02 October 2008

Fretilin Demand for a Re-election

02/10/2008 Tempo Interactive Jakarta: Fretilin demanded a re-election in East Timor, the party Secretary General Mari Alkatiri said on Thursday when meeting the chairman of Muhammadiyah, Din Syamsuddin in Jakarta.

Alkatiri said the current East Timor government is unlegitimate and do not have a strong constitutional ground, we want a re-election Alkatiri stated.

Alkatiri claimed development was halted and conflict potentials have not been contained since he was deposed by his party rivals. He threatened to mobilize up to 200.000 supporters to push the government to hold a re-election immediately giving a maximum time of one month.

Fretilin reigned in May 2002 after the United Nation handed over the sovereignity of East Timor to the winning party on the August 2001 election.

Alkatiri was forced to resign in 2006 as unrest sparked by rebelling troops led by Major Alfredo Reinado. Reinado led the troops based on the western part of the country bordering Indonesia to raise their discontentment of being discriminated by the government compared to their fellow troops in the eastern part of the country.

Alkatiri however run for the post again when a parliamentary election was held in June 2007, Fretilin won the biggest vote. But rival party the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT) led by Xanana Gusmao which won the second largest vote took control of the parliament after forming a coalition with the third and fourth largest party by number of votes.

Famega Syafira

No comments: