Everything about Fretilin totally explained
The
Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (
Portuguese:
Frente Revolucionária de Timor-Leste Independente or
FReTiLIn) is a leftist
political party in
East Timor. They presently hold a
plurality of seats in the National Parliament and formed the government in East Timor from independence until 2007. The party began as a resistance movement that fought for the independence of
East Timor, first from
Portugal and then from
Indonesia, between 1974 and 1998. It was originally called the Timorese Social Democratic Association (ASDT). After East Timor gained its independence from
Indonesia, FRETILIN became one of several
parties competing for power in a multi-party system.
Fretilin holds consultative status with the
Socialist International.
History before independence
In 1978
Nicolau dos Reis Lobato, then the FRETILIN leader, was killed by the Indonesian military. The armed military wing of FRETLIN, which engaged in a guerilla war against the Indonesian military during the occupation of East Timor was known as FALANTIL.
History since independence
In the first elections, held in
2001, the year before independence, FRETILIN polled 57.4% of the vote and took 55 seats in the 88-seat Assembly. While this gave the party a working majority, it fell short of the two-thirds majority it had hoped for in order to dictate the drafting of a national constitution.
In the
June 2007 parliamentary election, FRETILIN again took first place, but with a greatly reduced 29% of the vote and 21 seats. In the election it faced a challenge from the
National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction (CNRT), led by former president
Xanana Gusmão, which placed second. Although FRETILIN didn't win a majority of seats, its Secretary-General,
Mari Alkatiri, spoke of forming a minority government. The party formed a national unity government which included the CNRT, a collaboration that they'd previously rejected.
However, subsequent talks between the parties were unsuccessful in reaching an agreement on a government. After weeks of dispute between the CNRT-led coalition and FRETILIN over who should form the government, Ramos Horta announced on
August 6 that the CNRT-led coalition would form the government and that Gusmão would become Prime Minister. FRETILIN denounced Ramos Horta's decision as unconstitutional, and angry FRETILIN supporters in
Dili immediately reacted to Ramos Horta's announcement with violent protests. Alkatiri said that the party would fight the decision through legal means and would encourage people to protest and practice civil disobedience. A few days later, FRETILIN Vice-President
Arsénio Bano said that the party wouldn't challenge the government in court, and expressed a desire for a "political solution" leading to the creation of a national unity government.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Fretilin'.
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