For tens of thousands of East Timorese who fled their homes last
year when the tiny nation descended into chaos, the main hope from
today's presidential election is that it will allow them to go
home.
Outgoing President Xanana Gusmao has said East Timor's
presidential poll is a chance to show his young nation is not a
failed state.
But the shadow of violence remains.
Supporters of rival candidates clashed during campaigning last
week, injuring more than 30 people and prompting international
troops to fire tear gas and warning shots.
"I want to return home, but I'm still afraid," said Sofia
Rofinus, a 38-year-old former teacher, who has lived in a tent with
her five-year old daughter and husband for almost a year.
At the camp in the capital, children were flying kites in the
scorching sun, their hair unkempt and clothes shabby, while older
people sat outside their tents to escape the heat inside.
About 150,000 people were driven from their homes last year
during violence that erupted after the government sacked 600
rebellious soldiers. Foreign troops were brought in to restore calm
after dozens were killed.
Eight candidates are running in the election, including interim
Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel peace prize winner who
spearheaded an overseas campaign for independence from Indonesia.
If no one wins more than half the votes, there will be a run-off, a
scenario some analysts see as likely.
President Gusmao, an ally of Ramos-Horta, is not running for
re-election but plans to seek the more hands-on post of prime
minister in separate parliamentary elections later this year.
Gusmao has blamed election clashes on the Fretilin Party of
ousted Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, accusing its leaders of
allowing supporters to provoke violence.
Fretilin's candidate, Francisco Guterres, is another
front-runner vying for support from just over half a million
voters.
Foreign troops, observers
Julio Thomas of the National University of Timor Leste said a
first round winner was unlikely given the number of candidates,
voters and campaign turnouts.
He sees the poll as a three-way race between Ramos-Horta,
Guterres and Fernando de Araujo of the Democratic Party who has
backing from many younger voters.
Around 3,000 international troops and police will go on patrol
to safeguard the elections, while about 200 international observers
are monitoring the voting.
East Timor's vote for independence from Indonesia in 1999
triggered a campaign of violence by pro-Jakarta militiamen, leaving
about 1,000 dead and a trail of destruction.
The United Nations ran the country until 2002.
(China Daily April 9, 2007)
