Ahmad Pathoni, Dili – A former East Timorese independence fighter jailed by Indonesia for six years pledged on Wednesday to unite his conflict-torn country and bring justice to its people, as the final day of election campaigning was marred by violence.
Fernando de Araujo, whose nom de guerre was La Sama, is among eight candidates running in Monday's presidential poll.
By the standards of the tiny country's chaotic history, the election campaign has been relatively peaceful, but on Wednesday rock-throwing clashes between supporters of various candidates left some 30 people in need of medical treatment in the capital Dili, according to Reuters eyewitnesses and hospital staff.
Several victims had bleeding head injuries and a nurse said at least one person had been wounded by an arrow.
UN police said in a statement "the situation in and around Dili has mostly been calm" but noted two incidents, one brought under control when officers fired two warning shots and another in which five people were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
However, a rally for De Araujo – at 44 the youngest among the candidates and considered by some to be a strong contender – went peacefully. "La Sama has a good chance of winning. He appeals to young voters who are disappointed with the failure of the older generation," political analyst Julio Thomas told Reuters.
The candidate with the highest profile, however, is Jose Ramos-Horta, who succeeded Alkatiri as prime minister and won a Nobel Peace Prize during the struggle against Indonesia.
About 2,000 people turned up at a Dili soccer field, waving De Araujo pictures and blue flags of the Democratic Party he founded. "I believe the young generation of Timor Leste will unite again," De Araujo told his supporters, who chanted "Viva La Sama".
New generation
"It's time for young people to replace the old ones, who have brought only chaos to this country," said supporter Leo da Costa, his bare chest emblazoned with the Democratic Party's initials painted in yellow.
De Araujo, whose campaign theme is "It's time for a son of the poor to lead the country," said he would create a legal system free from discrimination.
"The current judiciary is trash. Law must not discriminate. It must not only punish people who steal chickens but also those who distribute weapons illegally," said De Araujo, standing on a truck and wearing a colourful traditional scarf around his neck. He did not mention any names.
Former East Timor Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri was accused of giving weapons to supporters to kill political opponents during last year's wave of violence which prompted the government to invite in foreign troops to restore order.
The charges against Alkatiri were dropped earlier this year after authorities said there was not enough evidence.
East Timor became independent in 2002 after a period of UN stewardship. It has rich energy resources but has only begun to tap them and most of the country's one million people remain among the world's poorest.
De Araujo spent six years in a Jakarta prison, from 1992 to 1998, for campaigning for East Timor's independence. He continued his studies after being released and graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2001.