Ramos-Horta honours fallen and living heroes of Timor-Leste’s resistance at 51st anniversary of FALINTIL
DÍLI, 20 August 2026 (TATOLI) — President José Ramos-Horta and the Supreme Commander of the F-FDTL led a solemn flag-raising ceremony at the foot of Mount Matebian in Quelicai, Baucau Municipality, on Thursday to mark the 51st anniversary of FALINTIL, the Armed Forces for the National Liberation of East Timor.
The ceremony brought together national leaders, veterans, diplomats and citizens to commemorate those who fought and died during Timor-Leste’s struggle for independence and to honour the collective contribution of the Armed Resistance, Clandestine Network and External Front.
Ramos-Horta paid tribute to the martyrs, veterans and other Timorese who endured imprisonment, persecution, torture and years of separation from their families in the pursuit of independence.
“Here, at the foot of Mount Matebian, we pay tribute to all those who gave their lives for independence: those who fell on the battlefields; those who suffered imprisonment, persecution and torture; those who resisted in the mountains; the families who endured absence and suffering; the women and young people of the Resistance; the religious leaders — Bishop Martinho da Costa Lopes, Bishop Ricardo and Bishop Filipe Ximenes Belo, Bishop Basílio; the community leaders; our activists in the diaspora; and all the anonymous heroes who kept the cause of Timor-Leste alive,” Ramos-Horta said.
He also honoured political and military leaders of the independence struggle, including Francisco Xavier Amaral, Nicolau Lobato, Fernando Lassama de Araújo, Mahuno, David Alex, Nino Konis Santana, Francisco Guterres Lú-Olo and João Carrascalão.
The president paid tribute to Resistance commanders, including Aquiles, Carmo and José Silva, saying their legacy remains alive in the collective memory of the Timorese people.
He also recognised living leaders and veterans who contributed to the restoration of independence, including Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Taur Matan Ruak, Lere Anan Timur, Falur Rate Laek and Mari Alkatiri.
“We honour our living heroes — and therefore we must offer prayers to our God for having among us leaders such as Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Taur Matan Ruak, Lere Anan Timur, Falur Rate Laek, Mari Alkatiri — and other great men and women in the ranks of FALINTIL, veterans and all those who contributed to the restoration of independence,” he said.
The Head of State emphasized that the extraordinary moral strength and immense sacrifices of the combatants against overwhelming odds laid the unbreakable foundation for Timor-Leste’s independence.
Highlighting the evolution of the nation’s defense sector, President Ramos-Horta praised the successful transformation of FALINTIL from a national liberation movement into the F-FDTL, a modern republican institution bound by the rule of law and democratic values.
The President underscored the necessity of modernizing the military to counter complex 21st-century threats, including cyberattacks, transnational crime, artificial intelligence risks, and climate change.
To achieve this, the President emphasized the importance of investing in human resources and deepening strategic defense partnerships and joint exercises with allies such as Australia, Portugal, and ASEAN members to ensure regional peace and stability.
A major focus of the President’s address was the protection of the nation’s maritime space and the Greater Sunrise project, which he called the “affirmation of national sovereignty and Timor-Leste’s capacity to manage its natural resources.”
Stressing the impossibility of independently managing a vast Exclusive Economic Zone. To achieve true security, the President stated unequivocally that “it is not possible to establish credible maritime security without a strong strategic partnership with Australia,” and renewed his appeal “for common sense to prevail on this matter, by initiating serious negotiations aimed at sharing responsibility and the costs of patrolling, monitoring and controlling our waters.”
In his concluding remarks, President Ramos-Horta directed a powerful message to the youth and current leaders, redefining patriotism for the modern era. The Head of State declared that today’s generation must honor the legacy of FALINTIL not through battlefield sacrifices, but through good governance, integrity, respect for institutions, and the pursuit of shared prosperity. Reminding the nation that true peace requires social justice, education, and environmental protection, he urged all Timorese to transform the hard-won independence into a developed, inclusive country where no citizen is left behind.
TATOLI
