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East Timor: Project Update

The East Timorese NGO community is still quite young. Under the Indonesian occupation, they worked in difficult and dangerous conditions. During the violence, many of the NGO members hid in the hills from the militias.
As soon as the international peacekeeping forces arrived, several of the NGO members hurried back to Dili and began rebuilding their work. The East Timorese NGOs play a key role by bringing their people's experience and particular needs into the reconstruction effort.

Grassroots International believes that a strong East Timorese NGO movement which includes popular organizations and community organizations is essential for the self determination of East Timor.To this end, Grassroots International has developed a program in East Timor to support the work of the East Timorese NGOs.

Grassroots International uses funds it raised for East Timor in three ways:

  • Immediate relief and human rights work. This included two grants in West Timor to protect the refugees there at the height of the crisis and a grant for emergency health care in East Timor
  • Emergency grants to help East Timorese NGOs regroup, build capacity and carry out their work to reconstruct East Timor
  • Capacity building for East Timorese NGOs through a Brazilian-East Timorese training exchange in popular education

Immediate Relief Projects

In October and November of 1999, certain West Timorese organizations set up an underground railroad to get targeted refugees out of West Timor to safety. They hid the refugees in safe houses until they could smuggle them out of the country.Grassroots funds went through NOCETI to support this work.

Grassroots supports the West Timorese NGO, LAP Timoris, which works with the refugees in West Timor documenting testimonies of human rights abuses. LAP Timoris carries out both human rights documentation and publishes the testimonies in Indonesia to counteract the misinformation spread by the mainstream press about the reality of the East Timor situation.

Grassroots gave funds for the Mercy Ship project to supply medical attention through the Bairo Pitre clinic for the people of East Timor. The funds are channeled through Timor Aid, an East Timorese NGO which has offices in Dili and Darwin. They are carrying out major reconstruction programs which include health, training, housing and education. Timor Aid uses Grassroots funding to buy medicines and fund doctors in the clinic in Dili.

Support for East Timor NGOs in reconstruction

Grassroots partners are doing excellent and creative work under very difficult circumstances, going out of Dili into the countryside. They need support in capacity building, transport, salaries and basic equipment.

Yayasan Hak is a human rights organization started in 1996. Their work includes documentation of human rights violations and advocacy and educational programs. Yayasan Hak asked Grassroots for funding to carry out community organizingwork. They have established three people's centers in Baucau, Maubisse, and Maliana, which are the focus of this work. The centers provide emergency assistance, training, and all the services provided by Yayasan Hak. The goal is to strengthen the ability of people at the grassroots to deal with the situation of reconstruction. Grassroots International funding goes for salaries and transport.

Fokupers began in 1997 with a focus on women's health and human rights. They have gone from 5 to 21 members since the violence and are working in Dili, Liquicia, Suai and Maliana. They travel to these areas in the countryside to providecounseling for women, document abuses against women (both political and domestic violence), advocate and operate a shelter in Dili for women in crisis. They coordinate with other women's groups, and work with UNTAET's human rights division and the joint commission on women. Grassroots provides them with funding for transport, stipends and salaries.

Comissao dos direitos humanos de Timor Leste (CDHTL)

This group formed in October 1999, under the leadership of Isabel Ferreira. Their work includes identifying victims and witnesses of violations, offering counseling to East Timorese and taking their testimonies, human rights training, and collecting information on what assets people have lost. In 2000, they have focused on grassroots training, carrying out workshops in different provinces on civil society, conflict resolution and human rights. Grassroots provides them with funding for transport, salaries and office supplies.

Secular Institute Maun Alin Iha Kristus (Maria Lourdes)

This institute began in 1960 in Dare dedicated to children who face social and cultural barriers to education. Their programs now include five boarding houses for students, an informal popular education program, medical services and self-sufficient agricultural work. The Institute seeks to promote real social change and community awareness. It is providing both emergency aid and long-term assistance in a series of areas. Grassroots supports the operation of their medical program. This includes hands-on training of East Timorese health personnel, theoperation of a popular clinic, a hospice and other medical services.

Capacity Building Exchange: Brazil-East Timor

Grassroots offered East Timor groups the chance to help plan a training exchange with partners in Brazil around popular education, grassroots organizing, conflict resolution at a community level, and leadership training. Our East Timoresepartners are enthusiastic about Brazil because of the language and the rich tradition of popular education there.

Grassroots is now working to develop a capacity building exchange with project partners in Brazil. Two Brazilian popular educators would visit East Timor to work with several NGOs to train trainers; and at a later date, a group of the East Timorese would go to Brazil. We have partial funding for this but we are seeking additional funding.