Government of Timor-Leste

On March 22nd, the Prime Minister, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, gave a speech at the Indonesian University (IU), in Jakarta, about the theme “Timor-Leste’s State Building Experience within Regional and Global Context”. Xanana Gusmão was received by the University Rector, Prof. Dr. Der Soz Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri, by the University Senate and by students representing the several departments.

With the theme “Timor-Leste’s State Building Experience within Regional and Global Context”, the Prime Minister talked to the youngsters of both countries to leave the conflict for the benefit of the two Nations’ development.

After the lecture, the moderator Prof. Dr. Bambang Laksmono, as the oldest member of the Political and Social Sciences Faculty, opened the questions and answers session about the Timor-Leste requirements, namely the linguistic identity, concerning joining into ASEAN and the Government's plan for Timor-Leste’s development.

Responding to questions, Xanana Gusmão, defended that language was not the determinating factor to join ASEAN. Although Timor-Leste is a small country, it has a population density of over 1 million of inhabitants, with 35 diferent dialects. Indonesia also has several dialects, so the issue regarding linguistic identity cannot be the only criteria to become a part of ASEAN. The geographic localization is the most important.

In regards to the plan for the country’s development, “the Timor-Leste Government outlined a National Development Strategic Plan (NDSP) that, during eight months, was submitted to public consultations concentrated in the sub-districts. The NDSP includes a program to be put in practice in short, medium and long term phases, and will be submitted to the approval of the National Parliament”, explained Xanana Gusmão.

As a form of conclusion and with elegance, the lecture moderator referred that “the Cipinang prison can apply for the title of University, training candidates for Nation leadership, as it managed to do, with quality, by trained a leader like the Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão. In this way the Indonesian University can compete with the Cipinang Prison”. Bambang Laksmono put forward the question: “Why Timor-Leste and Indonesia have to be separated?” and concluded by answering “the saying says that the fact that loving someone doesn’t mean that you have to live with them”.

Leaders and students that attended the lecture were very satisfied with the theme presented by the Prime Minister and with the debate that developed around it.

In the Prime Minister’s party were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zacarias Albano da Costa, the Minister of Economy and Development, João Gonçalves, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mariano Assanami Sabino, The Secretary of State for Defence, Júlio Tomás Pinto, The Timor-Leste Ambassador for Indonesia, Manuel Serrano, The National Director for the Intelligence Service, Cirilo Cristovão and the F-FDTL Major General Taur Matan Ruak.