Prime Minister Alkatiri and Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta were also there to celebrate the new nation they had also led to victory.
The United Nations had maintained a two-and-a-half-year Transitional Administration and during the few moments before midnight, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the gathered crowd, "Your identity as an independent people will be recognized by the whole world. I still recall the day, forty-five years ago, when my own country Ghana attained its independence . Tonight, I am as excited as I was then.
"At this moment, we honour every citizen of East Timor who persisted in the struggle for independence. We also remember the many who are no longer with us -- but who dreamed of this moment. It is their day, too".
He also reminded everyone that “Now that independence is achieved, the challenge of nation-building remains”.
At midnight, the U.N. flag was solemnly lowered and six members of the Falintil, who had fought successfully for independence, presented the East Timorese flag to the newly formed East Timor Defense Force, who then raised it before tens of thousands of their fellow citizens.
The United Nations had maintained a two-and-a-half-year Transitional Administration and during the few moments before midnight, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the gathered crowd, "Your identity as an independent people will be recognized by the whole world. I still recall the day, forty-five years ago, when my own country Ghana attained its independence . Tonight, I am as excited as I was then.
"At this moment, we honour every citizen of East Timor who persisted in the struggle for independence. We also remember the many who are no longer with us -- but who dreamed of this moment. It is their day, too".
He also reminded everyone that “Now that independence is achieved, the challenge of nation-building remains”.
At midnight, the U.N. flag was solemnly lowered and six members of the Falintil, who had fought successfully for independence, presented the East Timorese flag to the newly formed East Timor Defense Force, who then raised it before tens of thousands of their fellow citizens.