The
campaigning for the second round of the presidential ballot began on Friday, 30
March. I planned to begin my coverage of this campaigning on Monday, 2 April.
With only two candidates on the road, I decided to divide my time between them
in as many different locations as possible. At that stage, as I had already
intimated previously, I was feeling the itch to get out of Dili. Examining both
TMR and Lu Olo’s campaigns in different districts would provide greater depth
and breadth to my research. How much would the language and style of their
respective campaigns change in relation to the area they were in?
The location
of the campaign would be important. The local history, identity, concerns etc
would alter to some degree I felt what would come up. The candidates would want
to speak more specifically to these localised matters. What issues would they
address, how would they interact with them, how would they draw on them to
their political benefit, how would they link it to their broader campaign etc. These
were the kind of things I was considering.
On the
Monday, TMR was scheduled to travel to Quelicai, in the district of Baucau.
Tuesday was Los Palos and Iliomar in the district of Lautem, and Wednesday was
Laclubar, district of Manatuto. All of these districts are in the East. The
idea was to follow TMR to all of these locations. I would be traveling with a
colleague of mine, Mana A. We were told that we could get a lift with one of
the campaign cars early on Monday morning.
Monday, 2
April
We were told
that we would need to be at the HQ in Taibessi around 5.30, to make sure we
could leave by 6. I was very sceptical of this, I am getting used to Timor Time
(see jam karet or rubber time) but I didn’t want to risk missing out on this
trip. Nerves and packing before I went to bed ensured I got little sleep. Maybe
four hours.
Nobody
seemed to know what was going on, or at least they all had a different idea of
what was going on, which is essentially the same thing, when we arrived at
Taibessi. I should say, there was nobody there till at least 6.15. Several
phone calls later, and a clear out of the vehicle with all the sound equipment,
myself and several others – a real rag tag group: two researchers, a security
detail guy and a couple of supporter, hopped aboard and we were off.
This vehicle
was a troopie. Benches in the back across the side, not facing the front. Not
only this, but there was nothing to hold us down. This is bad enough when you
are doing a normal trip on the roads here. It’s certainly a different kettle of
fish when the driver breaks the land speed record from Dili to Baucau. He did
it in 2.5 hours. It should take at least 3. He
gunned it the whole way, honking all the way there. I was nauseas the
whole trip, but only threw up once. Felt terrible the entire time, all the way
to Quelicai (4.5 hours in total). Not my idea of how to spend a Monday morning
I can tell you.
It’s a
miracle we didn’t end up like these poor guys:
This is
another car that was on its way to Quelicai in support of the TMR campaign. I
didn’t get the details of what happened but I can reassure everyone that nobody
was hurt. Didn’t get to stop in Baucau, which looked like a beautiful town. (It
is, got to spend some time there on Tuesday).
Event #1
We raced
through and arrived just in time for the start of the first event in Quelicai
around 12pm. Quite a crowd turned up:
TMR got on
top of the vehicle I had travelled in and gave his speech:
Quelicai is
a beautiful little town. It has a lot of history, some of it very tragic and
powerful. It is close to Mt. Matebian, which was the final base of resistance
around 1978-79 when the Indonesians were driving FRETILIN and the local
populace further East. The military history of the place and the role of
veterans are very prominent here and as such a very sensitive issue. TMR
touched on some of these themes in his speech. One thing that stood out to me
was in his comparisons of himself to Lu Olo.
The major
two differences he enunciated were that: (1) while they were both military
officers in FALINTIL, he (TMR) was Lu Olo’s superior. TMR was the older
brother, Lu Olo the younger brother, in this relationship. This implies a
specific form of hierarchy that renders TMR the natural and right choice
between the two. This discounts other claims to legitimacy that Lu Olo can
make, based on other experience and achievement. Meritocracy gives way to
hierarchy. This worries me a bit, that TMR would draw on this older
relationship, formed in the military during the resistance, and transpose it
here in a democratic election. The application of this standard for people to
judge and direct support for a popularly elected head of state is something
that does speak to some here, particularly veterans, those who fought in
FALINTIL or perhaps even now for those in the F-FDTL. This mindset in a
military organisation is natural and makes sense, carrying it over to a
civilian context troubles me.
This
paradigm perhaps indicates a way of thinking that TMR thinks is still okay in a
democratic regime, if I understand his position properly. He has only just left
his post as chief of the defence force (F-FDTL) and I am concerned he hasn’t
spent enough time out of it. What experience does he have of civilian life and
politics? His achievements during the 24 years of Indonesian occupation are
incredible and I have huge respect for him. I wonder, however, if this
experience, and his lack of experience outside of the military, mean that he is
not ready. Trying to undermine your opponent, delegitimise their campaign while
vindicating yours by saying you were his superior, the older brother, who is
due this appointment, is not a healthy argument. Meritocracy should be
encouraged. TMR’s achievements in the military are worthy of respect and praise
but they do not grant one automatic promotion to public office because you were
your opponents superior. Lu Olo’s achievements during the resistance and
afterwards, once he entered civilian life, need to be respected on their own
terms and not undermined a priori.
This
argument, however, was a major point for TMR and it seemed to have some
resonance with the crowd. Some veterans were there and they feel a strong bond
with TMR. They hold him in high esteem and the argument about hierarchical
entitlement would probably appear natural and reasonable to them. I would like
to understand better, about why these kind of arguments are used, why do they
have such a strong impact and are received readily.
The second
point raised was about FRETILN. TMR argued that FRETILIN as it is now composed
is different from the FRETILIN that brought about independence, which fought
and sacrificed for 24 years. FRETILN the party vs FRETLIN the resistance front.
FRETLIN the front should be respected. The party should be treated differently.
FRETILIN, as it is currently constituted, would argue to the contrary.
I’m gonna
call it quits for tonight. I’m gonna continue onto Event #2 and what happened
on Tuesday and Wednesday, tomorrow. Good night!
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