Timor Lorosae becomes world's newest nation<\/p>\n
Steven Guikin, Associated, Dili, Timor Lorosae<\/p>\n
Timor Lorosae, a land long brutalized by foreign occupiers which
\nuntil Sunday evening still known as East Timor, was declared
\nindependent Monday in a joyous ceremony, in which its red, black
\nand gold flag replaced that of the United Nations and former
\nfreedom fighter Xanana Gusmao was sworn in as its first
\ndemocratically elected president.<\/p>\n
The world's newest country came into being with a solemn
\ndeclaration of independence by parliamentary speaker Fransisco
\nGuterres and a speech by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.<\/p>\n
"I declare the establishment of the Democratic Republic of
\nEast Timor as an independent and sovereign state," Guterres said.
\n"Glory to the heroes of our liberation."<\/p>\n
Minutes later, Xanana Gusmao - a 55-year-old poet and former
\nguerrilla leader - was declared the country's first head of
\nstate. Last month, he won the overwhelming majority of votes in
\npresidential elections.<\/p>\n
"Independence! As a people, as a territory, as a nation! One
\nbody, one mind, one wish!" said Gusmao, who served more than six
\nyears in jail in Jakarta. "Our independence will have no value,
\nif all the people in East Timor continue to live in poverty and
\ncontinue to suffer all kinds of difficulties."<\/p>\n
Peacekeepers lowered the blue UN flag. Timor Lorosae's new
\nnational flag was escorted into the arena by a platoon of
\nsoldiers from its nascent defense force. The banner was raised as
\na choir sang the national anthem.<\/p>\n
"I salute you - people of East Timor - for the courage and
\nperseverance you have shown," Annan told an exuberant crowd as
\nthe world body officially transferred authority over the half-
\nisland territory.<\/p>\n
"Yours has not been an easy path to independence," Annan said.
\n"You should be very proud of your achievement. That a small
\nnation is able to inspire the world and be the focus of our
\nattention is the highest tribute that I can pay."<\/p>\n
Thousands of Timor Lorosae people smiled, cheered and hugged
\neach other in an outpouring of emotion marking the end of four
\ncenturies of Portuguese colonial rule, 24 years of Indonesian
\noccupation and 2 1\/2 years of interim rule by the United Nations.<\/p>\n
Thirty minutes earlier, Indonesian President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri arrived at the venue accompanied by Gusmao. They
\nheld hands and raised them aloft, as the crowd cheered and
\nclapped.<\/p>\n
Attending the festivities were former U.S. president Bill
\nClinton, who officially represented the United States, Australian
\nPrime Minister John Howard and Portuguese President Jorge
\nSampaio.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Megawati was greeted by a small group of
\ndemonstrators as she paid her respects at an Indonesian military
\ncemetery in Dili.<\/p>\n
The new nation, with a population of 800,000, is one of the
\nworld's poorest. Unemployment is estimated at 70 percent and the
\nWorld Bank says the average Timor Lorosae people lives on just 55
\nU.S. cents a day.<\/p>\n
And old ghosts haunt the new country - one speck of land in
\nthe 3,000-mile-long (4,800 kilometers) archipelago that is home
\nto 200 million Indonesians.<\/p>\n
The territory voted overwhelmingly for independence in a UN-
\nsponsored referendum in 1999. Immediately afterward, the
\nIndonesian military and its pro-Jakarta proxies laid waste to
\nmuch of the territory in a blood bath that killed hundreds and
\nfocused international attention on the independence struggle.<\/p>\n
Timor Lorosae has set up a truth and reconciliation commission
\nto reveal past crimes and help people come to terms with them.
\nThe new leaders say perpetrators should be brought to justice but
\nthat nation-building, not revenge, should be the new government's
\npriority.<\/p>\n
Trials are underway in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta to
\nprosecute several military officers involved in the 1999 violence
\n- but many human rights groups say the proceedings amount to a
\nwhitewash.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will be Timor Lorosae's top foreign policy priority
\nbecause of its proximity and economic dominance.<\/p>\n
Reducing poverty will be the biggest economic challenge facing
\nthe new government. East Timor is expected to sign a treaty with
\nAustralia next week dividing oil and gas reserves under the Timor
\nSea.<\/p>\n
But revenue from those reserves are not expected to kick in
\nuntil 2005. In the meantime the country will be largely dependent
\non foreign aid.<\/p>\n
For now, Timor Lorosae people are savoring the joy of
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
About 500 people crowded into the residence of Bishop Carlos
\nFilipe Ximenes Belo for an Independence Day Mass earlier Sunday.
\nThey prayed in silence, but when the service was over they smiled
\nand laughed and spoke of hopes for the future.<\/p>\n
Bishop Belo shared the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize with Jose Ramos-
\nHorta, the new Timor Lorosae foreign minister, for his peaceful
\nstruggle for independence.<\/p>\n
Ramos-Horta told The Associated Press that now is a time for
\n"peace, tolerance and forgiveness."<\/p>\n
"We are very happy. We are a proud and simple people who
\ndeserve peace, who deserve freedom," he said.<\/p>",
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