News Govt of East Timor approves US$10 million to support victims of forest fires in Portugal
https://en.tatoli.tl/2025/08/27/govt-approves-us10-million-to-support-victims-of-forest-fires-in-portugal/09/17
u/Expert-Debate3519 1d ago
We should be generous in Return when the Times come. If some county is poor and helps a richer country that means it is seriously interested in closer Relations!
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u/_vox_nihili 1d ago
The people of East Timor are extraordinary. They fought occupation against a much powerful aggressor who had the “support” of countries like the US, UK, Australia, etc. Against all odds, they fought back when everyone else would have given up. In the worst conditions, with little to no support, they overcome their occupier and become a young democracy.
Portugal, through its very little soft power, tried to support East Timor. During the 90s and early 2000s there was a huge campaign to convince key political figures to intervene, like Bill Clinton. Though nothing would have been achieved without the amazing heroes of East Timor. There is a cultural and emotional bond between the two countries.
East Timorese are some of the bravest and kindest people in the world. Their future will be bright; they just need a little time. Truly an inspirational nation.
The donation was a kind gesture, a sign of an empathetic and altruistic nation.
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u/OsgrobioPrubeta Portugal 1d ago
Portugal also sent militaries, police officers, teachers, medics, and financial support to help East-Timor become a functional, secure, independent nation.
When East-Timor faced a turmoil, with rebellions and protests, the President Ramos Horta asked specifically the return of Portuguese National Guard (GNR) although already having Australian troops, because he trusted them and that later turned to be a good decision to him, and East-Timor, when an attempt to murder him failed thanks to GNR actions, that not only secured him, but also rushed him to a Portuguese staffed hospital that saved his life.
Still today GNR contributes to East-Timor security, providing Guards to perform security, and training of security forces. We still send teachers, medics, military engineers and other professionals, receive students and cooperate with them.
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u/volcanoesarecool Spain 1d ago edited 1d ago
Australia led the peacekeeping force in East Timor to protect it after its independence vote, and has been key in supporting it since.
Edit to add the wiki timeline, which points at the key role of Australia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timor_independence
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u/_vox_nihili 1d ago
In 1975, Australia's actions and policy, at least tacitly, encouraged the Indonesian invasion of East Timor. Whitlam government was complicit in the occupation. Only 24 years later, after 200,000 Timorese were killed, did Australia lead the INTERFET under the United Nations.
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u/Beyllionaire 1d ago
Shouldn't the money be used for their own people...?
Surely Portugal can find $10M elsewhere that doesn't come from a country where half of the popular lives under the poverty line?
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u/sidonay 1d ago
It's a gesture of solidarity. Portugal has been giving aid regularly to Timor-Leste since they regained independence, provides a permanent deployment of peacekeepers, but as recently as october last year signing a new deal funding 75milion in key areas. During COVID era Portugal also donated a portion of vaccines it received to Timor-Leste.
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u/Beyllionaire 1d ago edited 1d ago
I know the symbolism behind it. But the truth remains, $10M could feed thousands of Timorese. That's what it should be used for, that's the good thing to do.
I can't even believe that y'all would suggest otherwise?? Portugal is part of the EU, they get assistance and tens of millions from the other EU countries already and Portugal is considered rich compared to East Timor. East Timor isn't part of a union so yeah they have to rely on help from other countries like Portugal.
So Portugal aiding East Timor isn't the same as East Timor helping Portugal. $10M for East Timor is 0.47% of their annual GDP. It would be the equivalent of Portugal donating over $1.2B. Maybe Portugal can afford that but a country in which half of the population lives under the poverty line.
That would be equivalent to accepting 2€ from a homeless person when you're short of coins at the supermarket. Spare me the sentimentalism.
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u/sidonay 1d ago
You asked surely Portugal can find the money elsewhere, Portugal didn’t ask for this and money will probably go right back to Timor-Leste in some shape or another in a few months. Surely you understand this, right ?
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u/Beyllionaire 1d ago edited 1d ago
The point is that it's completely unnecessary for Timor to do this. They want to be considerate but it's a complete mistake from their leaders or whoever decided this. Imagine being a poor Timorese family of 4 and you read that your money will go to a rich European country when you can't even feed yourself.
Even if Portugal gives the money back, it's not money that they need. During the time that it takes for the money to go back to Timor (in any form: aid, food, investments...), it will be money that's unavailable to them! Even if Portugal ends up sending $20M in return, that's still not worth it.
Portugal doesn't need money from Timor, they should refuse. And I made a mistake earlier, 0.47% of Portugal's GDP would be $1.2 billion that's HUGE. Imagine if Portugal sent that much to a richer country like Norway or Switzerland, would you be happy with it???
The end
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u/sidonay 1d ago
We don’t have a long history of relations with either Switzerland or Norway, if you changed to a country with a long history of 1) providing humanitarian 2) safeguarding the countries peace with peacekeeper deployments and saving our presidents form assassination attempts 3) long history of cooperation 4) continuously pushing for our independence for 30 years. Actually a lot of people would be fine with it I think.
You keep looking at it in the most rational way possible, you know who decided to send the money ? Timor-Leste. It’s their way of giving back to a country who did all that. It really is their choice and that is definitely the end. Not some people comfortable doing arm chair debates in the comfort of their chairs.
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u/Wafkak Belgium 1d ago
When Portugal overthrew its dictatorship they let East Timor be independent. A few years later Indonesia backed by the US and UK occupied it. And Portugal aided East Timor in its struggle for independence in the ways they could.
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u/Niwrats 1d ago
friendly relations doesn't really explain why the same money should be sent back and forth.
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u/ChepaukPitch 1d ago
Do you give gifts to your friends and family on special occasions who then gift you on your special occasions? Do you do that with strangers as well?
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u/Haruka_Sa 1d ago
East Timor's HDI: 0.512 points and GDP only $2 billion
It's truly incredible that it can provide such a large amount of aid... I honestly wouldn't expect this from a small country.