Analysis | East Timor fair and democratic elections, 16 years on

Due to the inability of last year’s elected government to rule in its own right, Timor-Leste President Lo Olu was compelled to dissolve Parliament. In January he announced an early election for 12 May 2018, hoping to stabilize the Government.

This is the first time in the Republic’s 15-year history that such a political stalemate has resulted in a six-month budget impasse.

In Dili, on 8 May, I followed the final days of the AMP’s political campaign. Some observers said that 40,000 supporters of Xanana’s CNRT, Matan Ruak’s People’s Liberation Party (PLP) and Khunto were present at Tasi Tolo, not far from the airport.

The three parties which comprised the AMP Alliance were all there. Former pro-Indonesian commander Gil Alves made a speech – for the first time, in enthusiastic support for Xanana Gusmao.

Many trucks, overflowing with supporters (mainly youths), took to the streets that day. The following day, Fretilin trucks and many motorcycles gathered around Tasi Tolo in another well-attended rally.

And then it was Election Day. At 6.15am, I began my observation duty at the Chinese School polling station in Bidau. By 6.30am, I observed the integrity of the ballot boxes in room 3 (Sala 3), noted the seal numbers and watched them as they were sealed. I repeated this process in other rooms at the polling station.

At the end of the Voting Day at 3pm, the boxes were checked again to ensure that seals were intact and that the numbers matched. Half an hour later, we observed the seals being cut as each box was emptied in front of the Electoral Staff.

The counting soon began.

In my opinion – from my observations – this election was fair and democratic.

I agree with Lirio Da Fonseca of Reuters who stated, “East Timor has been largely peaceful in recent years.”

However, there were a few incidents reported in Oecussi new Region and Manatuto.

Back in 2007, I stayed several days in the Oecussi village of Oenunu to study the Atoni people of this small rural community. During this recent election, there were some problems with the vote-counting process – but, according to Baris de Araujo, the President of the CNE (National Commission of the Elections), the problem is now resolved.

Only the Court of Appeal (Tribunal de Recurso) can make the final judgment.

As to the view that some people find no difference between Fretilin and CNRT, I do not agree. As one successful supermarket manager, well-known since 2001, has suggested, the business environment will remain about the same.

We cannot deny the economic competence of PM Mari Alkatiri, but East Timor still does not receive enough foreign investments. This has been a problem for every government since 2015.

On the election day this year, in Becora Prison, there were no issues with registration because the prisoners were registered as voters in advance by the CNE (National Electoral Commission). Almost all 584 prisoners cast their votes.

I had the chance to interview a prisoner who still had two more years to serve. He was obviously touched and happy to see somebody he knew there that day – because all he expected was his lawyer or his family, who are only permitted to visit for 15 minutes per visit each week.

They are his only visitors.

In contrast, short term hospital patients and medical staff rostered in the emergency department, whose schedules may be unpredictable, faced problems attending voting booths and thus were unable to vote.

Many western democracies may envy the success and turnout rate of Timor-
Leste’s 2018 election. It seems that out of 784,286 registered voters, 633,245 cast their votes on 12 May – over 80 per cent – and voting is not compulsory.

Surprisingly, the 2017 presidential election saw the lowest voter turnout since 1999.

Since the independence on 20 May 2002, for the first time, a rigid alliance called AMP was established before the elections and formed one party against Fretilin, allied with the Democratic Party. These two last parties will be in the opposition in the coming month of June.  AMP has won an absolute majority; Fretilin unfortunately lacked three seats to easily rule the parliament between July 2017 and now. On the 16th anniversary of the Independence, on 20 May 2018, the majority of the leaders were present, including the President Lu Olo, PM Mari Alkatiri and his ministers and the AMP ex-lawmakers. Xanana Gusmao surprisingly did not appear. Jean A. Berlie, Dili, Special to MDT