Estanislau da Silva facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Estanislau da Silva
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| 5th Prime Minister of East Timor | |
| In office 19 May 2007 – 8 August 2007 |
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| President | José Ramos-Horta |
| Preceded by | José Ramos-Horta |
| Succeeded by | Xanana Gusmão |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 August 1952 Dili, Portuguese Timor (now East Timor) |
| Political party | Fretilin |
Estanislau da Conceição Aleixo Maria da Silva (born 4 August 1952) is a politician from East Timor. He is a very important member of the Fretilin political party. He served as the acting Prime Minister of East Timor for a short time in 2007.
He joined Fretilin in 1974. During the time when Indonesia controlled East Timor (from 1975 to 1999), Mr. Da Silva worked to help his country become free. He lived in different countries like Mozambique, Portugal, and Australia during this time. He returned to East Timor in 1999.
After East Timor became an independent country in 2002, Mr. Da Silva became the first Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. This job meant he was in charge of farming, forests, and fishing. In 2006, he became the First Deputy Prime Minister. On May 19, 2007, he became the acting Prime Minister. He took over from José Ramos-Horta, who had become the country's President. Mr. Da Silva left office on August 8, 2007, when Xanana Gusmão became the new Prime Minister.
Early Life and Education
Estanislau da Silva was born in Dili in 1952. His parents were Luis da Silva and Genoveva Aleixo. He went to primary school in Fuiloro - Lautém district. Later, he attended Dili Technical School.
After finishing technical school, Mr. Da Silva went to Lisbon, Portugal. There, he studied electrical and mechanical engineering.
Political Work
Mr. Da Silva became a member of Fretilin in 1974. He also helped start the Fretilin group in Lisbon. This group worked outside East Timor.
In 1976, he stopped his studies in Lisbon. Fretilin leaders sent him to Australia. His job was to get support for East Timor's fight for freedom. In Australia, people who supported East Timor asked him to help with a secret radio. This radio connected them to Fretilin leaders in East Timor.
Because Mr. Da Silva was not an Australian resident, he had to use the radio secretly. He spent six months hiding in the bush in Australia's Northern Territory. In September 1976, police found and arrested him and his helper. The secret radio link was stopped. Mr. Da Silva was released after one day and left Australia for Mozambique.
He returned to Australia in 1985. There, he worked very hard for East Timor's independence. He gave speeches and organized protests against Indonesia's control. He also raised money and talked to politicians to gain support. Mr. Da Silva stayed in touch with secret groups and Fretilin leaders in East Timor. He helped people who were in danger leave East Timor and move to Australia. In 1994, he became Fretilin's main representative in Australia.
In 1998, Mr. Da Silva was voted into the Fretilin Central Committee. This is an important leadership group within the party. He was re-elected to this committee in 2001 and 2006. He also leads the National Political Commission of Fretilin. This group guides the party's work. In the June 2007 election, he was re-elected to a seat in parliament.
Career in Agriculture
Mr. Da Silva studied Agronomy at Eduardo Mondlane University. Agronomy is the study of how to grow crops and manage soil. He worked as the Chief Agronomist for the Mozambican government. He also took short courses in agriculture in India.
While in Australia, Mr. Da Silva continued his studies in agronomy at the University of Sydney. He earned a special diploma in Agronomy in 1987. From 1988 to 1997, he worked for the New South Wales Agricultural Department.
In 1999, Mr. Da Silva returned to East Timor. He worked as a consultant for the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Later, he became the Minister for Agriculture during the United Nations transitional government. When East Timor became fully independent in May 2002, he became the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
In 2002, he also completed a two-year training course in management and leadership in Tokyo, Japan.
Mr. Da Silva is known as a skilled and respected leader. Under his leadership, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries became very successful. For example, East Timor's rice production increased almost every year. This helped the country rely less on imported rice.
Mr. Da Silva can speak English, Portuguese, and Tetum very well.
See also
In Spanish: Estanislau da Silva para niños
