East Timor Prime Minister resigns
{{date|June 26, 2006}}
[[Image:Mari Bin Amude Alkatiri 2001.jpg|right|thumb|Mari Alkatiri]]
The [[w:East Timor|East Timor]]ese Prime Minister [[w:Mari Alkatiri|Mari Alkatiri]] has resigned from his position. He cited the growing violence and the threat by President [[w:Xanana Gusmao|Xanana Gusmão]] to resign if he did not.

"I am assuming my own share of responsibility for the crisis affecting our country, I am determined not to contribute to any deepening of the crisis," said Mr Alkatiri.

The news of the Prime Minister's imminent departure comes after the Foreign Minister, [[w:Jose Ramos Horta|Jose Ramos Horta]], a former [[w:Nobel Peace Prize|Nobel Peace Prize]] winner, resigned from his position earlier in the week stating he could not work with Alkatiri. He resigned by means of an [[w:Short message service|SMS text message]] to Prime Minister Alkatiri.

The resignation was greeted by cheers and drum beats by thousands in celebration. Around 200 buses and vans drove through East Timor's capital city of [[w:Dili|Dili]] with their horns sounding. Alkatiri is widely blamed for the violence that erupted in [[w:Dili|Dili]] in May.

==Related news==
{{aussieissue|2006 East Timor crisis}}
*{{wikinews|title=East Timor: President Gusmão takes emergency powers to quell unrest|date=May 30, 2006}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5116022.stm|title=East Timor's PM 'ready to resign'|author=|pub=BBC News|date=26th June 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2006-06-26T064051Z_01_SP27656_RTRIDST_0_OUKOE-UK-TIMOR-RESIGNATION.XML|title=Quitting politics Timor-style -- via SMS|author=|pub=Reuters|date=26th June 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-06-26T082624Z_01_SP8189_RTRUKOC_0_US-TIMOR.xml|title=East Timor PM quits|author=David Fox|pub=Reuters|date=26th June 2006}}

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[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:East Timor]]
[[Category:Australia]]
[[Category:Malaysia]]
[[Category:New Zealand]]
[[Category:Portugal]]

[[fr:Démission de Marí Alkatiri, Premier ministre du Timor oriental]]
[[pt:Primeiro-Ministro de Timo-Leste renuncia]]
Mari Alkatiri
The East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has resigned from his position. He cited the growing violence and the threat by President Xanana Gusmão to resign if he did not.

"I am assuming my own share of responsibility for the crisis affecting our country, I am determined not to contribute to any deepening of the crisis," said Mr Alkatiri.

The news of the Prime Minister's imminent departure comes after the Foreign Minister, Jose Ramos Horta, a former Nobel Peace Prize winner, resigned from his position earlier in the week stating he could not work with Alkatiri. He resigned by means of an SMS text message to Prime Minister Alkatiri.

The resignation was greeted by cheers and drum beats by thousands in celebration. Around 200 buses and vans drove through East Timor's capital city of Dili with their horns sounding. Alkatiri is widely blamed for the violence that erupted in Dili in May.

fr:Démission de Marí Alkatiri, Premier ministre du Timor oriental
Primeiro-Ministro de Timo-Leste renuncia
Asia Politics and conflicts East Timor Australia Malaysia New Zealand Portugal