CAMBRIDGE, MA -- September 23, 2002 -- Four months after East Timor celebrated its independence from Indonesia on May 20, the country continues to recover from decades of dictatorship and the devastation of war, according to its new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jos Ramos-Horta.

Dr. Ramos-Horta, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to resolve the conflict, spoke to members of the Portuguese-speaking community during a September 18 reception held in his honor at the Cambridge office of the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS). He called the independence celebration "a moment of triumph not only for the people of East Timor, but also for justice, for convictions, for faith."

That moment was particularly sweet for Dr. Ramos-Horta, who spent 24 years in exile from his native land while it was being controlled by the Indonesian dictatorship. He returned in 1999 during the peace negotiations and found East Timor profoundly changed.

"The country was thoroughly destroyed," he said. "It reminded me of Hiroshima."

Since then, many communities have been rebuilt and business has begun to come back, he said, including some tourism and development of petroleum resources. Now the country has a new Parliament with 30 percent female members and there are a total of 12 political parties operating. But some major problem areas remain, such as a lack of safe drinking water, gaps in educational resources, and an almost non-existent judiciary system. Dr. Ramos-Horta drew a chuckle from listeners with his story of a group of prisoners, incarcerated on minor charges, who simply left their jail because no one was there to guard them. They returned voluntarily when the government issued a public plea.

"We are facing challenges, but with optimism, with creativity," said Dr. Ramos-Horta.

He thanked the many Americans who supported his country's struggle for independence, and gave special thanks to two state legislators-Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral, D-New Bedford, and Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton-who were instrumental in the state's boycott of trade with Indonesia during the war.

"In the years when there was not much hope, they both gave us hope," he said.

Rep. Cabral escorted him on last week's Boston-area appearances, part of a tour of several key East Coast Cities including Washington, DC, where the East Timorean leader will be greeted by President Bush and other officials in October, and New York, where East Timor was to be admitted to the United Nations Sept. 27.

"It's wonderful to have Dr. Ramos-Horta among us because we have been hearing forever about his struggles to end violence and promote independence in East Timor, as well as honor who has done so much to end human rights violations in the world," said Paulo Pinto, Executive Director of MAPS, a non-profit agency that provides health and social services to Portuguese speakers.

Dr. Ramos-Horta urged Americans to keep monitoring the situation in East Timor and to stay engaged. Although the country is making tremendous strides, he said, there are still forces in Indonesia that oppose East Timor's fledgling independence and would take advantage of any withdrawal in interest by this and other key countries around the world. He also pledged to do his part to keep the new country on the right track and help it avoid the pitfalls that have plagued other new nations, where new dictators sprang up in place of promised democracies.

"I hope I will never have to come to Boston to apologize for our betrayal," he said. "I will never make excuses for our failures. I will always speak out."

About MAPS
MAPS is a private, non-profit organization that works with and for the Brazilian, Cape Verdean, Portuguese and other Portuguese-speaking communities to increase access and remove barriers to health, education and social services through direct services, advocacy, leadership and community development. The organization was founded in 1970 and has offices in Cambridge, Somerville, Dorchester, Allston and Lowell.

###

Copyright © 2002 Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers, Inc. All rights reserved.