East Timor celebrates independence anniversary, new leader

By GANTRY MEILANA
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DILI, East Timor (AP) — Former East Timor independence fighter and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta has been sworn in as president of Asia’s youngest nation because it marks its twentieth anniversary of independence. Crowds cheered as he then traveled by motorcade to Parliament, the place a ceremony kicked off nationwide festivities commemorating independence from Indonesia, which invaded the previous Portuguese colony in 1975. Ramos-Horta, who led the resistance throughout Indonesia’s occupation, referred to as for unity as he took the oath of workplace shortly earlier than midnight, when the nation declared independence 20 years in the past. East Timor’s transition to a democracy has been rocky, with leaders battling large poverty, unemployment, corruption and bitter factional politics which have sometimes erupted into violence.