ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the relationship between Timorese political leaders in the period 1974-2002. In 1974 the Portuguese administration withdrew from the territory and in 2002 the semi-presidential constitution came into force. The chapter demonstrates the level of conflict between political leaders and parties before the semi-presidential system. It denotes that the political elite of East Timor were far from being a monolithic entity. The Portuguese colonial administration exploited rivalries between the indigenous groups to consolidate power in East Timor. The Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) was the first political party to emerge in East Timor, on 11 May 1974. Members of the party included the colony’s traditional elite, small businessmen and plantation owners who owed their status and prosperity to Portuguese rule. During Indonesian occupation, the UDT changed its political objective from a federation with Portugal to integration with Indonesia. In addition, Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN) leadership accused the UDT party of masterminding the Indonesian takeover.
