Hopes high for peaceful Timor vote

The scars left by the violence that followed the 1999 referendum are still visible

By CNN's Joe Havely

DILI, East Timor (CNN) -- The senior officer in charge of coordinating East Timor's upcoming election says he is confident Thursday's poll will go ahead free from violence following a campaign "marked by exemplary civility and peacefulness."

Speaking to reporters in Dili, Carlos Valenzuela, the UN's Chief Electoral Officer said his office had received reports of just a few isolated incidents of voter intimidation in the run up to the vote.

He said these varied from the stoning of a car carrying supporters of one political party to complaints of village leaders forcing local residents to vote for a particular party.

VIDEO CNN's Maria Ressa reports on the upcoming East Timor vote (August 27) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

He warned that any such activity represented a criminal offense, which had "no part in a proper election campaign" and should be reported to UN Civilian Police for investigation.

Overall however, Valenzuela said the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) -- the body set up to coordinate and run the election process -- was confident the "spirit of tolerance" shown so far would continue up to and beyond polling day.

He said it was calling on parties, candidates and the electorate as a whole to continue demonstrating "the tolerance of diverse opinions, which is an essential element of life in a democracy."

Cooling off

He added that of the 14 elections he had helped to coordinate for the UN around the world, East Timor's was by far the most peaceful.

As of Monday, the 16 parties contesting the election have just one more full day of campaigning before a cooling off day Wednesday and the vote itself on Thursday.

Some 248 polling stations across the territory are scheduled to open at 0700 local time and election officials say anyone who is in the queue at 1600 will be guaranteed the right to cast their vote.

Parties have just one more full day of campaigning ahead of the poll

Turnout predictions for the poll vary wildly, with some 425,000 East Timorese registered and eligible to vote.

The territory's only previous free ballot in 1999 -- when East Timorese voted overwhelmingly to cut ties with Indonesia -- had a massive 98.5% turnout.

The result of that ballot triggered a massive an violent backlash from pro-Indonesia militias and elements within the Indonesia military from which East Timor is only just beginning to recover.

Some observers say this time around turnout may be lower with many East Timorese saying they feel their vote will not count.

Constitution

There are also concerns that a large section of the rural population -- who make up the vast majority of East Timorese and more than half of whom are thought to be illiterate -- do not understand what is being decided in Thursday's vote.

Several people spoken to in the villages outside Dili believed the vote was for the country's first president.

In fact Thursday's poll is to elect an 88-member constituent assembly, which will have 90 days to write and adopt the future independent nation's constitution.

That will decide what form of government East Timor adopts and how the nomination of the country's future leader will proceed.

That post is widely expected to go to former independence leader Xanana Gusmao, who ended months of uncertainty Saturday by confirming that he would indeed be running for president.

Free and fair

Tight security will surround the counting process following Thursday's poll with measures in place to ensure that the election can be considered free and fair, and ensuring that each ballot paper issued is accounted for.

Before final counting begins, the individual ballots will be mixed with others at a district level to ensure that no-one will be able to determine how any particular village or locality voted.

Officials say the final results should be released on 10 September with each of the East Timor's 13 districts returning one representative to the assembly on a simple majority, 'first past the post', basis.

The other 75 representatives are elected on a nationwide proportional representation system.

Once the assembly begins its work East Timor is expected to be granted full independence some time in 2002 -- the exact date will be agreed in consultation between the new administration and the representative of the UN Secretary General.