12th November Committee holds 2nd National Congress
"Together we strive for a better life for the survivors and for the entire People of Timor-Leste, in the future," is the theme of the 2nd National Congress of the 12th November Committee, held at the Dili Convention Centre, since Tuesday. The three-day meeting ends today.
At the opening of the event, on November 7, the Prime Minister, Marí Alkatiri, highlighted the historic importance of the 12th November 
for the country, considering it a "national milestone" that "represents a huge sacrifice made by the Timorese youth. They are, above all, the ones I want to honour and recognize. It is to the youngsters that today we owe our national peace, unity and stability”.
On the 12th November, 1991, hundreds of people gathered in a march to pay homage to the young Sebastião Gomes, killed in October of the same year, towards the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, where a massacre occurred.
The President of the Republic, Francisco Guterres Lú Olo, also paid tribute to the youngsters and all of those who suffered on that "day of sacrifice". He also recalled the key role of Max Stahl, who filmed the events, and Saskia Kouwenberg, the journalist who took with her the images that were broadcasted around the world and drew attention to the situation in Timor-Leste.
The President of the Republic stressed the importance of unity and knowledge in overcoming difficulties and appealed to the people and their elected representatives to maintain that same spirit that guided those who sacrificed themselves, at a time when the people and now the nation, face new challenges.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed his confidence in the people and stressed that it is up to the political leaders "to seek ways to reach a consensus that guarantees national peace and stability”. Marí Alkatiri recalled that "the current President of the Republic has dialogued with the various political forces and that I myself have always been ready to dialogue with all political actors. But now I will only be ready to speak when everyone is ready to accept the will of the people”.
