A young nation’s future hangs in the balance as doctors operate on President Jose Ramos-Horta in Darwin, Australia.  The Nobel Prize winning laureate was wounded in the stomach while the country’s Prime Minister was also involved in a linked attack on his motorcade.  UNPO General Secretary Marino Busdachin expresses his solidarity with East Timor in the wake of the attacks with a statement on behalf of UNPO and its members.

Below is a statement by UNPO General Secretary, Marino Busdachin:

On behalf of UNPO and its sixty-nine members, I am deeply touched by the criminal attack on the life of Jose Ramos-Horta, President of East Timor, and express full solidarity with East Timor and the family and close friends of Jose Ramos-Horta.

Firstly as a former member of UNPO, and secondly as a strongly committed activist for the respect of human rights, democracy, and the right to self-determination, Jose Ramos-Horta is an outstanding person on the map of those who have demonstrated the capability to mark and change the face of world politics.

UNPO in so dramatic a moment in the life of one of the most remarkable friends is praying for the life of Jose Ramos-Horta and expresses the hope for a prompt recovery and his return to office as a very much needed person for East Timor.

UNPO strongly condemns the criminal forces and terrorists for putting under jeopardy one of the youngest democratic countries in the world.