Insane?...

Release Timor Sea funds, says Gusmao
The Age
April 4, 2007 - 4:34PM

East Timor's President Xanana Gusmao has called for the release of money from the nation's $US1 billion Timor Sea oil revenue fund, saying his people are living in misery while the nation saves for its future.

The former independence fighter on Wednesday unveiled his vision for the future of the fledgling nation, which will next week go to the polls to elect his replacement.

Isolated incidents of violence and intimidation have marred the lead up to the Easter Monday poll - the first since East Timor was granted independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a decades-long struggle.

It came as the spokesman of the independent National Election Commission (CNE), Father Martinho Gusmao, on Wednesday publicly endorsed one of the eight candidates vying to become president.

"Perhaps if you ask me to chose I would put (Democratic Party candidate Fernando) Lasama (Araujo) in the first (place)," he told a Jakarta Foreign Correspondents function in Dili.

Father Gusmao - who has written a draft letter to be read at church services this Easter weekend ahead of the poll - said there was nothing wrong with him expressing an opinion.

He said the church would not favour one candidate over another.

"The main point is that we (will) ask people to vote (with) their conscience ... we don't (promote) a specific person," he said.

"But after the church ... in the house or elsewhere if I talk to persons ... I say well I prefer that you chose this one - this is no violation because I (am not talking publicly)."

Meanwhile, President Gusmao, who has flagged his intention to run in opposition to the government party Fretilin at the national parliamentary elections later this year, called on East Timor to unite behind a common "masterplan" to build a successful future.

"We have $US1 billion in New York and we have these people dying," he said.

"How can we see them dying miserably, how can we see the veterans ... it all means nothing if we don't assist them."

He said East Timorese had many expectations with the nation's achievement of independence in 2002, but none had been realised.

"We used to promise the people new jobs ... but in reality people don't see any light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

"We have money ... but unfortunately the money is being kept in a bank in New York while the people are suffering, while people are living in misery."

East Timor is one of Southeast Asia's poorest nations, with many citizens living on less than $US1 dollar a day.

In a surprise move, Gusmao praised Indonesia's former authoritarian president Soeharto, saying he was a good example of how East Timor could further develop.

"Soeharto, beside everything we can accuse him of doing, for me he was the father of the development of Indonesia," Gusmao said.