Catholic Church Enters East Timor Elections

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

In a blow to eight other candidates, including Nobel peace prize winner Jose Ramos Horta, the churchs representative on the countrys National Electoral Commission, Martinho Gusmao, said yesterday that Mr de Araujo, 43, 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 nation would not nominate a preferred candidate during Masses on Easter Sunday, the day before the vote.

But he said that later, outside church walls, priests would be free to tell worshippers who they believed was the best candidate to replace former guerilla fighter Xanana Gusmao, who has not nominated for re-election. More than 95 per cent of East Timors 1 million people are Catholic.

Father Martinhos opinion will strongly influence what priests say on election eve. But he denied his stand posed a conflict of interest given his membership on the election commission. "We enjoy the freedom to express whatever we want," Father Martinho said.

Mr de Araujo, head of the Democratic Party, also has the backing of fugitive rebel leader Alfredo Reinado, a cult-hero figure wanted for murder and armed rebellion who is hiding in the rugged central mountains.

Three candidates have emerged as front-runners in the election, the first to be organised by East Timor since gaining independence in 2002.

The ruling Fretilin partys Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres attracted more than 5000 supporters in one of the three biggest rallies on the last day of campaigning in Dili yesterday. Mr de Araujo and Mr Ramos Horta also attracted thousands of supporters at rallies.

UN police fired teargas and warning shots to disperse rival gangs of youths who clashed after leaving the rallies.

Several people were injured, including a young man who was speared through the leg outside the Australian embassy.

Mr Ramos Horta, the interim Prime Minister, has the backing of President Gusmao, who has formed a new party amid speculation he will run for prime minister in elections in June or July.

To win Mondays race outright, a candidate must win 51 per cent of the vote, an unlikely result given the number of candidates.

Failing that majority, the two candidates with the most votes will contest a second round of voting.

■ Mr Gusmao yesterday called for the release of money from the nations $1.23 billion Timor Sea oil revenue fund, saying his people were living in misery while the nation saved for its future.

With AAP

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