East Timor Leader Returns to Celebration

Thousands of cheering and crying people filled central Dili today to welcome the return of their exiled guerrilla leader, Jose Alexandre “Xanana” Gusmao.

“We have shown the whole world, we have shown Indonesia, we have shown ourselves that we have the courage to fight for independence for 25 years,” Gusmao said in a speech after Australian forces secretly flew him here from Darwin, Australia, on Thursday night.

His voice breaking with emotion, Gusmao said: “It has been a very difficult struggle. Our sorrow has lasted too long.”

Flashing victory signs and shouting “Long live East Timor!” the audience rocked back and forth, some people pounding on drums at the back of the crowd to celebrate.

Loudspeaker trucks drove through city streets announcing the homecoming of the 53-year-old guerrilla chief, who is likely to become the new country’s first president after a period of transition under United Nations control.

Gusmao’s arrival comes two days after the Indonesian parliament endorsed the results of East Timor’s independence referendum, effectively relinquishing control of the territory.

In another development, 2,000 refugees cheered, cried and chanted “Viva!” as they arrived in Dili, the territorial capital, aboard the first ship to carry displaced East Timorese home from Indonesian territory.

Meanwhile, tensions on the West Timor border heated up Thursday, with international peacekeepers reinforcing their ranks along the frontier after a surge of militia incursions into East Timor.

About 150 more peacekeeping troops moved into position early Thursday near the border to blunt the push by the pro-Indonesian militiamen and protect refugees returning from West Timor, said Col. Mark Kelly, spokesman for the peacekeeping force. West Timor is part of Indonesia.

Peacekeepers said it was too early to say whether the militia incursions were connected to the Indonesian lawmakers’ approval of East Timor’s independence.

Some had feared the Indonesian vote would trigger a fresh rampage by the militias, who went on a spree of burning, looting and intimidation after a referendum in which East Timorese overwhelmingly favored independence.