This is also weird.

But if you install Personal Menu http://maemo.org/downloads/product/O...personal-menu/ which allows starting of any Maemo application but also self-made command lines , and you can run them in a X terminal or as GUI and as root or not. So it is more flexiable as well. This application is also selectable from a VNC session.
I think this will solve your problem. I have done this as well.