TRANSCRIPT
These are the sounds of a royal welcome.
Crowds are cheering the arrival of United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who's come to help mark Timor-Leste's independence, 25 years on.
Speaking at the commemoration, Timor-Leste's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has said the early years were challenging.
”It was difficult. The first five years were very difficult. It was even more difficult because there was no money and we were asking for alms here and alms there, until, little by little, from 2005 onwards, we started to receive some money from oil.”
But Antonio Guterres has told the gathering the nation has come a long way since then.
”In the 25 years since the popular consultation, Timor-Leste has been taking consistent measures and moving mountains to create a society that responds to the needs and aspirations of the Timorese people."
It was the UN who played a pivotal role in the nation's independence, by overseeing a vote on breaking away from Indonesia, who had taken over from colonial Portuguese rule in 1975.
Ian Martin was on the scene for the UN when the vote went ahead despite threats of violence.
”That was really the point that the courage and determination of the Timorese made itself felt, because despite the fact that some had been displaced and were hiding in the hills, people came to register. It was quite soon apparent that we were going to get, and even exceed, the numbers of voters that electoral experts had estimated.”
Still, despite the courage of the people, fears of unrest were realised.
Damien Kingsbury is an Emeritus Professor at Deakin University.
He says at least 1,400 civilians were killed in reprisals led by Indonesian militias and aided by the country's military - but it helped to cement the result.
”Violence and destruction being wrought by the Indonesian military and its proxy militias really tipped the balance. Certainly in Australia, there was a very significant international protest, and a lot of pressure on the government and the prime minister at the time John Howard very reluctantly agreed to send Australian troops under UN auspices some weeks later. He only did that under pressure from the United States.”
Today, Timor-Leste's democracy is ranked among the most robust in the region.
But Dr Kingsbury says while oil and gas wealth has helped prop up the economy, dependence on now declining revenues poses fresh challenges.
”The government since then has continued to spend beyond their ability to make sustainable payments. As a consequence, Timor-Leste has depleted its petroleum level – its sovereign wealth fund that the country essentially runs on. On current estimates, at current levels of spending, it looks like it will be depleted within the next eight to ten years.”
