As War Hero Steps Down, Nation Undergoes Transitional Period

Former resistance movement leader and first President of Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmao has made clear his intent to resign as Prime Minister last Friday. The move comes as the 68 year-old statesman opts for a smaller role in government in favor of a structural reshuffling in the Timorese government. Timorese policymakers predict that the subsequent transitional period will see more of Gusmao’s opponents challenging the National Parliament. Gusmao also commented that he “encouraged all members of government to work calmly in this time of transition until the new government is sworn in.” The now-empty Prime Minister position remains vacant.

Xanana Gusmao’s letter of resignation comes undoubtedly as a surprise to the Government of Timor-Leste, which wouldn’t be able to recall an existence without him. During Indonesia’s brutal, 24-year-long occupation, Gusmao managed the national command of the guerrilla warfare during Timor-Leste’s War for independence. Even so, he spearheaded efforts to create a framework for peace, maintaining active communications with the Catholic Church under the the Policy of National Unity. While his notoriety landed him in prison under the Indonesian military government, he became a symbol for resisting Suharto’s injustice and his activism both inside and outside of the jail cell gained the world’s sympathy. His presence has enabled Timor-Leste’s swift transition towards independence.

Now, having served five years as President from 2002 to 2007 and seven and a half years as Prime Minister since 2007, Gusmao’s exit and the new transitional period signal a changing of Timor-Leste’s old guard. Notably, former President and veteran statesman Jose Ramos-Horta was excluded from the new government. Under President Taur Matan Luak’s watch, the administration is also downsizing its cabinet - of the existing fifty-five ministers, only thirty-four will remain, with a generational change expected across all levels of government.With the government overhaul, Gusmao desires that ministers affiliated with him that have been previously accused of corruption will be forced to step down as well.

These changes, however, are taking place at a dire period as far as Timor-Leste’s growth is concerned. As a recently independent democracy, the Timorese government has to contend with the reality that it presides over half a million impoverished citizens. Its farming and fishing sectors alone are insufficient distributors, and efforts to extract oil and gas revenues have not come to fruition. The country has also proved to be very politically unstable. As late as 2008, assassination attempts were made on members of the government, including then president Ramos-Horta and Xanana Gusmao. Despite these problems, Gusmao was reelected as Prime Minister under Taur Matan Luak, serving another 2.5 years in addition to his first term. As a symbol of East Timor’s new beginning, Gusmao deems the problems and responsibilities that his generation has failed to handle worthy for much younger and more diverse voices.

To this, the Timor-Leste government has stated that it is “prioritizing the national interest of Timor-Leste,” and “committed to respecting the dignity and legacy of Maun-Bo’ot Xanana”.