Intermittent violence, in East Timor, has
led to tens of thousands of people fleeing their homes, with a reported
20 people killed. Rioting was provoked by the sacking of 6,000 soldiers
in March of this year. Soldiers from western East Timor declared they have
been discrimated against from by the army leaders in the east.
In the car park of the United Nations
office in Timor Leste (East Timor), more than 7,000 people have set up
a camp. They have fled their homes in areas of Dili where they felt vulnerable.
The home's of many of families in the camp have been burned or looted.
Some leave the camp during the day but at night they return for safety.
Concern Timor Leste's office is not far from this Internally Displaced Person's camp. Concern has resposibility for liaison with the coordination structures led by the Ministry of Labour and Community Reinsertion to ensure that the concerns and practical needs of the Internally Displaced People in the camp are registered and responded to.
The camp is very cramped and there are many temporary shelters made from tarpaulin and mats. Families are living in very close proximity to each other, most are cooking rice and corn soya blend on wood fires. Around the camp, some families have set up small stalls selling noodles, soap, vegetables and other daily needs. The problem is that very few of the families have cash to spend and are relying on what is provided through the coordination structures.
Concern staff have been working in the UN camp with the camp management team to address some of the pressing issues. Every day, Concern staff are monitoring the situation in camp. For example, at the moment, the sanitation conditions are very poor in the camp and there are only a few latrines. Concern staff contacted the water and sanitation working group to ensure that chlorinated water was delivered and that the latrines were cleaned.
Last Sunday morning, a team of Concern staff visited the camp to conduct hygiene and sanitation promotion through art activity with young children. The team have also given demonstrations on the preparation of corn soya blend to some of the women in the camp.
During the visit, Concern staff spoke to some of the camp residents.