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22 May 2002 East Timor Red Cross took pride of place at East Timor's independence celebrations on 19 and 20 May, with 70 newly-trained volunteers providing first aid to spectators taken ill or overcome with emotion at seeing the birth of their new country. The volunteers were on call at celebrations held at Tasi Tolu (Independence Square), in the nation's capital, Dili. Wearing East Timor Red Cross T-shirts and caps the volunteers supported two UN medical units. They were also present at two other events on 20 May – a parade to mark the nation's new parliament in the morning and a music concert to celebrate independence after dark. Francisco Ximenes, secretary general of the East Timor Red Cross, said he was thrilled to see newly-trained Red Cross volunteers playing a key role during East Timor's independence. He said the best way for him to celebrate independence was by providing Red Cross services to the people of East Timor. "It's a good sign. The spirit of these volunteers has helped the public to know and understand the East Timor Red Cross," he said. On 19 May, the eve of independence, a church mass was held. As the clock struck midnight, UN secretary general Kofi Annan officially handed the territory of East Timor to president Xanana Gusmao in the presence of world leaders, dignitaries and tens of thousands of jubilant citizens of East Timor. Oscar Zuluaga, the Federation's representative in East Timor, said the Red Cross volunteers trained for independence weeks in advance, practising manoeuvres learnt during first aid training sessions conducted by staff of the Federation and National Societies in Southeast Asia. "The volunteers were well prepared and the day was very intense with the heat and all the excitement. The volunteers themselves were exhausted afterwards, some of them worked for almost 24 hours non-stop. But I am so excited because it was a great success. The people here trust and admire the Red Cross," Mr Zuluaga said. East Timor Red Cross volunteers also helped with preparations for independence by cleaning the beaches fronting Dili every Sunday since February. Mr. Ximenes said the East Timor Red Cross post-independence plan will focus on working towards becoming a fully-recognized National Society and member of the Federation. He believes that this process, which requires meeting 10 conditions prescribed by the ICRC, will take two to three years. One of these conditions is recognition from the government, and since independent East Timor is only a few days old, recognition may take some time, given the overwhelming task of building a new nation. In the interim, Mr. Ximenes stresses that the Red Cross of East Timor will do all it can to function and contribute to the community as a full-fledged National Society – a precedent he set with his successful involvement in independence celebrations. He also pledged to work with East Timor's disaster management office and promote health and HIV/AIDS education and community-based first aid across the country. "For the Red Cross, independence in East Timor means working hard for the East Timorese," Mr. Ximenes said. The UN administered East Timor from 1999, after a referendum showed East Timorese wanted independence from Indonesia. The road to independence has been long and often violent. Indonesia governed East Timor from 1975, following 400 years of Portuguese rule. |
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