Dili – Half the candidates in East Timor's presidential poll said Friday they fear many attempts have been made to manipulate the election process ahead of Monday's vote.

"We fear that there are a lot of attempts to manipulate the whole election process," the candidates said in a joint statement. "There's been a lot of intimidation, a lot of violence, and a lot of threats. We fear that violence can occur on the day of the vote," they said.

At least 32 people have already been injured in clashes this week in and around the capital Dili, although most of the two-week presidential campaign has been peaceful, the UN has said.

The candidates' statement was read at a press conference by Joao Viegas Carrascalao, one of eight people seeking to replace President Xanana Gusmao in the election, the first since troubled East Timor's independence in 2002.

Joining Carrascalao was Fernando "Lasama" de Araujo, chairman of the opposition Democratic Party, who is a strong contender to win the election. Two other candidates, Lucia Lobato and Fransisco Xavier do Amaral, were also present.

"We ask the UN to guarantee security and to be aware of all these attempts of manipulation," Carrascalao said. "We have in many cases made complaints to the proper authorities and so far we haven't seen any measures taken."

Carrascalao said the four candidates received identity cards for their own election observers only on Friday, leaving them insufficient time to prepare to oversee the election.

They alleged the ruling Fretilin party got its identity cards some time ago from a government department, the Timorese Technical Secretariat for Election Administration (STAE), which is organising the election.

"The timing is premeditated," Carrascalao told AFP. "It's a government department and we fear that the government is manipulating through this department."

Faustino Cardoso, the president of the Nation Election Commission, said he was aware of the identity card problem.

"We have been in contact with STAE. Most of the cards have been finalised. I strongly believe that everything is going to be ready for the election on Monday," he said. The UN said 2,000 East Timorese and 232 foreign observers would monitor the ballot.

Two other presidential candidates, both considered possible winners of the election, did not join Friday's press conference.

But Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta and Francisco "Lu-Olo" Guterres's Fretilin party separately accused a priest who sits on the National Election Commission of interference.

The accusation was levelled against Father Martinho Gusmao, the Catholic church's commission representative and spokesperson.

Filomeno Aleixo, of Fretilin's central committee, said Martinho Gusmao "clearly prejudiced the outcome of Monday's ballot" by voicing support for de Araujo's candidacy.

Ramos-Horta said the church hierarchy was "equally shocked" by Martinho Gusmao's action, which he said was inconsistent with his role on the electoral commission.

But when contacted by AFP the priest said "it's not for the Catholic church to dictate" who people should vote for. "Officially, as an institution, we say all candidates are Catholic and we have no preference," he said.

Aleixo, whose party led East Timor's independence struggle, said the electoral commission is supposed to act as an independent body that helps ensure free and fair elections.

Indonesia occupied East Timor for 24 years before the former Portuguese colony gained independence after a period of UN stewardship.

Violence has pulsed through the fledgling state. Last year at least 37 people were killed and more than 150,000 fled their homes in unrest that triggered the dispatch of Australian-led international peacekeepers.