Timor Opposition Walks Out As New Electoral Laws Impose Heavy Fines And Jail Terms

PR Log (Press Release) – May 18, 2007 – The National Parliament of East Timor has enacted new laws said to combat voter intimidation and vote buying at the parliamentary elections scheduled for June.

The ruling Fretilin party pushed the laws through the country's legislature while opposition parties walked out in protest when debate on the amendments to the electoral laws began.

The amendments contain stiff fines and jail terms for offences such as deliberately and willfully but falsely accusing another person of breaching the electoral law and lodging complaints made in bad faith and without foundation regarding the electoral authorities and their lawful decisions.

Fretilin Central Committee member Francisco Branco said yesterday that the new penal provisions were designed to clean up "negative electioneering of the type employed in the Presidential elections against Fretilin’s candidate.”

Most analysts believe that Fretilin has an uphill battle to retain power after losing support since violence broke out in April last year and foreign troops had to be called to restore the rule of law.

The Democratic Party, which is headed by student resistance leader Lasama, and the recently-formed National Congress of Timorese Reconstruction led by independence hero, Xanana Gusmao, are expected to form an alliance and sweep Fretilin from power at the forthcoming general election.