Parties must work together

Australian troops in military vehicles patrol the streets to guard against angry Fretilin party supporters near Comoro airport in Dili [REUTERS/LIRIO DA FONSECA/www.alertnet.org]

CAFOD partner calls for all political parties to "keep talking" in East Timor after violence broke out when the country's new prime minister was announced

CAFOD has called for calm in East Timor, after violence broke out following the announcement that Xanana Gusmao would be the new Prime Minister.

CAFOD partners have been affected by the violence with the offices of CRS being burnt to the ground in Baucau and a camp served by CAFOD partners seeing significant unrest and destruction.

Church properties have also been targeted during the violence, which flared following a period of unrest after a June election in which neither of the two main political parties were able to achieve an overall majority.

The previous ruling party, Fretilin, won 21 seats and argued that it should form the government because it got the most votes. But CNRT, which won 18 seats, gained a parliamentary majority by forming an alliance with smaller parties.

President Jose Ramos Horta decided to use his constitutional right to appoint CNRT's Gusmao as prime minister, but Fretilin says it plans to challenge the decision.

Hope for East Timor

Joaozito Viana, from CAFOD partner Luta Hamutuk (Struggle Together), says: "The situation in Dili is calmer. We urge the government to keep talking with the Fretilin Party to resolve the security problems.

"It is important that all political parties are involved and work together to resolve constitutional problems. We hope these issues can be solved through dialogue and not through violence."

Alex Cooney, CAFOD's south-east Asia programme manager, says: “Our support and sympathy goes to our partners who have suffered through the violence and we hope to see calm return to the country.

"There is much hope for East Timor, and these elections have been a big step forward. We have long been involved in East Timor and remain committed to partnership in the world’s newest nation”.

CAFOD has worked in East Timor for over 20 years, supporting the people during the hardest of times in their bid for independence.

Throughout the turbulent 1990s, CAFOD’s partners played an important role in the social and economic development of East Timor.

When it became independent East Timor faced huge development problems including a shattered road network and poor electricity and water supplies.

For further information contact Mel Beardon on 0207 095 5557 / 07785 950585, or email mbeardon@cafod.org.uk

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