East Timor and SMS

East Timor and SMS, originally uploaded by Ina galway.

East Timorese Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta has acknowledged a failure of government leadership in the run-up to the current crisis.

He says it has been exacerbated by people spreading false rumours intended to destabilise the country.

"There has been also a new phenomena of how the telephone, the mobile phone, so effectively used with text messages to scare people to leave the city," he said.

"For instance, yesterday, thousands and thousands left the town because of rumours that, with FDTL (East Timor Defence Force) withdrawing from the city, there is going to be a slaughter of people from the eastern region."

Crsis in East Timor