrators and police, and to improve the legal system and other crucial tasks highly needed for rebuilding. And to prevent the resurgence of conflict, it is imperative that order and stability be restored to East Timor. It is also essential to establish and nurture dialogue between the leaders of various political factions.
As an Asian country, Japan has a responsibility to take the lead here. Organizations like the Japan International Cooperation Agency and NGOs may also have much to contribute.
Our leaders should also start thinking about what will happen in East Timor after the U.N. mission has left again. The new U.N. Peacebuilding Commission, created only last year, is ideal for this important task. Japan should advise the commission to include East Timor in its post-conflict recovery activities.
Japan has a responsibility to lend a helping hand throughout Asia, thereby preventing the region from having a failed state.
--The Asahi Shimbun, May 28(IHT/Asahi: May 29,2007)
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200705290078.html
East Timor is celebrating its fifth year of independence, and we well recall the feelings of uplifting joy when this country finally gained freedom after a quarter century of Indonesian rule. Today, that joy has all but disappeared, and East Timor is on the brink of becoming a "failed state."
Earlier this month, Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta was elected president. One of his first declarations in office was that his priority is to enable women, children, elderly and young people to sleep in peace at night. The fact that he felt compelled to state this at his inauguration vividly illustrates the country's troubles.
A year ago this month, the capital Dili was a center of violence when elements of the East Timor military rioted. Houses and cars were torched and order broke down. Even today, tens of thousands of people are still in refugee camps.
Since independence, the gap between rich and poor has gradually widened. Animosity between different regions and ethnic groups is strong. It was such discontent festering among the people that coalesced and erupted into the 2006 crisis.
After fighting for independence and winning control of the government and military, the new East Timor government lapsed into a mire of corruption and inefficiency, losing popular support. Horta won the presidency by campaigning against corruption and inefficiency.
The United Nations played a large role in the initial period after East Timor's independence, until the new government activities could get under way. The United Nations sent 3,500 peacekeepers, including troops from Japan's Self-Defense Forces. But all peacekeepers had left East Timor by 2005. Things disintegrated into crisis the next year.
To quell the violence, Australia and other countries sent a multinational force to East Timor. The United Nations also sent in 3,000 peacekeepers. These troops made the latest presidential election possible.
U.N. officials admit that it pulled out its earlier peacekeeping mission too early. In conflict-ridden countries, it is common for civil war to flare once international groups pull out support.
This failure must not be repeated. This is why we stressed in our recent editorial series, "Proposals for Japan's New Strategies," the importance of peace-building. Helping rebuild war-torn nations is a task in which Japan can and should play a major role.
Now more than ever, the government must do everything in its power to help rebuild peace in East Timor. In the U.N. peacekeeping mission, the core functions needed from now on will be civil administration--something that Japan excels in. But only a few Japanese staff are in East Timor to help.
The government should urge the U.N. mission to accept Japanese into senior positions so as to help direct its mission in East Timor. At the same time, Japan should provide the personnel and funds for administrators and police, and to improve the legal system and other crucial tasks highly needed for rebuilding. And to prevent the resurgence of conflict, it is imperative that order and stability be restored to East Timor. It is also essential to establish and nurture dialogue between the leaders of various political factions.
As an Asian country, Japan has a responsibility to take the lead here. Organizations like the Japan International Cooperation Agency and NGOs may also have much to contribute.
Our leaders should also start thinking about what will happen in East Timor after the U.N. mission has left again. The new U.N. Peacebuilding Commission, created only last year, is ideal for this important task. Japan should advise the commission to include East Timor in its post-conflict recovery activities.
Japan has a responsibility to lend a helping hand throughout Asia, thereby preventing the region from having a failed state.
--The Asahi Shimbun, May 28(IHT/Asahi: May 29,2007)
Political Party Accord (unofficial translation)
Timor Leste, 25 May 2007
Political Parties participating in the 2007 Parliamentary elections in Timor-Leste agree to sign an Accord as a commitment to regulate their actions in the campaign process until the Election Day on 30 June 2007 and the post-election period. This Accord is intended to be a complementary document at the initiative of Political Parties without any contradiction with the Code of Conduct as issued by CNE.
All Political Parties accept their responsibility to issue clear instructions to their members and supporters in order to respect this Accord and the Code of Conduct. Parties commit to denounce any of their members or supporters who violate this Accord.
In order to support and strengthen this Accord and the Code of Conduct, the Political Parties agree with following points:
a)Political Parties who signed this document, commit to respect and implement this Accord and Code of Conduct as issued by the CNE.
b)Political Parties shall immediately notify the CNE, in writing, the details of any alleged violations, with copies to other Parties, UNMIT and election observer organizations. Should any serious case, which merits criminal prosecution, arise witness information shall also be submitted to relevant authorities so that legal measures and processes can be undertaken.
c)Political Parties shall give due consideration to information provided by other Parties, the CNE, STAE, UNMIT, UNPOL, PNTL and election observers, and shall seek to resolve any allegations arising from their members and supporters through dialogue.
d)Political Parties agree to meet jointly together at the national, district, sub-district and village levels to discuss any reported violations and to prevent any further incidents. Such discussions shall not, however, replace any criminal prosecution, which may be required.
Therefore, all Political Parties who signed this Accord condemn all forms of violence, terror and intimidation as well as anybody who uses the opportunity of elections to address localised disputes under the guise of political affiliation or association which may be associated with the campaigns, voting and announcement of results for the Parliamentary elections.
Political Parties shall jointly denounce and condemn any irregularities or partiality of the organs administering and supervising the electoral process (campaign, election and counting of votes).
Political Parties leaders shall also provide guidance and instruction to party coordinators in districts, sub-districts, villages and sub-villages, to accept this Accord and also encourage an environment of peace, tolerance and respect for one another.
The Parties who signed this Accord reaffirm their belief in the basic principles of good governance such as inclusiveness, participation, transparency, accountability and other principles in accordance with the rules of a democratic State based on the rule of law.
The Parties or coalition that may be elected to government shall ensure a meaningful role for the opposition in parliament as well as the participation of civil society in the political, economic and social development process of this country.
Political parties agree that, should they become opposition parties, they shall make constructive contributions with a view towards pursuing the process of developing public policies and legislation and that they shall strive to secure that the National Parliament, as a sovereign organ, shall respond to the needs of the people.
Political Parties hereby pledge that they shall not politicise State institutions such as the F-FDTL, PNTL and the Public Administration.
For one people, for one nation, for national unity, for democracy and the stability of national security, for peace and progress.
Political Parties participating in the 2007 Parliamentary elections in Timor-Leste agree to sign an Accord as a commitment to regulate their actions in the campaign process until the Election Day on 30 June 2007 and the post-election period. This Accord is intended to be a complementary document at the initiative of Political Parties without any contradiction with the Code of Conduct as issued by CNE.
All Political Parties accept their responsibility to issue clear instructions to their members and supporters in order to respect this Accord and the Code of Conduct. Parties commit to denounce any of their members or supporters who violate this Accord.
In order to support and strengthen this Accord and the Code of Conduct, the Political Parties agree with following points:
a)Political Parties who signed this document, commit to respect and implement this Accord and Code of Conduct as issued by the CNE.
b)Political Parties shall immediately notify the CNE, in writing, the details of any alleged violations, with copies to other Parties, UNMIT and election observer organizations. Should any serious case, which merits criminal prosecution, arise witness information shall also be submitted to relevant authorities so that legal measures and processes can be undertaken.
c)Political Parties shall give due consideration to information provided by other Parties, the CNE, STAE, UNMIT, UNPOL, PNTL and election observers, and shall seek to resolve any allegations arising from their members and supporters through dialogue.
d)Political Parties agree to meet jointly together at the national, district, sub-district and village levels to discuss any reported violations and to prevent any further incidents. Such discussions shall not, however, replace any criminal prosecution, which may be required.
Therefore, all Political Parties who signed this Accord condemn all forms of violence, terror and intimidation as well as anybody who uses the opportunity of elections to address localised disputes under the guise of political affiliation or association which may be associated with the campaigns, voting and announcement of results for the Parliamentary elections.
Political Parties shall jointly denounce and condemn any irregularities or partiality of the organs administering and supervising the electoral process (campaign, election and counting of votes).
Political Parties leaders shall also provide guidance and instruction to party coordinators in districts, sub-districts, villages and sub-villages, to accept this Accord and also encourage an environment of peace, tolerance and respect for one another.
The Parties who signed this Accord reaffirm their belief in the basic principles of good governance such as inclusiveness, participation, transparency, accountability and other principles in accordance with the rules of a democratic State based on the rule of law.
The Parties or coalition that may be elected to government shall ensure a meaningful role for the opposition in parliament as well as the participation of civil society in the political, economic and social development process of this country.
Political parties agree that, should they become opposition parties, they shall make constructive contributions with a view towards pursuing the process of developing public policies and legislation and that they shall strive to secure that the National Parliament, as a sovereign organ, shall respond to the needs of the people.
Political Parties hereby pledge that they shall not politicise State institutions such as the F-FDTL, PNTL and the Public Administration.
For one people, for one nation, for national unity, for democracy and the stability of national security, for peace and progress.
UNMIT Welcomes the Signing of the Political Accord ahead of the June 30 Election
Dili, May 28, 2007 - The head of the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) has welcomed the signing of a document that harnesses the collective will of all political parties to a free and fair June 30 election.
Importantly, the Political Party Accord also covers basic principles of governance after the elections. It commits all parties to a constructive and inclusive democratic process for the new government and opposition.
The Accord has the agreement of all 16 political parties in Timor-Leste.
The head of UNMIT, Mr Atul Khare congratulated all parties for their participation and willingness to reach an agreement.
“The Accord commits the winning party to representing the voices of the majority while listening to and accommodating the needs of the minority. It will also ensure that the minority will adopt a constructive role as a dynamic opposition capable of providing democratic checks and balances.
The new parliament will need a strong and vibrant opposition to ensure that democracy continues to mature in Timor-Leste,” Mr Khare said.
“In the Accord, the pasties commit themselves to ensure that this takes place.”
Also in Dili on Friday, the political parties signed a “Code of Conduct” that commits all parties, their candidates, their representatives and supporters to accept the results, or to challenge them only in competent courts; and to campaign positively through programmes of action not personal criticism of other candidates.
The Code of Conduct was drafted and approved by the national authorities charged with running the parliamentary election.
“Today’s signings demonstrate clearly the agreement of all political parties to play their role freely, fairly and transparently not just during the campaign and voting period, but in the formation of the new parliament and the opposition,” Mr Khare said.
UNMIT is mandated through Security Council Resolution 1704 to “support Timor-Leste in all aspects of the 2007 presidential and parliamentary electoral process, including through technical and logistical support, electoral policy advice and verification or other means.”
For further information please contact UNMIT spokesperson Allison Cooper on +670 7230453
Importantly, the Political Party Accord also covers basic principles of governance after the elections. It commits all parties to a constructive and inclusive democratic process for the new government and opposition.
The Accord has the agreement of all 16 political parties in Timor-Leste.
The head of UNMIT, Mr Atul Khare congratulated all parties for their participation and willingness to reach an agreement.
“The Accord commits the winning party to representing the voices of the majority while listening to and accommodating the needs of the minority. It will also ensure that the minority will adopt a constructive role as a dynamic opposition capable of providing democratic checks and balances.
The new parliament will need a strong and vibrant opposition to ensure that democracy continues to mature in Timor-Leste,” Mr Khare said.
“In the Accord, the pasties commit themselves to ensure that this takes place.”
Also in Dili on Friday, the political parties signed a “Code of Conduct” that commits all parties, their candidates, their representatives and supporters to accept the results, or to challenge them only in competent courts; and to campaign positively through programmes of action not personal criticism of other candidates.
The Code of Conduct was drafted and approved by the national authorities charged with running the parliamentary election.
“Today’s signings demonstrate clearly the agreement of all political parties to play their role freely, fairly and transparently not just during the campaign and voting period, but in the formation of the new parliament and the opposition,” Mr Khare said.
UNMIT is mandated through Security Council Resolution 1704 to “support Timor-Leste in all aspects of the 2007 presidential and parliamentary electoral process, including through technical and logistical support, electoral policy advice and verification or other means.”
For further information please contact UNMIT spokesperson Allison Cooper on +670 7230453
Monday, May 28, 2007
Elections - Intel Brief: East Timor, change in the air
Continuing violence and mismanagement has led to a loss of support for the party that has dominated East Timor's political scene since independence, and June elections are likely to see a change in leadership
By Rachel F Kesselman
May 25, 2007
With the election of President Jose Ramos-Horta on 10 May 2007, it is unlikely that the contending Fretilin Party in East Timor will significantly rise above its current 30 percent voter support in the run-up to 30 June parliamentary elections. Thirty percent support in the upcoming election is likely to decimate Fretilin's dominance in the government, reducing the number of seats they hold to approximately 20 out of a 65-seat assembly.
Horta, a former Nobel Peace Prize winner, garnered approximately 73 percent of the vote in a run-off election, and high voting numbers in his favor are likely due to continuing violence and poor management on behalf of the Fretilin Party.
Horta, who spearheaded the independence struggle overseas, secured the backing of five of the candidates defeated in the first round of voting a month ago. He swept 10 of the country's 13 districts, gaining up to 15 times as many votes as his rival in some areas.
Former East Timor president Xanana Gusmao blames the Fretilin party for violent clashes in the run-up to the recent presidential vote and warned of a spiral of violence if Fretilin's candidate lost. Reuters reported that rival party supporters threw rocks at each other during the last day of official campaigning for the presidential election and injuring at least 30 people.
According to Horta, intimidation tactics have been widespread in some districts and sub-districts by hardliner Fretilin elements that include top officials. It is likely that this action will remain counter-productive to Fretilin's credibility in the upcoming election.
Fretilin has dominated the government since East Timor won its independence in 2002, and is the party most closely associated with the struggle for self-rule. Fretilin's now-disbanded military wing, Falintil, waged the guerrilla war against Indonesia in 1975.
Fretilin's party president, Francisco Guterres, earned only 27 percent of the presidential vote, and he has acknowledged that his party must work hard to retain its seats in the parliamentary election. At least 10,000 Fretilin supporters abandoned the party to vote for Horta in the presidential run-off election. It appears that Fretilin did not gain any extra votes in the second round election, while Horta gained the votes of all the losing candidates from the first round poll.
Analysts and election observers stationed in the country believe the massive win in the second-round presidential poll could signal a shift in East Timor's political scene ahead of the national legislative elections in June. They say that the weakening of Fretilin's grip on power, as suggested by the election results, could open the way for a more vibrant democracy. However, Horta points out that the party is still a very important political force.
Former president Gusmao intends to run for prime minister in June, a more powerful post in East Timor than the presidency. This move indicates that he will likely attempt to seize control of parliament from Fretilin. Gusmao has formed a new right-wing political party and aims to create a coalition government of anti-Fretilin parties following parliamentary elections, according to media reports.
Former prime minister and current Fretilin Secretary-General Mari Alkatiri insists he will continue to lead the party into the parliamentary elections even though he appears to be unpopular. The June elections will increase tensions across the country as Gusmao and Alkatiri have been political enemies for decades.
Many citizens blame Fretilin for the violence that took place in 2006 and general mismanagement of the country, according to a report in the UK-based paper The Guardian. UN officials in the capital of Dili say one of the fundamental weaknesses of the government has been the lack of administrative capability to implement programs approved in the budget. This has led to delays in government spending on improved infrastructure and services. Rural infrastructure, market buildings, country roads, clinics and homes destroyed in the militia mayhem of 1999 remain untouched. At the same time, private investment has been low.
Despite sizable offshore oil and gas deposits, nearly half of East Timor's work force is unemployed, around 60 percent of children under five are malnourished and tens of thousands of people displaced last year remain in tent camps, according to a report in The International Herald Tribune.
Violence has plagued East Timor since it gained independence in 2002. The country plunged into a political and security crisis in May 2006 after approximately 40 percent of the army went on strike over alleged discrimination in promotions and compensation. The government under Prime Minister Alkatiri fired the striking soldiers, sparking a wave of violence that drove approximately 150,000 people from their homes and killed 37 others - factors which likely lead to Fretilin's diminished support for Guterres.
Mercyhurst-ISN intelligence briefs offer foresight into issues that are likely to dominate news headlines and policy agendas. The briefs are a joint initiative of the ISN and Mercyhurst Institute for Intelligence Studies and are composed and referenced using open sources
By Rachel F Kesselman
May 25, 2007
With the election of President Jose Ramos-Horta on 10 May 2007, it is unlikely that the contending Fretilin Party in East Timor will significantly rise above its current 30 percent voter support in the run-up to 30 June parliamentary elections. Thirty percent support in the upcoming election is likely to decimate Fretilin's dominance in the government, reducing the number of seats they hold to approximately 20 out of a 65-seat assembly.
Horta, a former Nobel Peace Prize winner, garnered approximately 73 percent of the vote in a run-off election, and high voting numbers in his favor are likely due to continuing violence and poor management on behalf of the Fretilin Party.
Horta, who spearheaded the independence struggle overseas, secured the backing of five of the candidates defeated in the first round of voting a month ago. He swept 10 of the country's 13 districts, gaining up to 15 times as many votes as his rival in some areas.
Former East Timor president Xanana Gusmao blames the Fretilin party for violent clashes in the run-up to the recent presidential vote and warned of a spiral of violence if Fretilin's candidate lost. Reuters reported that rival party supporters threw rocks at each other during the last day of official campaigning for the presidential election and injuring at least 30 people.
According to Horta, intimidation tactics have been widespread in some districts and sub-districts by hardliner Fretilin elements that include top officials. It is likely that this action will remain counter-productive to Fretilin's credibility in the upcoming election.
Fretilin has dominated the government since East Timor won its independence in 2002, and is the party most closely associated with the struggle for self-rule. Fretilin's now-disbanded military wing, Falintil, waged the guerrilla war against Indonesia in 1975.
Fretilin's party president, Francisco Guterres, earned only 27 percent of the presidential vote, and he has acknowledged that his party must work hard to retain its seats in the parliamentary election. At least 10,000 Fretilin supporters abandoned the party to vote for Horta in the presidential run-off election. It appears that Fretilin did not gain any extra votes in the second round election, while Horta gained the votes of all the losing candidates from the first round poll.
Analysts and election observers stationed in the country believe the massive win in the second-round presidential poll could signal a shift in East Timor's political scene ahead of the national legislative elections in June. They say that the weakening of Fretilin's grip on power, as suggested by the election results, could open the way for a more vibrant democracy. However, Horta points out that the party is still a very important political force.
Former president Gusmao intends to run for prime minister in June, a more powerful post in East Timor than the presidency. This move indicates that he will likely attempt to seize control of parliament from Fretilin. Gusmao has formed a new right-wing political party and aims to create a coalition government of anti-Fretilin parties following parliamentary elections, according to media reports.
Former prime minister and current Fretilin Secretary-General Mari Alkatiri insists he will continue to lead the party into the parliamentary elections even though he appears to be unpopular. The June elections will increase tensions across the country as Gusmao and Alkatiri have been political enemies for decades.
Many citizens blame Fretilin for the violence that took place in 2006 and general mismanagement of the country, according to a report in the UK-based paper The Guardian. UN officials in the capital of Dili say one of the fundamental weaknesses of the government has been the lack of administrative capability to implement programs approved in the budget. This has led to delays in government spending on improved infrastructure and services. Rural infrastructure, market buildings, country roads, clinics and homes destroyed in the militia mayhem of 1999 remain untouched. At the same time, private investment has been low.
Despite sizable offshore oil and gas deposits, nearly half of East Timor's work force is unemployed, around 60 percent of children under five are malnourished and tens of thousands of people displaced last year remain in tent camps, according to a report in The International Herald Tribune.
Violence has plagued East Timor since it gained independence in 2002. The country plunged into a political and security crisis in May 2006 after approximately 40 percent of the army went on strike over alleged discrimination in promotions and compensation. The government under Prime Minister Alkatiri fired the striking soldiers, sparking a wave of violence that drove approximately 150,000 people from their homes and killed 37 others - factors which likely lead to Fretilin's diminished support for Guterres.
Mercyhurst-ISN intelligence briefs offer foresight into issues that are likely to dominate news headlines and policy agendas. The briefs are a joint initiative of the ISN and Mercyhurst Institute for Intelligence Studies and are composed and referenced using open sources
UN committed to East Timor's Parliamentary elections
The United Nations says it's committed to ensuring next month's crucial parliamentary election in East Timor is safe and secure for voters and organisers.
A deputy head of the UN mission in East Timor says UN and local police will guard polling stations for the June 30 election to choose a new prime minister and parliamentarians.
The officers are seen as crucial to helping secure the vote after East Timor descended into violence last year that left 37 people dead.
About 4,000 UN and local police, backed by Australian-led peacekeeping troops, guarded this month's presidential election, which was hailed as peaceful and produced few reports of voter intimidation.
A deputy head of the UN mission in East Timor says UN and local police will guard polling stations for the June 30 election to choose a new prime minister and parliamentarians.
The officers are seen as crucial to helping secure the vote after East Timor descended into violence last year that left 37 people dead.
About 4,000 UN and local police, backed by Australian-led peacekeeping troops, guarded this month's presidential election, which was hailed as peaceful and produced few reports of voter intimidation.
EAST TIMOR: PRESIDENTIAL WIN GIVES NO PARLIAMENTARY GUARANTEE
EAST TIMOR: PRESIDENTIAL WIN GIVES NO PARLIAMENTARY GUARANTEE
Dili, 11 May (AKI) - The clear victory of Jose Ramos Horta in the East Timor presidential race does not mean his party will neccessarily repeat that success in the parliamentary vote in June, according to Damian Kingsbury, an academic and Australian expert. In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI) Kingsbury indicated that Fretilin, the party of the defeated candidate for president Francisco 'Lu-Olo' Guterres, will sweep the polls.
According to non official results, Horta has secured 73 percent of the vote in Wednesday's run off which passed off peacefully.
"The two main characteristics of the voting have been the high voter turn-out, and the consistency of the vote" he said.
More than 80 percent of the 524,000 eligible electors took part in the polls, the first since East Timor won its independence in 2002. In the first round, on 9 April, Guterres had obtained nearly 28 percent of the preferences. The six defeated candidates had then told their supporters to back Horta in the run-off.
Horta said he would "work to accelerate the economic development of the country promoting foreign investment, eradicating poverty and healing teh wounds of the violence of the past year."
The presidential elections come after a year of political tension and violence which has polarised much of the population, forced a change of government, forced 150,000 Timorese to abandon their homes. In the violence put down with the arrival of foreign peacekeeping troops in which scores of people were killed.
Kingsbury pointed out that Fretilin continues to have a hard core of supporters and it will probably be enough to make it win the elections on 30 June.
From this consistent voting behavior, it is now possible to assume that Fretilin will receive around 30 percent of the votes in the coming parliamentary elections in June, which should be enough to gain the majority.
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.413817958&par=0
The legislative elections are considered more important than the presidential vote as, in the Timorese political system, power resides with the prime ministers, the party member given the job of forming the government.
In any case, according to the predictions of analysts, Fretilin will need the support of the other parties to form the government and if the party of Guterres, led by the former prime minister Mari Alkatiri, does not manage to find a partner, the task of forming the government would go to the party which came second in the vote.
Among the top contenders Kingsbury indicated the party of the current president Xanana Gusmao, the National Congress for the Reconstruction of Timor, or Democratic Party.
Dili, 11 May (AKI) - The clear victory of Jose Ramos Horta in the East Timor presidential race does not mean his party will neccessarily repeat that success in the parliamentary vote in June, according to Damian Kingsbury, an academic and Australian expert. In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI) Kingsbury indicated that Fretilin, the party of the defeated candidate for president Francisco 'Lu-Olo' Guterres, will sweep the polls.
According to non official results, Horta has secured 73 percent of the vote in Wednesday's run off which passed off peacefully.
"The two main characteristics of the voting have been the high voter turn-out, and the consistency of the vote" he said.
More than 80 percent of the 524,000 eligible electors took part in the polls, the first since East Timor won its independence in 2002. In the first round, on 9 April, Guterres had obtained nearly 28 percent of the preferences. The six defeated candidates had then told their supporters to back Horta in the run-off.
Horta said he would "work to accelerate the economic development of the country promoting foreign investment, eradicating poverty and healing teh wounds of the violence of the past year."
The presidential elections come after a year of political tension and violence which has polarised much of the population, forced a change of government, forced 150,000 Timorese to abandon their homes. In the violence put down with the arrival of foreign peacekeeping troops in which scores of people were killed.
Kingsbury pointed out that Fretilin continues to have a hard core of supporters and it will probably be enough to make it win the elections on 30 June.
From this consistent voting behavior, it is now possible to assume that Fretilin will receive around 30 percent of the votes in the coming parliamentary elections in June, which should be enough to gain the majority.
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.413817958&par=0
The legislative elections are considered more important than the presidential vote as, in the Timorese political system, power resides with the prime ministers, the party member given the job of forming the government.
In any case, according to the predictions of analysts, Fretilin will need the support of the other parties to form the government and if the party of Guterres, led by the former prime minister Mari Alkatiri, does not manage to find a partner, the task of forming the government would go to the party which came second in the vote.
Among the top contenders Kingsbury indicated the party of the current president Xanana Gusmao, the National Congress for the Reconstruction of Timor, or Democratic Party.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Unrest in East Timor as president sworn in
By staff writers and wires
May 20, 2007 05:23pm
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21763413-38196,00.html?from=public_rss
NOBEL peace laureate Jose Ramos-Horta was sworn in as President of East Timor today at a ceremony in Dili as police clashed with sparring groups in the capital.
Mr Ramos-Horta vowed to guarantee East Timor's stability at the ceremony, held at the heavily guarded national parliament building.
But just hours later fighting erupted in the city between supporters of the small political party supporting Mr Ramos-Horta and the ruling Fretlin party.
"About 50 UN police arrived quickly on the site and immediately set about arresting some 70 people, handcuffing them and putting them in vans," said an AFP reporter at the scene.
The arrests enraged the fighting groups who then started pelting the police vans with stones, prompting UN police to fire warning shots and tear gas.
"The glass panels of three UN police vehicles were broken by the stones and one female UN police member was hit on the arm by a stone," the reporter said.
Ceremony
Mr Ramos-Horta, who spent years abroad as a spokesman for East Timor's struggle for independence from Indonesian occupation, took nearly 70 per cent of the vote in the May 9 election.
"I will... obey the constitution to guarantee national unity and the stability of the nation," he said at the ceremony, dressed in a formal jacket.
His victory has raised hopes of greater stability in a nation still struggling to heal divisions five years after it won independence from Indonesia.
"As a new president... I will follow the steps of outgoing president Xanana Gusmao to realise peoples' dreams... I will find a way to end the crisis in the country," the 57-year-old said.
In a speech delivered in four languages – East Timor's national language Tetum, Portuguese, English and Indonesian – Mr Ramos-Horta urged street gangs to end all violence "because it just destroys the nation".
Mr Ramos-Horta took over as prime minister last year from a Fretilin leader who had been blamed for failing to control riots that left up to 30 people dead.
Activist history
Indonesia annexed East Timor in 1975 after long-time colonial power Portugal had set it free.
Pictures at the time show Mr Ramos-Horta, an anti-colonial journalist and activist under Portuguese rule, as a fatigue-wearing rebel with bushy black hair.
Today, with his short, greying hair and spectacles, he has an almost academic air.
Although he shares revolutionary roots with the Fretilin party, Mr Ramos-Horta has taken an increasingly independent path and is seen as somewhat more friendly than Fretilin stalwarts to international investment and the West.
He won the Nobel Prize in 1996 and returned to East Timor in 1999 after two decades abroad.
East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in a violence-marred referendum in 1999. It became fully independent in 2002 after a period of UN administration.
With AFP and Reuters
May 20, 2007 05:23pm
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21763413-38196,00.html?from=public_rss
NOBEL peace laureate Jose Ramos-Horta was sworn in as President of East Timor today at a ceremony in Dili as police clashed with sparring groups in the capital.
Mr Ramos-Horta vowed to guarantee East Timor's stability at the ceremony, held at the heavily guarded national parliament building.
But just hours later fighting erupted in the city between supporters of the small political party supporting Mr Ramos-Horta and the ruling Fretlin party.
"About 50 UN police arrived quickly on the site and immediately set about arresting some 70 people, handcuffing them and putting them in vans," said an AFP reporter at the scene.
The arrests enraged the fighting groups who then started pelting the police vans with stones, prompting UN police to fire warning shots and tear gas.
"The glass panels of three UN police vehicles were broken by the stones and one female UN police member was hit on the arm by a stone," the reporter said.
Ceremony
Mr Ramos-Horta, who spent years abroad as a spokesman for East Timor's struggle for independence from Indonesian occupation, took nearly 70 per cent of the vote in the May 9 election.
"I will... obey the constitution to guarantee national unity and the stability of the nation," he said at the ceremony, dressed in a formal jacket.
His victory has raised hopes of greater stability in a nation still struggling to heal divisions five years after it won independence from Indonesia.
"As a new president... I will follow the steps of outgoing president Xanana Gusmao to realise peoples' dreams... I will find a way to end the crisis in the country," the 57-year-old said.
In a speech delivered in four languages – East Timor's national language Tetum, Portuguese, English and Indonesian – Mr Ramos-Horta urged street gangs to end all violence "because it just destroys the nation".
Mr Ramos-Horta took over as prime minister last year from a Fretilin leader who had been blamed for failing to control riots that left up to 30 people dead.
Activist history
Indonesia annexed East Timor in 1975 after long-time colonial power Portugal had set it free.
Pictures at the time show Mr Ramos-Horta, an anti-colonial journalist and activist under Portuguese rule, as a fatigue-wearing rebel with bushy black hair.
Today, with his short, greying hair and spectacles, he has an almost academic air.
Although he shares revolutionary roots with the Fretilin party, Mr Ramos-Horta has taken an increasingly independent path and is seen as somewhat more friendly than Fretilin stalwarts to international investment and the West.
He won the Nobel Prize in 1996 and returned to East Timor in 1999 after two decades abroad.
East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia in a violence-marred referendum in 1999. It became fully independent in 2002 after a period of UN administration.
With AFP and Reuters
E Timor's interim PM sworn in
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1927573.htm
Print Email
Last Update: Saturday, May 19, 2007. 4:42pm (AEST)
Estanislau Aleixo da Silva has been sworn in as East Timor's interim prime minister, succeeding Jose Ramos Horta, who was elected president of the tiny state in a landslide earlier this month.
Mr Da Silva, a member of the ruling Fretilin party, will only serve until next month's parliamentary elections, in which outgoing President Xanana Gusmao is widely tipped to become the next prime minister.
"I feel honoured that I am trusted by my party as well as by President Xanana to hold the post of prime minister," he told reporters after a ceremony at the presidential palace, presided over by Mr Gusmao.
"I do not want to make many promises as it's only for a brief period. I only want to promise you that I'll work hard to create good conditions for the next election, to enable Timorese people to exercise their voting rights."
Mr Da Silva previously served as deputy prime minister and agriculture minister.
He confirmed rumours that foreign minister Luis Guterres had been sacked, without offering further details.
Dr Ramos Horta, who is to be sworn in on Sunday (local time), won 69 per cent of the vote in the election, defeating the Fretilin candidate and raising hopes among many East Timorese that he will bring peace after last year's deadly unrest.
The election was the impoverished nation's first since it won independence in 2002 following a bloody separation from occupying Indonesian forces.
-AFP
Print Email
Last Update: Saturday, May 19, 2007. 4:42pm (AEST)
Estanislau Aleixo da Silva has been sworn in as East Timor's interim prime minister, succeeding Jose Ramos Horta, who was elected president of the tiny state in a landslide earlier this month.
Mr Da Silva, a member of the ruling Fretilin party, will only serve until next month's parliamentary elections, in which outgoing President Xanana Gusmao is widely tipped to become the next prime minister.
"I feel honoured that I am trusted by my party as well as by President Xanana to hold the post of prime minister," he told reporters after a ceremony at the presidential palace, presided over by Mr Gusmao.
"I do not want to make many promises as it's only for a brief period. I only want to promise you that I'll work hard to create good conditions for the next election, to enable Timorese people to exercise their voting rights."
Mr Da Silva previously served as deputy prime minister and agriculture minister.
He confirmed rumours that foreign minister Luis Guterres had been sacked, without offering further details.
Dr Ramos Horta, who is to be sworn in on Sunday (local time), won 69 per cent of the vote in the election, defeating the Fretilin candidate and raising hopes among many East Timorese that he will bring peace after last year's deadly unrest.
The election was the impoverished nation's first since it won independence in 2002 following a bloody separation from occupying Indonesian forces.
-AFP
East Timor swears in new president
E Timor's new president sworn in
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6673717.stm
Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta has been sworn in East Timor's new president.
Taking the oath of office in the capital, Dili, Mr Ramos-Horta vowed to work for national unity and stability.
Mr Ramos-Horta won the May run-off vote with almost 70% of the vote, beating parliament head Francisco Guterres.
He replaces Xanana Gusmao, who is to contest elections next month for the more powerful post of prime minister - the role vacated by Mr Ramos-Horta.
Many in East Timor hope Mr Ramos-Horta's victory in relatively peaceful polls will bring stability to a nation struggling with severe poverty and still recovering from last year's violent clashes.
'End the crisis'
Representatives from around the region gathered at parliament house for the official ceremony, which coincided with the fifth anniversary of East Timor's formal independence.
East Timor broke away from 25 years of Indonesian rule in a 1999 referendum, before being run under UN protection until May 2002.
Speaking after he was sworn in, Mr Ramos-Horta promised to find "the way to end the crisis of the country", and to tackle differences between the police and armed forces.
In May and June 2006 tensions between the two sides triggered weeks of street clashes that left more than 30 people dead and tens of thousands homeless.
Mr Ramos-Horta also appealed to young people to end a culture of clashes between street gangs.
"With vengeance and violence, we will not win over anything," he said. "With conscience in our hearts and our minds, with books and computers, we can win."
Mr Ramos-Horta has previously served as foreign minister. He spent years in exile leading the country's campaign for independence from Indonesia, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6673717.stm
Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta has been sworn in East Timor's new president.
Taking the oath of office in the capital, Dili, Mr Ramos-Horta vowed to work for national unity and stability.
Mr Ramos-Horta won the May run-off vote with almost 70% of the vote, beating parliament head Francisco Guterres.
He replaces Xanana Gusmao, who is to contest elections next month for the more powerful post of prime minister - the role vacated by Mr Ramos-Horta.
Many in East Timor hope Mr Ramos-Horta's victory in relatively peaceful polls will bring stability to a nation struggling with severe poverty and still recovering from last year's violent clashes.
'End the crisis'
Representatives from around the region gathered at parliament house for the official ceremony, which coincided with the fifth anniversary of East Timor's formal independence.
East Timor broke away from 25 years of Indonesian rule in a 1999 referendum, before being run under UN protection until May 2002.
Speaking after he was sworn in, Mr Ramos-Horta promised to find "the way to end the crisis of the country", and to tackle differences between the police and armed forces.
In May and June 2006 tensions between the two sides triggered weeks of street clashes that left more than 30 people dead and tens of thousands homeless.
Mr Ramos-Horta also appealed to young people to end a culture of clashes between street gangs.
"With vengeance and violence, we will not win over anything," he said. "With conscience in our hearts and our minds, with books and computers, we can win."
Mr Ramos-Horta has previously served as foreign minister. He spent years in exile leading the country's campaign for independence from Indonesia, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996.
Congratulations to the people of East Timor
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/may/18/yehey/opinion/20070518opi1.html
Friday, May 18, 2007
EDITORIAL
The Filipinos should congratulate Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta on his election as president of East Timor. Also to be lauded are the people of Timor Leste for taking their country one more step closer to permanent stability as a democracy, as a prosperous nation-state and (soon enough, we hope) as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Although foreign friends, like Australians and New Zealanders in addition to the United Nations itself, were around to help, this election was the first the East Timorese have managed by themselves since it won independence in 2002. Timor Leste’s independence followed a bloody separation from Indonesia whose occupying forces supported violent Timorese factions trying to prevent East Timor’s independence.
Voter participation was high—81 percent of the voting population. This indicates that Timor Leste’s people are eager to create for themselves a democratic government and society.
Ramos-Horta became East Timor’s officially declared president on Wednesday and will be formally sworn in on Sunday. He won 69 percent of the vote in the election, raising hopes that he will bring peace and heal divisions for good.
East Timor is the world’s youngest nation. Like the Philippines, Roman Catholics make up the majority of the 1-million population.
Until only a year ago, it was wracked by civil unrest. UN peacekeepers and local police have been keeping the peace since violence broke out between rival political groups. Killed in the series of fighting were 37 people. Forced to flee from their homes, like our collaterally damaged Muslim compatriots in Sulu, were 150,000 people.
President Ramos Horta’s first work of healing is that of placating disgruntled soldiers who were removed from the army because they had become followers of trouble-making officers.
Horta’s victory devastates Fretilin, which was the chief freedom-fighting force against Indonesian occupation and has ruled East Timor since the country gained independence five years ago.
Led by deposed prime minister Mari Alkatiri, the Fretilin party will surely slug it out with Horta’s prodemocracy coalition again in the parliamentary elections on June 30. It will have to amend its present ideology, objectives and tactics that by and large are seen as the cause of much of the unrest that Timor Leste has suffered.
Outgoing president Xanana Gusmao, another former freedom fighter, steps down on May 20 when Ramos-Horta assumes office. Gusmao has formed a party to contest the parliamentary election against Fretilin. He and Ramos-Horta are allies in the coalition. Gusmao and his candidates will not find it hard to beat those of the Fretilin in June.
With a parliament allied to Ramos-Horta and Gusmao, correct planning and hard work for East Timor’s future are assured.
Foreign election observers
President Ramos Horta will surely push for the United Nations to manage the parliamentary elections to make sure that no trouble happens and the rest of the world accepts the results.
The head of the UN mission in East Timor, Atul Khare, described Wednesday’s presidential poll, which was relatively free of violence, as a “very good result.”
If only UN mission people were watching our own midterm elections last Monday, they would have given the same assessment as Khare’s. Alas, our foreign observers were a mixed bag of US-style liberals and internationalist leftists. Some of them, even before they got the facts right and without benefit of learning the background of the places they were observing, had formed their biased and rather ignorant opinions. Their statements were immediately given global exposure by print, radio and TV media.
Now many global media audiences think East Timor is more democratic than the Philippines.
Friday, May 18, 2007
EDITORIAL
The Filipinos should congratulate Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta on his election as president of East Timor. Also to be lauded are the people of Timor Leste for taking their country one more step closer to permanent stability as a democracy, as a prosperous nation-state and (soon enough, we hope) as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Although foreign friends, like Australians and New Zealanders in addition to the United Nations itself, were around to help, this election was the first the East Timorese have managed by themselves since it won independence in 2002. Timor Leste’s independence followed a bloody separation from Indonesia whose occupying forces supported violent Timorese factions trying to prevent East Timor’s independence.
Voter participation was high—81 percent of the voting population. This indicates that Timor Leste’s people are eager to create for themselves a democratic government and society.
Ramos-Horta became East Timor’s officially declared president on Wednesday and will be formally sworn in on Sunday. He won 69 percent of the vote in the election, raising hopes that he will bring peace and heal divisions for good.
East Timor is the world’s youngest nation. Like the Philippines, Roman Catholics make up the majority of the 1-million population.
Until only a year ago, it was wracked by civil unrest. UN peacekeepers and local police have been keeping the peace since violence broke out between rival political groups. Killed in the series of fighting were 37 people. Forced to flee from their homes, like our collaterally damaged Muslim compatriots in Sulu, were 150,000 people.
President Ramos Horta’s first work of healing is that of placating disgruntled soldiers who were removed from the army because they had become followers of trouble-making officers.
Horta’s victory devastates Fretilin, which was the chief freedom-fighting force against Indonesian occupation and has ruled East Timor since the country gained independence five years ago.
Led by deposed prime minister Mari Alkatiri, the Fretilin party will surely slug it out with Horta’s prodemocracy coalition again in the parliamentary elections on June 30. It will have to amend its present ideology, objectives and tactics that by and large are seen as the cause of much of the unrest that Timor Leste has suffered.
Outgoing president Xanana Gusmao, another former freedom fighter, steps down on May 20 when Ramos-Horta assumes office. Gusmao has formed a party to contest the parliamentary election against Fretilin. He and Ramos-Horta are allies in the coalition. Gusmao and his candidates will not find it hard to beat those of the Fretilin in June.
With a parliament allied to Ramos-Horta and Gusmao, correct planning and hard work for East Timor’s future are assured.
Foreign election observers
President Ramos Horta will surely push for the United Nations to manage the parliamentary elections to make sure that no trouble happens and the rest of the world accepts the results.
The head of the UN mission in East Timor, Atul Khare, described Wednesday’s presidential poll, which was relatively free of violence, as a “very good result.”
If only UN mission people were watching our own midterm elections last Monday, they would have given the same assessment as Khare’s. Alas, our foreign observers were a mixed bag of US-style liberals and internationalist leftists. Some of them, even before they got the facts right and without benefit of learning the background of the places they were observing, had formed their biased and rather ignorant opinions. Their statements were immediately given global exposure by print, radio and TV media.
Now many global media audiences think East Timor is more democratic than the Philippines.
Healing time for East Timor
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/rss/ed20070518a1.html
Friday, May 18, 2007 EDITORIAL
The landslide victory of Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta in East Timor's presidential election points to the people's hope that the Nobel laureate will bring unity and reconciliation to Asia's youngest nation. Mr. Ramos-Horta shared the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with Bishop Carlos Belo for their nonviolent struggle against Indonesian occupation. He served as East Timor's first post-independence foreign minister.
On Sunday, the tiny nation with a population of about 950,000 celebrate the fifth anniversary of its independence as Mr. Ramos-Horta is sworn in as president. There will be general elections in June. Acceleration of a conflict between rival political groups cannot be ruled out. A tough job of healing political and regional divisions awaits the new president.
In a United Nations-organized referendum in August 1999, the East Timorese voted to secede from Indonesia, which had invaded their land in 1975. Still, East Timor has been plagued by political and regional conflicts and a high unemployment rate hovering at 50 percent.
In 2006, soldiers from the western part of the country complaining about favoritism for soldiers from the east mutinied. The highhanded approach to the mutiny by then Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri of the Fretilin party divided the nation, leading to riots, looting and arson. The breakdown of law and order drove more than 150,000 people from their homes. Mr. Alkatiri resigned in June and was succeeded by Mr. Ramos-Horta. In August, the U.N. revised a peacekeeping operation in East Timor.
The results of the presidential elections indicate that the people have dumped Fretilin, East Timor's biggest political party, which was the main force in the independence movement. Mr. Ramos-Horta and the departing President Xanana Gusmao, who were Fretilin leaders, chose to join hands to oppose Fretilin. In the coming general elections, Mr. Gusmao's new party will vie with Fretilin. It is hoped that the elections will serve as a chance to create a functioning multiparty system, rather than as a trigger of further political confusion and confrontation.
Friday, May 18, 2007 EDITORIAL
The landslide victory of Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta in East Timor's presidential election points to the people's hope that the Nobel laureate will bring unity and reconciliation to Asia's youngest nation. Mr. Ramos-Horta shared the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with Bishop Carlos Belo for their nonviolent struggle against Indonesian occupation. He served as East Timor's first post-independence foreign minister.
On Sunday, the tiny nation with a population of about 950,000 celebrate the fifth anniversary of its independence as Mr. Ramos-Horta is sworn in as president. There will be general elections in June. Acceleration of a conflict between rival political groups cannot be ruled out. A tough job of healing political and regional divisions awaits the new president.
In a United Nations-organized referendum in August 1999, the East Timorese voted to secede from Indonesia, which had invaded their land in 1975. Still, East Timor has been plagued by political and regional conflicts and a high unemployment rate hovering at 50 percent.
In 2006, soldiers from the western part of the country complaining about favoritism for soldiers from the east mutinied. The highhanded approach to the mutiny by then Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri of the Fretilin party divided the nation, leading to riots, looting and arson. The breakdown of law and order drove more than 150,000 people from their homes. Mr. Alkatiri resigned in June and was succeeded by Mr. Ramos-Horta. In August, the U.N. revised a peacekeeping operation in East Timor.
The results of the presidential elections indicate that the people have dumped Fretilin, East Timor's biggest political party, which was the main force in the independence movement. Mr. Ramos-Horta and the departing President Xanana Gusmao, who were Fretilin leaders, chose to join hands to oppose Fretilin. In the coming general elections, Mr. Gusmao's new party will vie with Fretilin. It is hoped that the elections will serve as a chance to create a functioning multiparty system, rather than as a trigger of further political confusion and confrontation.
Guterres ready to admit defeat in E Timor poll
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1920475.htm
Last Update: Friday, May 11, 2007. 1:00pm (AEST)
East Timor presidential candidate Francisco 'Lu-Olo' Guterres says he is ready to accept defeat to Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos Horta in this week's election.
While not officially conceding, Mr Guterres shrugged off the result of Wednesday's run-off in which Mr Ramos-Horta looks set for a landslide victory.
"For me, winning or losing is a normal thing, for me personally, as Lu-Olo, it is alright [if I lose]," Mr Guterres said.
The former freedom fighter said he would now set his sights, and those of his ruling Fretilin party, on parliamentary elections in June.
"What is important now is to prepare ourselves to face the upcoming election," he said. "We will also observe how they (Mr Ramos Horta and his team) will manage the country."
Meanwhile new fighting has broken out in the troubled nation, with United Nations police reporting an outbreak of violence at Metinaro, about 25 kilometres east of the capital Dili.
Local gangs in and around a refugee camp were throwing rocks, but it is unclear whether the fighting is related to the election result.
A house was burnt down in Dili last night.
Security forces have been on extra high alert in case of trouble from Fretilin party supporters.
And the European Union (EU) has strongly criticised the conduct of both presidential candidates during the election campaign.
The EU has 40 independent observers in East Timor to monitor both the presidential and next month's parliamentary elections.
EU head of mission Jose Pomes Ruiz says Wednesday's second round vote was more peaceful and efficient than last month's poll, but he has criticised both candidates for their behaviour.
He says both Mr Ramos Horta and Mr Gutteres were unnecessarily aggressive and insulting to each other and jeopardised the country's security by accusing each other of fraud and voter intimidation.
He says such allegations were false and are dangerous in a fragile nation like East Timor, where politicians should be fostering peace.
He has urged candidates in next month's parliamentary elections to avoid such divisive behaviour.
The presidential election in East Timor was the first since the country won independence in 2002 following a bloody separation from neighbouring Indonesia.
With 90 per cent of the ballots counted, Mr Ramos-Horta held an unbeatable lead with 73 per cent of the vote, the election commission said.
Official results could come as early as today.
- AFP/ABC
Last Update: Friday, May 11, 2007. 1:00pm (AEST)
East Timor presidential candidate Francisco 'Lu-Olo' Guterres says he is ready to accept defeat to Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos Horta in this week's election.
While not officially conceding, Mr Guterres shrugged off the result of Wednesday's run-off in which Mr Ramos-Horta looks set for a landslide victory.
"For me, winning or losing is a normal thing, for me personally, as Lu-Olo, it is alright [if I lose]," Mr Guterres said.
The former freedom fighter said he would now set his sights, and those of his ruling Fretilin party, on parliamentary elections in June.
"What is important now is to prepare ourselves to face the upcoming election," he said. "We will also observe how they (Mr Ramos Horta and his team) will manage the country."
Meanwhile new fighting has broken out in the troubled nation, with United Nations police reporting an outbreak of violence at Metinaro, about 25 kilometres east of the capital Dili.
Local gangs in and around a refugee camp were throwing rocks, but it is unclear whether the fighting is related to the election result.
A house was burnt down in Dili last night.
Security forces have been on extra high alert in case of trouble from Fretilin party supporters.
And the European Union (EU) has strongly criticised the conduct of both presidential candidates during the election campaign.
The EU has 40 independent observers in East Timor to monitor both the presidential and next month's parliamentary elections.
EU head of mission Jose Pomes Ruiz says Wednesday's second round vote was more peaceful and efficient than last month's poll, but he has criticised both candidates for their behaviour.
He says both Mr Ramos Horta and Mr Gutteres were unnecessarily aggressive and insulting to each other and jeopardised the country's security by accusing each other of fraud and voter intimidation.
He says such allegations were false and are dangerous in a fragile nation like East Timor, where politicians should be fostering peace.
He has urged candidates in next month's parliamentary elections to avoid such divisive behaviour.
The presidential election in East Timor was the first since the country won independence in 2002 following a bloody separation from neighbouring Indonesia.
With 90 per cent of the ballots counted, Mr Ramos-Horta held an unbeatable lead with 73 per cent of the vote, the election commission said.
Official results could come as early as today.
- AFP/ABC
A fresh start in East Timor
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/05/11/opinion/opinion_30033920.php
Ramos-Horta's election win offers the country a chance to deal with the problems it has had since independence
The people of East Timor have elected their new president, Jose Ramos-Horta, who won a decisive victory over Francisco Guterres. From this point forward, Ramos-Horta has to prove that he has what it takes to be the leader of one of the newest and poorest countries in the world. With a population under one million, East Timor continues to struggle to make ends meet, despite the country's abundant oil reserves. Only half of the country's population is literate and almost 40 per cent of the nation's adults are unemployed.
After gaining independence in 2000, hopes were high that this nation would grow more democratic and that it would quickly be integrated into the rest of the region. This did not happen. East Timor instead slid towards anarchy recently with violence occurring day in, day out prior to the election. Internal strife has also driven foreign investors away and now the country is as poor as ever.
Ramos-Horta can make a difference for this destitute country now that he is in charge, even if the position he holds is a ceremonial one. After all, the former foreign minister has the charm and wit necessary in political life. For decades he fought quite effectively as a fighter for independence against the Indonesian government. He built a grand coalition at the international level to back his quest for East Timor's freedom and independence. He was hailed as a hero and his efforts were internationally recognised when he was later awarded a Nobel Prize.
Throughout these years and with these accomplishments, Ramos-Horta has yet, however, shown that he has the ability to govern and lead the country towards a democratic future. Over the past few years, he has chided the media and restricted their freedom, and he has also criticised foreign reports on his country. While he had previously used the media effectively to promote his cause and turn himself into a celebrity, all that has changed and the reality is entirely different. His inconsistent relations with the media have worked against him as he is now identified with leaders who deny democratic growth.
It is hoped that as president he will promote democracy and transparency in East Timor. His friend, former president Xanana Gusmao, is vying for the premiership later this year. Again, this pair working together could offer great benefit to East Timor, but they must deliver what they have pledged all along. East Timor can no longer afford to go on as it is, with public safety not guaranteed, not to mention other aspects of life.
To survive and progress, East Timor must integrate with the Southeast Asian region. Leaders there should look to Cambodia as an example. When Cambodia emerged in 1993 from a UN-sanctioned peace plan, the first free elections were held in that country with UN assistance, with subsequent polls run by the Cambodian government. The country has progressed, despite some internal problems and now has joined the ranks of Asean. As an active member of Asean, Cambodia provides a lesson for East Timor to emulate.
Dili must decide if its future rests with Southeast Asia or the South Pacific region. Ramos-Horta himself used to be ambivalent about East Timor's identity.
In the beginning, he strongly identified East Timor as a South Pacific country because countries in that region were more supportive of East Timor than Asean. He has now shifted his position following the country attaining independence and Indonesia's new attitude towards East Timor. He has said repeatedly that his country could serve as a bridge between Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, however his preferred strategy is to have it both ways. That strategy could carry a high toll.
As president, Ramos-Horta can accelerate East Timor's membership of Asean. It was believed previously that it would be another five or 10 years before the country would be able to join Asean. Some Asean countries are reluctant to take in a poor and unsettled country, however the grouping should at least give East Timor a chance. Asean's 40th anniversary to be held in Singapore in November would be an auspicious time to grant East Timor entry.
Ramos-Horta's election win offers the country a chance to deal with the problems it has had since independence
The people of East Timor have elected their new president, Jose Ramos-Horta, who won a decisive victory over Francisco Guterres. From this point forward, Ramos-Horta has to prove that he has what it takes to be the leader of one of the newest and poorest countries in the world. With a population under one million, East Timor continues to struggle to make ends meet, despite the country's abundant oil reserves. Only half of the country's population is literate and almost 40 per cent of the nation's adults are unemployed.
After gaining independence in 2000, hopes were high that this nation would grow more democratic and that it would quickly be integrated into the rest of the region. This did not happen. East Timor instead slid towards anarchy recently with violence occurring day in, day out prior to the election. Internal strife has also driven foreign investors away and now the country is as poor as ever.
Ramos-Horta can make a difference for this destitute country now that he is in charge, even if the position he holds is a ceremonial one. After all, the former foreign minister has the charm and wit necessary in political life. For decades he fought quite effectively as a fighter for independence against the Indonesian government. He built a grand coalition at the international level to back his quest for East Timor's freedom and independence. He was hailed as a hero and his efforts were internationally recognised when he was later awarded a Nobel Prize.
Throughout these years and with these accomplishments, Ramos-Horta has yet, however, shown that he has the ability to govern and lead the country towards a democratic future. Over the past few years, he has chided the media and restricted their freedom, and he has also criticised foreign reports on his country. While he had previously used the media effectively to promote his cause and turn himself into a celebrity, all that has changed and the reality is entirely different. His inconsistent relations with the media have worked against him as he is now identified with leaders who deny democratic growth.
It is hoped that as president he will promote democracy and transparency in East Timor. His friend, former president Xanana Gusmao, is vying for the premiership later this year. Again, this pair working together could offer great benefit to East Timor, but they must deliver what they have pledged all along. East Timor can no longer afford to go on as it is, with public safety not guaranteed, not to mention other aspects of life.
To survive and progress, East Timor must integrate with the Southeast Asian region. Leaders there should look to Cambodia as an example. When Cambodia emerged in 1993 from a UN-sanctioned peace plan, the first free elections were held in that country with UN assistance, with subsequent polls run by the Cambodian government. The country has progressed, despite some internal problems and now has joined the ranks of Asean. As an active member of Asean, Cambodia provides a lesson for East Timor to emulate.
Dili must decide if its future rests with Southeast Asia or the South Pacific region. Ramos-Horta himself used to be ambivalent about East Timor's identity.
In the beginning, he strongly identified East Timor as a South Pacific country because countries in that region were more supportive of East Timor than Asean. He has now shifted his position following the country attaining independence and Indonesia's new attitude towards East Timor. He has said repeatedly that his country could serve as a bridge between Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, however his preferred strategy is to have it both ways. That strategy could carry a high toll.
As president, Ramos-Horta can accelerate East Timor's membership of Asean. It was believed previously that it would be another five or 10 years before the country would be able to join Asean. Some Asean countries are reluctant to take in a poor and unsettled country, however the grouping should at least give East Timor a chance. Asean's 40th anniversary to be held in Singapore in November would be an auspicious time to grant East Timor entry.
East Timor conducts peaceful election
Published: Thursday, 10 May, 2007, 01:36 PM Doha Time
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=148361&version=1&template_id=45&parent_id=25
DILI: East Timor held a peaceful presidential election yesterday, bolstering hopes that months of deadly political turmoil in one of the world’s newest countries could be near an end.
The orderly queues at polling stations across the former Portuguese colony were in sharp contrast to the violence of the past year, which saw foreign peacekeepers sent in to quell the unrest.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta was seen as the favourite ahead of the ruling party’s Francisco Lu-Olo Guterres after the two men came out on top in last month’s first round of voting.
Election officials said yesterday’s turnout appeared to be “very high” and vote counting could take up to two days.
Both candidates, who accused each other of bribing voters during campaigning, said they were confident of victory.
“Whatever the outcome, I will win,” said Ramos-Horta, the current prime minister, who won the Nobel Prize for his role in popularising the Timorese struggle for independence from neighbouring Indonesia after it invaded in 1975.
Guterres, a former resistance fighter and current leader of the ruling Fretilin party that Ramos-Horta founded and later left, echoed his words: “I am confident that I will be the winner.”
The presidency is a largely ceremonial position but could have an influence in helping to guide the nation out of more than a year of troubles. Unrest last year left 37 people dead and more than 100,000 displaced.
A split between rival factions of the military spiralled into street violence that led officials, including outgoing President Xanana Gusmao, to appeal for international troops and police to come in and restore order.
East Timor had also descended into violence after voting in a 1999 referendum for independence from Indonesia — something it won in 2002 after three years of administration by the United Nations.
Many Timorese are hoping the presidential election — the country’s first since independence — will help to unify the nation, which is one of the poorest on the planet.
“We hope that the next president, whoever that is, can get us out of this crisis, this conflict,” said George Lopes Belo, a 29-year-old sometime labourer voting at a primary school in the second city of Baucau.
Queues formed early at tightly guarded polling stations outside of the capital, but the mood was more subdued in Dili, where voters arrived at stations at scattered times and quickly cast their ballots.
“Reports so far indicate that the vote has proceeded without significant violence,” UN spokeswoman Allison Cooper said. “It’s been peaceful and we are hoping it will extend to the counting.”
A shortage of ballot papers was reported at eight polling stations, with a UN helicopter forced to rush papers to one remote location, officials said.
Turnout around the nation appeared to be “very high,” and could surpass the 81 percent reported in the first round, the Timorese Technical Secretariat for Election Administration said late yesterday.
“We have a high turnout for the second round,” administration director Tomas Cabral told a press conference.
Polling stations were being secured by 4,000 UN and local police, backed by about 1,000 troops from the Australian-led international security force sent in after last year’s violence.
The charismatic Gusmao, who is expected to run to replace Ramos-Horta in the more powerful post of prime minister in other elections next month, urged the East Timorese people to accept the result peacefully.
“We have to abide by the decision to uphold and develop democracy,” he said.
Gusmao said earlier this week that last year’s unrest severely set back efforts to rebuild the country.–AFP
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=148361&version=1&template_id=45&parent_id=25
DILI: East Timor held a peaceful presidential election yesterday, bolstering hopes that months of deadly political turmoil in one of the world’s newest countries could be near an end.
The orderly queues at polling stations across the former Portuguese colony were in sharp contrast to the violence of the past year, which saw foreign peacekeepers sent in to quell the unrest.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta was seen as the favourite ahead of the ruling party’s Francisco Lu-Olo Guterres after the two men came out on top in last month’s first round of voting.
Election officials said yesterday’s turnout appeared to be “very high” and vote counting could take up to two days.
Both candidates, who accused each other of bribing voters during campaigning, said they were confident of victory.
“Whatever the outcome, I will win,” said Ramos-Horta, the current prime minister, who won the Nobel Prize for his role in popularising the Timorese struggle for independence from neighbouring Indonesia after it invaded in 1975.
Guterres, a former resistance fighter and current leader of the ruling Fretilin party that Ramos-Horta founded and later left, echoed his words: “I am confident that I will be the winner.”
The presidency is a largely ceremonial position but could have an influence in helping to guide the nation out of more than a year of troubles. Unrest last year left 37 people dead and more than 100,000 displaced.
A split between rival factions of the military spiralled into street violence that led officials, including outgoing President Xanana Gusmao, to appeal for international troops and police to come in and restore order.
East Timor had also descended into violence after voting in a 1999 referendum for independence from Indonesia — something it won in 2002 after three years of administration by the United Nations.
Many Timorese are hoping the presidential election — the country’s first since independence — will help to unify the nation, which is one of the poorest on the planet.
“We hope that the next president, whoever that is, can get us out of this crisis, this conflict,” said George Lopes Belo, a 29-year-old sometime labourer voting at a primary school in the second city of Baucau.
Queues formed early at tightly guarded polling stations outside of the capital, but the mood was more subdued in Dili, where voters arrived at stations at scattered times and quickly cast their ballots.
“Reports so far indicate that the vote has proceeded without significant violence,” UN spokeswoman Allison Cooper said. “It’s been peaceful and we are hoping it will extend to the counting.”
A shortage of ballot papers was reported at eight polling stations, with a UN helicopter forced to rush papers to one remote location, officials said.
Turnout around the nation appeared to be “very high,” and could surpass the 81 percent reported in the first round, the Timorese Technical Secretariat for Election Administration said late yesterday.
“We have a high turnout for the second round,” administration director Tomas Cabral told a press conference.
Polling stations were being secured by 4,000 UN and local police, backed by about 1,000 troops from the Australian-led international security force sent in after last year’s violence.
The charismatic Gusmao, who is expected to run to replace Ramos-Horta in the more powerful post of prime minister in other elections next month, urged the East Timorese people to accept the result peacefully.
“We have to abide by the decision to uphold and develop democracy,” he said.
Gusmao said earlier this week that last year’s unrest severely set back efforts to rebuild the country.–AFP
New president needs support to reform troubled ETimor: analysts
Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 13-May-2007 09:43 hrs
Incoming East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta's chances of achieving major reform in the troubled tiny state hinge on the outcome of next month's parliamentary elections, analysts said.
The Nobel laureate won Wednesday's presidential poll in a landslide, raising the hopes of impoverished East Timorese struggling for a better life five years after independence from occupying Indonesia.
Ramos-Horta immediately pledged to reform the fractured military, strengthen the economy and unite the country when he replaces charismatic former guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao as president later this month.
But the role of president is largely ceremonial, leaving Ramos-Horta with few powers to implement the substantial changes that he says East Timor desperately needs, said Timor expert Damien Kingsbury.
"He basically has two roles, one is a symbolic head of state and the other is that he has power of veto over legislation passed in parliament," said Kingsbury from Australia's Deakin University.
Ramos-Horta must await the outcome of parliamentary polls in June to determine if he can work effectively with a newly elected government and prime minister to introduce change, Kingsbury said.
"That's still the main game," said Kingsbury of next month's elections.
Favourite to win the powerful post of prime minister is Gusmao, a hero for many East Timorese because of his exploits against Indonesian forces, and a close ally of Ramos-Horta.
"It (his chances of introducing change) all depends on how well Ramos-Horta can work with the new government," said Sophia Cason from Brussels-based thinktank the International Crisis Group.
"If it's a Fretilin government then he might face difficulty. But if Xanana is elected prime minister then there shouldn't be any conflict," said Cason, an East Timor analyst based in the capital Dili.
Ramos-Horta is banking on Gusmao and his new party winning a majority of seats in June over the ruling Fretilin party, although the Nobel Peace Prize winner has pledged to work with Fretilin leaders and support its members, analysts said.
Formed as a resistance movement and a symbol of East Timor's struggle for independence, Fretilin suffered a disastrous defeat to Ramos-Horta on Wednesday, and faces a tough task to win back voters for the June poll, Kingsbury said.
Although Ramos-Horta was a founding member of Fretilin, he resigned in the late 1980s and ran on Wednesday as an independent, finishing with 69 percent of the vote, compared with 31 percent for Fretilin's candidate.
The defeat is a sign of the leftist Fretilin's weakening stranglehold on the parliament that it has dominated since the state gained independence in 2002, analysts said.
"I think Fretilin .. can no longer claim that they are representing the people because they have lost the people," said Kingsbury.
"And it's going to be an uphill battle to claw back that ground at the parliamentary polls," he said.
Cason agreed, adding many East Timorese were disillusioned with Fretilin's current leaders who were closely linked with last year's deadly unrest.
Fretilin leader Mari Alkatiri was forced to resign last year as prime minister after he sacked 600 army deserters who claimed discrimination, a move that triggered firefights between military factions that degenerated into deadly gang violence.
More than 30,000 people remain displaced in Dili, fearful of returning home.
Analyst Lili Romli, from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, said Ramos-Horta, who pushed East Timor's struggle for independence on the world stage, could encourage the international community to continue to provide assistance to the fledgling country.
But it was unclear whether he could resolve East Timor's many domestic problems, including restoring security, she said.
"This is where Xanana comes in. The Xanana-Horta combo is needed for running of domestic policies and to maintain international relations." — AFP
Posted: 13-May-2007 09:43 hrs
Incoming East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta's chances of achieving major reform in the troubled tiny state hinge on the outcome of next month's parliamentary elections, analysts said.
The Nobel laureate won Wednesday's presidential poll in a landslide, raising the hopes of impoverished East Timorese struggling for a better life five years after independence from occupying Indonesia.
Ramos-Horta immediately pledged to reform the fractured military, strengthen the economy and unite the country when he replaces charismatic former guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao as president later this month.
But the role of president is largely ceremonial, leaving Ramos-Horta with few powers to implement the substantial changes that he says East Timor desperately needs, said Timor expert Damien Kingsbury.
"He basically has two roles, one is a symbolic head of state and the other is that he has power of veto over legislation passed in parliament," said Kingsbury from Australia's Deakin University.
Ramos-Horta must await the outcome of parliamentary polls in June to determine if he can work effectively with a newly elected government and prime minister to introduce change, Kingsbury said.
"That's still the main game," said Kingsbury of next month's elections.
Favourite to win the powerful post of prime minister is Gusmao, a hero for many East Timorese because of his exploits against Indonesian forces, and a close ally of Ramos-Horta.
"It (his chances of introducing change) all depends on how well Ramos-Horta can work with the new government," said Sophia Cason from Brussels-based thinktank the International Crisis Group.
"If it's a Fretilin government then he might face difficulty. But if Xanana is elected prime minister then there shouldn't be any conflict," said Cason, an East Timor analyst based in the capital Dili.
Ramos-Horta is banking on Gusmao and his new party winning a majority of seats in June over the ruling Fretilin party, although the Nobel Peace Prize winner has pledged to work with Fretilin leaders and support its members, analysts said.
Formed as a resistance movement and a symbol of East Timor's struggle for independence, Fretilin suffered a disastrous defeat to Ramos-Horta on Wednesday, and faces a tough task to win back voters for the June poll, Kingsbury said.
Although Ramos-Horta was a founding member of Fretilin, he resigned in the late 1980s and ran on Wednesday as an independent, finishing with 69 percent of the vote, compared with 31 percent for Fretilin's candidate.
The defeat is a sign of the leftist Fretilin's weakening stranglehold on the parliament that it has dominated since the state gained independence in 2002, analysts said.
"I think Fretilin .. can no longer claim that they are representing the people because they have lost the people," said Kingsbury.
"And it's going to be an uphill battle to claw back that ground at the parliamentary polls," he said.
Cason agreed, adding many East Timorese were disillusioned with Fretilin's current leaders who were closely linked with last year's deadly unrest.
Fretilin leader Mari Alkatiri was forced to resign last year as prime minister after he sacked 600 army deserters who claimed discrimination, a move that triggered firefights between military factions that degenerated into deadly gang violence.
More than 30,000 people remain displaced in Dili, fearful of returning home.
Analyst Lili Romli, from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, said Ramos-Horta, who pushed East Timor's struggle for independence on the world stage, could encourage the international community to continue to provide assistance to the fledgling country.
But it was unclear whether he could resolve East Timor's many domestic problems, including restoring security, she said.
"This is where Xanana comes in. The Xanana-Horta combo is needed for running of domestic policies and to maintain international relations." — AFP
Ramos-Horta sweeps to victory in Timor poll
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/ramoshorta-sweeps-to-victory-in-timor-poll/2007/05/10/1178390471125.html?s_cid=rss_smh
Lindsay Murdoch in Dili
May 11, 2007
JOSE RAMOS-HORTA has secured a stunning victory in East Timor's run-off presidential election, winning 73 per cent of the 90 per cent of votes counted so far after sweeping the capital, Dili, and western mountain districts.
A spokeswoman for the election commission, Maria Angelina Sarmento, said last night that Mr Ramos-Horta had so far won 273,685 votes, against 101,374 for Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres of the ruling Fretilin party.
The figures would need to be verified, Ms Sarmento said.
As the count continued yesterday, Mr Ramos-Horta, the interim Prime Minister, said he planned to move quickly to heal deep divisions in the country. He also promised to placate disgruntled soldiers whose sacking last year plunged the country into violent upheaval.
However, he declined to declare victory until the final results had been announced.
The result is devastating for Fretilin, which has ruled East Timor since the country of a million people gained independence five years ago.
The party, led by the deposed prime minister, Mari Alkatiri, will be forced to rethink its campaign strategy before parliamentary elections on June 30. Mr Guterres, a former freedom fighter, polled poorly even though Fretilin has the largest political machine and the biggest grassroots networks in rural villages.
Mr Ramos-Horta, a Nobel laureate, polled second in the first round of voting last month, even though he does not have his own political party. He then emerged as the presidential frontrunner when five of the eliminated non-Fretilin candidates endorsed him.
About 1000 Australian and New Zealand troops and 3000 United Nations police remained on high alert last night amid fears that angry Fretilin supporters might seek violent revenge when they learned Mr Guterres had lost.
Fears of a violent backlash by militant Fretilin supporters grew after three Dili District Court judges dismissed an appeal by the former interior minister, Rogerio Lobato, against a 7½-month jail sentence imposed late last year.
The developments came as Australian troops' secret weapon to capture a controversial fugitive rebel leader, Alfredo Reinado, was exposed.
On May 3 an unmanned Australian spy plane crashed into a house in a crowded suburb of Dili. The International Stabilisation Forces, containing 800 Australian combat soldiers, kept the crash secret for seven days, including from Mr Ramos-Horta.
"Well it must be a UFO," Mr Ramos-Horta said when asked about it.
No one was hurt in the incident.
Brigadier Mal Rerden, the forces' commander, confirmed yesterday that his troops have been using the Australian-built planes in all of their operations in East Timor, including outside Dili, where his soldiers have been hunting Reinado since mid-February.
Yesterday Mr Ramos-Horta contradicted Brigadier Rerden when he said that the hunt for Reinado had been called off two weeks ago, paving the way for the rebel major to surrender. Brigadier Rerden insisted the hunt was continuing.
Reinado humiliated the Australians when he escaped during an SAS-led attack on his base in the town of Same two months ago. He then humiliated them further by hosting press conferences as troops continued
Lindsay Murdoch in Dili
May 11, 2007
JOSE RAMOS-HORTA has secured a stunning victory in East Timor's run-off presidential election, winning 73 per cent of the 90 per cent of votes counted so far after sweeping the capital, Dili, and western mountain districts.
A spokeswoman for the election commission, Maria Angelina Sarmento, said last night that Mr Ramos-Horta had so far won 273,685 votes, against 101,374 for Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres of the ruling Fretilin party.
The figures would need to be verified, Ms Sarmento said.
As the count continued yesterday, Mr Ramos-Horta, the interim Prime Minister, said he planned to move quickly to heal deep divisions in the country. He also promised to placate disgruntled soldiers whose sacking last year plunged the country into violent upheaval.
However, he declined to declare victory until the final results had been announced.
The result is devastating for Fretilin, which has ruled East Timor since the country of a million people gained independence five years ago.
The party, led by the deposed prime minister, Mari Alkatiri, will be forced to rethink its campaign strategy before parliamentary elections on June 30. Mr Guterres, a former freedom fighter, polled poorly even though Fretilin has the largest political machine and the biggest grassroots networks in rural villages.
Mr Ramos-Horta, a Nobel laureate, polled second in the first round of voting last month, even though he does not have his own political party. He then emerged as the presidential frontrunner when five of the eliminated non-Fretilin candidates endorsed him.
About 1000 Australian and New Zealand troops and 3000 United Nations police remained on high alert last night amid fears that angry Fretilin supporters might seek violent revenge when they learned Mr Guterres had lost.
Fears of a violent backlash by militant Fretilin supporters grew after three Dili District Court judges dismissed an appeal by the former interior minister, Rogerio Lobato, against a 7½-month jail sentence imposed late last year.
The developments came as Australian troops' secret weapon to capture a controversial fugitive rebel leader, Alfredo Reinado, was exposed.
On May 3 an unmanned Australian spy plane crashed into a house in a crowded suburb of Dili. The International Stabilisation Forces, containing 800 Australian combat soldiers, kept the crash secret for seven days, including from Mr Ramos-Horta.
"Well it must be a UFO," Mr Ramos-Horta said when asked about it.
No one was hurt in the incident.
Brigadier Mal Rerden, the forces' commander, confirmed yesterday that his troops have been using the Australian-built planes in all of their operations in East Timor, including outside Dili, where his soldiers have been hunting Reinado since mid-February.
Yesterday Mr Ramos-Horta contradicted Brigadier Rerden when he said that the hunt for Reinado had been called off two weeks ago, paving the way for the rebel major to surrender. Brigadier Rerden insisted the hunt was continuing.
Reinado humiliated the Australians when he escaped during an SAS-led attack on his base in the town of Same two months ago. He then humiliated them further by hosting press conferences as troops continued
Horta president of Timor 'by landslide'
By Karen Michelmore
http://wauchope.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?story_id=583832&src=topstories
10 May 2007
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos Horta pledged to do his best to serve the people after winning Timor's presidential elections in a landslide.
The tiny nation's prime minister crushed his opponent, ex-guerilla fighter Francisco Guterres "Lu Olo", securing 73 per cent of the vote with 90 per cent counted.
But Ramos Horta initially appeared unaware of the result, and said he would not be celebrating the convincing win.
"I owe the people, I owe them everything," he told reporters.
"What I owe them is consistency, loyalty in working with everybody to uphold justice, to enhance democracy, to work for the poor of this country, to heal the wounds.
"(But) I don't celebrate because it's going to be five years of hard work - it's no cause for celebration."
Ramos Horta swept 10 of the country's 13 districts, gaining up to 15 times as many votes as his rival in some areas.
He said he had been a reluctant candidate, and described the overwhelming result as a "wake-up call" for the major party Fretilin, the historic party of independence in East Timor.
He also declared outgoing president, the charismatic ex-fighter Xanana Gusmao, as a "very, very high" chance at becoming the country's prime minister in the upcoming legislative elections on June 30.
"(It is) very good, but these elections have been quite surprising," Ramos Horta said.
"New parties like PD the Democratic Party, PSD the Social Democratic Party .... they have fared very well so President Xanana should not take for granted that he can win."
He wasn't concerned about the risk of violence by Fretilin supporters.
"I'm not concerned about that - Fretilin is a well-organised party, disciplined and they will be able to educate their more recalcitrant members ... to accept because we have the legislative elections coming.
"If anyone misbehaves now, if Fretilin misbehaves now, they will be punished in the legislative elections."
The election result came as the Australian-led military force providing security for the poll was forced to defend itself after a series of minor mishaps, including the crash of a small surveillance aircraft in Dili last week.
The unmanned surveillance aircraft - about the size of a model aeroplane - slightly damaged a house when it crashed near an Australian base in the capital last week.
The commander of the international stabilisation forces in East Timor, Brigadier General Mal Rerden, said a special investigation team had been sent from Canberra to determine the cause of the crash, and minor repairs had been made to the house.
All similar craft have been grounded until the results of the investigation, he said.
"There is nothing unusual about aircraft flying around providing observation for the forces on the ground," Brig-Gen Rerden said.
"The simple thing is these unmanned aerial vehicles provide you with another way of seeing the tactical situation."
In a separate incident two weeks ago, a soldier was disciplined after his weapon fell off the back of a vehicle in Gleno and was "misplaced" for a short period, he said.
Brig-Gen Rerden said Australian troops had conducted "hundreds and hundreds" of patrols to secure the country, with only a couple of "very, very minor incidents".
Brought to you by AAP
http://wauchope.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?story_id=583832&src=topstories
10 May 2007
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos Horta pledged to do his best to serve the people after winning Timor's presidential elections in a landslide.
The tiny nation's prime minister crushed his opponent, ex-guerilla fighter Francisco Guterres "Lu Olo", securing 73 per cent of the vote with 90 per cent counted.
But Ramos Horta initially appeared unaware of the result, and said he would not be celebrating the convincing win.
"I owe the people, I owe them everything," he told reporters.
"What I owe them is consistency, loyalty in working with everybody to uphold justice, to enhance democracy, to work for the poor of this country, to heal the wounds.
"(But) I don't celebrate because it's going to be five years of hard work - it's no cause for celebration."
Ramos Horta swept 10 of the country's 13 districts, gaining up to 15 times as many votes as his rival in some areas.
He said he had been a reluctant candidate, and described the overwhelming result as a "wake-up call" for the major party Fretilin, the historic party of independence in East Timor.
He also declared outgoing president, the charismatic ex-fighter Xanana Gusmao, as a "very, very high" chance at becoming the country's prime minister in the upcoming legislative elections on June 30.
"(It is) very good, but these elections have been quite surprising," Ramos Horta said.
"New parties like PD the Democratic Party, PSD the Social Democratic Party .... they have fared very well so President Xanana should not take for granted that he can win."
He wasn't concerned about the risk of violence by Fretilin supporters.
"I'm not concerned about that - Fretilin is a well-organised party, disciplined and they will be able to educate their more recalcitrant members ... to accept because we have the legislative elections coming.
"If anyone misbehaves now, if Fretilin misbehaves now, they will be punished in the legislative elections."
The election result came as the Australian-led military force providing security for the poll was forced to defend itself after a series of minor mishaps, including the crash of a small surveillance aircraft in Dili last week.
The unmanned surveillance aircraft - about the size of a model aeroplane - slightly damaged a house when it crashed near an Australian base in the capital last week.
The commander of the international stabilisation forces in East Timor, Brigadier General Mal Rerden, said a special investigation team had been sent from Canberra to determine the cause of the crash, and minor repairs had been made to the house.
All similar craft have been grounded until the results of the investigation, he said.
"There is nothing unusual about aircraft flying around providing observation for the forces on the ground," Brig-Gen Rerden said.
"The simple thing is these unmanned aerial vehicles provide you with another way of seeing the tactical situation."
In a separate incident two weeks ago, a soldier was disciplined after his weapon fell off the back of a vehicle in Gleno and was "misplaced" for a short period, he said.
Brig-Gen Rerden said Australian troops had conducted "hundreds and hundreds" of patrols to secure the country, with only a couple of "very, very minor incidents".
Brought to you by AAP
Nobel prize winner on brink of victory in East Timor
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1763993.ece
Richard LLoyd Parry, Asia Editor
José Ramos-Horta, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, was poised to become the next President of East Timor as a tense second round of voting took place yesterday in Asia’s newest nation.
Political leaders appealed for calm after complaints from supporters of Dr Ramos-Horta’s opponent, Francisco Guterres, a former guerrilla fighter. They have accused Australian peace-keepers of intimidating his supporters to help the campaign of Dr Ramos-Horta.
“We would like to instil, particularly in our young people, the feeling that violence in our country will never again happen as we establish conditions for tolerance, peace and stability,” the outgoing President, Xanana Gusmão, a hero of the 23-year resistance war against East Timor’s former occupier, Indonesia, said.
“East Timor is a sovereign country, no longer under foreign military occupation,” Jose Teixeira, the country’s Energy Minister and a senior figure in Mr Guterres’s ruling Fretilin party, said this week. “The ISF (the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force) should not be frightening and intimidating an entirely peaceful election gathering.”
Mr Guterres came out on top in the first round of voting last month with 28 per cent, but in a field of eight candidates he failed to secure the necessary majority of more than 50 per cent. Dr Ramos-Horta won only 22 per cent but has become the strong favourite after five other defeated candidates gave him their second-round support.
The election has taken place in an atmosphere of anxiety and confrontation, only five years after formal independence, and seven years since the brutal occupation by Indonesia ended. Throughout the presidential campaign, supporters of the rival candidates have fought one another with machetes, stones and homemade darts fired from slings.
The candidates facing off yesterday could hardly be more different. Mr Guterres spent the Indonesian occupation living off snakes and deer in the Timorese mountains. His party, Fretilin, has its ideological origins in Third World Marxist-Leninism, and has insisted on saving the income from East Timor’s offshore oil fields for future generations.
Dr Ramos-Horta is a suave cosmopolitan, a friend of foreign leaders and film stars, who won the Nobel prize for his campaign in exile for Timorese independence. He is the acting prime minister and has the support of President Gusmão, who intends to swap jobs with him by standing for election as prime minister in parliamentary elections next month.
Richard LLoyd Parry, Asia Editor
José Ramos-Horta, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, was poised to become the next President of East Timor as a tense second round of voting took place yesterday in Asia’s newest nation.
Political leaders appealed for calm after complaints from supporters of Dr Ramos-Horta’s opponent, Francisco Guterres, a former guerrilla fighter. They have accused Australian peace-keepers of intimidating his supporters to help the campaign of Dr Ramos-Horta.
“We would like to instil, particularly in our young people, the feeling that violence in our country will never again happen as we establish conditions for tolerance, peace and stability,” the outgoing President, Xanana Gusmão, a hero of the 23-year resistance war against East Timor’s former occupier, Indonesia, said.
“East Timor is a sovereign country, no longer under foreign military occupation,” Jose Teixeira, the country’s Energy Minister and a senior figure in Mr Guterres’s ruling Fretilin party, said this week. “The ISF (the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force) should not be frightening and intimidating an entirely peaceful election gathering.”
Mr Guterres came out on top in the first round of voting last month with 28 per cent, but in a field of eight candidates he failed to secure the necessary majority of more than 50 per cent. Dr Ramos-Horta won only 22 per cent but has become the strong favourite after five other defeated candidates gave him their second-round support.
The election has taken place in an atmosphere of anxiety and confrontation, only five years after formal independence, and seven years since the brutal occupation by Indonesia ended. Throughout the presidential campaign, supporters of the rival candidates have fought one another with machetes, stones and homemade darts fired from slings.
The candidates facing off yesterday could hardly be more different. Mr Guterres spent the Indonesian occupation living off snakes and deer in the Timorese mountains. His party, Fretilin, has its ideological origins in Third World Marxist-Leninism, and has insisted on saving the income from East Timor’s offshore oil fields for future generations.
Dr Ramos-Horta is a suave cosmopolitan, a friend of foreign leaders and film stars, who won the Nobel prize for his campaign in exile for Timorese independence. He is the acting prime minister and has the support of President Gusmão, who intends to swap jobs with him by standing for election as prime minister in parliamentary elections next month.
Candidates pledge to honor results as East Timor prepares for polls
ZAKKI HAKIM Associated Press Writer
Tuesday May 8th, 2007
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/4757
DILI, East Timor (AP) - East Timor goes to the polls Wednesday to pick a new president, with voters in the tiny nation to choose between Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta and an ex-fighter who spent years in the jungle battling Indonesian rule.
Ramos-Horta and Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres have both pledged to accept the results of the vote, which many in Asia's newest country hope will herald a new era of peace and stability following an often violent and politically divisive year.
"I will honor the result if Lu-Olo wins," said Ramos-Horta, 75, the acting prime minister. "My obligation is to stand behind him and support him, in whatever way I can."
The vote follows balloting last month that did not produce an outright winner.
Most analysts see Ramos-Horta, who fled East Timor during the occupation to became the international face of its freedom movement, as the favorite, especially since five losing candidates in the first round of voting are urging their supporters to back him.
But Guterres, 52, is backed by Fretilin, the political party of the nation's former armed resistance to Jakarta's rule. It traditionally has strong support across the country and a powerful party machine.
"I believe we will win Wednesday's election," said Guterres, adding he would "work with anyone who becomes president."
East Timor broke free from 24 years of often brutal Indonesian rule in 1999 following a violence-plagued independence referendum. The bloodshed only stopped with the arrival of international peacekeepers.
The country was administered by the United Nations until 2002, and descended into chaos last year after then-Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri fired a third of the army following a mutiny, provoking gunbattles between rival security forces that spiraled into gang warfare and looting.
At least 37 people were killed and some 155,000 fled their homes before the government collapsed. A 1,200-strong Australian-led peacekeeping force has since restored order and, along with a similar-sized contingent of U.N. police officers, now provides national security.
Supporters of rival candidates clashed in the run-up to the first vote, but campaigning this time around has been peaceful.
"We are satisfied that there's enough security in place to guarantee that East Timorese will vote in a safe manner on Wednesday," Finn Reske-Nielsen, deputy head of the UN mission in the country, said late Monday.
On Tuesday, around 100 gang members fought with machetes and rocks in a part of the capital prone to unrest, injuring one man in the head, said Antonio da Silva, the U.N. police chief in Dili. The crowd was dispersed with tear gas and the incident did not appear to be related to the elections, he said.
Ramos-Horta has pledged to make it easier for foreign investors to do business in the desperately poor nation, and said that the United Nations and international troops would be welcome to stay in the country for many years.
He won his Nobel Prize in 1996 for his campaign for East Timorese independence.
"Ramos-Horta is the best person for this position," said Joana Brandao-Carmo, who has been living in a refugee camp since last year's violence. "He can be the ears, the eyes and the mouth of poor people like me."
Guterres spent the Indonesian occupation in the jungles and mountains of the country, battling in a war that killed more than 100,000 people, either in fighting or from starvation and disease linked to the conflict.
By 1999, he was the most senior resistance leader in the country.
Fretilin is traditionally a left-leaning party, but Guterres has shown no sign he will steer the country away from the free-market course it has taken since independence.
"Even though he is not well educated like Ramos-Horta, he has a clear program for people like me," said 24-year-old Nelson de Sousa. "In his last 10 months as prime minister, Ramos-Horta has been unable to ensure the return of refugees to their homes. All he has given us is empty promises."
The post of president is largely ceremonial, but in June, the country of 900,000 people will vote for the more powerful post of prime minister, a job being sought by Ramos-Horta's close political ally, Xanana Gusmao, the popular outgoing president.
Julio Tomas Pinto, a political observer at the National University of East Timor, said the outcome depended on whether supporters of the candidates defeated in the first round heeded their calls to vote for Ramos-Horta.
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Tuesday May 8th, 2007
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/4757
DILI, East Timor (AP) - East Timor goes to the polls Wednesday to pick a new president, with voters in the tiny nation to choose between Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta and an ex-fighter who spent years in the jungle battling Indonesian rule.
Ramos-Horta and Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres have both pledged to accept the results of the vote, which many in Asia's newest country hope will herald a new era of peace and stability following an often violent and politically divisive year.
"I will honor the result if Lu-Olo wins," said Ramos-Horta, 75, the acting prime minister. "My obligation is to stand behind him and support him, in whatever way I can."
The vote follows balloting last month that did not produce an outright winner.
Most analysts see Ramos-Horta, who fled East Timor during the occupation to became the international face of its freedom movement, as the favorite, especially since five losing candidates in the first round of voting are urging their supporters to back him.
But Guterres, 52, is backed by Fretilin, the political party of the nation's former armed resistance to Jakarta's rule. It traditionally has strong support across the country and a powerful party machine.
"I believe we will win Wednesday's election," said Guterres, adding he would "work with anyone who becomes president."
East Timor broke free from 24 years of often brutal Indonesian rule in 1999 following a violence-plagued independence referendum. The bloodshed only stopped with the arrival of international peacekeepers.
The country was administered by the United Nations until 2002, and descended into chaos last year after then-Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri fired a third of the army following a mutiny, provoking gunbattles between rival security forces that spiraled into gang warfare and looting.
At least 37 people were killed and some 155,000 fled their homes before the government collapsed. A 1,200-strong Australian-led peacekeeping force has since restored order and, along with a similar-sized contingent of U.N. police officers, now provides national security.
Supporters of rival candidates clashed in the run-up to the first vote, but campaigning this time around has been peaceful.
"We are satisfied that there's enough security in place to guarantee that East Timorese will vote in a safe manner on Wednesday," Finn Reske-Nielsen, deputy head of the UN mission in the country, said late Monday.
On Tuesday, around 100 gang members fought with machetes and rocks in a part of the capital prone to unrest, injuring one man in the head, said Antonio da Silva, the U.N. police chief in Dili. The crowd was dispersed with tear gas and the incident did not appear to be related to the elections, he said.
Ramos-Horta has pledged to make it easier for foreign investors to do business in the desperately poor nation, and said that the United Nations and international troops would be welcome to stay in the country for many years.
He won his Nobel Prize in 1996 for his campaign for East Timorese independence.
"Ramos-Horta is the best person for this position," said Joana Brandao-Carmo, who has been living in a refugee camp since last year's violence. "He can be the ears, the eyes and the mouth of poor people like me."
Guterres spent the Indonesian occupation in the jungles and mountains of the country, battling in a war that killed more than 100,000 people, either in fighting or from starvation and disease linked to the conflict.
By 1999, he was the most senior resistance leader in the country.
Fretilin is traditionally a left-leaning party, but Guterres has shown no sign he will steer the country away from the free-market course it has taken since independence.
"Even though he is not well educated like Ramos-Horta, he has a clear program for people like me," said 24-year-old Nelson de Sousa. "In his last 10 months as prime minister, Ramos-Horta has been unable to ensure the return of refugees to their homes. All he has given us is empty promises."
The post of president is largely ceremonial, but in June, the country of 900,000 people will vote for the more powerful post of prime minister, a job being sought by Ramos-Horta's close political ally, Xanana Gusmao, the popular outgoing president.
Julio Tomas Pinto, a political observer at the National University of East Timor, said the outcome depended on whether supporters of the candidates defeated in the first round heeded their calls to vote for Ramos-Horta.
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Fretilin 'still a political force'
http://portmacquarie.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=international%20news&subclass=general&story_id=584181&category=General&m=&y=
By Karen Michelmore
East Timor's Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta says Fretilin - the nation's historical party of independence - remains a political force despite its crushing defeat in this week's presidential elections.
Ramos Horta, an independent, won the contest over Fretilin's parliamentary president and ex-guerilla fighter Francisco Guterres "Lu Olo" in a landslide, securing 70.22 per cent of the vote, according to final figures by Timor observer group KOMEG.
Analysts predict the massive win in the second-round presidential poll could signal a shift in East Timor's political scene ahead of the more important national legislative elections in June.
In that poll, current president Xanana Gusmao will bid to become prime minister and effectively switch jobs with Ramos Horta.
But there are also fears about the potential for violent retribution from supporters of the ruling party Fretilin, which has dominated East Timor politics since the tiny nation was granted independence in 2002.
"Fretilin remains a very important political force," Ramos Horta said.
"(Parliamentary) president Lu Olo and Fretilin did a very, very energetic campaign and they did indeed get ... almost 30 per cent of the vote, which is not going to be easy for any party to match in the June legislative election."
Ramos Horta said he would not formally declare victory until the National Electoral Commission announced the final result of the poll, the first run by local Timorese authorities.
However, he has already spoken to Fretilin leaders and says he's got their "widespread support".
"I will resign my job as prime minister once there is an official declaration of the winner and then May 20 I will be sworn in as the next president," Ramos Horta said.
"(Fretilin's leaders) have all pledged to continue to work with me and I pledged to continue to work with them in the interests of the country."
Ramos Horta replaced Mari Alkatiri as prime minister of the Fretilin government last year, following a wave of violence in East Timor which killed 37 and displaced 150,000 people after the government sacked a third of the local army.
Campaigning for the presidential run-off was dogged with accusations and allegations between the two candidates, Ramos Horta and Guterres, drawing criticism from the European Union international observer team monitoring the poll.
EU chief observer Javier Pomes Ruiz said the mission was "not happy with the behaviour of the candidates in the campaign".
"They were unnecessarily aggressive, insulting and made lots of allegations against each other," he told reporters.
"They were taking a risk with the stability of the country instead of promoting the national unity ... that the people much needed.
"We ask the candidates for the parliamentary elections not to use verbal insults."
There have been isolated incidents of violence since the election, including an arson attack and rock throwing in Viqueque, and fighting in Liquica on Thursday night.
Dili student Miguel Pinto said his family's home in Viqueque was attacked on Thursday night by a group of 11 people throwing rocks, but no-one was injured.
"They came to my house and said if Fretilin loses in the (legislative) election, they are going to throw stones at my home," Pinto said.
"They said they will kill my father, because my father is from the opposition.
"I feel sick, scared, because my brother and sister are both still very little.
"Maybe tomorrow they will come here (to Dili)."
Brought to you by AAP
By Karen Michelmore
East Timor's Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta says Fretilin - the nation's historical party of independence - remains a political force despite its crushing defeat in this week's presidential elections.
Ramos Horta, an independent, won the contest over Fretilin's parliamentary president and ex-guerilla fighter Francisco Guterres "Lu Olo" in a landslide, securing 70.22 per cent of the vote, according to final figures by Timor observer group KOMEG.
Analysts predict the massive win in the second-round presidential poll could signal a shift in East Timor's political scene ahead of the more important national legislative elections in June.
In that poll, current president Xanana Gusmao will bid to become prime minister and effectively switch jobs with Ramos Horta.
But there are also fears about the potential for violent retribution from supporters of the ruling party Fretilin, which has dominated East Timor politics since the tiny nation was granted independence in 2002.
"Fretilin remains a very important political force," Ramos Horta said.
"(Parliamentary) president Lu Olo and Fretilin did a very, very energetic campaign and they did indeed get ... almost 30 per cent of the vote, which is not going to be easy for any party to match in the June legislative election."
Ramos Horta said he would not formally declare victory until the National Electoral Commission announced the final result of the poll, the first run by local Timorese authorities.
However, he has already spoken to Fretilin leaders and says he's got their "widespread support".
"I will resign my job as prime minister once there is an official declaration of the winner and then May 20 I will be sworn in as the next president," Ramos Horta said.
"(Fretilin's leaders) have all pledged to continue to work with me and I pledged to continue to work with them in the interests of the country."
Ramos Horta replaced Mari Alkatiri as prime minister of the Fretilin government last year, following a wave of violence in East Timor which killed 37 and displaced 150,000 people after the government sacked a third of the local army.
Campaigning for the presidential run-off was dogged with accusations and allegations between the two candidates, Ramos Horta and Guterres, drawing criticism from the European Union international observer team monitoring the poll.
EU chief observer Javier Pomes Ruiz said the mission was "not happy with the behaviour of the candidates in the campaign".
"They were unnecessarily aggressive, insulting and made lots of allegations against each other," he told reporters.
"They were taking a risk with the stability of the country instead of promoting the national unity ... that the people much needed.
"We ask the candidates for the parliamentary elections not to use verbal insults."
There have been isolated incidents of violence since the election, including an arson attack and rock throwing in Viqueque, and fighting in Liquica on Thursday night.
Dili student Miguel Pinto said his family's home in Viqueque was attacked on Thursday night by a group of 11 people throwing rocks, but no-one was injured.
"They came to my house and said if Fretilin loses in the (legislative) election, they are going to throw stones at my home," Pinto said.
"They said they will kill my father, because my father is from the opposition.
"I feel sick, scared, because my brother and sister are both still very little.
"Maybe tomorrow they will come here (to Dili)."
Brought to you by AAP
UN defends Australia over Timor election claims
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1917043.htm
Last Update: Tuesday, May 8, 2007. 10:49am (AEST)
The United Nations (UN) has backed Australian soldiers in East Timor in the face of allegations they have become partisan players in the country's presidential elections.
Two candidates remain in the presidential race - Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta and Fretilin party president Francisco Guterres, also known as Lu Olo - neither of whom won an outright majority last month.
Security forces are beefing up their patrols to ensure tomorrow's election is free and fair, with authorities confident the poll will be peaceful.
But Mr Guterres has accused Australian forces of deliberately disrupting his campaign by using helicopters and armoured vehicles to harass supporters at his political rallies.
Now the UN says it has no doubt international troops have been completely impartial and neutral.
The UN's deputy chief in East Timor, Finn Reske-Nielsen, has jumped to Australia's defence.
"As far as the operations of the international security forces are concerned there is no doubt in my mind that they're being conducted in a completely impartial and neutral manner," he said.
Police and prosecutors are investigating at least 20 allegations of bribery and intimidation during the campaign.
Last Update: Tuesday, May 8, 2007. 10:49am (AEST)
The United Nations (UN) has backed Australian soldiers in East Timor in the face of allegations they have become partisan players in the country's presidential elections.
Two candidates remain in the presidential race - Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta and Fretilin party president Francisco Guterres, also known as Lu Olo - neither of whom won an outright majority last month.
Security forces are beefing up their patrols to ensure tomorrow's election is free and fair, with authorities confident the poll will be peaceful.
But Mr Guterres has accused Australian forces of deliberately disrupting his campaign by using helicopters and armoured vehicles to harass supporters at his political rallies.
Now the UN says it has no doubt international troops have been completely impartial and neutral.
The UN's deputy chief in East Timor, Finn Reske-Nielsen, has jumped to Australia's defence.
"As far as the operations of the international security forces are concerned there is no doubt in my mind that they're being conducted in a completely impartial and neutral manner," he said.
Police and prosecutors are investigating at least 20 allegations of bribery and intimidation during the campaign.
Troubled East Timor goes to the polls to elect president
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/09/asia/AS-GEN-East-Timor-Elections.php
The Associated PressPublished: May 8, 2007
DILI, East Timor: Election workers began tallying votes in East Timor's run-off presidential poll on Wednesday, with both candidates confident of victory in a contest seen as key to resolving bitter political rivalries in Asia's youngest and poorest nation.
Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent resistance to 24 years of Indonesian occupation, is tipped by most analysts to beat former resistance fighter Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres. Results are not expected until Friday.
The leading local newspaper, Suara Timor Lorosae, projected a Ramos-Horta landslide with 75 percent of the vote, based on its own count at polling stations across the country. Its banner headline read: "Thanks Xanana, welcome Horta," a reference to the popular outgoing president, Xanana Gusmao.
Election authorities estimated that voter turnout was 80 percent and said polling had been peaceful in the tiny country, which won independence in 1999 and a year ago descended into violence that killed dozens of people, drove 155,000 others from their homes and toppled the government.
"I will become the Timorese president to serve the people, resolve the crisis and establish peace and democracy," Guterres, 52, said after voting. "I want to win with dignity, but if I lose, I will also accept that with dignity."
Ramos-Horta, 57, cast his ballot in a town east of the capital, Dili, after lining up with fellow voters in the mostly Roman Catholic nation. He too predicted victory in the battle for the largely ceremonial job.
"If I win the election, I win a ... huge responsibility," said Ramos-Horta, who wore a T-shirt with an image of Jesus Christ on it. "But if I lose, I win my freedom to do whatever I want, to be a writer, to be an academic, to be a tourist, to travel."
The poll follows balloting last month that ended without an outright winner.
Voting patterns in the earlier poll showed the country was split along eastern and western lines, and experts voiced concerns that Wednesday's ballot and more significant parliamentary elections in June could further exacerbate these tensions.
"The essential first step for the winner will be to project an aura of all-encompassing authority and use rhetoric that will heal divisions," said Dr. George Quinn, head of the Southeast Asia Center at the Australian National University.
More than 524,000 people were eligible to vote and at some stations people began lining up before dawn. Officials had to deliver some ballots on horseback because the locations were so remote, the Election Commission said.
"It has been very peaceful so far, and we would be hoping that this will extend to the counting period," chief U.N. electoral officer Steven Wagenseil said after voting ended, adding he had seen no "indication of violence."
The new president will face awesome challenges. Despite sizable offshore oil and gas deposits, nearly half of East Timor's work force is unemployed, around 60 percent of children under five are malnourished and tens of thousands of people displaced last year remain in tent camps.
Since last year's crisis, a 1,200-strong Australian-led peacekeeping force has restored order and, along with a similar-sized contingent of U.N. police officers, now provides national security.
Ramos-Horta, who spent most of the Indonesian occupation in exile in Western nations lobbying for East Timorese independence, is regarded as the favorite chiefly because five losing candidates in the first round of voting urged their supporters to back him.
But Guterres is backed by Fretilin, the well-organized political party of the nation's former armed resistance to Indonesian rule. It is the ruling party, but last month's voting indicated support for it had dwindled.
In June's parliamentary elections, Gusmao, a key Ramos-Horta ally, plans to run for prime minister in a bid to seize control of Parliament from Fretilin.
Ramos-Horta has pledged to make it easier for foreign investors to do business in the country, and said the U.N. and international troops would be welcome to stay in the country for many years.
Guterres, who spent years fighting Indonesian troops in the jungles, is considered more nationalist and left-wing, but has shown no sign he will steer East Timor away from the free-market course it has pursued since independence.
The Associated PressPublished: May 8, 2007
DILI, East Timor: Election workers began tallying votes in East Timor's run-off presidential poll on Wednesday, with both candidates confident of victory in a contest seen as key to resolving bitter political rivalries in Asia's youngest and poorest nation.
Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his nonviolent resistance to 24 years of Indonesian occupation, is tipped by most analysts to beat former resistance fighter Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres. Results are not expected until Friday.
The leading local newspaper, Suara Timor Lorosae, projected a Ramos-Horta landslide with 75 percent of the vote, based on its own count at polling stations across the country. Its banner headline read: "Thanks Xanana, welcome Horta," a reference to the popular outgoing president, Xanana Gusmao.
Election authorities estimated that voter turnout was 80 percent and said polling had been peaceful in the tiny country, which won independence in 1999 and a year ago descended into violence that killed dozens of people, drove 155,000 others from their homes and toppled the government.
"I will become the Timorese president to serve the people, resolve the crisis and establish peace and democracy," Guterres, 52, said after voting. "I want to win with dignity, but if I lose, I will also accept that with dignity."
Ramos-Horta, 57, cast his ballot in a town east of the capital, Dili, after lining up with fellow voters in the mostly Roman Catholic nation. He too predicted victory in the battle for the largely ceremonial job.
"If I win the election, I win a ... huge responsibility," said Ramos-Horta, who wore a T-shirt with an image of Jesus Christ on it. "But if I lose, I win my freedom to do whatever I want, to be a writer, to be an academic, to be a tourist, to travel."
The poll follows balloting last month that ended without an outright winner.
Voting patterns in the earlier poll showed the country was split along eastern and western lines, and experts voiced concerns that Wednesday's ballot and more significant parliamentary elections in June could further exacerbate these tensions.
"The essential first step for the winner will be to project an aura of all-encompassing authority and use rhetoric that will heal divisions," said Dr. George Quinn, head of the Southeast Asia Center at the Australian National University.
More than 524,000 people were eligible to vote and at some stations people began lining up before dawn. Officials had to deliver some ballots on horseback because the locations were so remote, the Election Commission said.
"It has been very peaceful so far, and we would be hoping that this will extend to the counting period," chief U.N. electoral officer Steven Wagenseil said after voting ended, adding he had seen no "indication of violence."
The new president will face awesome challenges. Despite sizable offshore oil and gas deposits, nearly half of East Timor's work force is unemployed, around 60 percent of children under five are malnourished and tens of thousands of people displaced last year remain in tent camps.
Since last year's crisis, a 1,200-strong Australian-led peacekeeping force has restored order and, along with a similar-sized contingent of U.N. police officers, now provides national security.
Ramos-Horta, who spent most of the Indonesian occupation in exile in Western nations lobbying for East Timorese independence, is regarded as the favorite chiefly because five losing candidates in the first round of voting urged their supporters to back him.
But Guterres is backed by Fretilin, the well-organized political party of the nation's former armed resistance to Indonesian rule. It is the ruling party, but last month's voting indicated support for it had dwindled.
In June's parliamentary elections, Gusmao, a key Ramos-Horta ally, plans to run for prime minister in a bid to seize control of Parliament from Fretilin.
Ramos-Horta has pledged to make it easier for foreign investors to do business in the country, and said the U.N. and international troops would be welcome to stay in the country for many years.
Guterres, who spent years fighting Indonesian troops in the jungles, is considered more nationalist and left-wing, but has shown no sign he will steer East Timor away from the free-market course it has pursued since independence.
ETimor presidential candidate ready to accept defeat
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/070511/afp/070511020642asiapacificnews.html
Friday May 11, 10:06 AM
The former freedom fighter said he would now set his sights, and those of his ruling Fretilin party, on parliamentary elections in June.
"What is important now is to prepare ourselves to face the upcoming election. We will also observe how they (Ramos-Horta and his team) will manage the country," he said.
The presidential election in East Timor was the first since the country won independence in 2002 following a bloody separation from neighbouring Indonesia, which occupied the country for a quarter-century.
With 90 percent of the ballots counted, Ramos-Horta held an unbeatable lead with 73 percent of the vote, the election commission said. Official results could come as early as Friday.
Friday May 11, 10:06 AM
The former freedom fighter said he would now set his sights, and those of his ruling Fretilin party, on parliamentary elections in June.
"What is important now is to prepare ourselves to face the upcoming election. We will also observe how they (Ramos-Horta and his team) will manage the country," he said.
The presidential election in East Timor was the first since the country won independence in 2002 following a bloody separation from neighbouring Indonesia, which occupied the country for a quarter-century.
With 90 percent of the ballots counted, Ramos-Horta held an unbeatable lead with 73 percent of the vote, the election commission said. Official results could come as early as Friday.
Win for E. Timor's Founding Fathers
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1619376,00.html?xid=rss-topstories
Thursday, May. 10, 2007 By HANNAH BEECH
Early poll results indicate that Nobel Peace Prize laureate José Ramos-Horta has won a landslide Presidential election in the tiny Southeast Asian nation of East Timor. Formerly the country's Prime Minister, Ramos-Horta may very well be trading jobs with his Presidential predecessor, Xanana Gusmão, who is tipped to become Prime Minister after legislative elections slated for June 30.
In its five years of independence, the former Indonesian province has been ruled largely by the same coterie of independence campaigners whose 24-year struggle to free East Timor from Jakarta's grip resonated with the nation's 1 million citizens. Gusmão fought for East Timor's freedom as a guerrilla commander in the mountainous jungle, while Ramos-Horta pleaded his homeland's cause in the halls of the United Nations. Even Francisco Guterres, Ramos-Horta's opponent in this week's presidential run-off, had been a veteran resistance fighter against Indonesia, under whose rule up to 200,000 East Timorese perished. "The old generation in East Timor is still very strong," admits Ramos-Horta. "Maybe in five or 10 years, the new political generation will mature. I see some hopefuls. But they need to get experience and exposure."
Even though the Presidential post is largely ceremonial, Ramos-Horta, 57, has vowed that he will roll up his sleeves and tackle some of his nation's many problems. East Timor is the poorest country in Southeast Asia, and despite hopes that offshore oil and gas reserves will boost the economy, many East Timorese still struggle just to feed themselves. Incomes have stagnated, while unemployment has risen. Equally worrisome, geographic and factional divisions that had been papered over during the independence struggle are now tearing at the nation's delicate social fabric. Last year, an internal army dispute between soldiers from the country's West and East triggered widespread civilian riots that killed dozens. Tens of thousands of people are still displaced from their homes as a result of the violence.
"Yes, there are many challenges," concedes Ramos-Horta. "But don't dismiss us too quickly as a failed state ... Our society was nearly destroyed by Indonesian occupation. It will take more than a couple years to fix things."
With a grin, Ramos-Horta goes on to argue that even after 60-odd years of independence from the Dutch, the Indonesians themselves have yet to build a rock-solid nation-state. "Nation-building is a slow, laborious process," he says. "The biggest mistake foreign observers made was thinking that things could be done overnight in East Timor. It will take time, effort and lots of work." Just a year ago, both Ramos-Horta and Gusmão had hinted that they might retire from politics — and give the younger generation a chance to govern. Now, it appears, both aren't quite willing to give up the reins just yet.
Thursday, May. 10, 2007 By HANNAH BEECH
Early poll results indicate that Nobel Peace Prize laureate José Ramos-Horta has won a landslide Presidential election in the tiny Southeast Asian nation of East Timor. Formerly the country's Prime Minister, Ramos-Horta may very well be trading jobs with his Presidential predecessor, Xanana Gusmão, who is tipped to become Prime Minister after legislative elections slated for June 30.
In its five years of independence, the former Indonesian province has been ruled largely by the same coterie of independence campaigners whose 24-year struggle to free East Timor from Jakarta's grip resonated with the nation's 1 million citizens. Gusmão fought for East Timor's freedom as a guerrilla commander in the mountainous jungle, while Ramos-Horta pleaded his homeland's cause in the halls of the United Nations. Even Francisco Guterres, Ramos-Horta's opponent in this week's presidential run-off, had been a veteran resistance fighter against Indonesia, under whose rule up to 200,000 East Timorese perished. "The old generation in East Timor is still very strong," admits Ramos-Horta. "Maybe in five or 10 years, the new political generation will mature. I see some hopefuls. But they need to get experience and exposure."
Even though the Presidential post is largely ceremonial, Ramos-Horta, 57, has vowed that he will roll up his sleeves and tackle some of his nation's many problems. East Timor is the poorest country in Southeast Asia, and despite hopes that offshore oil and gas reserves will boost the economy, many East Timorese still struggle just to feed themselves. Incomes have stagnated, while unemployment has risen. Equally worrisome, geographic and factional divisions that had been papered over during the independence struggle are now tearing at the nation's delicate social fabric. Last year, an internal army dispute between soldiers from the country's West and East triggered widespread civilian riots that killed dozens. Tens of thousands of people are still displaced from their homes as a result of the violence.
"Yes, there are many challenges," concedes Ramos-Horta. "But don't dismiss us too quickly as a failed state ... Our society was nearly destroyed by Indonesian occupation. It will take more than a couple years to fix things."
With a grin, Ramos-Horta goes on to argue that even after 60-odd years of independence from the Dutch, the Indonesians themselves have yet to build a rock-solid nation-state. "Nation-building is a slow, laborious process," he says. "The biggest mistake foreign observers made was thinking that things could be done overnight in East Timor. It will take time, effort and lots of work." Just a year ago, both Ramos-Horta and Gusmão had hinted that they might retire from politics — and give the younger generation a chance to govern. Now, it appears, both aren't quite willing to give up the reins just yet.
Gusmao appeals for peace, tolerance in E Timor
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1917851.htm
By Anne Barker
East Timor's outgoing President Xanana Gusmao has appealed for peace and tolerance as the troubled nation prepares to elect his replacement.
As East Timor votes for a new president, President Gusmao began a round of farewells from the country's top job.
He is relinquishing the post after five years to stand for prime minister in next month's parliamentary elections at the head of a new political party.
He has urged both presidential candidates - Jose Ramos Horta and Fretilin party president Francisco Guterres - to work to restore stability to East Timor if they are elected.
He says it is essential to instil the message of tolerance and peace in the country's youth to ensure the violence of the past year never happens again.
President Gusmao formally steps down on May 20, the fifth anniversary of East Timor's independence.
By Anne Barker
East Timor's outgoing President Xanana Gusmao has appealed for peace and tolerance as the troubled nation prepares to elect his replacement.
As East Timor votes for a new president, President Gusmao began a round of farewells from the country's top job.
He is relinquishing the post after five years to stand for prime minister in next month's parliamentary elections at the head of a new political party.
He has urged both presidential candidates - Jose Ramos Horta and Fretilin party president Francisco Guterres - to work to restore stability to East Timor if they are elected.
He says it is essential to instil the message of tolerance and peace in the country's youth to ensure the violence of the past year never happens again.
President Gusmao formally steps down on May 20, the fifth anniversary of East Timor's independence.
Timor ready for presidential run-off
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/1109679
Timor ready for presidential run-off
May 8, 2007
Security in East Timor is sufficient to ensure Wednesday's presidential polls go smoothly, the United Nations said ahead of a run-off vote between Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta and parliament chief Francisco Guterres.
The first-round vote a month ago brought complaints of widespread irregularities, stoking concerns of instability in a poor nation still struggling to heal divisions five years after it won independence from Indonesia.
Campaigning had ended on Tuesday for a cooling-off period and residents of the capital, Dili, went about business as usual.
"We're satisfied that there's enough security in place to guarantee that East Timorese will vote in a safe manner on Wednesday," Finn Reske-Nielsen, deputy UN mission chief in East Timor, told a news conference late on Monday.
Ramos-Horta and Guterres - a former independence fighter nicknamed "Lu'Olo" and president of the ruling Fretilin party - won the most votes in the first round but none of the eight candidates obtained a clear majority, forcing a run-off.
Ramos-Horta, a Nobel peace prize winner who spearheaded an overseas campaign for East Timor's independence, appeared to have the edge after five of the first-round losing candidates urged their supporters to vote for him.
"The leadership of Fretilin and myself will call on people to accept the result," the bespectacled Ramos-Horta said after a meeting with outgoing President Xanana Gusmao, the UN mission and parliament representatives to discuss the elections.
He said he would honour the results even if they were not 100% clean.
From strength to crisis
Outgoing President Gusmao, who will now run for the post of prime minister, called for a focus on the national interest.
"We began to construct a state from scratch and, when we had a faint feeling of strength and stability, we disintegrated into the crisis of last year," he told a meeting of diplomats.
A regional split erupted into bloodshed last May after the sacking of 600 mutinous troops from the western region. Foreign troops had to be brought in to restore order but 30,000 people remain in camps across Dili, afraid to go home.
Isaura Morques, 20, who lives in a refugee camp across from Dili's biggest hotel, said she would vote for Ramos-Horta partly because of his international stature.
"I hope there will be no more crises," she added, holding her nine-month-old niece.
Illustrating the fragile security situation, UN police fired shots into the air and tear gas to quell a clash in the Bairu Pite area of the capital, a UN police official said.
A witness said the fighting, in which one person was wounded, appeared to be gang-related rather than tied to the election. There have been many such clashes in the past year.
Reske-Nielsen said 1,700 UN police had been deployed across the country, backed by international troops.
More than 270 foreign observers and about 2,000 local observers would monitor the elections, he added, noting authorities were investigating allegations of intimidation and bribery ahead of Wednesday's polls.
The UN chief electoral officer, Steven Wagenseil, said preliminary results were expected on Friday evening.
East Timor's presidential post is largely ceremonial but many hope the winner will unite a nation beset by regional rivalry, rebellious security forces and disillusionment among citizens five years after the joyous celebrations of independence.
Timor ready for presidential run-off
May 8, 2007
Security in East Timor is sufficient to ensure Wednesday's presidential polls go smoothly, the United Nations said ahead of a run-off vote between Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta and parliament chief Francisco Guterres.
The first-round vote a month ago brought complaints of widespread irregularities, stoking concerns of instability in a poor nation still struggling to heal divisions five years after it won independence from Indonesia.
Campaigning had ended on Tuesday for a cooling-off period and residents of the capital, Dili, went about business as usual.
"We're satisfied that there's enough security in place to guarantee that East Timorese will vote in a safe manner on Wednesday," Finn Reske-Nielsen, deputy UN mission chief in East Timor, told a news conference late on Monday.
Ramos-Horta and Guterres - a former independence fighter nicknamed "Lu'Olo" and president of the ruling Fretilin party - won the most votes in the first round but none of the eight candidates obtained a clear majority, forcing a run-off.
Ramos-Horta, a Nobel peace prize winner who spearheaded an overseas campaign for East Timor's independence, appeared to have the edge after five of the first-round losing candidates urged their supporters to vote for him.
"The leadership of Fretilin and myself will call on people to accept the result," the bespectacled Ramos-Horta said after a meeting with outgoing President Xanana Gusmao, the UN mission and parliament representatives to discuss the elections.
He said he would honour the results even if they were not 100% clean.
From strength to crisis
Outgoing President Gusmao, who will now run for the post of prime minister, called for a focus on the national interest.
"We began to construct a state from scratch and, when we had a faint feeling of strength and stability, we disintegrated into the crisis of last year," he told a meeting of diplomats.
A regional split erupted into bloodshed last May after the sacking of 600 mutinous troops from the western region. Foreign troops had to be brought in to restore order but 30,000 people remain in camps across Dili, afraid to go home.
Isaura Morques, 20, who lives in a refugee camp across from Dili's biggest hotel, said she would vote for Ramos-Horta partly because of his international stature.
"I hope there will be no more crises," she added, holding her nine-month-old niece.
Illustrating the fragile security situation, UN police fired shots into the air and tear gas to quell a clash in the Bairu Pite area of the capital, a UN police official said.
A witness said the fighting, in which one person was wounded, appeared to be gang-related rather than tied to the election. There have been many such clashes in the past year.
Reske-Nielsen said 1,700 UN police had been deployed across the country, backed by international troops.
More than 270 foreign observers and about 2,000 local observers would monitor the elections, he added, noting authorities were investigating allegations of intimidation and bribery ahead of Wednesday's polls.
The UN chief electoral officer, Steven Wagenseil, said preliminary results were expected on Friday evening.
East Timor's presidential post is largely ceremonial but many hope the winner will unite a nation beset by regional rivalry, rebellious security forces and disillusionment among citizens five years after the joyous celebrations of independence.
Australian spy plane crashes into Timorese home
From Stephen Fitzpatrick in Dili
May 10, 2007 07:20am
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21707094-912,00.html?from=public_rss
AN Australian unmanned spy plane has crashed into a house while on operations in East Timor, narrowly avoiding causing injuries in a densely populated part of Dili.
The accident, in the eastern suburb of Becora, is sure to put pressure on the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force, which has already been accused by the ruling Fretilin party of interference in presidential elections.
Voters went to the polls yesterday to choose between current Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta and parliamentary speaker Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres, the ruling Fretilin party's candidate.
Investigation expected
An investigation is expected to determine as soon as tomorrow whether the spy plane crash was due to technical failure or operator error, with charges likely should it prove to be the latter.
Repairs are also due to begin today to the house, which was unoccupied at the time of the incident last Thursday.
"ISF engineers visited the scene and assured the owners that the appropriate repairs would be made, to the same or better standard as before," military spokesman Squadron Leader Ivan Benitez-Aguirre said yesterday.
Military helicopters were scrambled immediately after the crash, to locate the wreckage.
'Perhaps it was a UFO'
Mr Ramos Horta is understood to have been briefed on the incident but, when asked by The Australian to comment, denied knowledge and said only: "Perhaps it was a UFO."
Squadron Leader Benitez-Aguirre could not confirm whether the same type of spy craft was being used in the operation against renegade former military policeman Alfredo Alves Reinado. The military and the UN have strongly denied Fretilin's claims of interference in campaigning.
Mr Ramos Horta, showing a keen understanding of local symbolism, cast his vote yesterday in the town of Baucau at the aptly named Peace Prize School.
He has long played strongly on his status, along with former Dili Bishop Carlos Ximines Belo, as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for the part he played in East Timor's arduous road to independence.
Mr Guterres voted at the same booth he used in the first round of the election - a school in the waterside Dili suburb of Farol, near his home and those of other key members of Fretilin.
Election results expected tomorrow
An informal result is not expected before tomorrow, with formal declaration of the winner likely early next week.
A little over 522,000 East Timorese are registered to vote and about 426,000 of them did so last month in the first round. Of these, only 22,000 votes were deemed invalid. Expectations are that most supporters of the six first-round losers will vote for Mr Ramos Horta this time.
At Fatumean village, high in the mountains near the border with Indonesia, a slow-moving group of elderly men yesterday told UN mission deputy chief Finn Reske-Nielsen that all they really hoped for from the election was a better life.
"And improved security, and better roads," one added.
The village had seen almost all its residents vote by mid-morning; the remaining few, explained one official, were waiting to be relieved by those who had already cast a vote and had a finger inked for security and verification.
May 10, 2007 07:20am
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21707094-912,00.html?from=public_rss
AN Australian unmanned spy plane has crashed into a house while on operations in East Timor, narrowly avoiding causing injuries in a densely populated part of Dili.
The accident, in the eastern suburb of Becora, is sure to put pressure on the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force, which has already been accused by the ruling Fretilin party of interference in presidential elections.
Voters went to the polls yesterday to choose between current Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta and parliamentary speaker Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres, the ruling Fretilin party's candidate.
Investigation expected
An investigation is expected to determine as soon as tomorrow whether the spy plane crash was due to technical failure or operator error, with charges likely should it prove to be the latter.
Repairs are also due to begin today to the house, which was unoccupied at the time of the incident last Thursday.
"ISF engineers visited the scene and assured the owners that the appropriate repairs would be made, to the same or better standard as before," military spokesman Squadron Leader Ivan Benitez-Aguirre said yesterday.
Military helicopters were scrambled immediately after the crash, to locate the wreckage.
'Perhaps it was a UFO'
Mr Ramos Horta is understood to have been briefed on the incident but, when asked by The Australian to comment, denied knowledge and said only: "Perhaps it was a UFO."
Squadron Leader Benitez-Aguirre could not confirm whether the same type of spy craft was being used in the operation against renegade former military policeman Alfredo Alves Reinado. The military and the UN have strongly denied Fretilin's claims of interference in campaigning.
Mr Ramos Horta, showing a keen understanding of local symbolism, cast his vote yesterday in the town of Baucau at the aptly named Peace Prize School.
He has long played strongly on his status, along with former Dili Bishop Carlos Ximines Belo, as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for the part he played in East Timor's arduous road to independence.
Mr Guterres voted at the same booth he used in the first round of the election - a school in the waterside Dili suburb of Farol, near his home and those of other key members of Fretilin.
Election results expected tomorrow
An informal result is not expected before tomorrow, with formal declaration of the winner likely early next week.
A little over 522,000 East Timorese are registered to vote and about 426,000 of them did so last month in the first round. Of these, only 22,000 votes were deemed invalid. Expectations are that most supporters of the six first-round losers will vote for Mr Ramos Horta this time.
At Fatumean village, high in the mountains near the border with Indonesia, a slow-moving group of elderly men yesterday told UN mission deputy chief Finn Reske-Nielsen that all they really hoped for from the election was a better life.
"And improved security, and better roads," one added.
The village had seen almost all its residents vote by mid-morning; the remaining few, explained one official, were waiting to be relieved by those who had already cast a vote and had a finger inked for security and verification.
Troubled Timor votes in landmark poll
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21498,21699167-5005361,00.html?from=public_rss
By Bhimanto Suwastoyo in Dili
May 09, 2007 11:52am
LONG queues formed in the early sunshine as East Timorese voted today in a presidential election they hope will end a cycle of violence that has derailed efforts to rebuild the impoverished nation.
The poll in the former Portuguese colony is a run-off between Nobel peace laureate Jose Ramos-Horta and the ruling Fretilin party's candidate Francisco Guterres.
The election for the largely ceremonial role is the first since East Timor formally declared independence in 2002 after a bloody separation three years earlier from occupying Indonesian forces.
Many Timorese hope the result will unify the tiny country, which is one of the world's poorest, after more than 12 months of turmoil and violence.
Queues formed early at polling stations, mirroring the April 9 first round of voting when thousands turned out to cast their ballots.
"This is our right,'' said George Lopes Belo, 29, as he waited in line at a primary school in the second city of Baucau.
"We hope that the next president, whoever that is, can get us out of this crisis, this conflict,'' said Mr Belo, who has been unable to find regular work.
More than half the population of about one million is registered to vote in the election, held amid tight security, to replace charismatic Xanana Gusmao.
East Timor erupted in violence in May last year after the prime minister of the time dismissed hundreds of army deserters. Firefights broke out between factions of the military and between the army and police that degenerated into gang clashes.
But there were no signs of tension early today in the capital Dili as people arrived at government buildings to vote.
About 300 people lined up in sunshine at a junior high school in the Comoro district of Dili guarded by UN and local police.
Local police patrols were seen driving through the streets.
"For the moment, everything is going well. I think the people need democracy, people need and want peace and they want reconciliation, and this is the way to solve the crisis,'' EU observer chief Javier Pomes Ruiz said.
Confident
Mr Ramos-Horta is favourite to win after six of the failed candidates in the first round declared their support for him.
"I'm totally relaxed, whatever the outcome, I will win,'' said Mr Ramos-Horta, who took over as prime minister after the unrest, before voting in Baucau.
His mood was echoed by Mr Guterres, a former resistance fighter and president of Fretilin.
"I believe and I am confident that I will be the winner,'' he said after casting his vote in Dili.
Fretilin, which was formed as a resistance movement against Portuguese and then Indonesian occupation, retains a strong support base.
Both candidates have accused each other of bribing people to win votes, and some observers have warned of violence from militant Fretilin supporters if Mr Guterres loses.
Rights groups have also reported intimidation of voters by supporters of the candidates during door-to-door campaigning.
Polling stations were being secured by 4000 UN and local police, backed by about 1000 troops from an Australian-led international security force sent to quell last year's unrest.
At least 37 people were killed then and 150,000 forced to flee their homes. More than 30,000 remain displaced in Dili, afraid to return home.
Mr Gusmao said on Monday that the unrest had severely set back efforts to rebuild the country.
"We began to construct a state from scratch and when we had a faint feeling of strength and stability we disintegrated into the crisis of last year, which has left profound marks we have not been able to completely overcome,'' he said on Monday.
The popular Mr Gusmao is expected to run for the more powerful post of prime minister in elections in June.
By Bhimanto Suwastoyo in Dili
May 09, 2007 11:52am
LONG queues formed in the early sunshine as East Timorese voted today in a presidential election they hope will end a cycle of violence that has derailed efforts to rebuild the impoverished nation.
The poll in the former Portuguese colony is a run-off between Nobel peace laureate Jose Ramos-Horta and the ruling Fretilin party's candidate Francisco Guterres.
The election for the largely ceremonial role is the first since East Timor formally declared independence in 2002 after a bloody separation three years earlier from occupying Indonesian forces.
Many Timorese hope the result will unify the tiny country, which is one of the world's poorest, after more than 12 months of turmoil and violence.
Queues formed early at polling stations, mirroring the April 9 first round of voting when thousands turned out to cast their ballots.
"This is our right,'' said George Lopes Belo, 29, as he waited in line at a primary school in the second city of Baucau.
"We hope that the next president, whoever that is, can get us out of this crisis, this conflict,'' said Mr Belo, who has been unable to find regular work.
More than half the population of about one million is registered to vote in the election, held amid tight security, to replace charismatic Xanana Gusmao.
East Timor erupted in violence in May last year after the prime minister of the time dismissed hundreds of army deserters. Firefights broke out between factions of the military and between the army and police that degenerated into gang clashes.
But there were no signs of tension early today in the capital Dili as people arrived at government buildings to vote.
About 300 people lined up in sunshine at a junior high school in the Comoro district of Dili guarded by UN and local police.
Local police patrols were seen driving through the streets.
"For the moment, everything is going well. I think the people need democracy, people need and want peace and they want reconciliation, and this is the way to solve the crisis,'' EU observer chief Javier Pomes Ruiz said.
Confident
Mr Ramos-Horta is favourite to win after six of the failed candidates in the first round declared their support for him.
"I'm totally relaxed, whatever the outcome, I will win,'' said Mr Ramos-Horta, who took over as prime minister after the unrest, before voting in Baucau.
His mood was echoed by Mr Guterres, a former resistance fighter and president of Fretilin.
"I believe and I am confident that I will be the winner,'' he said after casting his vote in Dili.
Fretilin, which was formed as a resistance movement against Portuguese and then Indonesian occupation, retains a strong support base.
Both candidates have accused each other of bribing people to win votes, and some observers have warned of violence from militant Fretilin supporters if Mr Guterres loses.
Rights groups have also reported intimidation of voters by supporters of the candidates during door-to-door campaigning.
Polling stations were being secured by 4000 UN and local police, backed by about 1000 troops from an Australian-led international security force sent to quell last year's unrest.
At least 37 people were killed then and 150,000 forced to flee their homes. More than 30,000 remain displaced in Dili, afraid to return home.
Mr Gusmao said on Monday that the unrest had severely set back efforts to rebuild the country.
"We began to construct a state from scratch and when we had a faint feeling of strength and stability we disintegrated into the crisis of last year, which has left profound marks we have not been able to completely overcome,'' he said on Monday.
The popular Mr Gusmao is expected to run for the more powerful post of prime minister in elections in June.
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