EAST TIMOR: East Timorese officials count votes in second round of country's presidential elections
Record ID:
327747
EAST TIMOR: East Timorese officials count votes in second round of country's presidential elections
- Title: EAST TIMOR: East Timorese officials count votes in second round of country's presidential elections
- Date: 17th April 2012
- Summary: DILI, EAST TIMOR (APRIL 16, 2012) (REUTERS) LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL READING OUT NAME OF CANDIDATE ON ALLOT PAPER VOTE COUNTING AT A HALL AN OFFICIAL WRITING THE VOTE TALLY ON A LARGE PIECE OF PAPER VARIOUS OF LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL READING OUT NAMES OF CANDIDATES FROM BALLOT PAPERS A SECURITY OFFICER WATCHING THE VOTE COUNT PEOPLE WATCHING FROM OUTSIDE HALL A GIRL AND HER FATHER WATCHING FROM BEHIND HALL'S GATE LOCAL ELECTION OBSERVER, JOAO MANUEL BELO, IN HIS OFFICE VARIOUS OF BELO WORKING WITH HIS LAPTOP (SOUNDBITE) (Tetum) LOCAL ELECTION OBSERVER, JOAO MANUEL BELO, SAYING: "According to our observations all has gone well and safely compared with the first round of the election." BELO'S OBSERVER IDENTITY CARD (SOUNDBITE) (Tetum) LOCAL ELECTION OBSERVER, JOAO MANUEL BELO, SAYING: "Looking at some polling stations, we saw that the community participation declined compared with the first round." BELO'S HAND AS HE TALKS VARIOUS OF OFFICIAL WRITING UP VOTE TALLY ON LARGE PIECE OF PAPER WITNESS WRITING THE RESULT IN A NOTEBOOK VOTE COUNTING IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 2nd May 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Timor-Leste
- Country: Timor-Leste
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6ZYVCWC2Q39U9ERZQUCBZZZJ6
- Story Text: Election officials in East Timor began counting votes on Monday (April 16) as two veterans of the country's long struggle for independence vied for the presidency in the second round of an election in which voters said they were most concerned about stability and improving the economy.
Former independence fighter Francisco Guterres "Lu Olo", from the opposition Fretilin party, narrowly won the first round in March 17 polls. He faces Jose Maria de Vasconcelos, known as Taur Matan Ruak, a former army chief and guerrilla.
The president plays little role in policy but is vital in underpinning stability in impoverished East Timor, which gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a bloody struggle and has vast offshore gas reserves it is struggling to unlock.
Hundreds of people lined up in the sun at polling stations across the country, which makes up half of the island of Timor.
Local election observer Joao Manuel Belo said the voting had gone calmly.
"According to our observations all has gone well and safely compared with the first round of the election," he said, though he added it appeared fewer people had taken part.
"Looking at some polling stations, we saw that the community participation declined compared with the first round."
Unofficial results could come as early as Tuesday (April 17) with final results next week.
Economic issues top the agenda for many voters as 41 percent of East Timor's 1.2 million people live on less than $0.88 per day, according to a World Bank Report. The country has the highest population of poor people in Asia, a bank report said.
The election is evenly balanced but Ruak could have a slight advantage if he wins the votes of incumbent Jose Ramos-Horta, according to Sergio da Silva Reis, a political scientist at Timor Lorosa'e National University.
Ramos-Horta won the Nobel peace prize for his role in the independence struggle from Indonesia. The former prime minister, who survived an assassination attempt in 2008, came third in the first round, losing his bid for re-election.
The presidential election will be followed by parliamentary elections on July 7, when 25 political parties are expected to grab seats in the 65-strong parliament.
The former Portuguese colony was occupied by Indonesia in 1975. Its offshore gas reserves are the object of a dispute with Australia's Woodside Petroleum, which heads a consortium of firms developing the Greater Sunrise project gas field. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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