East Timor: Asean's Sleeping Beauty

By Kavi Chongkittavorn

fonte 

Asean is losing East Timor big time. After a few moments of intensive discussion early this year over the possible membership of the world's youngest democracy, Asean's decision-makers remain noncommittal. In a nutshell, the issue of East Timor's membership is lying dormant. At the upcoming Asean Coordinating Council Meeting on November 16 ahead of the Asean Summit in Bali, the membership issue is on the agenda but nobody knows what kind of decision will be made.

Since the official application was filed in March, there have been efforts both inside East Timor and outside to help the region's poorest country prepare for eventual Asean membership in 2012. It is an open secret that President Jose Ramos Horta has personally been pushing this scheme. He wants to realise his dream of seeing his country as the 11th member of Asean, especially during his presidency, which ends next March, when the presidential election is scheduled. In a speech to the UN General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao even highlighted East Timor's desire to join Asean to share in the spirit of cooperation. However, as time goes by, it is clear the overall grouping's enthusiasm has diminished quickly as Asean tackles more pressing problems within the organisation. Senior Asean officials met recently in Bali and did not talk about the issue. There is no guarantee that the group's decision-makers will have changed their minds by 2015, when Asean is to form a single economic community. Papua New Guinea, an Asean observer since 1986, might want to become a member at that time too.

Serie “esclarecimento eleitoral” (4) Eleição (2): Votação & Abstenção

Martinho G. da Silva Gusmão*)

fonte

Problema ne’ebe mosu: ema bele ba vota ka lalika? Se ema ida lakohi ba vota, ninia sansão (castigo) saida? Se nia ba vota, nia manan saida?

Molok atu hatan, ita hare lai iha buat rua mak la hanesan – “eleição” no “votação”. Liafuan eleição ne’e luan liu – tan hatudu ba processo naruk ida husi “recenseamento eleitoral” (actualização base de dados), “apresentação das candidaturas”, harii centros de votação (estação de votos), “campanha eleitoral (propaganda), too “contagem dos votos e o apuramento dos resultados”. Iha Lei dos Órgãos da Administração Eleitoral(LOAE), hakerek tan “O sufrágio propriamente dito”. Maibe, ema barak hanoin (infelizmente, PN no Governo mos inclui), katak, eleição ne’e hanesan deit ho votação. Tan ne’e, besik ona loron eleição mak hotu-hotu (infelizmente, partido político sira hotu) fera ulun no bidu tun bidu sae atu organiza “campanha” (falun ho liafuan “consolidação”), halo “propaganda” atu manan “votos” (balun dehan “sapu bersih”, balun dehan “ra’ut moos”, seluk fali dehan “hili ida-ida too nakonu”, nst). Wainhira ninia resultado la monu iha laran mak hahu runguranga.

Nudar cidadão ne’ebe diak, nia labele taka matan ba processo eleição. Liu-liu iha fase “recenseamento eleitoral” (voter registration) ne’e obrigatório no oficioso ba ema hotu. Cidadão hotu-hotu tenki ba tau naran nudar eleitor. Maibe, iha loron atu ba halo votação, nia bele rejeita.

Saida mak Votação?

Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (for the period from 8 January 2011 to 20 September 2011)

Security Council 

Distr.: General 14 October 2011 Original: English 

Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (for the period from 8 January 2011 to 20 September 2011) 

 I. Introduction 

1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 1969 (2011), by which the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) until 26 February 2012. It covers major developments in Timor-Leste and the implementation of the Mission’s mandate since 7 January 2011. My Special Representative, Ameerah Haq, continued to lead the Mission and coordinate with United Nations system actors and other stakeholders. She was assisted by my Deputy Special Representative for Governance Support, Development and Humanitarian Coordination, Finn Reske-Nielsen, and by my Deputy Special Representative for Security Sector Support and Rule of Law, Shigeru Mochida. UNMIT continued its “one United Nations system” approach, consistent with its integrated strategic framework.  

 II. Political and security developments since 7 January 2011 

2. The overall situation in Timor-Leste remained generally calm, with continued progress towards the consolidation of peace, stability and development. Political parties intensified their internal organizational activities in preparation for the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections. During those activities, party leaders underscored the need to sustain national unity and to concentrate on longer-term socio-economic and development strategies. At a dialogue on 26 July facilitated by the Bishop of Baucau (see para. 11 below), political leaders agreed on the importance of ensuring stability during the electoral process.  

Série “esclarecimento eleitoral” (3) Eleição (1): Participação & Representação

Martinho G. da Silva Gusmão

fonte

Ema hotu hatene temi liafuan “eleição”. Maibe, la’os ema hotu hatene saida mak eleição. Liafuan ida ne’e mai husi “elegere” (Latim: e + legere; bele mos eligere), katak, “hili husi”, “foti husi”. Mosu liafuan “electus” (electio) iha Bíblia no teologia nia laran, katak, Maromak hili ema balun ka foti ema balun hodi hetan kbiit atu halao knaar nudar Na’ilulik, Profeta no Liurai (Sacerdote, Profeta, Rei). Husi ne’e mak mosu liafuan élection(Frances), katak, hili husi ema barak nia leet hodi hetan kbiit atu hola knaar iha fatin ruma/ posição ruma.

Husi ne’e mos mosu liafuan élite ne’ebe hatudu ba ema lubuk ida ne’ebe hetan fatin especial iha sociedade nia leet. Idéia kona ba élite (proto-romance Latim “electus”) atu hatudu duni personagem (ema ida) ka grupo selecionado (ema lubuk ida) iha política nia laran.

Iha democracia clássica (Athenas), ema lubuk ida sai nudar elite iha ekklesia(klibur; assembléia) nia laran atu ko’alia kona ba polis (governação cidade) nia lalaok. Ninia criteria: mane (phronimos) ne’ebe hanoin klean (philosophos) no riku (desculpa: ita tempo neba, feto la tama iha politika, tan sira nia capacidade racional la too, no iha liu capacidade emocional). La iha eleição. Tan se se deit mak sinti aan mane, matenek no riku, bele tama iha ekklesia. Iha Império Romano, mosu liafuan senatus – ema lubuk ida nudar klibur aswain sira ne’ebe electus husi ema riku sira no magistrado sira lori halao knaar legislativo nudar mata-dalan ba funu-nain no povo. Tan ne’e, maski Roma ninia ukun nain hanaran imperador, maibe sira hamriik nudar Republica democrática tan ukun hamutuk hosenator.

Serie “esclarecimento eleitoral” (2) “Critérios de eleições”: Sura Voto, Fahe Cadeira, Ida Hira?

)* Martinho G. da Silva Gusmão

Pergunta ne’ebe mosu bebeik – “cadeira ida nia folin hira?” Analista lubuk ida mak koko atu hatan, balun dehan 8,000, ka 9,000 ka 10,000 ka 15,000 ka 20,000. Ida-idak mai ho ninia versão. Balun husu atu CNE declara lolos cadeira ida nia folin hira, atu ema bele hakmatek! Se lae, aban bainrua bele mosu manipulação. CNE labele hatan, basa seidauk mosu eleição. Ninia razão simples deit, katak, baibain ita iha tiha sasan ruma mak ita fahe ... wainhira liman sei mamuk ita labele fahe buat ida. Nune’e mos atu fahe sasan ruma, ita iha sasukat.

Hare hikas iha Lei eleitoral para o Parlamento Nacional (LEPN), pergunta iha leten la relevante. Maibe buat ne’ebe ita bele husu: “Ema nain hira mak hetan cadeira?” no “Oinsa mak hetan cadeira ne’e?” Resposta ba ida uluk – ema nain 65 mak hetan cadeira. Ba ida seluk: hare (a) barreira eleitoral no (b) método de Hondt. Ida ne’e mak sai hanesan sasukat, ka, “critérios de eleições” atu oinsa mak partido/ candidato sira hetan cadeira no manan eleição. Ita tenki dehan mos, katak, partido ne’ebe lakon eleição mak sira ne’ebe la hetan cadeira ida.

Di Bibirmu, Bibirku Bersujud

Cerpen Haz Algebra

fonte

Cahaya pagi menerobos celah-celah jendela, membentuk garis-garis lurus yang bergabung menjadi lembar-lembar sinar membentang, membagi ruangan kamar menjadi dua, seperti pintu dimensi menuju alam gaib. Cahaya itu bermuara tepat di atas sebuah wajah lalu berhamburan saat mengenai pipi cembung bening. Sebagian meresap bersembunyi di balik rambut-rambut halus yang membuat seksi bagian atas bibirnya yang tipis. Sebagian lagi menyambar lonceng pagi di pelupuk matanya.

Perempuan jauh. Sandarkan mimpi di tembok pagi. Seperti sehabis semalam. Matanya meremang. Mangucak-ngucak. Lalu merentangkan tangannya dengan gemulai. Memperlihatkan lekukan setengah badan yang didominasi dada yang montok.

Série “esclarecimento eleitoral” (1) ÓRGÃOS DA ADMINISTRAÇÃO ELEITORAL

Série “esclarecimento eleitoral” (1)

ÓRGÃOS DA ADMINISTRAÇÃO ELEITORAL

Martinho G. da Silva Gusmão

(fonte)

Besik daudaun ona eleição, ema hotu sei hateke lisuk Comissão Nacional de Eleições (CNE) no Secretariado Técnico da Administração Eleitoral (STAE). Tuir Lei-Inang artigo 65 no. 6 dehan “A supervisão do recenceamento e dos actos eleitorais cabe a um órgão independente, cujas competências, composição, organização e funcionamento são fixados por lei”. Husi ne’e mak PN halo lei nº. 5/ 2008 no alteração nº 6/ 2011 kona Órgãos da Administração Eleitoral (LOAE). Husi constituição ita hare kedas knaar boot 2 ne’ebe CNE halo mak “supervisão” ba “recenseamento” no ba “actos eleitorais”. LOAE hatur hikas CNE ninia competência (a–k) hodi esplica liu tan kona ba “actos eleitorais”.

Atu hatene didiak CNE ninia competência, ita bele compara eleição ne’e hanesan “jogo” ida (i.e., football karik) iha campo democracia nia laran. Equipa sira ne’ebe atu joga mak partido político. Atu manan ka atu lakon, ne’e partido político mak tama campo laran atu joga contra malu. Atu joga diak no hakarak manan, sira tenki halo treinamento maka’as, halo estratégia programática no esquemática hodi joga didiak. Atu joga foer ka joga mos, ne’e partido mak halo iha campo laran. Atu hetan cartão mean ka kinur, ne’e partido mak sukat ninia jogo. Atu hatama gol ka tebe sai ba liur deit mos, partido mak iha ain no matan atu hare baliza. Dirigente partido sira mak hanesan equipa “treinador”, hamutuk ho equipa “massage” nian. Wainhira dirigente la iha imaginação política atu manan ho elegância, sei mosu joga foer no lakon.

6 reasons to visit East Timor – CNN Go

Atauro

Yes, really. The country also known as Timor-Leste  is not a popular destination ­ but it should be. Here’s why.

Diving, whale-watching, trekking, biking, great scenery, stunning mountain driving, and beautiful white-sand beaches. East Timor is one of the world’s unsung tourism destinations. Tourist numbers are low compared with other places in the region, perhaps put off by the country’s politically-unsettled and impoverished image, which contributes to a dearth of flights into the country, which in turn drives prices up and inhibits visitor numbers, which in turn keeps flight prices high, which in turn … you get the idea.

But slowly, visitors are recognizing the appeal of the place. National Tourism director José Quintas says visitors increased from 37,000 in 2008 to 85,000 in 2010.

So if you want to try something new yet still enjoy the conventional sun, sea and sand with an adventurous twist, Asia’s “newest nation” is well worth a look.

1. Spectacular diving

“Oh Timor shits all over Thailand for diving,” says Greg Duncan, dive instructor and boat skipper at Dive Timor Lorosae. He should know, after previously working for two years on Ko Tao, a diving hub in southern Thailand.

“A lot of places in the region ­ off Australia, Malaysia ­ are over-dived,” he says. “Not here.”

WikiLeaks: Ramos Horta Incar Kursi Sekjen PBB

Bocoran kawat diplomatik Kedutaan Besar Amerika Serikat (AS) oleh WikiLeaks menyebutkan, Presiden Timor Leste Jose Ramos Horta tidak menyukai kebiasaan minum dari Perdana Menteri Xanana Gusmao. Bocoran itu juga menyebutkan Horta mengincar kursi Sekretaris Jenderal Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (Sekjen PBB).

Berdasarkan bocoran kawat diplomatik tersebut, seorang diplomat AS merasa bahwa Ramos Horta merasa tinggi hati setelah mendapatkan Nobel Perdamaian 1996. Menurut diplomat itu, ambisi global dari Horta membuatnya berada dalam kondisi canggung di antara sekutunya di Timor Leste.

"Keinginannya untuk diperhatikan dan dianggap serius oleh dunia internasional, membuat dirinya kerap mengeluarkan pernyataan keras mengenai suatu isu. Kadang, ulahnya ini kerap bertentangan dengan kepentingan Timor Leste," ucap diplomat AS itu lewat bocoran kawat diplomatik Wikileaks seperti dikutip AFP, Kamis (22/9/2011).

Indonesia Siap Ekspor Senjata ke Timor Leste

VIVAnews - Pemerintah Republik Indonesia dan Republik Timor Leste bersepakat menandatangani kerjasama di beberapa bidang. Ada lima kerjasama yang disepakati kedua negara. Salah satunya bidang pertahanan. 

Kerjasama itu ditandatangani setelah pertemuan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono dan Perdana Menteri Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao, di Istana Merdeka, Jakarta, Selasa 22 Maret 2011. 

Salah satu nota kesepahaman itu adalah Indonesia menyambut baik keinginan Timor Leste membeli senjata. "Pemerintah Indonesia bersedia memberikan kredit ekspor," kata Staf Khusus Presiden Bidang Hubungan Internasional, Teuku Faizasyah.

Golkar Puji Pembangunan di Timor Leste

VIVAnews - Ketua Umum DPP Partai Golkar, Aburizal Bakrie, memuji proses pembangunan di Timor Leste. Menurut dia, negeri Timor Lorosa'e itu, setelah merdeka dari Indonesia pada 20 Mei 2002, mampu melaksanakan pembangunan: membangun perasaan dan ikatan kebangsaan, mengembangkan masyarak multilingual, mengembangkan birokrasi sipil, reorganisasi militer dan sipil, serta mengejar pembangunan dan pertumbuhan ekonomi.

"Upaya mendorong kemajuan suatu bangsa bukanlah persoalan yang mudah. Dalam waktu yang cukup singkat, kurang lebih satu dekade, Timor Leste telah membuktikan bahwa semua itu mungkin untuk dilakukan," kata Aburizal dalam pidato singkat di Kongres Ke-3 Partai Fretilin di Ibukota Dili, Timor Leste, Kamis, 8 September 2011.

"Dan, yang cukup membanggakan, Timor Leste melakukan (pembangunan) itu dalam sistem pemerintahan yang relatif demokratis dan upaya yang semakin lama semakin mandiri," kata Aburizal dalam forum yang dihadiri dua petinggi utama Partai Fretilin, Ketua Umum Francisco Guteres Lu-Olo dan Sekretaris Jenderal Marie Alkatiri.

XANANA GUSMAO: ON THE OCCASION OF THE 66TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF TIMOR-LESTE

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRIME MINISTER 

AND MINISTER OF DEFENCE AND SECURITY KAY RALA XANANA GUSMÃO

ON THE OCCASION OF 

THE 66TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

New York, 23 SEPTEMBER 2011 2

Your Excellency President of the General Assembly

Your Excellency the Secretary-General

Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great pleasure for me to be back at the United Nations Headquarters. Last February, I had the honour of taking part in the Security Council meeting, where I took the opportunity to thank the permanent members and all other nations that have been part of the Council for the generosity and care that have always been present in the resolutions on Timor-Leste.

Today, on behalf of the people of Timor-Leste, I want to take this opportunity to thank all members of this forum for the support they have given to Timor-Leste in the promotion of peace and security and in the building of our national institutions.

I am pleased to inform the General Assembly that we have come a long way as a people and as a state replacing intolerance with constructive dialogue, and the right to protest with the duty to protest responsibly.

We have taken firm steps away from the difficult circumstances of the past and we have renewed the confidence of the Timorese people in the institutions of the State. As such, we have already endorsed the Joint Transitional Plan for the withdrawal of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste by the end of 2012.

Kesaksian Andy F. Noya.

"Renungan indah tentang jalan Tuhan yg tak pernah kita duga...dan selalu indah pada waktunya," -Andy F. Noya.

Malam itu saya gelisah. Tidak bisa tidur. Pikiran saya bekerja ekstra keras. Dari mana saya bisa mendapatkan uang sebanyak itu? Sampai jam tiga dini hari otak saya tetap tidak mampu memecahkan masalah yang saya hadapi. Tadi sore saya mendapat kabar dari rumah sakit tempat kakak saya berobat. Menurut dokter, jalan terbaik untuk menghambat penyebaran kanker payudara yang menyerang kakak saya adalah dengan memotong kedua payudaranya. Untuk itu, selain dibutuhkan persetujuan saya, juga dibutuhkan sejumlah biaya untuk proses operasi tersebut.

TIRAI PANGGUNG YANG TIDAK PERNAH TERTUTUP

Sampai sekarang, saya masih ingat bagaimana saya berkenalan dengan Chang Yi Hsiung.

Pada suatu hari, saya menyetir mobil melewati Kwang Fu Road, Sin Chu, tiba2 melihat seorang nenek yang usianya sangat tinggi jatuh dijalanan dan tidak bisa berdiri kembali. Saya hentikan mobil untukmenolongnya, kebetulan juga ada seorang pemuda yang mengendarai sepeda motor ikut berhenti membantu saya. Kami berdua ber-sama2 mengangkat nenek tsb. kedalam mobil saya, saya minta pemuda itu ikut bantu menjagai nenek tsb. dan tanpa ragu2 ia mengatakan ya. Pemuda tsb. adalah Chang Yi Hsiung.

Kami lalu mengatarkan nenek ini ke rumah sakit yg terdekat. Dalam perjalanan, dari kaca spion, terlihat oleh saya wajah Chang sinar yg sangat lembut, dengan sangat hati2 ia memegang nenek itu agar dapat menyandarkan dirinya dipundaknya, sementara tangan nenek juga dipegangnya se-olah2 untuk menenangkannya. Walau tidak sepatah katapun keluar dari mulutnya Chang, tetapi dari tingkah laku ketahuan bahwa dia sedang menenangkan dan menghibur hati nenek itu.

Apakah dia tulang rusukku ?

Sebuah senja yang sempurna, sepotong donat, Dan lagu cinta yang lembut. Adakah yang lebih indah dari itu, bagi sepasang manusia yang memadu kasih? Raka Dan Dara duduk di punggung senja itu, berpotong percakapan lewat, beratus tawa timpas, lalu Dara pun memulai meminta kepastian. Ya, tentang cinta.

Dara : "Siapa yang paling kamu cintai di dunia ini?"

Raka : "Kamu dong.."

Dara : "Menurut kamu, aku ini siapa?"

Raka : (Berpikir sejenak, lalu menatap Dara dengan pasti) "Kamu tulang rusukku! Ada tertulis, Tuhan melihat bahwa Adam kesepian. Saat Adam tidur, Tuhan mengambil rusuk dari Adam Dan menciptakan Hawa. Semua pria mencari tulang rusuknya yang hilang Dan saat menemukan wanita untuknya, tidak lagi merasakan sakit di hati."

Realmadrid Foundation to open academies in Timor-Leste

An agreement was signed to boost basic education for children in the cities of Dili, Miliana and Baucau

Realmadrid.com / Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

(foto: Elisa Estrada, Real Madrid)

The Realmadrid Foundation received a delegation from Timor-Leste at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium to sign a collaboration agreement to provide basic education for 300 children aged between 6 and 13 years in the Asian country during the 2011/12 season in the cities of Dili, Baucau and Miliana.

The act was presided over by Realmadrid Foundation Vice President Enrique Sanchez and the Timor-Leste delegation: Miguel Manetelu (Secretary of State, Youth and Sport), Filipus Pereira (Chief of the Cabinet of the Secretary of State), Jose Luis de Padua Oliveira (Director General of the Secretary of State's Office) and Antonio Gil Lobit (Legal Advisor to the Secretary of State's Office).

Masa Depan Status Mata Uang Negara Timor-Leste

A. Latar Belakang

Pada tahun 1990-an dimana pergerakan strategi rakyat Timor-Leste untuk mencapai kemerdekaan dan menjadi negara independent, telah memikirkan secara teratur akan pembentukan struktur pemerintahan serta sistem yang akan dianut. Keadaan ini sangat terasa dalam batin secara utuh akan terelesiasinya tempo kemerdekaan adalah hanya masalah waktu yang tidak lama lagi. Dan akhirnya semua kenyataan akan mimpi sebagai negara independent terujud dengan teratur dan sistematis pada tanggal 4 September 1999 (tanggal dimana Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa melalui UNAMET mengumumkan hasil referendum untuk masa depan rakyat Timor-Leste).

Proses pengisian awal hari-hari kemerdekaan sudah tentu bukanlah suatu proses yang mudah dalam menata kembali aktivitas politik, ekonomi dan social. Negara-negara pendonor dalam mengakses bantuannya baik melalui pemerintah maupun Non government organization (NGO) bergerak menelusuri daerah-daerah yang dianggap berada pada kelas ekonomi sangat miskin, sedang, dan kurang miskin untuk mendapat bantuan selayaknya.

Tetun classes in Melbourne

The last Tetun course for the year in Melbourne will start on Monday October 3rd (7-8.30 pm) and will run on monday nights for 10 weeks. Level 1 and Level 2 classes will run. Course cost is $250 and includes 10 x 1.5 hr classes, course book, CD and tetun-english wordfinder. 

The course is also available by distance. 

Due to the overwhelming success of our trial intensive Tetun weekend this year, it will become a yearly event, held on the labor day weekend (10-12 March 2012). Cost for the intensive weekend is $500, and includes 3 nights accomodation (fri, sat and sunday night), all food, 15 hours of tetun classes, private tutorials throughout the weekend, course book, CD, and tetun-english wordfinder. Level 1 and level 2 are available. The course will again be held in Seymour (around 1 hr from Melbourne).

for more information or to enrol for any of the courses, email Katrina Langford at timorlink@hotmail.com

Obrigada, 

Katrina

Ó terus, ó tanis, lasoi mata-ween

Hakerek husi : XISTO VIANA  - Porto

Ó terus ba funu!

Ó terus ba kiak!

Ó terus ba hamlaha!

Ó terus ba hamrook!

Ó terus ba moras!

Ó terus ba fatin!

Ó terus ba matenek!

Ó terus ba justisa?

Ó terus ninin-laek!?

Ó taka-liman?

Ó harohan?

Ó taka ibun!

Ó perdua!?

Ó ulun terus-na’in!

Ó fuan terus-na’in!

Ó isin terus-na’in!

Ó klamar terus-na’in!

Ó isin tomak terus-na’in!

Ó na’i sai ukun-na’in

Ó sai na’in ba terus, no terus-na’in

Ó hun ba terus no terus nia hun

Ó terus, ó tanis, lasoi mata-ween

Ó loron sei iha, lahatene sá loron?

Ó hamriik no hakat, no hakat liubá!

Ó haboot ó fuan, isin no klamar

Ó husu ba Na’i Leten Aas bá

Ó neon sei nakloke, simu naroman

Ó ibun sei katak lakohi terus tan…!!!

Taur Matan Ruak: First Candidate For 2012 Presidential Elections In Timor Leste? – Analysis

by Paulo Gorjao

On September 2nd, the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Timor Leste, Major-General Taur Matan Ruak, resigned, claiming that after 36 years in FALINTIL and the F-FDTL, this was the right time “to go back to civilian life”.1 On August 20th, the Timorese government had officially disbanded the Armed Forces for the Liberation of Timor Leste (FALINTIL), who fought against the Indonesian occupation for more than two decades.2 In a way, the demobilization of the FALINTIL marks the end of a cycle and, as such, the resignation of Matan Ruak fits well in this process.

Yet, while ending his military career, the decision of Matan Ruak could also mark the beginning of his active participation in political life. His presidential ambitions were an open secret in Timor Leste, with abundant rumors last June and July that he would resign in the coming months in order to launch a campaign. When asked if he intended to run in the upcoming presidential elections Matan Ruak did not deny it, while answering cautiously that it was “too early to talk about that”.3