East Timor PM blames Army-police feuding

East Timor Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has spoken out about the crisis that has thrown his country back into chaos, citing institutional feuding between the police and the armed forces as a factor.

He also suggested that leading rebel and military police defector Major Alfredo Reinado may be acting as "an instrument of others", though he had no idea of whom.

Mr Alkatiri himself has been cited by many as one of the key causes, though the verdicts vary as to whether he has shown weak leadership or overbearing leadership.

Arch-critic Jorge Temes is certain.

"Alkatiri doesn't have any sense of humanity," he said yesterday.

Mr Temes, the former ambassador to Australia, is part of the faction within the Fretilin Party that last week sought unsuccessfully at the party five-yearly Congress to oust Mr Alkatiri from his position as secretary-general of the party - and effectively the prime ministership.

"Alkatiri is a very 'confrontative' leader - confront the church, confront the people, opposition parties. It is not constructive to the development of society, or the people. That's why we don't like him."

Mr Temes blamed the failure on the fact that Mr Alkatiri used what he called communist methods to force an open vote, rather than a secret ballot.

He said his group had been labelled pejoratively as capitalist.

Mr Alkatiri is part of the East Timorese intelligentsia who spent his years in exile during the Indonesian occupation in Marxist Mozambique, like East Timor, a former colony of Portugal.

Mr Temes went more the Anglo way and spent some of his time at Massey University in Palmerston North.

He spoke to the Herald yesterday from his home near Dili airport where he is sheltering with his family, including six-year Libertinho, who was born in Palmerston North.

The threat to Mr Alkatiri at last week's Congress was real because of the widespread criticism of his handling of the Army crisis which started in January and February.

Factions have developed in the Army between the eastern side of East Timor and the western side, the latter feeling the brunt of discrimination in terms of promotion and general treatment.

About 600 striking soldiers, amounting to about one-third of the Army, were dismissed.

Demonstrations began which were supported by civilians. At a demonstration on April 28, mainly eastern soldiers opened fire on the crowd and five soldiers were killed.

Major Reinado told the Bulletin he believes that Mr Alkatiri gave the orders. Major Reinado defected later with 19 other military police, claiming the Army acted illegally in firing on its brethren.

The United Nations had argued against the need for an army in the first place when it helped guide the former colony to statehood in May 2002.

But the Falintil guerilla army was part of the heritage of the new state and the wishes of the East Timorese leadership were met.

WHY EAST TIMOR FAILED

The theories:

* The United Nations left too early.

* Prime Minister Alkatiri is authoritarian and unpopular.

* Army problems have been left to fester.

* Society is highly factionalised.

* Rebels have been joined by disaffected youths