Dili – East Timor's president in waiting, Xanana Gusmao, said Tuesday that amnesties must be considered for those who led the violence surrounding the territory's independence vote two years ago.

"We must not say 'No, Never' to amnesty," Gusmao told AFP in an interview. "We must consider how to practise, how to exercise justice in East Timor, but we should not throw amnesty out of this process."

Gusmao, the former guerrilla commander who led East Timor's independence struggle since 1981, first from the mountains and then from jail, has become the chief advocate of reconciliation.

He announced at the weekend that he would run for president despite earlier refusals because of pressure from the people and political parties contesting Thursday's elections for a constituent assembly.

Gusmao's stance could set him at odds with the future parliament.

Representatives of the 16 parties and four independent candidates running in this week's poll have declared their support for an international war crimes tribunal.

Gusmao said that while he would not oppose a tribunal, he would not actively seek it. "I support the international tribunal but it is not me, it is not my business. I don't oppose it but it's not my business. I'm not a human rights activist, I'm not a judge, I'm not a prosecutor. I'm not a politician also. I am a citizen that is concerned about the future of the development of this country. We must be realistic. "It is better to consider reconciliation, justice and amnesty, how it can be dealt with."

Pro-Indonesia local militia gangs, raised and backed by the Indonesian military, set the country aflame and killed at least 600 people after the August 1999 ballot in which almost 80 percent voted for independence from Indonesia.

Tens of thousands either fled to Indonesian West Timor or were forced there by militias. Some militia leaders have already been convicted and jailed in Dili but many are still at large in refugee camps in West Timor.

Refugee workers and returnees from West Timor have reported that the militia leaders control many camps and are virtually holding tens of thousands of East Timorese refugees hostage. They are trying to negotiate amnesties in return for bringing the refugees back home.

Indonesia has failed so far to live up to its promise of prosecuting a handful of military and police officers and Timorese militia leaders for gross human rights violations. Jakarta is still in the process of setting up a special court to try 18 suspects. Four militia leaders originally identified as suspects have been omitted from the final list.

Gusmao said that if he is elected president early next year, as universally expected, he will not press Indonesia's new President Megawati Sukarnoputri on the prosecutions. "The problem is that we are not Australia, we are not Japan, we are not Europe or America. We are in very difficult conditions. We have to consider first years of independence without income or resources," he said.

"Maybe I can say 'Yes, of course [prosecute], if you are able, it is not asked by us as vengeance, it is in order to respond to the international request, but not [because of] me.'"