August 30, 2006 - 9:46PM
Former East Timor prime minister Mari Alkatiri says unnamed westerners approached army commanders to organise a coup against him.
He also alleges Australian Prime Minister John Howard had pushed for him to step down.
Mr Alkatiri did resign earlier this year amid allegations he had a hand in organising death squads to eliminate political opponents.
But in an interview with the SBS program Dateline, Mr Alkatiri claimed "foreign nationals" tried to organise a coup against him because he was "too independent" and threatened Australian interests in the oil and gas fields of the Timor Sea.
"I was informed by the commanders of the (East Timorese) army of the situation," Mr Alkatiri told SBS.
"They (the army chiefs) were approached by some Timorese and some foreign nationals but I was fully aware and confident in the command of the army that I didn't think it was an issue that could worry me and it was nothing."
Mr Alkatiri said it was not clear whether the foreigners were Australian or American.
"Even the commanders were not clear on this. If they were Australian or American ... between these two," he said.
"But I still have no clear information from the command if they were Australian or American, but surely they were English speaking."
Asked if he had any evidence that Australia was involved in the coup attempt, he said he did not, but strongly believed Mr Howard wanted him gone.
"Evidence? No. But the only prime minister in the world that was really `advising me' - quote, unquote - to step down was the prime minister of Australia during these, say, these difficult days," Mr Alkatiri said.
He defended the way he ran the country, saying he fought hard for full control of the Timorese oil and gas fields.
"What I was doing in my term was to defend the interests of my people in having the resources to develop this country independently, not to be dependent," he said.
"I was fully aware we have our right on the Timor Sea and we have to defend it, not because I am anti-Australian, I like very much Australia as a country, as a nation, as a people."
El ex primer ministro de Timor Oriental, Mari Alkatiri, quien fuera forzado a renunciar debido a los desórdenes públicos desatados en meses pasados en este nuevo país, ha acusado a elementos extranjeros de haber contactado militares timoreses para organizar un golpe de estado contra él. Los individuos, cuya nacionalidad no se ha aclarado, eran probablemente australianos o estadounidenses.

Mari Alkatiri también acusó al primer ministro australiano, John Howard, de presionarlo para que renunciara. Según Alkatiri, a él lo querían sacar porque el era muy “independiente” y eso amenazaba los intereses que Australia tiene por los yacimientos de gas del Mar de Timor.

Para completar de enturbiar la misión australiana, el miércoles (30), el mayor del ejército timorés Alfredo Reinado, quien se encontraba en la cárcel por ser el organizador de los desórdenes y las protestas que causaron decenas de muertes y llevaron a la renuncia de Alkatiri, escapó de la prisión con mas de 50 prisioneros y huyó con estos hacia la región montañosa y selvática de la isla.

Después del incidente de la fuga, el actual primer ministro José Ramos Horta declaró que el cuidado de los prisioneros estaba a cargo de las fuerzas australianas, descargando indirectamente la responsabilidad de la fuga sobre este contingente.

Por otro lado, Australia se ha visto envuelta en una disputa con las Naciones Unidas sobre el comando de la misión de ese organismo internacional en esta antigua colonia portuguesa.

Brasil, Portugal y Timor Oriental quieren que Australia retire sus tropas del país y que dé campo para que una misión de Cascos Azules se despliegue y asuma el control de la seguridad de la isla. Pero Japón y Estados Unidos prefieren que Australia esté al frente de la misión.