Timor Leste is a volatile country. It may look peaceful but the situation can change at any time, and it's a very politically oriented country so political tensions can run high.
We have just experienced one small preview of what could happen if the elections don't go well. Yesterday both CNE (National Electoral Commission) and STAE (for whom I work) were victims of molotov attacks and one UNPOL car was burnt. All of this was in Dili, so don't worry, everything in Maliana is calm and quiet, for the time being anyway...
We don't currently know who was behind the attacks but some predict that it was the work of Angela Freitas, the 14th wanna-be candidate to the presidential elections. Her candidature was refused because she was missing the necessary criteria, but now she is accusing the goverment of denying her the right to run for office. She is also the widow of the man responsible for the attempted assassination of Ramos Horta and Xanana Gusmao in 2008! She, herself, is predicting more violence during the elections so the situation could become ugly...There are also some tensions among the other candidates, but hopefully, but unfortunately not likely, this will be a solitary incident. We hope that the Timorese will come to their senses...they want the UN out (especially UNPOL), so politicians are calling on all citizens to be calm and peaceful during the elections to show the UN Security Council that Timor can take care of itself. The UN is hoping for this as well so that UNMIT can come to its rightful end, as planned, in December of this year. We just have to wait and see and hope for the best...
We have just experienced one small preview of what could happen if the elections don't go well. Yesterday both CNE (National Electoral Commission) and STAE (for whom I work) were victims of molotov attacks and one UNPOL car was burnt. All of this was in Dili, so don't worry, everything in Maliana is calm and quiet, for the time being anyway...
We don't currently know who was behind the attacks but some predict that it was the work of Angela Freitas, the 14th wanna-be candidate to the presidential elections. Her candidature was refused because she was missing the necessary criteria, but now she is accusing the goverment of denying her the right to run for office. She is also the widow of the man responsible for the attempted assassination of Ramos Horta and Xanana Gusmao in 2008! She, herself, is predicting more violence during the elections so the situation could become ugly...There are also some tensions among the other candidates, but hopefully, but unfortunately not likely, this will be a solitary incident. We hope that the Timorese will come to their senses...they want the UN out (especially UNPOL), so politicians are calling on all citizens to be calm and peaceful during the elections to show the UN Security Council that Timor can take care of itself. The UN is hoping for this as well so that UNMIT can come to its rightful end, as planned, in December of this year. We just have to wait and see and hope for the best...
No comments:
Post a Comment