The Secretary of State for Combatant Issues and National Liberation Julio Sarmento da Costa (alias Meta Mali) said within the month another verification team would verify data for veterans submitted in 2013. 
He said they had programmed the plan and were waiting to verify the data.
”The Veterans’ Commission and the Secretary of State previously set a meeting finalize the data for September 2013,” said Secretary of State Meta Mali in Aitarak Laran, Dili.
Meanwhile, veteran Luis Camoes de Araujo, who was recognized by the state on August 21, 2013, said he felt a bit sad because some veterans had not been recognized by the government.
“I cry because the state has already given us recognition but some of our friends whose bones are yet to be found haven’t been recognized,” Araujo said.
He said they died during the war not because they wanted to, but because they were defending the people who today live in an independent and sovereign nation.
“The war was not only for us but for all Timorese,” he said.
On the other hand, veteran Saturninha Alves da Silva (alias Hili-Kasa) from Viqueque district said the past was different from the present.
“It is fine to recognize us, but what about for our children’s lives?” asked Hili-Kasa.
According to her, the Veterans’ Law currently in force wasn’t valuable for veterans.
“If we receive our husbands’ salaries until we pass away and our children don’t receive it anymore, this means it’s not valuable to those who die,” Hili-Kasa said.
Therefore she argued the government should review the Veterans’ Law so it would recognize the children of veterans.
