DILI (East Timor), May 19: Tiny East Timor declared independence shortly after midnight on Sunday in front of tens of thousands of revellers, taking its place as the first new nation of the millennium.
On a makeshift stage in a field on the outskirts of the capital Dili, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan handed over the reins of power to East Timor’s parliament chief, triggering a thunderous roar from the crowd.
Former guerilla leader Xanana Gusmao was declared president of Asia’s poorest nation which struggled for freedom from 24 years of Indonesian rule and centuries of Portuguese colonial indifference.
Gusmao stood by Annan’s side as the blue U.N. flag was lowered by a U.N. soldier clad in camouflage to the strains of “We Shall Overcome”.
The black, red and white East Timor flag was carried to the stage by a Timorese soldier flanked by six colleagues carrying rifles with fixed bayonets.
The new national anthem rang out as the flag was slowly raised, marking the birth of a staunchly Roman Catholic territory surrounded by the world’s most populous Muslim country, Indonesia.
Later, fireworks lit up the night skies.
“I salute you, people of East Timor, for the courage and perseverance you have shown,” a smiling Annan told the crowds in a dusty field on the outskirts of Dili.
“You should be very proud. That a small nation is able to inspire the world and be the focus of our attention is the highest tribute that I can pay,” Annan said.
“At this moment, we honour every citizen of East Timor who persisted in the struggle for independence. We also remember the many who are no longer with us but who dreamed of this moment. It is their day too,” Annan said.
But Annan told Timorese independence was just the start of a long journey.
“Independence is not an end. It is the beginning of self-rule, which requires compromise, discipline, unity and resolve. While you have succeeded in one challenge, winning your independence, this only paves the way for many more,” he said.
Foreign leaders and delegations from 80 nations had earlier flown in for the celebrations.
The United Nations mission ran East Timor since its decision to split from Indonesia in 1999.
“We are free. Now, we cannot be intimidated by anyone,” said Justino Vieira, a 22-year-old student.
One of the few sour notes of the celebration has been the presence in nearby waters of Indonesian warships.
The crowds had earlier listened to a solemn three-hour Roman Catholic mass interspersed with the haunting tones of a choir comprised of hundreds of Timorese.
Warriors rode horses in front of the official stage as drummers with feather head-dresses filled the air with tribal rythmns.
School children released doves into the air.
Along rutted tracks leading to the field, hawkers sold caps and T-shirts bearing Timor’s flag and images of Gusmao as U.N. helicopters and humvee vehicles patrolled the skies and roads for the 1,000 VIPs attending.
Among the guests were Australian Prime Minister John Howard and heads of state from Portugal, New Zealand and a dozen smaller nations. The U.S. delegation was led by former President Bill Clinton.
Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri also made a fleeting visit for the ceremonies, signalling a new start for relations with Timor.
Megawati’s scheduled attendance created a flap after Jakarta’s dispatch of six naval vessels to the area to stand by during her visit. East Timor called the move “ostentatious.”
Indonesia said it had permission from the U.N. administration to send the ships and in that in any case only two ever entered East Timor’s waters.
Annan promised East Timor’s 740,000 people they would not be alone.
“We will work hand in glove with (you). For us this is not the end of the road - it’s a new beginning,” he told reporters.
Foreign donors are expected to fully support East Timor and some 5,000 peacekeepers will also stay on for up to two years.—Reuters
DILI (East Timor), May 19: Tiny East Timor declared independence shortly after midnight on Sunday in front of tens of thousands of revellers, taking its place as the first new nation of the millennium.
