APSN | East Timor holds first LGBT parade, PM calls for acceptance

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East Timor holds first LGBT parade, PM calls for acceptance

Associated Press - July 4, 2017

Timor Leste PM comes out supporting LGBTI rights – Gay Star News. July 3, 2017
The girl who was 'stolen' by a soldier – BBC News. March 26, 2017
Governments fail to reunite Timorese families – UCA News. September 1, 2016
'Stolen children' need govt's full attention – Jakarta Post. August 31, 2016
Calls for Indonesia to take action to locate Timor's missing people – Dili Weekly. June 20, 2016

Dili, East Timor – Gay rights have taken a step forward in East Timor with its first LGBT pride parade and the prime minister announcing that the young nation's development depends on respecting the rights of all its citizens.

The parade in the capital, Dili, on June 29 attracted several hundred people and was supported by local and international organizations including the Hatutan youth group, the U.N. and U.S. Embassy.

The same week, Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo called on Timorese to accept people's differences.

He said, "Discrimination, disrespect and abuse towards people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity does not provide any benefit to our nation."

East Timor gained independence from Indonesia following a referendum in 1999, though it suffered devastating reprisals by the Indonesian military and militias.

Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_EAST_TIMOR_LGBT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-07-04-02-34-26.