East Timor Welcomes Annan

28 February 2000 Vol. I, No. 2 East Timor welcomes Annan

In a message of hope and Joining Mr. Annan on encouragement, United Nations the podium were the families Secretary-General Kofi Annan of four UN Timorese staff said during his recent visit to members who were killed dur- East Timor that the country’s ing the violence following last “strength and dignity” has August’s vote for independ- inspired the world to unite in ence. “Your other family – the support of rebuilding efforts. United Nations family – joins in mourning your losses,” he Countries have pledged over said. US$500 million in assistance and “that money must soon Upon his arrival the start to flow,” Mr. Annan told a day before, the Secretary- cheering crowd of more than General traveled to Liquica, 8,000 East Timorese and UN where, in an emotion-filled staff gathered in front of visit, he laid a wreath in mem- UNTAET headquarters at the ory of those who had died dur- former Governor’s office on 18 ing last April’s massacre at a Photo by OCPI-UNTAET February. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan receives a traditional sword (surik) during his first village church. official visit to East Timor. The Secretary-General The survivors standing nearby added that in his talks with the region’s The UN mission “is here to work with cried and one after another embraced leaders prior to his arrival in Dili, “each you,” Mr. Annan stressed. “The aim of the Secretary-General and his wife. Mr. expressed a willingness to help and each UNTAET is to help you take the reins of Annan told the villagers that he found it recognized that East Timor is an important power. We want to help you establish a “particularly shocking” that a house of wor- part of the region.” peaceful, stable, democratic, independent ship would be desecrated. state.” continued page 2

Prosecutors take oath UN - funded projects hope to make of office quick impact on East Timor’s economy Craftsmen in Manatuto District will have the key to QIPs is a streamlined decision- the opportunity to begin making bamboo fur- making process, which allows funds to be niture again thanks to a United Nations- disbursed almost immediately, Mr. sponsored programme that provides immedi- Williamson said. ate funding for small startup businesses and community rebuilding projects. In Manatuto, where there has always been a long tradition of bamboo furniture “UNTAET began the Quick Impact making, community leaders and the local Projects (QIPs) programme as a way to representative of the National Council of respond to East Timor’s unemployment prob- Timorese Resistance (CNRT) were quick to lem and to help kick start the economy,” said submit a proposal to purchase tools for the Simon Williamson, UN Humanitarian people who used to depend on the craft for Affairs Officer in charge of coordinating the their livelihood. programme so that projects could begin with minimum delay. During the violence last September,

Photo by OCPI-UNTAET many craftsmen had their tools – manual Two new prosecutors, Amandio de Sa’Benevides (left) QIPs, which range in size from US$500 drills, chisel, nails, tape measures, hammer, and Alcino de Araujo Barris, being sworn in by up to US$50,000, will also support urgent saw, sandpaper, and choppers – looted or Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello. They community-based needs in a simple and destroyed. join 10 others - six judges, two prosecutors and two investigating judges - who were appointed in January as quick manner since the small projects can the first members of the newly established East Timorese also help rehabilitate public infrastructure Another problem has been transporting judiciary. The jurists were recommended for appointment by the Transitional Judicial Service Commission (TJSC), and restore services and utilities, Mr. the harvested bamboo. Peregrino Xavier which is composed of two international and three East Williamson said. Martins, the head of the furniture makers in Timorese lawyers and is chaired by Bishop Basilio do one Manatuto village, said that currently Nascimento. The jurists have taken up their duties at the Dili District Court and are currently processing over 100 Project proposals are prepared by inter- workers get bamboo from remote mountain criminal cases. ested agencies in close collaboration with places and have to carry it back to the village community leaders and submitted to on foot, a very time-consuming part of the UNTAET District Administrators. However, manufacturing process. “Having a car would continued page 3

Tais Timor is a public information service of the United Nations Transitional Adminstration in East Timor (UNTAET) Tais Timor 28 February 2000

UN Secretary General’s visit continued from page 1 A resident of Liquica attending the Speedy release of aid event, Martinha Conceicao, said that she money promised for had just come back from West Timor and Timor’s reconstruction was excited that her return coincided with Transitional Administrator Sergio the visit of the Vieira de Mello said that he has received Secretary-General. “But assurances from international donors that I am also sad because funds needed to reconstruct East Timor some of my friends would be disbursed quickly. were killed” in the post- ballot violence, she Mr. Vieira de Mello said that he had said. “Besides, there held a number of “very good meetings” with are still many residents donor countries, the World Bank and the Photo by OCPI-UNTAET of Liquica in West United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan comforts families membersof those International Monetary Fund (IMF) during Timor.” slain last April in a Liquica church. the course of his two-week trip to Indonesia, Geneva and New York. (UNTAET) and non-governmental organiza- In his remarks, Mr. Annan urged those tions. still in West Timor to return: “My message Senior officials of the World Bank, to those still in exile is simple: come home; including the President, Jim Wolfensohn, For logistical reasons, Mr. Annan did not East Timor is your country.” who visited East Timor on 21 February, travel to refugee camps in Atambua as origi- Before flying by helicopter to Liquica, have promised him that no effort would be nally scheduled. Mr. Annan met in Dili with UN Transitional spared to make sure that disbursements Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello and actually start in March, he added. Manuel Carrascalao, one of the leaders of independence leader Xanana Gusmão. He the National Council of Timorese Resistance later held talks with Nobel Laureate Bishop “One of our priorities is to ensure a (CNRT), said of Mr. Annan’s visit: “It is Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and Bishop speedy disbursement of funds under the six- important the Secretary-General see for him- Basilio do Nascimento. month reconstruction programme, [and] we self the reality of the destruction in East received strong assurances that this will Timor and understand how the country Later in the day, the Secretary-General happen,” Mr. Vieira de Mello said after should be rebuilt according to the will of the addressed staff members of the UN returning to Dili on 9 February. East Timorese people.” Transitional Administration in East Timor At a press conference two days later, Xanana Gusmao, the President of the Group helps women learn about National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT), said that on his own recently com- rights, how to solve own problems pleted Asian tour several countries pledged financial support and a willingness to pro- Nearly 20 years ago, Loukai went women to feel inferior and not free to make vide training programmes to East Timorese. home during a school holiday and never decisions or take action.” returned: Her parents told her that she was The CNRT delegation visited China, going to be married. Since 1997, Ms. Abrantes’ organiza- which announced a donation of US$6 mil- tion, the Forum Communication for East lion; the Republic of Korea, which promised Loukai (not her real name) had no choice. Timorese Woman (FOKUPERS), has been to build a new parliament; Singapore; The man who wanted to marry her had supporting women by educating them about Thailand; the Philippines and Malaysia. agreed with her parents on the barlaki, or their rights, building their abilities and help- dowry, and she had to obey their wishes. ing them gain the confidence to solve prob- lems on their own. Today, Loukai, 36, is a mother of five and constantly busy with the daily activities Many of the group’s members are of a housewife. “I can’t say that I’m happy wives who find themselves suddenly helpless UN CivPol but the reality is that I’ve got five children, after they have been shunned from their so I’m happy now with my children,” she communities because their husbands are in Emergency says. jail or have committed crimes. Number In the eyes of some East Timorese Some of FOKUPERS’s services women, the arranged marriage that Loukai include counselling by a psychologist from was forced into is a form of domestic violence the Philippines and providing shelter, coun- (mob) 0408 839 978 and a violation of human rights. selling and a secret place to stay for domestic violence victims and their children. (desk) 312 537 Laura Abrantes, 32, one of the coordi- nators of a Dili-based women’s rights group, In late January, FOKUPERS provid- says that traditionally, only a few women ed five days of trauma counselling to 20 have been given the opportunity to better women in Suai who reportedly had been sex- themselves. ually attacked by members of the Indonesian she would know better now what to do. “I military and militias or had been trauma- would report it to FOKUPERS, and togeth- “Men have always been considered tized by seeing their husbands killed. er we’d try to find a solution,” she says. strong and clever,” she says. “Even in family situations, parents usually believe a son’s As for Loukai, she says that if she opinion rather than a daughter’s, causing were forced into an arranged marriage today,

Page 2 Tais Timor 28 February 2000 Kenyan soldiers bring News in brief medical care, love of sports to East Timor East Timorese nun dies. Sister Margarida Paulo Soares, who dedicated her With four medical clinics established life to bringing peace to East Timor, died on throughout Dili and East Timor, military 16 February. She was 82. doctors and medics from the Kenyan peace- Sister Margarida was often called on to keeping force have been treating scores of Photo by OCPI-UNTAET ailing adults and malnourished children. Kenyan troops with the United Nations Peacekeeping intervene in clashes between East Timorese Force (UN-PKF) have also been providing medical The 240-strong “reinforced company,” care and taking on engineering projects such as youth and Indonesian soldiers. In one inci- which became part of the UN Peacekeeping repairing the road from Dili to Aileu. dent, troops were about to open fire on stu- Force (UN-PKF) on 14 February when the dents demonstrating in front of Parliament when Sister Margarida knelt before the sol- International Force in East Timor (INTER- about 2,000 Timorese in all. diers and asked them to put aside their FET) handed over command of Sector Besides providing medical care, another weapons. Central, also includes infantry, military way the Kenyans see themselves helping the police and engineers, who have been repair- Timorese is by promoting sports and athlet- According to Felicidade Monteiro ing the Dili to Aileu road. ics, Col. Karanja said, noting that his sol- Nunes, who looked after the nun, when vio- The medical facility set up at the diers have already played two football lence broke out last September, Sister mosque at Kampoalor has already treated matches with FALINTIL. Margarida went around the city to pray for about 1,000 patients since the Kenyans first And as a country with a rich tradition and to comfort the elderly, mothers and chil- arrived in mid-December, said Colonel S.N. of producing world-class runners, the dren. She even stayed in Bishop Belo’s Karanja, head of the only African contingent Kenyan troops can help teach children about destroyed home until the International participating in the UN-PKF. Meanwhile, running, he added. the Kenyans’ two mobile clinics have seen Force in East Timor (INTERFET) arrived in Reunions at East & West Timor border give Dili. UN-PKF take over of security com- divided families time to reconnect pleted. United Nations peacekeepers have the Motaain-Batugade border gatherings in formally taken charge of security through- When a border agreement was reached out East Timor as the Australian-led inter- last year between the Indonesian military Bobonaro and was able to convince some of her relatives that the conditions in East national force turned over leadership of the (TNI) and INTERFET, one of the unintend- remaining Sectors to UN commanders. ed consequences was that scores of families Timor were not as bad as they had been reported. and communities were left divided and liv- In a ceremony on 23 February in Dili, ing on opposite sides of the boundary. “People in West Timor are told that Transitional Administrator Sergio Vieira de common items are especially expensive and Mello and INTERFET Commander Major But since December, thousands of General Peter Cosgrove signed the papers Timorese have been coming together for limited and that people in East Timor are dying because there is no food,” she says. that decommissioned the International weekly “family reunions” to exchange gifts Force in East Timor, five months after it and share news at several border points, “But because of the chance I had to meet my family members and to tell them the truth had arrived to quash the violence that mostly in Bobonaro, Covalima and Oecussi wracked the country. Districts. about conditions in East Timor, I was able to convince some of them to come back.” On 21 February in Suai, Sector West The initiative was started after many According to the International was handed over to the UN Peacekeeping people felt unsafe crossing the border to Force (UN-PKF), led by Brigadier Duncan visit relatives and asked the UN Military Organization for Migration (IOM), which has been providing logistical assistance for the Lewis of Australia. A week earlier, the UN- Observers (UNMO) to help make arrange- PKF took over security responsibilities in ments with TNI command for supervised border visits, the reunions have had the effect of encouraging people to return home. the Central Sector, which includes Dili, and gatherings. the enclave of Oecussi. A free zone around the border points On 4 February, the UNMOs, INTERFET and TNI held a meeting to discuss the fami- Sector Central is now commanded by – where no weapons are allowed – was even- Col. Lima Pinto of Portugal, while in tually set up, with both INTERFET and TNI ly reunion visits since they were not origi- nally covered in the Border Memorandum of Oecussi, Col. Farjat of Jordan heads the officers screening visitors from both sides UN-PKF there. before and after the meetings. Understanding (MOU) of November 1999, which provides for security arrangements for Noemia Gomes, 23, regularly attends the overland repatriation of East Timorese refugees in West Timor.

UNTAET-funded projects continued from page 1 help because there are other locations where bamboo is available that are reachable by roads,” he said.

Besides furniture making, other QIP proposals cur- rently under consideration include upgrading the central market in Lospalos, rehabilitating the water infrastruc- ture in Oecussi, refurbishing a sawmill in Manufahi, as well as numerous road repair projects throughout the country. Photo by OCPI-UNTAET Funding from the UN-sponsored Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) will allow craftsmen in Manatuto to restart traditional businesses like making bamboo furniture.

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Tiu answers questions ... About the Transition period Dear readers, many people in Timor remember to have patience while things get Lorosa’e are still asking the question “When done. will the transition period start?” Well, a few Juliano: I knew I was right! So tell me days ago a young man named Juliano came more. What kind of authority does UNTAET to me after speaking to one of his relatives have? Photo by OCPI-UNTAET

President Jorge Sampaio of Portugal (centre) greets the who works with UNTAET. Senhor Jose: UNTAET is responsi- Bishop of Baucau, Basilio do Nascimento (left), outside Juliano thought he knew the right ble for the overall administration of East the Dili Cathedral. President Sampaio is accompanied by answers, but some of his friends gave him a Timor and has the power to make laws and the Bishop of Dili, Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo. difficult time, saying they didn’t think what to make sure that they are put into practice. Portugal’s President he was saying was correct. Well, let me tell UNTAET also oversees the administration of you the story that my young friend told me: justice and is here to help East Timor until it pledges to help Juliano: Bondia Senhor Jose. How are is ready to have its own government. you? The Transitional Administration does all rebuild East Timor Senhor Jose: I’m fine but how are of this with the help of other UN agencies you? You look a bit down, what happened? and non-governmental groups and in consul- President Jorge Sampaio of Portugal, in Juliano: Well, I had a hard time last tation with the Timorese, which are repre- his country’s first official visit since 1975, night during a discussion with some people sented by the National Consultative Council pledged to help East Timor rebuild its judici- about when the transitional period will (NCC). ary, public buildings and health and educa- start. You work at UNTAET, can you tell me The NCC discusses many important tion sectors. more? issues when UNTAET wants to make major Lisbon has already contributed 750 sol- Senhor Jose: Juliano, that’s old decisions. Eleven of the 15 NCC members diers to the United Nations peacekeeping news. Everyone knows that the transition to are East Timorese, including Xanana effort and US$56 million to multilateral and independence has started already. Why do Gusmao, Felicidade Guterres and Padre Jose bilateral funds and programmes. you still want to know and what are you Antonio da Costa. President Sampaio’s arrival on 12 expecting? Juliano: My friends said there were a February was greeted with rain, which to Juliano: Even though it might be old lot of foreigners here. How many people are some of the more than 5,000 people waiting news to you, it’s not for the people I talked to actually part of UNTAET compared to last to see him speak at the former Governor’s last night. They insisted that the transition- time, when the UN helped Timor Lorosa’e office symbolized the East Timorese plight al period only started this month while oth- organize the popular consultation? after Portugal’s withdrawal a quarter-centu- ers were saying it will start in March or even Senhor Jose: As of early February, ry ago. “It’s the tears of the people who had June because they haven’t seen the dramat- there were probably close to 2,000 foreigners passed away,” said one elderly Timorese ic changes to life in Timor Lorosa’e like in East Timor helping to rebuild the country. woman. they’ve been expecting. About 310 of them were international staff Following the President’s address on They keep waiting to see regular police working with UNTAET. There were also Saturday, Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo patrols on the street and traffic put back in close to 200 UN Military Observers and more conducted a special mass at the Dili order again and other things that show that than 600 Civilian Police. There are also Cathedral. The next day, President Sampaio life is back to normal. 8,500 soldiers from 23 countries who are part held meetings with Transitional Senhor Jose: I suppose it can be con- of the UN Peacekeeping Force (UN-PKF). Administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello, CNRT fusing trying to understand the United By the way, more than 760 Timorese like President Xanana Gusmao and the com- Nations, but when the Security Council myself work as local staff with UNTAET and manders of the International Force in East established UNTAET with Resolution No. at least another 2,000 more work for other Timor (INTERFET) and the UN 1272, the transitional period began on 25 agencies and NGOs. Peacekeeping Force (UN-PKF). October 1999. Which means that we are But remember young man, there are also During his visit, President Sampaio also already working to build Timor Lorosa’e for hundreds of other people who are not part of traveled to Baucau, where he met with independence right now. the UN but who belong to non-governmental Bishop Basilio do Nascimento, and to Aileu, The changes in life your friends were organizations and who work in Timor where he was greeted by traditional dancers talking about are happening, Juliano, but Lorosa’e for the moment. Hey Makay, I have and a FALINTIL honour guard. those kinds of things take time. We must to go or I’ll be late to the office. Juliano: Senhor Jose, is it possible for us to have more chats like this one because it East Timor’s cultural centre and museum sounds like you’re the right person to talk to anyway. The United Nations Transitional Senhor Jose: Deskulpa Juliano, I Administration in East Timor better be going because I have a lot of things (UNTAET), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural to do in the office today but we will talk Organization (UNESCO) and the World tomorrow. Goodbye!!! Bank are providing support to restore the future East Timor cultural centre Well, dear reader, that was Juliano’s and museum. Beginning in April 2000, story. Did his relative help you understand exhibitions and cultural attractions will UNTAET a little better, too? If you are still reintroduce the richness of Timorese arts and crafts to the people of Timor confused about other things, remember this Lorosa’e and serve as a living column because if you read it carefully, your reminder of their cultural identity. confusion will be solved. Renovations during the project’s sec- ond stage will enable the entire prem- ises to become the permanent cultural

Photo by OCPI-UNTAET centre and museum of Timor Loro Sae.

The name Tais Timor conjures the image of the careful, time-honoured process that goes into making the traditional Timorese cloth used in all important life events. As the different "ingredients" that make up East Timor come together during the transitional period to rebuild the country, Tais Timor aims to record and reflect those events that weave the beautiful tapestry that is Timor Lorosa'e. A bi-weekly public information service of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). Published in Tetun, Indonesian, Portuguese and English. Written, edit- ed and designed by the UNTAET Office of Communication and Public Information (OCPI). Circulation 50,000. UNTAET-OCPI, c/- PO Box 2436, Darwin NT 0801, Australia. Tel: +61- 8- 8942-2203 Fax: +61-8-8981-5157 email: [email protected] Not an official document. For information purposes only.

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