DILI, 7 December 2025 (TATOLI) – On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Indonesia’s invasion of Timor-Leste, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão requested a mass to honor the nation’s heroes and martyrs at the Santo Fransiskus Xaverius Church in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia.
The Prime Minister explained that attending the mass at Santo Fransiskus Xaverius was a way to pray and ask God never to forget the martyrs who lost their lives on December 7, 1975, when paratroopers landed in Dili.
He recalled that when Indonesia invaded Timor-Leste on December 7, 1975, many people fled to the hills of Dare, leaving behind all their possessions.
“I attended the mass to pray and also to ask God to strengthen the institutions of the State and all those who serve them, so they may continue improving and reflecting on their service to this land, which truly deserves self-governance. Yet, even after the restoration of independence, democracy and development have not advanced as expected, because they require real effort,” Gusmão stated in a video accessed by TATOLI on Sunday.
He emphasized that December 7 should never be forgotten –not only for those who died in Dili, but also for those who perished at the border in Batugade, in Balibó, Maliana, and Suai, as the invasion quickly spread across many areas.
The Prime Minister added that these stories, echoed in the priest’s homily, remind the people never to lose hope for change in their daily lives.
“I attended the mass to ask for the intercession of the heroic martyrs, so they may continue to help us. Whatever we do, we must never lose hope that better days will come,” he concluded.
Journalist: Arminda Fonseca
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
