Monday May 20 will go down in history as a landmark for East Timor, the day they became an inde-pendent nation (and the writer wants to express his blessings upon the people of Timor Loro Sa'e and their president elect, Xanana Gusmao). Just as, more than 50 years ago (the writer still remembers the events), Indonesia's independence was also acknowledged by the Netherlands after the Round Table Conference between