Lisbon – The head of the external delegation of East Timorese resistance movement FRETILIN warned on Saturday for the shortage of basic foodstuffs in East Timor, due to the "economic, social and political crisis" affecting Indonesia.

Jose Luis Guterres told Lusa that warehouses and shops in East Timor were running short of basic foodstuffs following a three-fold increase in their prices.

"The situation in East Timor was serious since 1974, but with the current situation of economic, financial and social crisis, and political instability in Indonesia, it has become ten times worse, to take dramatic proportions", said Guterres.

He also described the situation as "catastrophic" as "the population of East Timor does not free access to land farming".

Guterres urged the international community, in particular the United Nations, to send "relief aid to East Timor" and to "continue the negotiations with all the sides to rapidly find a political solution for East Timor, taking into account the right of self-determination and independence of the territory".