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| Mixed emotions as E Timor marks vote | Mixed emotions as E Timor marks vote |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| By Karishma Vaswani BBC News, Dili The president says the real failure is the pervasive poverty in East Timor | By Karishma Vaswani BBC News, Dili The president says the real failure is the pervasive poverty in East Timor |
| It was hailed as the youngest country of the century. | It was hailed as the youngest country of the century. |
| Now East Timor is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its vote for independence from Indonesia. | Now East Timor is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its vote for independence from Indonesia. |
| The battle for freedom was a long and bloody one. | The battle for freedom was a long and bloody one. |
| In the lead-up to the vote and its aftermath, pro-Indonesian militia went on a rampage, killing and injuring hundreds of East Timorese. | In the lead-up to the vote and its aftermath, pro-Indonesian militia went on a rampage, killing and injuring hundreds of East Timorese. |
| But independence has not been easy for the young country, which is still struggling with lawlessness and extreme poverty. | But independence has not been easy for the young country, which is still struggling with lawlessness and extreme poverty. |
| Cycle tour | Cycle tour |
| Last Monday, the streets of the capital, Dili, were closed off for the start of the Tour De Timor. | Last Monday, the streets of the capital, Dili, were closed off for the start of the Tour De Timor. |
| In pictures: East Timor bike race | |
| The five-day cycling race - East Timor's answer to the Tour De France - is aimed at changing the image of the country, and convincing the international community that it should not just be associated with violence and chaos. | The five-day cycling race - East Timor's answer to the Tour De France - is aimed at changing the image of the country, and convincing the international community that it should not just be associated with violence and chaos. |
| Hundreds of Dili's residents came out to support almost 300 cyclists from all over the world who were competing for prize money worth $75,000 (£46,000). | Hundreds of Dili's residents came out to support almost 300 cyclists from all over the world who were competing for prize money worth $75,000 (£46,000). |
| Like so many others in the country, the family of 24 year-old Anche Cabral - the only female member of East Timor's national team - hid in the jungle for more than a month during the violence 10 years ago. | Like so many others in the country, the family of 24 year-old Anche Cabral - the only female member of East Timor's national team - hid in the jungle for more than a month during the violence 10 years ago. |
| During the referendum, pro-Indonesian militia stormed into villages across the country, first trying to intimidate people against voting, and then punishing them when the overwhelming majority voted in favour of independence. | During the referendum, pro-Indonesian militia stormed into villages across the country, first trying to intimidate people against voting, and then punishing them when the overwhelming majority voted in favour of independence. |
| One uncle was killed by the militia, but the rest of Ms Cabral's family survived. But when her family returned home a month later they found most of the homes in the village had been torched. | One uncle was killed by the militia, but the rest of Ms Cabral's family survived. But when her family returned home a month later they found most of the homes in the village had been torched. |
| A decade later, she still feels the sacrifices her people made for their freedom have been worthwile. | A decade later, she still feels the sacrifices her people made for their freedom have been worthwile. |
| "Today is much better than before," she told me. "Now everyone has a house, and we can walk around at night and we feel safe." | "Today is much better than before," she told me. "Now everyone has a house, and we can walk around at night and we feel safe." |
| Painful reminders | Painful reminders |
| I trailed the cyclists by car as they raced from Dili to their first stop in the city of Baucau. | I trailed the cyclists by car as they raced from Dili to their first stop in the city of Baucau. |
| Along the way, vivid horrors of the past were spread out across the rugged mountainous terrain; burned homes and churches dotted the landscape. | Along the way, vivid horrors of the past were spread out across the rugged mountainous terrain; burned homes and churches dotted the landscape. |
| While residents have to live with these painful reminders every day, in Bacau some people are learning to put the past behind them. The seeds of development are being sown. | While residents have to live with these painful reminders every day, in Bacau some people are learning to put the past behind them. The seeds of development are being sown. |
| In a tiny blacksmith's workshop, I found young and old men making everything from hammers to shovels for sale to local customers. | In a tiny blacksmith's workshop, I found young and old men making everything from hammers to shovels for sale to local customers. |
| Manuel DaCosta says East Timor's people need to rely on themselves | Manuel DaCosta says East Timor's people need to rely on themselves |
| They were originally funded by an international aid agency, but now they are fully self-funded and business is growing fast. | They were originally funded by an international aid agency, but now they are fully self-funded and business is growing fast. |
| Manuel DaCosta, whose family has been in the blacksmith trade for three generations, told me: "During the Indonesian times, we were never taught to run a business. | Manuel DaCosta, whose family has been in the blacksmith trade for three generations, told me: "During the Indonesian times, we were never taught to run a business. |
| "When we won our freedom we had to start from scratch. After the Indonesians left, it was difficult for us to do this on our own. | "When we won our freedom we had to start from scratch. After the Indonesians left, it was difficult for us to do this on our own. |
| "But we are the younger generation in this country and we have to develop. If we keep relying on others how will we live?" | "But we are the younger generation in this country and we have to develop. If we keep relying on others how will we live?" |
| Church massacre | Church massacre |
| As the cyclists continued on their gruelling 350km (217 mile) course back to Dili, I veered off the route to visit the town of Suai, 180km from the capital. | As the cyclists continued on their gruelling 350km (217 mile) course back to Dili, I veered off the route to visit the town of Suai, 180km from the capital. |
| On 6 September 1999, just days after the independence vote, 26 people were killed in the town's Ave Maria church by scores of pro-Indonesian militia. | On 6 September 1999, just days after the independence vote, 26 people were killed in the town's Ave Maria church by scores of pro-Indonesian militia. |
| Ten years later, workers are still repairing the ruined structure, because the people of Suai have not had the funds to repair it until now. | Ten years later, workers are still repairing the ruined structure, because the people of Suai have not had the funds to repair it until now. |
| Mr Gusmao says he wants greater justice for his people | Mr Gusmao says he wants greater justice for his people |
| Overlooking a lush green horizon, the church appeared quiet and peaceful, making it hard to believe a massacre took place there. | Overlooking a lush green horizon, the church appeared quiet and peaceful, making it hard to believe a massacre took place there. |
| Elysius Gusmao, who witnessed the violence, showed me the spot where he hid, behind some banana trees. | Elysius Gusmao, who witnessed the violence, showed me the spot where he hid, behind some banana trees. |
| The hiding place saved his life as he watched pro-Indonesian militia surround the church and then open fire indiscriminately, before attacking survivors with machetes. | The hiding place saved his life as he watched pro-Indonesian militia surround the church and then open fire indiscriminately, before attacking survivors with machetes. |
| Mr Gusmao said he would never forget the crimes committed against his people. He was angry, frustrated and disappointed in his government. | Mr Gusmao said he would never forget the crimes committed against his people. He was angry, frustrated and disappointed in his government. |
| "We don't have any power to capture those who committed the violence," he said. | "We don't have any power to capture those who committed the violence," he said. |
| "Some of them have come back to this country but not even the police can touch them. | "Some of them have come back to this country but not even the police can touch them. |
| "I don't want to tell my story to any more commissions or human rights groups so that it can end up in some museum. I want justice." | "I don't want to tell my story to any more commissions or human rights groups so that it can end up in some museum. I want justice." |
| Life improving | Life improving |
| Back in Dili, I put that demand for justice to East Timor's President Jose Ramos Horta. | Back in Dili, I put that demand for justice to East Timor's President Jose Ramos Horta. |
| In his newly-built presidential palace, he said his people needed to start looking towards the future. | In his newly-built presidential palace, he said his people needed to start looking towards the future. |
| "The greatest act of justice is that today we are free," he said. | "The greatest act of justice is that today we are free," he said. |
| "Am I going to spend the next 10 or 20 years chasing the ghosts of the past? We are doing very well now. We had 12.5% growth last year, the second fastest in the world. | "Am I going to spend the next 10 or 20 years chasing the ghosts of the past? We are doing very well now. We had 12.5% growth last year, the second fastest in the world. |
| "If we can maintain this then we can eradicate poverty and unemployment and I know we can do it." | "If we can maintain this then we can eradicate poverty and unemployment and I know we can do it." |
| Ten years on from the historic independence vote, life is improving for some East Timorese. | Ten years on from the historic independence vote, life is improving for some East Timorese. |
| But for those who still want justice, no amount of development can make up for the pain they feel. | But for those who still want justice, no amount of development can make up for the pain they feel. |