Latest news with #JoséRamos-Horta
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Timor-Leste out to prove cynics wrong as Asean membership nears
Timor-Leste's President José Ramos-Horta arriving at the Shangri-La Singapore hotel on May 29, ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG There is almost no latency in Timor-Leste's President Jose Ramos-Horta's response when I ask him whether he was surprised that Asean leaders agreed for his country to formally join as the grouping's 11th member as early as its next meeting in October. After all, it would have been perfectly understandable if the consensus had been that the country could do with a bit more time to fulfil outstanding conditions for accession, rather than fixing a provisional deadline that would inevitably come with pressure. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Timor-Leste: A young nation forged in resilience celebrates its independence
BANGKOK: May 20, marks a significant milestone in South-East Asia as the people of Timor-Leste proudly celebrate the Restoration of their Independence. Thr annual commemoration honours the culmination of a decades-long struggle for self-determination, finally achieved in 2002. For those unfamiliar with this remarkable nation, Timor-Leste represents an inspiring story of resilience, a unique cultural heritage, and a strengthening relationship with Thailand. Located in the eastern half of Timor island, sharing borders with Indonesia, Timor-Leste boasts captivating geography and biodiversity. Its tropical climate sustains the globally significant Coral Triangle, where vibrant reefs teem with marine life. On land, rare species like the Timor Green Pigeon and Black-banded Flycatcher highlight the importance of preserving this natural heritage. The cultural identity of Timor-Leste reflects a fascinating blend of indigenous traditions interwoven with Portuguese colonial influences and periods of Indonesian administration. This rich tapestry appears in the nation's linguistic landscape, where Tetum and Portuguese serve as official languages, while Indonesian and English are widely spoken. Faith plays a central role in Timorese society, with over 97% of the population practising Roman Catholicism. Interestingly, many communities simultaneously honour ancient animist beliefs, revering ancestral spirits through nature-based rituals often centered around sacred houses known as Uma Lulik. Timor-Leste's path to sovereignty is marked by extraordinary courage and determination. Archaeological evidence indicates human presence on the island for at least 42,000 years. The Portuguese established colonial rule in the 17th century that lasted until 1975, with a brief interruption during Japanese occupation in World War II. Following Portugal's withdrawal, Indonesia's annexation triggered a 24-year occupation characterised by significant resistance. The unwavering spirit of the East Timorese people, championed by Nobel Peace Prize laureates José Ramos-Horta and Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, eventually led to a UN-sponsored referendum in 1999, where an overwhelming majority voted for independence. May 20, 2002, therefore represents the historic day when the United Nations formally transferred authority, establishing the first new sovereign state of the 21st century. The nation's flag—with its bold red symbolizing struggle, black representing past oppression, yellow reflecting colonial history, and a white star guiding toward peace—encapsulates this journey. Even the country's name, "Eastern-East" (Timor from the Malay word for "east" and Leste, the Portuguese equivalent), speaks to its unique identity. - The Nation/ANN
The Star
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Cambodian Senate president Hun Sen's long-time support for Timor-Leste reflected in warm welcome
Hun Sen and the leadership of Timor-Leste travel together in a car driven by Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta on May 7, 2025. - Photo: Timor-Leste government DILI: During a current official visit to Timor-Leste, Cambodian Senate president Hun Sen was warmly and enthusiastically welcomed by the country's leaders. They met him at the airport and will also confer an honorary decoration upon him. Upon his Wednesday (May 7) arrival at Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili, Hun Sen was greeted by President José Ramos-Horta, who personally drove Hun Sen from the airport to his hotel. 'Hun Sen. A good friend, a best friend, visits us. The Liberator and Founder of Modern Cambodia, Hun Sen led his people from genocide to peace and prosperity. I was his driver yesterday,' Ramos-Horta posted on social media, on Thursday (May 8). The senate president shared that in addition to meetings with Timor-Leste Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and other parliamentary leaders, he will be awarded the Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste. He will also deliver a speech and lecture at a special session of Timor-Leste's National Parliament on the topic: 'Hun Sen's Lessons: From Genocide and Poverty to Freedom and Prosperity.' A post on Hun Sen's Facebook stated that the grand reception was a gesture of gratitude for his significant contributions and support to Timor-Leste over the past two decades, particularly in advocating for Timor-Leste's full membership in Asean. School children line the streets to welcome Hun Sen to Timor-Leste. - Photo: Timor-Leste government. Timor-Leste became an observer member of Asean in 2022, when Cambodia hosted the Asean summit. In 2025, the country is close to becoming an official Asean member, having met most of the required conditions. Kin Phea, director of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post that Cambodia has supported and recognized Timor-Leste as an independent state. Over the past decade, Cambodia has consistently backed Timor-Leste's bid to join Asean. As one of the most recent nations to join Asean – in 1999 – Cambodia understands the importance of Timor-Leste's regional integration. Consequently, Timor-Leste places a high value on Cambodia's support. Regarding the warm reception Hun Sen received from the Timor-Leste leadership, Phea noted that Hun Sen has consistently supported and worked to ensure Timor-Leste meets Asean's charter requirements to become its 11th member. 'Hun Sen's recent remarks this week affirmed that Timor-Leste's inclusion in Asean is not a burden but will strengthen the bloc and make regional integration more comprehensive. Thus, the gestures of Timor-Leste's leaders reflect respect and gratitude toward Cambodia and Hun Sen for their support,' he said. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
New York Times
16-02-2025
- Business
- New York Times
The Growing Pains of Asia's Newest Country
Three decades ago, he was a scrappy campaigner roaming the world's corridors of power with a dream to win independence for his tiny homeland. Today, at 75, José Ramos-Horta is both the president and a relentless salesman for East Timor. He asked China's president, Xi Jinping, to 'help us resolve the problem of agriculture, food security and poverty.' He pleaded with Vietnam's leaders to do the same. He pitched Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, his dream of building student dormitories. Mr. Ramos-Horta is under mounting pressure to sustain his nation — Asia's youngest and one of its poorest. Home to about 1.4 million people, East Timor is one half of an island that lies near the northern tip of Australia; the other half is part of Indonesia. A Portuguese colony for centuries, it emerged as an independent state in 2002 after a brutal occupation by Indonesia. Its roughly $2 billion economy remains heavily reliant on oil and gas revenue, which is evaporating quickly, and more than 40 percent of its people are estimated to live in poverty. 'No country in Southeast Asia or in Africa began as we did, from ashes, from total destruction,' Mr. Ramos-Horta said. But, he added: 'In 22 years, we should have resolved child poverty, child malnutrition, mother malnutrition and extreme poverty. So that has been a failure.' Still, by other measures, East Timor, or Timor-Leste as it is known in Portuguese, is a success. It has strengthened its young democracy, holding competitive elections with multiple transfers of power. It ranks among the highest in Asia for press freedom. Life expectancy is around 70, up from around 64 in 2002. The entire population now has access to electricity. While politically motivated violence followed independence, including an assassination attempt on Mr. Ramos-Horta in 2008, during his first term as president, the country is stable now. East Timor is a positive case study for young post-conflict states, said Parker Novak, an Indo-Pacific expert at the Atlantic Council. 'They've built a fairly resilient democracy. That's something they're very proud of, and rightfully so.' In September, a visit by Pope Francis briefly put East Timor in the global spotlight. About 97 percent of the population identifies as Roman Catholic, a legacy of the Portuguese colonizers and, more recently, the pivotal role the church played in winning independence from Indonesia. Some clergy fought for independence, and bishops and nuns protected people from Indonesian forces. In Dili, the capital, streets were scrubbed and walls freshly painted to primp for the papal trip. The prime minister, Xanana Gusmão, was out with a broom. For one of the least visited countries in Asia, it was a major moment. Outside of Dili, the major population center, East Timor still feels like an untouched paradise. Tall, lush mountains are surrounded by wide expanses of azure seas. There are few people on its white sandy beaches. Francis' arrival also resurrected memories of a tainted past. Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, one of the heroes of the independence movement, was accused in 2022 of having sexually abused children decades ago. Few Timorese speak up about Bishop Belo, who remains widely revered. Mr. Ramos-Horta, who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 along with Bishop Belo for their work to win independence, said the matter had 'already been addressed years ago by the Vatican' and that any restitution had already been made between the church and the victims. The China Factor At the grounds of the presidential palace in Dili, members of the public stroll in freely and sit in the lush gardens. It was all made possible by China. Beijing gave nearly $7 million to build the palace, which opened in 2009. (The U.S. dollar is the official currency here.) Less than a mile away are the defense and foreign ministries, both also built by China. Mr. Ramos-Horta recounted how he had asked the Chinese ambassador for help in providing clean water. 'Even before I went to China, Chinese engineers were coming to Timor already, to look at the water sources for irrigation and water supply to communities,' he said. 'The Chinese, they deliver very fast.' This reliance on China has triggered fears about Beijing's intentions in East Timor, and what it could mean for the United States, which has stepped up its troop presence in the Australian port city of Darwin, just a few hundred miles from East Timor. 'When China looks at investing in another developing country, they do so with one eye, certainly on a viable business, but with the other eye, very much on a longer-term strategic interest,' said Damien Kingsbury, an emeritus professor at Deakin University in Australia. As Mr. Ramos-Horta took me on a tour of the palace, he dismissed those fears, saying 'China is not a threat to the world.' He said Beijing was reluctant to help more, such as with building a police force, because it was aware of American and Australian sensitivities. He added that East Timor does not borrow money from China, and that the only military security arrangement it has is with Australia. Not 'Hostages of the Past' Mr. Ramos-Horta is fond of sharing anecdotes. One was about bumping into Indonesia's president, Prabowo Subianto, in Singapore in July. Mr. Prabowo asked after Mr. Ramos-Horta's younger brother, a close friend of his. 'That's the level of the friendship we have with Indonesian leaders,' Mr. Ramos-Horta said. The same Mr. Prabowo who led the feared Kopassus special forces unit that slaughtered hundreds in East Timor during the Indonesian occupation? The Indonesian military moved in days after the Portuguese left in 1975, after the United States had greenlighted the invasion. They killed, according to some estimates, as many as 200,000 people before allowing a referendum in 1999. Mr. Ramos-Horta lost four siblings. Still, in recognition of Indonesia honoring the results of the referendum, Mr. Ramos-Horta said he and Mr. Gusmão, the prime minister, decided that they would not allow 'ourselves to be hostages of the past.' 'We honor the victims. We bury the dead, but we look forward.' He recounted how when he and Mr. Gusmão first heard that Mr. Prabowo had been elected, Mr. Gusmão 'was very happy' and gave him a thumbs up. 'Those who were here, during the difficult time, they have the greatest emotional connection' to East Timor, Mr. Ramos-Horta said, adding that such people would be more supportive of the country's stability. Familiar Challenges A quarter-century after the Indonesians left, many of East Timor's independence heroes remain in government. While Mr. Gusmão fought in the jungles, Mr. Ramos-Horta spent decades in exile, lobbying for freedom. He has served as foreign minister, prime minister and is now in his second term as president. 'People feel obligated to them, they liberated the country from a horrendous military occupation,' said Charles Scheiner, a researcher at La'o Hamutuk, a local advocacy group. 'Everybody in this country has family who was killed by the Indonesian military, and many of them are survivors of torture and rape.' But winning sovereignty is different from running a country. Analysts say that instead of using the revenues from oil and gas to improve decrepit schools and develop fishing and farming industries, officials channeled them into creating an inflated bureaucracy and paying those involved in the post-independence violence big pensions to 'buy peace.' The World Bank has warned that East Timor is heading toward a 'damaging fiscal cliff' by 2035. 'The underlying premise of the democracy is that it would lead to better policymaking,' said Guteriano Neves, an independent policy analyst based in Dili. 'But it has not.' Mr. Ramos-Horta is counting on developing an offshore gas field, called Greater Sunrise, to bring in much-needed revenue. While coffee remains a major export, Mr. Ramos-Horta speaks effusively of developing East Timor as an air cargo or pharmaceuticals hub. He also hopes to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to make regional trade easier. The odds are long. Negotiations for the Greater Sunrise field are continuing, and it is expected to take at least five years of development before generating any revenue. Tourism remains untapped because of few commercial flights. Internet speeds still crawl. About 25 minutes away from Dili, in the village of Ulmera, Alda Bisoi Correia, 74, recalled why she voted for independence. She was terrified of pro-Indonesia militias but said it was 'our last opportunity' to take a stand. Today, she wonders what it was all for. 'Independence hasn't made a difference to us,' she said. Ms. Correia said the government does not supply water. Her family cannot afford a fridge. Her son is a security guard. His adopted daughter, Sandra Correia Lopes, 12, weighs just 12 kilograms, or 26 pounds, and falls sick frequently. As dusk turned to night, Sandra sat down to dinner. It was a plate of rice and vegetables that her aunt had cooked over firewood. It will be nearly a month before her family can afford to serve meat.
