An East Timor leader accused the United Nations yesterday of acting like a dictator in its handling of the former Portuguese colony's move towards statehood after 23 years of Indonesian rule.
Mr Mario Carrascalao, a vice-president of the National Council for Timorese Resistance (CNRT), an umbrella political group, told Portugal's TSF radio that the attitude of the world body towards the East Timorese smacked of neo-colonialism.
"I speak of dictatorship because it is rule by decree," said Mr Carrascalao, who leads the East Timorese side in talks with a visiting World Bank mission.
He gave no specific examples. However, a number of local leaders, including the CNRT's president, Mr Xanana Gusmao, have called for greater involvement of the East Timorese in the administration of the territory.
Mr Carrascalao added that if the situation did not improve rapidly it would be better to cut short the period of UN administration.
The UN is expected to run the impoverished territory for up to three years.
Meanwhile, a prominent rebel leader, Mr Leandro Isaac, said the UN-backed international force in the territory was as bad as the Indonesian army after his house was raided for a third time.
"This is exactly the same as the TNI [Indonesian army] over the last 24 years," said Mr Isaac, a member of CNRT.