Fretilin defends democratic right to protest

ABC News
25.10.2008
Posted 10 hours 28 minutes ago

East Timor's opposition leader has defended his party's right to plan a mass demonstration in Dili, amid Government claims it could trigger new clashes.

East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has threatened to arrest any anti-government protesters who join what the Fretilin party has called a "peace march".

But opposition leader Mari Alkatiri has told Radio National's Saturday Extra program that Fretilin has a democratic right to hold a march.

And he has accused the Prime Minister of fuelling the divisions between the country's east and west factions, which turned violent in 2006.

"He was the one, who as head of state, made a speech to the nation and tried to divide the army into east and west," he said.

"He did it publicly. He should be blamed for this."