Launch of LAMENTA, a book about Luso-American Support for Timor’s Struggle
On May 25th, the book LAMETA was launched at the Archive and Museum of Timorese Resistance, in Dili. The book, written by João Crisóstomo, tells how the Luso-American movement contributed to the independence of Timor-Leste. LAMENTA is an acronym for the Luso-American Movement for East Timor’s Auto-determination.
In his remarks at the launch, the Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araújo, recalled having met João Crisóstomo, in September of last year, during a working visit to the United States.
“At that time, he spoke to me of LAMETA and showed me a folder where he kept notes, newspaper clippings, photographs and letters”, explained the Prime Minister. “But those were not just any notes, newspaper clippings, photographs and letters. They were evidence of what LAMETA, or as the book says ‘the LAMETA family’, made over several years, for us, Timor-Leste, and for us, Timorese.”
Among the many actions, LAMETA organized protest actions at the UN, wrote to the then President Bill Clinton with a petition signed by more than 1,200 supporters from all 50 North American states, addressed letters to Nelson Mandela and telephoned numerous times to his office.
Prime Minister Araújo recalled that “at another phase of our history, LAMETA brought containers with goods to Timor-Leste, financial aid which the Portuguese community raised through events. They also sent us their prayers, their solidarity and their belief in the values of humanism and the strong bonds of a sincere and deep frienadship.”
The ceremony was attended by the former President of the Republic and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate José Ramos-Horta, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment, Constâncio da Conceição Pinto, diplomats, religious organizations and educational institutions.
