Tribute to Pat Walsh, a Key Figure in Timor-Leste's Independence

Statement by His Excellency Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste read at the Requiem Mass for Patrick Walsh, Melbourne, 13 January 2026. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão is sad he could not be with us today and he has asked that I share his message of his memories of Pat. Today, our nation farewells one of its heroes and one of our truest friends, Pat Walsh. Pat Walsh was unwavering in his advocacy for the rights and dignity of the Timorese people. During the brutal occupation of our country, when the world chose to look away, Pat stood up and fought with us. He refused to accept the oppression of a people and the terrible abuses of human rights that were occurring on Australia's doorstep - and he took action. Pat built networks of solidarity across Australia and Indonesia to document and expose what was being done in our country, to our people. With his courage and persistence, and with great moral authority, he compelled the world to confront the grave human rights abuses we were suffering. Pat had no time for the moral equivocation and cynical political calculations that were driving Australia's positioning on our country. Instead, he saw a people that were suffering abuse and oppression, and he knew that he could not stand by. As I led the Timorese Resistance in the mountains of Timor, and later from prison, I understood well that we could not liberate our country with arms alone. Instead, we continued to fight a guerilla war so that the plight of our people would remain alive in the international conscience. For this, we needed strong advocates like Pat who could transform a forgotten occupation in our country into a question of international law, moral responsibility and human rights. Pat was unflinching in this mission. He pursued every avenue, engaging policy makers, politicians, activists, academics, journalists and churches to ensure that the question of Timor was not erased from public life or from political debate. Pat Walsh was also a mentor and a friend to a generation of Timorese activists. He gave us strength when we were close to despair and counsel when anger threatened to overwhelm our judgment. He helped us hold to a moral framework that demanded truth, accountability and humanity, including during the times when this was most difficult. After the Restoration of our Independence Pat Walsh knew that his work was not done. Our task was not only to build the institutions of State, but to account for the past and to reconcile within our society and with Indonesia. We knew that we could not build a nation on vengeance. Instead, we needed a foundation of reconciliation and hope. Pat played a crucial role in supporting this process of national healing and international reconciliation. His contribution to the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor (CAVR) remains one of his most enduring legacies. Pat provided a moral framework through which we could address the horrors of our past and move forward with a sense of hope and possibility. In his work with the CAVR, Pat insisted on documenting the experiences of our people with care and discipline. He demanded truth and accountability for human rights violations. He understood that reconciliation built on half-truths would not endure. Most importantly, Pat applied the same standards to all sides of the conflict, unflinching in his truth telling no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient. His moral conviction and personal courage helped ensure the Commission's work was rigorous, honest and worthy of the suffering it recorded. It is because of Pat's professionalism and his deep commitment to our people that the CAVR report will endure as a defining document in the understanding of our nation. After his work with the CAVR, Pat supported the establishment of the Centro Nacional Chega!. Through this institution, the memory of our suffering is preserved and a critical period of our history is told with honesty and integrity. Pat was gentle and kind, but also fearless. He understood the grey space of human affairs yet never allowed moral complexity to become an excuse for silence. Pat was always there for us and a truer friend you could not ask for. Нe loved our people and we loved him. Pat was not only a friend to our country, but a personal friend to me. We did not always agree, but we always held a deep respect for one another. Pat was also an exceptional writer and storyteller and poetry was something we both loved. Pat's life is now part of the story of Timor-Leste. His work helped make our independence possible, our reconciliation genuine and our peace lasting. We all know that Pat did not act alone. He and his wife Annie were a team, they were part of our family, and Timor-Leste honours their shared commitment to peace, truth and justice for our people. Pat's legacy will endure in the foundations of our peace, in the historical record of our nation and in the standards we set for ourselves as a people. May you rest in peace, Pat. Obrigadu no Adeus, belun boot Timor nian! Xanana We are a volunteer-run, open access magazine. We rely on donations to ensure that we continue to deliver a diverse range of quality content. Donate today! Receive Inside Indonesia's latest articles and quarterly editions in your inbox. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the stolen lands on which Inside Indonesia is based, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.