Strengthening links with Timor-Leste
By: RSL National President Greg Melick
As highlighted in my previous President’s Newsletter, I recently spent time in Timor-Leste as part of a delegation to build the relationship between RSL Australia and Timorese veterans.
The Australian delegation included the Timor-Leste Ambassador to Australia, Ines Almeida, the island nation’s Honorary Consul in Tasmania, Professor Nitin Verma, and medical and health service leaders.
As well as meeting with the Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, the group had highly productive discussions with veterans’ groups, key government Ministers and officials, senior World Health Organisation representatives and the Australian Ambassador, Caitlin Wilson.
Australia has strong military and veteran links with Timor-Leste, particularly from World War Two and more recently, the INTERFET intervention in 1999. The 25th anniversary of that mission in September this year provides new opportunities to grow the relationship between the RSL and Timorese veteran bodies.
I also visited the Timor Awakening program and congratulated them on their work.
I was very fortunate to visit the remains of HMAS Voyager, sunk in 1942 while attempting to evacuate Australian soldiers from the island. While little of the ship is visible above the sand, it is a constant reminder of the sacrifices both countries made in World War Two.
As a result of the visit, RSL Australia will now work to coordinate with Timorese veterans, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Defence to develop these important relationships.
