法政大学名誉博士号授与式における ラモス・ホルタさん（東ティモール前大統領・ノーベル平和賞授賞）祝辞　

Remarks by Mr. EDA Satsuki
At the Hosei University Ceremony for
Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta,
November 29th, 2012

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,

　I am delighted to be here today at the special ceremony for my dear old friend, Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta, former President of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. It is an honour as well as a pleasure for me to say a few words to congratulate you upon receiving an honorary doctorate of Hosei University, where I myself am serving as a visiting professor.

　It was in 1986 when Dr. Ramos-Horta and I first met. At that time, I had started up activities to support the self-determination of the people of East Timor. I went to New York and addressed a statement to the special committee of the United Nations urging the international community to share the responsibility. I also founded the Diet Members Forum on East Timor in Japan and served as its secretary general, while Dr. Ramos-Horta was the Permanent Representative of Fretilin to the United Nations. We have been good friends for more than 20 years since then.

　Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta had been the leading spokesman for the East Timorese resistance in exile during the years of Indonesian occupation between 1975 to 1999. Despite the distress of losing his brothers and sisters, he never gave up fighting for his people. His strong will and great efforts finally moved the international community, and the United Nation’s Security Council authorised the deployment of a peacekeeping force to Timor-Leste which supported the people towards independence in 2002.

　I remember my visit in 1999 to Timor-Leste. I participated in an observation team for the referendum on independence. At that time, I was deeply moved when I saw a young mother voting with a baby on her back. Apparently, she had got up very early in the morning and had walked a long distance over several hills to the polling station, carrying her baby, having determined her mind to engrave the milestone of Timor-Leste’s new start on her baby’s memory. Hearing this, I remember feeling very keenly that the time had indeed arrived for the people of Timor-Leste to exercise their indigenous right of self-determination, and at the same time, I felt confident that with this kind of experience, their efforts to build their own nation would definitely succeed. I resolved to give my further support to this emerging nation.

　It is particularly fitting that we honour Dr. Ramos-Horta now. The year 2012 is not only the 10th anniversary of the independence of Timor-Leste but it is also the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Timor-Leste which we now celebrate as “The Year of Japan Timor-Leste Friendship and Peace”. Timor-Leste has achieved outstanding growth and expansion in these ten years, but still there are many challenges they have to face in building a stable, peaceful and truly democratic country. I insist that Japan should be one of the countries ready at any time to support their efforts. 　

　Finally, I would like to end by expressing my sincere congratulations to Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta and wishing him continued success.

　Thank you very much.