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Topic:Unrest, Conflict and War
Students demanded MPs repeal the plan to buy new cars for parliamentarians. (AFP: Valentina Dariell De Sousa)
Students have rallied in Timor-Leste amid anger at plans to buy new cars for MPs.
Police clashed with some protesters after they hurled rocks at the nation's parliament in Dili.
Some political parties have indicated they will withdraw support for the plan following the rally.
Timor-Leste police have fired tear gas at protesters who rallied against a plan to buy new official cars for MPs, which triggered anger in one of the poorest nations in South-East Asia.
More than 1,000 people, mostly university students, rallied near the National Parliament in Dili to protest against the plan approved last year to procure cars for each of the 65 members of parliament.
The plan was the latest flashpoint in the resource-dependent country, where more than 40 per cent of its population lives below the poverty line, according to the World Bank.
"We ask for the parliament members to cancel the decision to purchase the (Toyota) Prado for the sake of self-improvement," said Leonito Carvalho, a student from Dili-based private university Universidade da Paz. "Otherwise, we will remain standing here."
The demonstration began peacefully, but police moved to fire tear gas after some protesters hurled rocks towards parliament, damaging several cars.
The tear gas injured at least four protesters, who were taken to a nearby health facility, an AFP journalist said.
The protests started peacefully before the clashes took place. (AFP: Valentino Dariell De Sousa)
National police official Justino Menezes said authorities would summon protest coordinators to demand responsibility for the damage.
Some of Timor-Leste's political parties which last year approved the 2025 budget to buy the cars said they would ask parliament to cancel the purchase.
In a joint statement, the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction, the Democratic Party and the Enrich the National Unity of the Sons of Timor said the purchase "did not reflect public interests".
The former Portuguese colony is grappling with high levels of inequality, malnourishment and unemployment and remains heavily reliant on oil, with little diversification into other sectors.
It gained independence from Indonesia in 2002 after 24 years of occupation.
ABC/AFP
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Timor-Leste
Unrest, Conflict and War
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