Also: UN chief in East Timor says Xanana Gusmao to play important role after elections

East Timor: UN chief sends out no-violence warning to political parties 

BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Aug 17, 2001

Source: RDP Antena 1 radio, Lisbon, in Portuguese 0700 gmt 17 Aug 01

[Presenter] The UN has expressed the wish to ensuring full security for the 30 August [parliamentary] elections in East Timor. Speaking in a press conference in Dili, Sergio Vieira de Mello [head of UNTAET, UN Transitional Administration in East Timor] said he would not tolerate any threats made on democracy nor any words spoken against it. The recipient of his message were the political parties and the people alike, in what will be their first voting in a free election. Antonio Veladas reports:

[Veladas] Intimidation and violence shall not be tolerated. Sergio Vieira de Mello is aware of the need to put an end to the growing lack of stability which has been apparent in recent days following the accusations exchanged by the political parties. From today, the people of East Timor and the UN will no longer tolerate this situation, so that the elections and democracy may be preserved.

[Mello] The people of East Timor will express their opposition, allergy to and intolerance to any attempts by political party members to using methods which the population of this country shall no longer tolerate whenever in the pursuit of political aims. This is what I am saying and this means we will be supporting a no-tolerance attitude with all the means we have available to us.

[Veladas] ... Sergio Vieira de Mello has thus given an impetus to the initiatives of the [Catholic] Church which, in a note to be circulated on Sunday [19 August], is expected to send out another call for peace and understanding...

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UN chief in East Timor says Xanana Gusmao to play important role after elections 

BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Aug 17, 2001

Source: RDP Antena 1 radio, Lisbon, in Portuguese 0800 gmt 17 Aug 01

[Presenter] The people of East Timor will choose a new parliament for their territory in the 30 August [2001] elections, date when both the UN transitional administration [UNTAET, UN Transitional Administration in East Timor] and the mandate of the transitional government, headed by Sergio Vieira de Mello, will come to an end. An interview with the UN administrator of East Timor will be broadcast by RDP [state radio] on Sunday [19 August]. Speaking to correspondent Antonio Veladas, Sergio Vieira de Mello said he believes Xanana Gusmao [former president of the National Council of the Timorese Resistance] will continue to lead the people of East Timor, maybe even as president of the territory.

[Mello] Each historical figure, each key political figure shall assume his responsibilities. I do not wish to speak any further on this issue because I am, up to a point, also conjecturing and because the future will be told by the results of the elections, but you shall receive very pleasant surprises in September.

[Veladas] What makes you wish to have Xanana Gusmao as president of the republic of East Timor, in the same way as other important international statesmen have told him in private and in public?

[Mello] The answer is clear: few people possess the charismatic gift to unify every wing of a society, and above all, of a society that has been split, up to a point, in 1999 [date of the independence referendum]. His is a unique quality, it is a virtue, I cannot find other words to describe it, it is a virtue which few people have, which few people possess, and Xanana has it, and shows it because he has been building it, he has gained respect over the years. He is respected even by his former enemies. This is why he will have to play an important role in the future of this country and I believe he has already accepted this fact, this categorical call, as Kant has put it in a different context, and this is why I am not at all worried [about the future]...

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