Church blesses presidential candidate in Timor

Fairfax
Lindsay Murdoch in Dili and agencies April 5, 2007

THE Catholic Church has made a surprise intervention in East Timor's presidential election, signalling its support for the former student activist and political prisoner Fernando "La Sama" de Araujo.

In a blow to the eight other candidates, including the Nobel laureate Jose Ramos-Horta, the church's representative on the National Electoral Commission, Martinho Gusmao, said yesterday Mr de Araujo had the "character" to lead East Timor out of crisis.

Father Martinho told journalists in Dili that priests and bishops in more than 200 churches across the country would not nominate a preferred candidate during masses on Easter Sunday, the day before the vote. But that later, outside church walls, priests would be free to tell worshippers who they believe is the best candidate to replace Xanana Gusmao, who has not nominated for re-election. More than 95 per cent of East Timor's 1 million people are at least nominally Catholic.

While Father Martinho stressed Mr de Araujo was his "personal" choice for president, his decision to back him will strongly influence what priests say on election eve.

Father Martinho made his comments despite being on the 15-member election commission, the independent body that is supervising the conduct of the election. He denied his stand was a conflict of interest."We enjoy the freedom to express whatever we want," he said.

Mr de Araujo, who heads the Democratic Party, also has the backing of the fugitive rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, a cult hero for many Timorese, who has for weeks eluded Australian soldiers hunting him in the rugged central mountains. Reinado, who is wanted for murder and armed rebellion, released a statement last week saying that Mr de Araujo would bring "peace and justice" to the country, after violent upheaval last year that left 37 dead and forced more than 100,000 people from their homes. Three candidates have emerged as frontrunners in the election, the first to be organised by East Timor since the country gained independence in 2002.

The ruling Fretilin party's Francisco Guterres attracted more than 5000 supporters to a rally on the last day of campaigning in Dili yesterday. Thousands also attended rallies for Mr de Araujo and Mr Ramos-Horta. United Nations police were called to stop a number of rock-fights in the city which resulted in several injuries including to two police.

■ Xanana Gusmao yesterday called for the release of money from the nation's $US1 billion ($1.3 billion) Timor Sea oil revenue fund, saying his people are living in misery while the nation saves for its future.