Francisco Xavier do Amaral

Infobox_President | name=Francisco Xavier do Amaral


nationality=east timorese
order=transitional President of East Timor
term_start=November 28, 1975
term_end=December 7, 1975
predecessor=None
successor=Nicolau dos Reis Lobato
birth_date=1937
birth_place=Portuguese Timor
dead=alive
death_date=
death_place=
spouse=N/A
party=Fretilin
vicepresident=

Francisco Xavier do Amaral (born 1937) is an East Timorese politician. A founder of the "Frente Revolucionaria de Timor Leste Independente" (Fretilin), he was sworn in as President when the country, then a Portuguese colony, made a unilateral declaration of independence on November 28, 1975. He has been a member of the National Parliament of East Timor since 2001.

Following the Indonesian invasion of the country on December 7, he fled into the mountains. He was ousted from Fretilin in 1977 amid disagreements over strategy for opposing the Indonesian occupation. A Fretilin faction took him prisoner, moving him frequently as they battled the Indonesian military forces. He was abandoned in August 1978 when his Fretilin captors were ambushed, and was promptly arrested by Indonesian forces. He was placed under effective house arrest first in Bali, then after 1983 in Jakarta, until Indonesia withdrew from East Timor in 1999.

In April 2002, Amaral ran against Xanana Gusmão in the presidential elections, but was soundly defeated. During the campaign he said that he fully expected to lose to Gusmão, but felt that running was symbolically important, demonstrating the strength of East Timor's democracy by ensuring that Gusmão had competition in the race.

Amaral ran again for president in the April 2007 presidential election, [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Timorese-prepare-to-elect-new-president/2007/03/10/1173478717431.html "Timorese prepare to elect new president"] , Australian Associated Press ("The Sydney Morning Herald"), March 10, 2007.] taking fourth place with 14.39% of the vote. [ [http://www.cne.tl/Results/GRAND_TOTAL_NIVEL_NACIONAL__VERIFIKASAUN_.pdf Results of 2007 presidential election] , East Timor Election Commission website.]

References

*"BBC News" (2002). " [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/05/99/east_timor/1916419.stm Profile: Francisco Xavier do Amaral] " May 15.