Opposition Proposes Timor Leste's Parliament Be Dismissed
Wednesday, 14 June, 2006 | 16:46 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Dili: Timor Leste's President Xanana Gusmao this morning gave a speech before a session of parliament for the first time since the crisis hit the country.

“He will talk about the latest situation,” Presidential Secretary Angela Freitas told AFP yesterday without providing any details.

Xanana's cabinet head, Agio Pereirra, confirmed the agenda.

President Xanana's measure is because yesterday (13/6), people in opposition to Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri gathered to present a proposal the essence of which is to give full power to the president to dismiss parliament and establish a transitional government.

For weeks now, the small country has been suffering a political crisis and rioting which has caused the deaths of 21 people and about 133,000 people have had to evacuate.

Almost 3,000 foreign peacekeeping troops have occupied Timor Leste since the rioting, due to the dismissal of 594 Falintil soldiers, which resulted in demands for Alkatiri’s resignation.

Manuel Tilman, a member of opposition at the parliament, said several parties which attended yesterday's meeting had agreed on the date and the taking place of the large “conference”.

“Based on the exisiting constitution, the president has no power. He (Xanana) can revoke the constitution through a presidential decree and have all of parliament's power returned to the president himself,” said Tilman.

“The president can then run for office in the transitional government,” he said.

However, it is not yet clear how Xanana will respond such a provocative measure.

A supporter of Alkatiri warned that such a plan could trigger tension.

“In any country, can opposition members change the constitution without any referendum involving the people? That is illegal,” said a parliament member.

He went on to say that Alkatiri was not frightened about the plan.

AFP, AP and Dwi