Gusmao’s Wife Blames Alkatiri: Timor Leste

She has been a stalwart for Xanana Gusmao for years and rarely makes comments, but, the Australian born wife of East Timorese President Xanana Gusmao has accused former prime minister Mari Alkatiri of exacerbating tensions in Dili by making an inflammatory speech.

In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald, Kirsty Sword Gusmao says people are living in fear of violent attacks by Mr Alkatiri's supporters and many have sought refuge in makeshift camps around Dili. Gangs made up of people from the country's west descended on the capital after the former prime minister made a provocative televised address blaming his political opponents for the country's woes.

Mr Alkatiri has urged his supporters to return to Dili later this week for his court appearance on allegations surrounding the distribution of arms and alleged plans to set up a secret hit squad. Mrs Gusmao said the former prime minister had acted irresponsibly by fanning the flames of racial tension during Tuesday night's speech.

Kirsty Gusmao told ABC Radio he spoke to crowds of Fretilin supporters and spoke in a rather inflammatory way and I think that really had a very, very unnerving effect and I think it's resulted in this even greater sense of insecurity now that we are seeing and experiencing today on the streets of Dili.

Mrs Gusmao said she was worried by reports of violence at refugee camps in Dili and feared more unrest if Mr Alkatiri's supporters heeded his plea for them to converge on the capital later this week.

She said that violence is clearly of great concern because you have such huge concentrations of people in camps made up principally of women and children. Even just last night in this area there was quite a bit of looting and the threat of further political instability and politically motivated violence.