BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

October 16, 2008

Timorese party to hold anti-government protest

Text of report by Portuguese TV on 16 October

[Presenter] Mari Alkatiri [leader of Fretilin, Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor leader] has compared the illegitimacy of the government led by Xanana Gusmao to the Indonesian occupation in Timor. Fretilin is to hold a major demonstration with the aim of bringing down the government.

[Reporter] Fretilin is going to say once again, loud and clear, that the government is illegal. Alkatiri has promised a mega demonstration on the streets of Dili - 50,000 people to say no to Xanana.

[Alkatiri, 12: 36:22] The objective of the march is clear: it is to once again show that the current government does not have the legitimacy to govern. The current government is unconstitutional. [12:36:41]

[Reporter] Fretilin is angry. Alkatiri speaks of illegal occupation, just like the Indonesian occupation was illegal.

[Alkatiri, 12:36:50] When the Indonesians arrived here we did not go to court to complain, we engaged in politics. The occupation was illegal. [12:36:57]

[Reporter] In 2006 the crisis took to the streets. The Fretilin government's opponents held demonstrations, protests which contributed to the fall of the Alkatiri government. It could happen again, except this time it will be Alkatiri leading the protest. Although Fretilin obtained the most votes in the last elections, the president of the republic [Jose Ramos Horta] chose to ask Xanana Gusmao to form a government backed by a parliamentary alliance. According to Fretilin this was illegal. Mari Alkatiri now wants to tell the Xanana Gusmao's government enough is enough. Ramos Horta does not agree with the mega demonstration.

[Ramos Horta, 12:37:40] It is serious. The government is legitimate and internationally recognized - there is not a single world government which does not recognize the fourth constitutional government. Constitutionally I am the only person responsible and if there is anything unconstitutional it is serious, and in any country in the world if the president does something unconstitutional then he resigns. [12: 38:03]

[Reporter] Ramos Horta takes responsibility for not choosing the most voted party to form a government.

Source: RTP Internacional TV, Lisbon, in Portuguese 1200 gmt 16 Oct 08

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