Jardim 5 de Maio

The Jardim 5 de Maio

The Jardim 5 de Maio ( German Garden May 5th , also Parque 5 de Maio ) is a small city park in the East Timorese capital Dili . It is located in the southeast of Suco Motael between Avenida de Motael and Avenida Nicolau Lobato . On the other side of Avenida de Motael is the main entrance to the city's port. Opposite is the historic building Messe para Funcionários Solteiros , built in 1953 , a former dormitory for single colonial officials, with a hipped roof covered with red tiles .

It used to be the seat of the Portuguese governor. To the west, the Rio Colmera flows into the Bay of Dili . Today the palace and the river are gone.

In the center of the park is the integration monument, which was erected by the Indonesians during the occupation (1975-1999) and was intended to commemorate the annexation of East Timor by its neighbor. It shows a traditional Timorese ruler ( Liurai ) who, with a sword in hand, breaks the fetters of colonialism. Accordingly, the name of the park during the occupation was Jardim da Paz Tugu Integrassi ( Peace Park of the Integration Monument ). The monument allegedly depicts Dom Boaventura , who led the greatest uprising of all time against the Portuguese colonial rulers in 1911/1912 with the Manufahi rebellion and failed.

The park was also used as a heroes cemetery for Indonesian soldiers who died in the Dilis invasion in 1975. Chinese-born Timorese had to dig the graves and were then shot. Only later did the remains come to the new Heroes Cemetery, across from the Santa Cruz Cemetery .

During the unrest in East Timor in 2006 , the park served as a refugee camp. On May 5, 2009 it was opened again as a park under the new name by President José Ramos-Horta . The name recalls the agreement between Portugal and Indonesia of May 5, 1999, in which it was decided that the East Timorese could vote on their further status in an independence referendum .

In addition to the integration monument, there is a small statue of Our Lady of Fátima in the park , which was given to the East Timorese by the Portuguese army . It stands in a showcase under the roof of a traditional holy house of the Fataluku , a national symbol of East Timor. In 2018 the small shrine was destroyed. There are also a few playgrounds in the park.