WORLD EXCLUSIVE EAST TIMOR Ramos-Horta asks, Who has the Right to Rule – The People or The Party?

Fretilin candidate Francisco “Lu’Olo” Guterres faces a head to head run-off with the popular Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. José Ramos-Horta ... THE LATEST NEWS & INTERVIEWS VISIT www.ramos-horta.org
By: peaceeasttimor
 
April 16, 2007 - PRLog -- FOR THE LATEST NEWS & INTERVIEWS VISIT www.ramos-horta.org

Dili – 16th April 2007 - As round two of the presidential election is set to commence in East Timor, amid serious concerns around the integrity of vote counting in the first round, serious cracks appear to emerge from the foundations of Fretilin. Fretilin candidate Francisco “Lu’Olo” Guterres faces a head to head run-off with the popular Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. José Ramos-Horta in the second round, but appears sidelined by his own party.

The results of the first round have shaken the Fretilin regime to the core, with the party initially boasting on April 7 of its absolute confidence in an outright and overwhelming victory. The reality was far from their expectations, as the people of East Timor voted with their hearts and conscience to end the rule of a party who’s tenement of government is marked only by violence and inaction.

With over 70 per cent of voters casting against Fretilin, It is a clear call to action by the People of East Timor to invoke their democratic right for a change in government.

The destabilization of the party is clearly evident as Fretilin candidate Lu’Olo is increasingly sidelined as a spokesperson by Mari Alkitiri, the former Prime Minister forced to resign in 2006 for causing widespread violence due to irresponsible governance. In a desperate attempt to win appeal, Alkitiri has taken the lead by mounting a vocal media campaign promoting his party and his candidate; which displays an evident lack of internal confidence in the party’s presidential candidate, Lu’OLo. Alkitiri’s statements thus far have become increasingly inconsistent but reflective of a party in crisis.

On April 12, Mari Alkitiri issued a media release stating:
‘Fretilin congratulates the International Defense and Security Forces who, in an ethical and efficient manner, guaranteed Law and Order, in so doing demonstrating that our nation will still need for some time to come their presence so as to consolidate stability and peace and to sketch the irreversible path towards democracy.’

Yet only five days earlier (Saturday April 7th 2007) in an interview with the Portuguese newspaper Publico, Alkitiri stated: “Foreign military forces should leave the country after the legislatives, and no longer. Then the GNR will be enough.” A total contradiction in policy.

This interview led the journalist, Paulo Moura, to conclude that ‘while Mari Alkitiri is not a presidential candidate, he is Fretilin’s main figure. Discredited after the 2006 crisis, he resigned from the Government’s leadership. His plan is to return, counting on an obedient Lu’Olo, whom he believes is going to win the elections, tomorrow, at the first round.’

In the same interview, Alkitiri defends his role in propelling democracy in East Timor while readily admitting to engaging the services of Mozambique campaign consultants, trained in “one party” campaign tactics under Mozambique’s Frelimo government. Frelimo ruled in Mozambique until 1994, when a multi party system was insitituted after a brutal civil war.

Marxism proves to be a common link for Fretilin, with the Communist Party of Portugal publicly declaring its support of the party in the elections both through the Portuguese media outlet Lusa, and on the offical Portugal Communist Party Website (www.pcp.pt/english/) which reads: “The PCP reiterates to the people of East-Timor and their legitimate government its solidarity… and confirms to Fretilin, the great force of resistance and liberation, the friendship and solidarity of the Portuguese communists.”

Reflecting on recent developments, Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta commented, “More worrisome than inconsistent policy platforms, a track record of abject failure and obvious power struggles within the party, is Fretilin’s arrogant right to rule mentality”

“Alkitiri frequently states in interviews, (twice in the recent Publico article) that, ‘Whoever liberated the country has the right to rule it.’ Alkitiri obviously forgets a democracy is not ruled, it is governed by ordinance of the people through the ballot box. More importantly is the fact that he does not credit the real entity responsible for the freedom of East Timor, the citizens themselves who struggled for independence. It is these people who have the right to rule over their own future and use their democratic rights to vote for a new government, one of change, development, employment and prosperity. They have the right to vote for a President and a Government that pledge to eradicate poverty and improve their way of life. To give them back respect not only for themselves, but also their country.”

FOR THE LATEST NEWS & INTERVIEWS VISIT www.ramos-horta.org
EMAIL >>> info@ramos-horta.org
CALL >>> Dionisio Babo Soares - T: +670 724 3952

Website: www.ramos-horta.org/index.html
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