Pope statue a symbol of Timorese freedom struggle

Firstly, why is the dateline "Dili, Indonesia"? East Timor or Timor Leste is an independent state, and is recognised as such by Indonesia.

Did this statue really cost $1.9 BILLION? And if so, who paid for it? This is a complete waste of money in Asia's poorest country.

With all due respect to the late Pope, he was not central to the struggle for independence - local clergy like Martinho Costa Lopes were far more important.

I am very sure that the Catholic church and the leaders of the have their reasons for building the monument for the Pope John Paul II. His first visit to East Timor in early 1990s turned East Timor and it's people suffering and struggles to the world's attentions. In 1991 he state that the Un should assist a self determination to end the suffering of the people of Timor Leste under the Indonesian military regime. Throughout his mission he has gave the people of Timor his moral supports for our struggles and keep us in his prayers. In 1999 under the request of Bishop Bele's request the pope urge the UN security counccil to speed up the UN peace keeping mission in Timor Leste to end the suffering of the people of Timor Leste. Morever, throughout our struggle for Independence, the people of Timor Leste always consider him as the moral father of the struggle. I guess it something the that people of Timor Leste wants to do to honour the pope. I am very sure that there will be some monuments that will be dedicated to Bishop Martinho da Costa, and many other heroes of our strugle. There have been some universities, and other insttitutions that has been named after Don Martinho.

Please do not idolize statue. Statue is just a symbol that Catholic finally rule in East Timor after beating its enemy. You know what I mean.

Peter, you did not get the point here. None, idolize any statues. The case here is memorial monument of our rememberance of the pope.

East Timorese should think about how to feed their mouth first instead of erecting a statue, no matter what the meaning of the statue.

The statue Jesus God was built by Indonesian government money, but that was because at that time East Timor still under Indonesian government.

Now Portugal left them struggling again with poverty. Should be wiser to use their money.

Aimartin,
To live as nation is not as easy as you think.
Yes, hunger and poverty is happening everywhere in the world. We are very aware of that, even we identify poverty as main nationala cause. And we are working on that. We cannot performa miracle but what we can do is work on a gradual changes.
Every institions in the country has their own roles and work to do build the country. If you look at the long run, the building of the pope John II statues in Timor Leste will one of our long term major investments in tourisms as the statues of Christ Jesus in Fatucama and in the peak of Ramalau Montain. We are running a newly indpendent country not running a newly wedded family. So my friend think outside the box.