Xanana Gusmao, 56, the poet warrior and spiritual symbol of his country who for decades strived for the independence of East Timor, on May 20 was sworn in as this new nation?s first president.
Having won 88.9 percent of all votes cast, Gusmao is without a doubt a charismatic leader. The charisma comes from long years? working for independence. Indonesia sent troops to occupy East Timor in December, 1975. As one of the leaders for the independence movement, instead of going into exile abroad, Gusmao led the guerrilla forces to continue the resistance. Three years later, he was appointed head of FRETELIN or the Revolutionary Front for the Independence of East Timor after the former commander Nicolau Lobato was killed in a battle on New Year?s Eve in 1978. At the first national conference of FRETELIN in March, 1981, Gusmao was elected Commander-in-chief of FALINTIL or the National Liberation Armed Forces of East Timor. In November, 1992, he was captured by Indonesian armed forces and taken to Jakarta where he was sentenced to life imprisonment, later commuted to 20 years. Since then, Gusmao has been called by the international media the ?Nelson Mandela of East Timor,? ?father of East Timor independence? and ?a symbol of East Timor.? Gusmao behind the bars was regarded by East Timorese as their spiritual leader.
A special amnesty on September 7, 1999 was announced for Gusmao by then Indonesian President B. J. Habibie. This followed an agreement by the Indonesian government in early 1999 that a referendum on East Timor?s nationhood would be conducted. Before the referendum scheduled on August 30, 1999, the advocators for independence attached Gusmao?s photos to their publicity materials to encourage the voters to go to the polls. Eventually, 99% of the East Timorese people voted for nationhood.
Born Jose Alexandre Gusmao in the beautiful north-coast town of Manatuto, East Timor in 1946, Gusmao worked as a surveyor, teacher and radio reporter during his youth. Writing poems and novels, drawing pictures and taking photographs were his avocations. As a poet, he was awarded the top poetry prize in East Timor. He used what he sold for his paintings to aid the resistance movement in East Timor. He also published an anthology of political essays: East Timor: A People, A Nation. As for his photographic skills, Gusmao considered them good enough to serve him as a professional photographer.
In a Catholic church near Dili, the capital city of East Timor, a wedding ceremony was held secretly on July 2, 2000. The news that Gusmao had married his Australian girlfriend quickly spread in East Timor and the whole Portuguese-speaking world. The bride, Kirsty Sword Gusmao from Melbourne, first met Gusmao in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, in 1994 while Gusmao was serving his 20-year sentence in jail by the Indonesian government.
Accompanied by his wife who is some 20 years younger than he is, Gusmao planned to make photography his occupation for the latter half of his life, thinking of himself as ?just a guerrilla leader, not qualified to be President.? However, Jose Ramos Horta, his elegant comrade, took exception to Gusmao?s dream that ?after independence I would have time to cultivate pumpkins and breed animals.? Horta suggested that, first of all, Gusmao with ?such poor photographic skill? would starve to death working as a photographer; second of all, Gusmao must be responsible for the East Timorese people to take the position of the first president.
Since his release from prison, Gusmao has been seeking direct dialogue between Indonesia and East Timor. However, then Vice-President Megawati had not changed her stance to reject East Timor?s nationhood by shutting the door six times against East Timor?s representatives until July, 2001 when Megawati, after succeeding to the post of President, took a more moderate attitude toward Gusmao and East Timor.
Due to East Timor?s independence, Indonesia was bogged down in the crisis of being split up. Following East Timor?s example, many of Indonesia?s provinces one after another -- like Aceh and Irian Jaya -- clamored for independence. Thus Indonesia was described by the Western media as the ?Oriental Balkan.? How to maintain Indonesia?s unification has become a hard nut to crack for incumbent President Megawati Soekarnoputri. Naturally, in the eyes of President Megawati, Gusmao is the root cause of the crisis reigning over the whole country and the chief culprit responsible for Indonesia?s being subjected to humiliation. Despite these ?accusations,? as Megawati?s ?rival,? Gusmao has spared no effort to improve relations with Indonesia.
Realizing that the knot of hatred should be untied, Megawati made it clear in her first State of the Union message on August 16, 2001 respect for the East Timorese people?s choice. She pointed out that when the late President Soekarno, her father, declared Indonesia?s independence, East Timor was not included within the territory. Megawati?s new stance laid the foundation for the normalization of the bilateral relations. On August 30, 2001, Gusmao responded on the second anniversary of the referendum that East Timor would not claim compensation from Indonesia. Regardless of objections from many assemblymen, Megawati made the decision on April 24, 2002 to attend the ceremony of East Timor?s independence scheduled on May 20, 2002.
Gusmao is very clear about the differences between a revolutionary and a constructor. This is the partial reason he was reluctant to take the position of the first president.
?No, I do not want to become President, because if you look at almost every revolutionary struggle, the leaders who are there while in opposition become leaders of a new nation and they have nothing more to give,? Gusmao observed.
Now that Gusmao has been sworn in as president, Gusmao has made a prudent statement about his objective to improve the living standards of the people. ?Our independence will have no value, if all the people in East Timor continue to live in poverty and continue to suffer all kinds of difficulties,? Gusmao said.
According to the Constitution of East Timor, the President has no real power. Therefore, Gusmao will play the role of a coordinator in the future to realize the unity of the East Timorese people under the new government. ?As a people, as a territory, as a nation! One body, one mind, one wish!? Gusmao declared in his oath on May 20.
Can Gusmao help East Timor get rid of poverty, unemployment, decline and weakness that came about over the years? Can Gusmao do as well in the construction of the new nation as he used to do as a revolutionist during the guerrilla war? The whole world will be watching closely.
(china.org.cn, translated by Shao Da, May 30, 2002)
