President vows to guard East Timor Constitution

Posted at 5:50pm on 14 Jun 2006

East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao vowed on Wednesday to uphold the Constitution amid speculation he may dissolve Parliament in a bid to end weeks of crisis.

Addressing a special sitting of Parliament, Mr Gusmao has compared the current crisis to the bloodshed of 1999, albeit on a smaller scale.

He says the recent violence has caused unacceptable fear and suffering, and paralysed state institutions. He said he remains the guardian of East Timor's Constitution.

Guardian of the Constitution

"From 20 May, 2002 onwards, I have been the President of the Republic and it is incumbent upon me to be the guardian of the Constitution," Mr Gusmao said.

"To be a guardian of the Constitution of the Republic basically means to safeguard the democratic state based on the rule of law.

"I will continue to fulfil the sacred duty of safeguarding the democratic state, based on the rule of law, until the end of my mandate in May 2007.

"I will do so unwaveringly and the people can be sure of that."

Trouble followed sacking of deserters

East Timor sank into chaos after Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri fired 600 soldiers, or nearly half the Army, in March after they deserted complaining of discrimination because they came from the country's west.

At least 21 people died last month as sporadic battles between rival soldiers and police descended into gang clashes.

The government appealed for foreign help and more than 2,200 troops and police have since arrived from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Portugal.

The ABC reports President Gusmao said East Timor has been in talks with Australian Defence chiefs to extend the foreign troop presence to regional districts.

UN troops needed: Annan

The United Nations Secretary-General says he believes peacekeeping forces will have to return to East Timor, just a year after they were withdrawn.

Kofi Annan told a meeting of the Security Council in New York that he was "deeply concerned" about the situation.

Mr Annan announced the UN will hold an independent inquiry into the violence, including an incident on May 25 in which 10 policemen were killed.

International presence

The UN chief says he expects international troops to remain in East Timor in the medium term - before possibly handing over to the UN.

"It is obvious that the UN will have to go back in a much larger form than we are at the moment," he said.

"We will need to send an assessment mission on the ground to determine exactly what needs to be done."

The deployment of any UN peacekeepers in East Timor would require approval by the UN Security Council.

Call for police

Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta has asked the United Nations for up to 900 multi-national police to help curb the violence in East Timor.

Dr Ramos Horta said East Timor needs about 870 multi-national police to maintain law and order for at least a year.

Dr Horta also urged the UN to extend its mandate in East Timor for at least one more month after it expires next week.

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