Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee that oversees global health and international human rights issues, met with Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araújo Tuesday along with a delegation of dignitaries from Timor-Leste, a South East Asian nation formerly known as East Timor, which gained formal independence from Indonesia in 2002.
Smith recalled his longstanding support of Timor-Leste, including his meeting with independence leader Xanana Gusmao in 1998 in an Indonesian prison. In the aftermath of Smith’s visit Gusmao was released from prison, and he testified, along with Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta, at a hearing Smith chaired to examine human rights under Indonesia’s rule and the right to self-determination by the East Timorese. A former colony of Portugal, Timor-Leste has a distinct culture from Indonesia, and along with the Philippines is the only majority Catholic nation in East Asia.
PHOTO ON LEFT: Rep. Smith with independence leader Gusmao after his release from prison (1998)
For his part, the Prime Minister explained that Timor-Leste is engaged in a maritime dispute with Australia, and requested that Congress give attention to the issue.
“I have always stood with the people of Timor-Leste and am happy to meet old friends,” Smith told the Prime Minister. “Dr. Rui, as he is commonly known, is a physician by training and an expert in public health, thus he has a great grasp of the health needs of the Timorese people.”
Smith and Araújo discussed the need for Timor-Leste to improve its nutrition programs and address its marked problem with stunting. Smith cited the remarkable progress that can be made if a country’s leader focuses on nutrition and supplements during the first 1000 days of life, marked from conception to roughly a child’s second birthday.
PHOTO ON RIGHT: Rep. Smith with Prime Minister Araujo on June 21
Smith praised Timor-Leste for enshrining protection of unborn life in its laws, and stated that an emphasis on the first 1,000 days of life would complement Timor-Leste’s dedication in this regard.
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