Fernando de Araújo (East Timorese politician)

Infobox President
name = Fernando de Araújo
honorific-suffix =
MP


order = President of East Timor
Acting
primeminister = Xanana Gusmão
term_start = 13 February 2008
term_end = 17 April 2008
predecessor = Vicente Guterres (Acting)
successor = José Ramos-Horta
birth_date = 1962
birth_place = Manutassi, Portuguese Timor
party = PD

Fernando de Araújo, also known by Lasama (born 1962) is an East Timorese politician and the current President of the National Parliament of East Timor. He was also serving as the Acting President of East Timor for two months in early 2008. He is also the President of the Democratic Party.

Background and early career

Araújo was born in Manutassi, Ainaro District, in what was then Portuguese Timor. At the age of 12, he witnessed his all 18 members of his family massacred by the Indonesian Army. He studied Literature in Bali, Indonesia, was general-secretary of Renetil - "Resistência Nacional dos Estudantes de Timor-Leste" (East timorese students national resistance), and was sentenced to six years and four month of imprisonment.

2007 elections

Lasama de Araújo was the Democratic Party's candidate in the April 2007 presidential election. He took third place with 19.18% of the vote, [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21580647-5005961,00.html "Two set to square off for presidency"] , AAP (news.com.au), April 18, 2007.] [ [http://www.cne.tl/Results/GRAND_TOTAL_NIVEL_NACIONAL__VERIFIKASAUN_.pdf 2007 presidential election results] , East Timor Election Commission website.] and on April 26 he announced his party's support for the second place candidate, Prime Minister José Ramos-Horta, in the second round. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/ramos-horta-wins-key-support/2007/04/26/1177459878586.html "Ramos Horta wins key support"] , AFP ("The Age"), April 27, 2007.]

In the June 2007 parliamentary election, Araújo won a seat as the first name on the Democratic Party's candidate list. [ [http://www.cne.tl/Eleisaun_Parlamentar/ACTA%20FINAL/aviso_publico_final%2009-07-07-ENGLISH.pdf "National Provisional Results from the 30 June 2007 Parliamentary Elections"] , Comissão Nacional de Eleições Timor-Leste, July 9, 2007.] At the first session of the new parliament on July 30, Araújo was elected as President of the National Parliament, defeating Aniceto Guterres of FRETILIN. [ [http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=164004&version=1&template_id=45&parent_id=25 "Timor MPs sworn in, no government yet"] , Reuters ("Gulf Times"), July 31, 2007.]

President of Timor-Leste (Acting)

Following an attack that seriously wounded President José Ramos-Horta on February 11 2008, Araújo became Acting President on February 13. [ [http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/New-poll-if-Ramos-Horta-recovery-slow-BSUKE?OpenDocument "New poll if Ramos Horta recovery slow"] , "The Australian Financial Review", February 14, 2008.]

Ramos-Horta took over again on 17 April 2008, when he returned to Timor-Leste. [ [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,24897,23555024-601,00.html Ramos Horta still haunted by questions | The Australian ] ]

Family

While in prison he met his wife Jacquline, a well respected academic who was working for Amnesty International. The two adopted a multitude of orphans from Araújo's home district of Ainaro not long after they were married.

References

External links

* [http://www.etan.org/et2001c/september/01-08/04interv.htm Interview]