F-FDTL Naval Component celebrates its tenth anniversary
FALINTIL-Defence Forces of Timor-Leste (F-FDTL), more specifically the Naval component, celebrated, its tenth anniversary on January 12, at the base of Hera.
Major General of the F-FDTL, Lere Anan Timur, in his speech, mentioned the various challenges faced during the last twelve years, both in regards to human resources and infrastructure and other issues, particularly in the legal field. He said that the Government has always sought to respond to emerging requirements and to date continues to opt for international law since there is still no law regulating the maritime authority and the right to pursuit vessels that violate the coast of Timor-Leste.
He appealed to those who joined this component between 2009 and 2010 "to behave like leaves and flowers of a tree, that leave their aroma and can shade and protect the People and the Nation, because as the flowers wither and the leaves fall, the people and the country will feel unprotected. So I ask you all to adhere to the rules under the responsibility given to this institution by the People and every one of us".
The Prime Minister and also Minister of Defence and Security, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão took stock on the ten years of independence, where he referred the continued joint efforts in capacity building of State institutions, where the Defense and Security are included He also reiterated that the Government intends to keep it’s attention on behalf of the two organizations that work to ensure the country's sovereignty and People's confidence so that they can live in peace and harmony and he recalled that reflecting on the past is a learning path to correct mistakes and not repeat them in the future, particularly in the F-FDTL and PNTL.
The event was attended by the Head of Government and Minister for Defence and Security, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, the President of the National Parliament, Fernando Lasama de Araújo, the Secretary of Defence, Júlio Tomás Pinto, Chief of Defence Force, Major-General Lere Anan Timur, the Deputy Chief of Defence Force, Brigadier-General Filomeno Paixão, the South Korean Ambassador, Seo Kyoung-Suk, the U.S. Ambassador Yudith Vergine and officers, sergeants and soldiers of F-FDTL.
