DILI, 30 august 2024 (TATOLI) Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, during the 25th anniversary of the referendum, acknowledged that Timor-Leste is still a fragile country and asked the younger generation to prepare themselves to build the country.
“Our perception of independence is not to get a flag, a national anthem, to get a President of the Republic, a National Parliament, Government, and Justice, no. Our understanding, the understanding of our elders, is not to get a flag. Our understanding, the understanding of the elders who died. This is what I ask everyone to prioritize: the interests of the people, this country; don’t just think about yourself,” Xanana he said during the 25th anniversary of the polls at Dili Stadium on friday night.
The resistance leader asked everyone to occasionally change their mentality because the country is still fragile, so all state institutions must be able to carry out their duties to serve the nation and the people.
“But fortunately, our country is not a failed state like in other countries, so I ask the younger generation to prepare themselves, be knowledgeable, prepare their character, prepare their mentality, and prepare their mind so that when they enter work they don’t think. Only yourself and your friends, serve this country, serve this people because the people have achieved independence; this is the appeal I convey on this anniversary,” he pleaded.
In the same place, Lere Anan Timur, former commander of F-FDTL (FALINTIL, Timor-Leste’s Armed Defense Forces), asked all young people to continue to study hard in order to continue to bring the country forward.
“I appeal to the youth of the country; study hard; you continue to advance the country. As said by our late Lasama (Fernando de Araujo Lasama, former Speaker of the National Parliament), it is better to lose a degree than to lose the country; now they have lost their degree to liberate this. The country now has the opportunity for the younger generation to seize the opportunity,” Lere said.
He said that during the commemoration of Polling Day, many people clapped with joy, but there were also many who were sad and grieving because they lost their families during the war.
“Today many are happy, many are laughing, but there are still many who are sad. Many see people laughing; they also laugh; many see people clapping; they also clap; they are sad because they lost everything in the war to win our independence, so the younger generation hates violence. Hand in hand, we take the country forward to serve our country and people,” he said.
The 25th anniversary of the Referendum was celebrated under the theme ‘Povu maka Luta! Povu maka Terus! Povu maka Manán Funu!!! Povu mak Eroi ba Ukun-rasik an!!!’ or ’It is the people who fight! It is the people who suffer! It is the people who win the fight! The People are the Great Heroes of Independence!!!’. The theme highlights the important role of the Timorese people in achieving independence.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
