IID and the Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition, APSOC (formerly the Asia-Pacific Coalition for East Timor, APCET), salutes our dear friend, comrade and partner, Sisto dos Santos who passed on in the early morning of March 15 in Dili, Timor Leste.

We will tenderly remember Sisto’s gentle smile and fiery gaze coupled with his tireless actions for a just and truly sovereign Timor Leste — even after his country regained its independence.

He continued to be a booming voice against human rights violations, impunity and the excesses of power and even pursued the lonely path of holding Indonesia’s military to account for its crimes against his people amid the realpolitik Timor’s leaders have taken in dealing with these crimes against humanity.

We offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and comrades and join them in their grief on his sudden passing.

In tribute to Sisto and other comrades who relentlessly rail against injustice, we raise a clenched fist and unremittingly roar: A Luta Continua!