East Timor's tryst with democracy

In the history of their five-year-old nation it was the first time that the people of East Timor cast their vote yesterday to elect a new president to replace the charismatic independence leader Xanana Gusmao. In doing so, the East Timorese not only exercised their democratic right given to them at the time of independence from Indonesia, but also ensured that their poor, strife-torn country did not create conditions for a tin-pot dictator to take over. For this, credit should also be given to the UN forces, especially the Australian troops, stationed in the country to oversee the peace process.

The wounds of the country's violent birth may have healed, but those wounded by the respective warring factions have not accepted defeat. Four out of the eight presidential candidates have complained of voter intimidation and abuse of power by the ruling Fretilin party.

Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is seeking to replace Gusmao, but he faces challenges from the Fretilin chairman Francisco Guterres and Fernando De Araujo, chairman of the opposition Democrat Party.

There are also fears some of them may not accept the voters' verdict. But for the sake of democracy and stability, bayonets should not be used to fight the ballot.