Comunicado - PM

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF TIMOR-LESTE
OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

MEDIA RELEASE

Dili, November 30 2006


10 days of celebration through music, theatre, poetry, film and prayer

Friday (December 1) sees the start of 10 days of activities in Dili as people from all over Timor-Leste gather to promote national peace and solidarity in a program which combines traditional Timorese peace ceremonies and prayer with the best of contemporary music, theatre, poetry and film from the country’s 13 Districts.

This national gathering will culminate at the Palacio do Governo on December 10 – the 10th anniversary of the joint awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Bishop Carlos Belo and the Prime Minister Dr José Ramos-Horta.

The program of activities, organized by the Hahi Ita Rain National Events Commission and by the President’s Office, has the dual purpose of trying to reclaim that spirit of collective joy, hope and strength that prevailed in 1996, and to be an important rallying call for the people to work together, once again, to build their culture, their nation, and a better life.

“The Nobel Peace Prize belongs to the people of Timor-Leste,” Dr Ramos-Horta said.

“Through their suffering, courage and determination our country won its independence and this Nobel award was in recognition of their unique resilience. Bishop Belo and I were simply chosen to accept this award on their behalf.

“These celebrations belong to Timor-Leste and I urge all the people to participate, to learn from this demonstration of cultural diversity and wealth of which we can be so proud, and, of course, to thoroughly enjoy them. With this mix of traditional and contemporary culture, we have an important opportunity to acknowledge & listen to the voices of our ancestors and the voices of those who are not yet with us.”

The program of events will focus mainly on Independence Park (behind Motael Church) and Palacio do Governo but with exciting events in the bairos as well.

Two traditional Timorese (ADAT) ceremonies will be the highlight of the celebrations:

Hamulak on December 7. This prayer ceremony focuses on putting away the sacred arms – symbolic swords and weapons - which were withdrawn from Sacred Houses in the past during times of invasion from outside, but are now being used by Timorese against Timorese. The President will receive the weapons from the Elders and return them to their scabbards. All are welcome.

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Soru Mutu Ba Dame on December 10. With the participation of the entire political establishment, the religious community, the security services, Timor-Leste’s civil society and the International community, the aim is to focus the nation’s attention on the need to find a path to unity and peace with a national pledge to forgiveness, mutual tolerance and national solidarity. Lia Na’in (Elders) & Liurai (Kings) representing all ethnic language groups in the country will officiate and it is to them that the leaders will make their Juramento (pledge) to do all in their power to ensure a peaceful and non-violent path to the elections, and beyond.

Both will be unique in the history of Timor-Leste in terms of their scale and the participation of representatives of each of the 36 ethnic language groups and 13 districts from across the country.

The Sour Mutu Ba Dame event on December 10th will be completed with the celebration of a special open-air Mass for the thousands expected to gather for the ceremonies.

Following a period for reflection, the whole project ends with a major concert from 18.00 to midnight at the Palacio do Governo, which will bring together all the program’s participants in an extraordinary show of cultural solidarity.

Details of the program of events will be publicized on radio and television and in the Press. Events calendars will also be distributed in poster and leaflet form from this weekend.

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