TIMOR-LESTE

FRE
EC
OP
Y

NOW AND THE FUTURE

jan07

Peace building
What women and young people can do
PLUS
Violent discipline in the school?
 Words from the Representative
2006 has been a watershed where each and every Editor-in-Chief: Shui Meng Ng
year for Timor-Leste; an Timorese could make a Editor: Madhavi Ashok, Bridgette See
extraordinarily difficult difference. Tetum Editor: Antonio Gomes
year for thousands of But the promises Contributors: Christine Kearney, Sarah
Timorese. After gaining have yet to be fulfilled. Meyanathan, Cornelio Moniz, Tani
independence in 2002, One of the painful Ruiz, Ivónia Pinto Tsia, Bishnu
the country has once again lessons learnt this year Pokhrel
been wracked by violence. was the extent to which Photographers: Mario Joni dos
This time, the conflict has many young Timorese Santos, João Vas, Jordao Henrique,
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Alves

been largely internal – and felt alienated, frustrated Armando Lay, Anthony Asael,
so all the more difficult to and hopeless. And with Stephanie Rabemiafara, Candido
watch. at least 50% of the Alves, Ze’sopol C. Caminha
Despite this, we must country younger than Designer: Yulian Setyanto/ DesignLab
not lose sight of our 18, this is a serious Translator: Jose Ximenes
mission to make the future of Timorese concern. The civil unrest showed what Support logistics: Samuel Soares
children as bright as their smiles. disenfranchised and disillusioned young
For UNICEF, it isn’t simply about people can unleash. Special thanks to all UNICEF staff
bringing basic education for all children Imagine if this energy was our asset & partners who helped in one way
or immunization coverage for infants. — what a force of positive change these or another to breathe life into this
It means looking at the whole child to young people would be. publication.
see that his or her health is assured and UNICEF’s advocacy for 2007 is
that he or she is protected at home and clear: peace building integrated into all
in school. This means going beyond the programmes and a renewed focus on
child to understand the factors that shape youth participation. We cannot afford to For additional information please
the behaviours of the parents, extended lose a generation to a culture of dejection, contact:
family, and the community. apathy and violence.
It also means that we have to understand Thus, we need to re-double our efforts United Nations Children’s Fund
how the past has influenced the present - to actively engage young people, as peace Timor-Leste
the social cleavages, and political tensions. makers and peace builders, to create their UN House
Although everyone suffered in the long own future. And in turn, they would also P.O. Box 212
fight for independence, a whole generation make better parents and have greater stake Rua de Caicoli
of young people grew up in the maelstrom in their children’s future. This generation Dili, Timor-Leste
of radical change. They emerged from the can become UNICEF’s best partners
struggle for independence, triumphant in ensuring that the future of Timorese T: +670 3313309
and hopeful, with promises of a future children is bright. F: +670 3313322

www.unicef.org
Shui Meng Ng
UNICEF in Timor-Leste
 january 2007
LIVING IN CRISIS
At the height of the crisis in June,
there were up to 78,000 displaced
people living in cramped quarters
in 60 camps in Dili.
Special Features:
Photo Essay: Life in IDP camps......2
Three Women in Crisis: Their
encounters with violence and how
peace can be achieved.......................8
Peace building explained: Bite-size
information to explain the process..18
Speak out!: A young journalist
interviews the minister leading
national reconciliation....................20
Vision: New PM & UN chief on how
women and young people can build
peace...............................................22
Photo Essay: Testing times.............26
Beyond Dili: Help is needed outside
the capital city.................................30
january 2007
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Asael
Life skills: Bringing skills to young
people to build their confidence and
identity................................................24
Saving lives: Stemming malnutrition
through nutritional screening..............34
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay
Not a pipedream: Bringing access to safe
water and sanitation............................36
No chance for measles: A shot to keep
40
the deadly virus at bay.........................38 First Lady Kirsty Sword-
Gusmão reveals her
Speaking nicely: What children really “terrible dilemma.”
want us to do......................................46
Photo Essay:
Revival of Timor Post: How UNICEF Made in
stepped in to keep Timorese voices Timor, the
alive....................................................49 first locally
developed
Opinion: Will this wake up call rouse us primary school
into action?.........................................52 curriculum
arrives
Cover: Photograph by João Vas
43 1
LIVING
IN CRISIS
Life in IDP Camps
At the height of the crisis in June,
there were up to 78,000 displaced
people living in cramped quarters in
60 camps in Dili. Outside the tiny
seaside capital, there were another
80,000 who had fled to their
hometowns in the districts. This is a
glimpse of their lives as they waited
for the day they could return home
without fear.

STILL SMILING
A Timorese woman carries her baby as she walks towards her tent in a
camp for displaced people in Metinaro, about 1 hour east of Dili.
Photograph by João Vas. >
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE
2
 “I overheard a child say,
‘Mother, why do we
not go home?’”
- IVONIA PINTO TSIA, 18, student in Dili

january 2007 3
 WIND PROTECTION
A woman uses a gunny sack to protect her child against the strong wind and
dust at the Metinaro IDP camp as she queues up to collect food aid.
Photograph by João Vas.

<

LOVING TOUCH
Two toddlers walk towards their
mother as she prepares food for
them at a makeshift kitchen in an
IDP camp.
Photograph by João Vas.
<

january 2007 5
 “They burnt our house,
beat up our friends

6 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

and even shot at us.
We’re afraid to go home.”
– LURDES FREITAS, 10, displaced person in Metinaro

CURIOUS
A boy on his way to attend an emergency class set up
by UNICEF and partners in his camp, while his friend
accompanies him.
Photograph by João Vas.

january 2007 7
CHIPPING IN
A young girl carries two five-litre cans of water back to her tent in the
Don Bosco IDP camp in Dili – a daily chore for many Timorese children.
Photograph by Armando Lay.
<

RESPONSIBILITY

<
A girl cares for her young sister who has fallen
asleep in her lap during an art activity in the
Comoro Has Laran IDP camp.
Photograph by Anthony Asael.

BORN INTO CRISIS

A woman tends to her six week old baby boy who has
to sleep in the open in an IDP camp, exposed to the
elements.
Photograph by Jordao Henrique.

<

4 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

Women &
Features

8 TIMOR-LESTE NOW
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND
AND THE
THE FUTURE
FUTURE
Children
Features

in Crisis

It is only a small half-island, but Timor-Leste has seen turbulent times

in recent history: from the Second World War, to the resistance against
Indonesia and now civil unrest. Three women share their experiences of
living in each era as young Timorese.
january 2007
january 2007 9
Grandmother’s
Features
She has experienced rebellions, invasions, and civil wars - violence she
would never be able to forget. 87 year old Noberta Riberio da Silva de
Jesus speaks to Christine Kearney about her wartime scars.
I
t has been more than 60 years since
the end of World War II but for
at least one Timorese woman, the
memories of the Japanese occupation
remain vivid.
Norberta Ribeiro da Silva de Jesus was
just a young woman in her 20s when
the Japanese landed in Timor-Leste in
1942. In a wavering voice, De Jesus
recounted the years between 1942 and
1945 when thousands others like her
were held captive in Liquiça district.
“There were thousands of people in
Liquiça, all the foreigners - Portuguese,
Chinese - and us Timorese, we all stayed
in Liquiça,” she said, speaking from her
home in Lahane, in the foothills above the
capital city Dili.
Although there was no fighting in
Liquiça town where she was, they were
all well aware of the clashes between the
Japanese and Australians in Dili.
“When they were fighting, we could feel
the earth shaking, the ground would shake
all the way to Liquiça,” said De Jesus.
At that time her parents had passed
away and she lived with her two older
sisters who were married to Portuguese.
“I didn’t have any children. I was still
a girl,” she said.
She avoided the occupation force as much
as she could because they terrified her. But she
could not avoid witnessing the daily scenes of
brutality displayed by the invaders.
“They would get a big piece of wood
10
and beat people, break people’s legs or beat
them to death, they were very vicious: they
wanted us to work, if we didn’t, they would
beat and kill us,” said De Jesus.
The troops did not allow them to look
for food or plant crops outside the town.
“We ate [rice porridge] day and night until
the war was over. We ate potato roots and
the worst vegetables,” she said.
Just before the war ended, De Jesus
escaped in a group to Mount Fatubesse in
Ermera district.
“All day long we climbed. We slept
along the way, children, adults, all of us,
we carried rice and things on the horses.
We climbed for two days until we reached
Fatubesse,” she said.
There they stayed hidden in the
coffee plantations for two weeks until a
Portuguese friend brought them the news
that the war was over.
Timor returned to Portuguese rule,
although strong anti-colonial sentiments
had begun to build up. Many parts of the
country had been flattened by widespread
bombings and the agricultural systems
devastated. It was during this tough postwar
period that De Jesus met her husband, got
married and gave birth to six children.
In 1975, a civil war and the Indonesian
invasion threw Timor into upheaval again.
De Jesus’ husband was killed when the
Indonesians descended upon Dili and
she was left to fend for herself and the
children. The country plunged into long
dark years of armed struggle as a fierce
resistance against the occupying force
raged. It has been estimated that 180,000
Timorese men, women and children died
during those 24 years: from conflict, and
from poor health and starvation.
De Jesus’ fourth child Norbeto Guterres
took to the hills to join in the clandestine
movement when he was just a teenager. 11
years later, he was killed in an Indonesian
air raid in the mountains of Suai.
Despite the deaths of her husband
and son, De Jesus never gave up. Her
youngest son said: “When she’s sad, she
never expresses it openly. She only sheds
a tear and then quickly turns away to do
something different, to distract us.”
Her stoicism is perhaps a way of
coping with her loss and giving her the
strength to carry on. Now at 87 and a
great-grandmother, De Jesus is once again
living through conflict.
But when asked about the current
crisis, she only said: “I’m an old lady now,
I don’t go out.”
Ironically, the events of the Second
World War are far more real to her than
the current conflict.
Her experiences during the War, which
have scarred her, are telling signs that the
current crisis will similarly have marked
another generation. Like De Jesus, young
Timorese may never be able to forget the
scenes of violence, upheaval and suffering
witnessed in 2006.
TIMOR-LESTE NOW
NOW AND
AND THE
THE FUTURE
FUTURE
TIMOR-LESTE
 UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay

11
Tale

january 2007
 “I’m an old lady now,
I don’t go out.”
– NORBERTA RIBEIRO DA SILVA DE JESUS, 87,
when asked about the current crisis

12 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay

13
january 2007

Features
We can build peace with
our daily actions, says Maria
Domingas Alves, who speaks
to Bridgette See about her re-
sistance past and her vision
for women in Timor-Leste.
M
aria Domingas Alves was the
first Timorese politician to quit
the Government in June 2006.
She was then advisor to the
former Prime Minister on gender issues.
Founder of a prominent NGO Fokupers,
the 47-year-old has spent the last 30
years promoting the rights of women and
encouraging them to participate in the
founding of the nation.
“I quit because I felt that the
Government was, by then, no longer
effective and I didn’t feel good staying on
and getting my salary while others were
suffering,” she explained.
She returned to work with her
old friends at Timor-Leste Women’s
Network (Rede Feto) for three months.
Then in October, she joined the Dialogue
Commission for Community Re-integration,
an initiative by President Xanana Gusmão
that complements the Simu Malu
reintegration and reconciliation process.
Alves’ long journey of activism began
in 1975, just after she celebrated her 16th
birthday on November 28, the day Timor-
Leste declared its independence. But the
joyous occasion was short-lived, when
neighbouring Indonesia invaded a week
later on December 7.
At the time Alves and her mother were
in her birthplace of Laclo, Manatuto, and
they fled to the mountains when news of
the invasion reached them.
Hiding in the hills, the teenager joined
the Organisação Popular da Mulher
Timorense (OPMT), a clandestine
women’s organisation. Alves spent three
years in the bush, first working in Laclo and
then in Aileu, Manatuto and Metinaro.
14
Peace Act
She travelled on horseback to the various
districts, mobilising women of all ages.
Old women would weave sacks for food
rations, others worked as midwives or cared
for children, while younger women would
process sago from palm trees as rations for
the resistance fighters from Falintil. OPMT’s
activities also included literacy, raising
the political consciousness of women and
informing them of their right to participate
in the independence struggle.
“When my
neighbours fight,
I advise them
to stop and I’m
building peace.”
When she was 18, she married Jacinto
Alves, a Falintil member who she met in
the hills.
“[Marriage in the hills] was rather
common at that time. Furthermore, there
were many women who feared that they
would be forced to marry the Indonesians
so they decided to get married in the
mountains,” she recounted.
Both men and women suffered
tremendously during this time especially
from the lack of nutrition. Women who
had just given birth could not rest, but
had to run like everyone else whenever the
Indonesians attacked.
In 1978, Alves and her husband were
captured on the top of Mount Ilimano in
Manatuto. They were brought to Metinaro
and questioned intensively for 16 days,
with little food or water. One soldier even
tried to tempt Alves with promises of
living abroad.
“I told him ‘You can kill me but I
won’t go,’” she said, the memory of that
interrogation burnt into her mind.
Miraculously, Alves and her husband’s
lives were spared and they were sent
back to Dili to serve in the Indonesian
administration. The couple continued
their struggle underground – they sent
information overseas, provided supplies to
the fighters and bought medicines for sick
soldiers.
Her husband was arrested again in
1991 after the Santa Cruz massacre of
November 12. At 32, Alves had to care for
five children on her salary, but it did not
stop her from continuing her clandestine
work. During this period as a single parent,
Alves realised the need for an organisation
for women.
In 1997, what began as an informal
support group for wives of political
prisoners evolved into a women’s NGO
Fokupers to promote women’s rights. The
organisation’s focus is on political victims,
and gives counselling and assistance to ex-
political prisoners, war widows and wives
of political prisoners.
When Timor became independent,
Alves continued to promote greater female
participation in Timor’s patriarchal society.
Women’s groups like Fokupers, OPMT and
Rede Feto face an uphill battle to persuade
TIMOR-LESTE NOW
NOW AND
AND THE
THE FUTURE
FUTURE
TIMOR-LESTE
tivist
Timorese men and women to accept the
idea of gender equality. They also have to
convince the society that women must be
involved in development planning so that
development policies will focus on the
most marginalised in society – poor girls
and women in rural communities.
“The biggest obstacles now are poverty,
the lack of access to education for women
and of course the patriarchal tradition,”
she said.
When asked why the voices of
Timorese women have not been heard
during the 2006 crisis, the veteran activist
said that women now have an even greater
burden to care for their families, especially
those living in camps. But this did not
mean that women are not contributing to
the peace process.
“When I teach my children to be
disciplined, to be strong, I am building peace.
When I see children selling fruit on the street
and I encourage them to return to school,
that is building peace. When my neighbours
fight, I advise them to stop and I’m building
peace. Sometimes when people think of
peace, [they think] it must be political, it
must be about disarmament, but for me
it’s in our everyday life,” she explained.
Peace-building has also gained a new
dimension for Alves in recent months,
since she was invited to help reconcile
some of the nation’s leaders, after their
fallout during the 2006 crisis.
“I am saddened by what has happened.
I am tired. I have been fighting since I
was 16 and it is almost like I have not yet
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay

achieved anything. I am supposed to rest

and enjoy my life now, but I still have to
work hard,” she said.

january
january 2007
2007 15
 What is the

“Our development ...

will start from
zero again ...” UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay

16 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE


The crisis in May and the continuing tensions resulted in a great sense of insecurity all over
the country, especially in Dili. Young journalist Ivónia Pinto Tsia who was also displaced by
the violence asks if children really have a right to education and protection in Timor-Leste?
Reality For Children?
By Ivónia Pinto Tsia
A
s a young person who was
evacuated to my school, I feel that
I have been directly affected by
the violation of children’s rights
which occurred during this crisis.
First of all, from the educational point
of view, everyone shouts: “Children have
the right to a good education,” but what
has happened now? As a result of the crisis,
most schools in Dili closed in May and June,
causing thousands of children to disrupt
their education. But more importantly, some
children were and still are separated from their
parents as I write this in September. I, myself,
am one such example because I left my family
and moved to my school in order to continue
my studies.
Prior to moving to St Joseph’s College,
my family and I had moved to a place close
to the Indonesian and Chinese Embassies
at Farol. When we were there, my father
would send me to school on his motorbike
everyday. At that time, Dili was very tense
after the April 28 riots, with rumours of
more violence and people were fleeing
en masse to the districts. I felt vulnerable
travelling to school and so decided to move
to St Joseph’s College. I was so grateful that
my family allowed me to stay at the school
in order to continue my studies.
On May 4th 2006, I finally made the
move with a heavy heart and said goodbye
to my family. At that moment, I fought
hard to stop the tears from welling up in
my eyes, so that my family would think
I was strong enough or had the courage
to do so. My mother, on the contrary,
approached me with tears and with a small
statue of Our Lady clutched in her hands.
january 2007
2007
january
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay
She gave it to me and said: “When you feel
fear, please pray to Our Lady as she is the
protector of women.” This was the “bukae”
or travel ration that my mother gave me for
my journey ahead.
My school, St Joseph’s College, became
a shelter for displaced people as the security
situation deteriorated in June and hundreds
of houses were razed to the ground. The
school transformed into a massive camp
ground for 1,000 displaced people. We have
13 classrooms, but only 5 were used for
schooling because the others were occupied
by the displaced. Although there were
limited classrooms, we tried hard to carry on
witrh our academic activities. As the result,
the school was able to successfully carry out
the final examination.
The school tried to organise the primary
and secondary students who moved to St
Joseph’s to continue their school activities as
much as possible. But from my observation,
they were either playing or helping their
mothers to cook, wash clothes and dishes,
take care of their siblings, and even in small
businesses. Our school director Father
Edward exhorted us to focus on our academic
Features
Translated from Tetum
duties. Yet, from what I saw, most of the
children who took refuge in the school never
did any reading or writing because they had
stopped schooling.
While living in St Joseph’s, I overheard
a child ask her mother: “Mother, why
don’t we go home?”
Who can give an answer to this question?
I think it is a very important question for us,
and especially for our leaders of this country.
We all need to find the answer to this
question and then address it not only to that
child but also to all Timorese children.
What we all need to reflect on is, if this
crisis stretches on indefinitely, then we will
never have good quality education for the
children who are the future of the nation. We
will not be able to produce educated young
people and in future, we will have leaders
who, instead of knowing how to govern well,
will only think about destruction.
As young people, please listen to our
voices and our vision here:
Our development in this country will
start from zero again if this crisis does
not end. That is why leaders need to stop
having negative thoughts but instead,
they have to start thinking positively. In
other words, please don’t only think of
overcoming or resolving problems using
war or force. Leaders need to have courage
and commitment to find the solution
to this problem. To do so, they have to
listen to others and have compassion for
the innocent. As leaders you need to first
analyse the situation, and then you can
form your vision about how to solve this
problem. By doing so you may able to stop
this crisis from getting out of hand.
17
Features
What is
Peace Building?
It is a phrase that has become as
commonplace (and perhaps just
as hard to understand) as capacity
building. So we asked UNICEF
peace building consultant Deborah
Durnan to explain.
Process not product
“The building of a culture of peace in
Timor-Leste is going to be a long-term
process. Peace will not emerge overnight
nor does it happen miraculously. In fact,
Timor-Leste will probably take as long as
it did to regain independence to find peace
– that means we’re talking about 20 years.
So the key peacemakers of tomorrow are
the young people and children of today,
but they need the support of the adults.”
Culture of peace
“No society can exist in peace if it does
not embrace a culture of peace. So
Timorese must dig down to the root
Marta stands up for peace
Tomas pushed and injured
Hi! My name is Marta
and this is my brother
Atoy and our pet
Kakatua.
18
causes to understand what is causing all
this violence, hurt and anger. It is not one
isolated incident like the Petitioners that
is the cause, but a culmination of past
and present events. We must also look at
the consequences of long years of conflict
– poverty, illiteracy and separation of
families. This knowledge will help us to
identify the peace makers and guide us in
planning peace building programmes.”
Peace by piece
“Just like when we build an uma lulik
(traditional sacred house), it cannot be a
rushed job. There are many steps to it. If the
beams for the foundation of the uma lulik
One day, our friend
another friend while we
When I couldn’t get
were playing.
them to reconcile, I
asked my father for
help.
As a result, the
group split up.
are not driven in properly, then the house
cannot stand firm. And if each one of us does
not share the work, the uma lulik cannot be
raised up. Thus, the foundations for peace
will be shaky too if it is not built on each
and every Timorese citizen’s commitment
to democracy, justice and equality.”
Safety first
“We cannot talk about building peace
before each one of us starts to feel safe and
secure. Otherwise it’s like asking someone
who is hungry to feed other hungry people.
So first, each person must feel relatively
assured of his or her own safety, then, he
or she will be able to think about making
We learnt to respect
and listen to one
another!
Tomas
apologised, we
forgave him and
became friends
again!
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

as a united and independent Timor-Leste
– will be crucial for Timorese to stand
together and to understand that everyone
has different views that we must learn to
respect and accept.”
Developing trust
“Peace building also includes strengthening
political, social, cultural and economic
institutions capable of mediating conflict.
For example, a school director who chooses
to take a firm stand that there will be no
discrimination and violence in school,
and promotes tolerance and respect in the
school environment will make the academic
institution a place where people can trust.”
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Rabemiafara
Key players
“There are three main actors who must
be involved and working together at the
same time in order to build a national
movement for peace. These are people at
peace with others for the long term.” the grassroots level – the Dili resident, the
teacher, the student, the vegetable seller,
Respect the farmer, the civil servant; people with
“Simply said, the aim of peace building some community influence like the village
is to create conditions for peace to thrive. chief, the catechist, the parish priest, and
It’s not enough to stop violence from re- the district administrator; and those at the
occurring – that is just the first step to national level, such as national leaders.”
peace. The next step is to re-build and
renew relationships – in the family, with Women in Peace building
our neighbours, with our school mates, “Women can and must get involved in the
with the government, with NGOs and peace building process. Take for example
with international agencies. We must the Mindanao peace process in the
encourage and support all sectors of Philippines where the women have shown
society to mend damaged ties and start tremendous leadership. In fact, earlier this
the process of restoring dignity, trust and year, 100 women gathered at the Mindanao
national unity. The idea of nationhood – Women’s Peace Summit to draw up
Meet Marta, a now, as the country struggles with internal
cartoon character, conflict. The group working on Marta
developed by stories has decided to write about peace so
Timorese artists, that Marta can show how girls can urge their
storywriters, friends to respect and listen to each other,
radio producers, NGOs and UNICEF as while her younger brother Atoy shows boys
a heroine for Timorese children. how to be peacemakers,” says Dominggus
Marta is Timor’s special daughter Monemnasi, UNICEF consultant, who
– animated, bright, lively and resourceful has been involved in developing Marta for
– and when she encounters problems, she 3 years.
knows how to rally support from the older Marta was introduced in 2003 in a
and younger generations. radio melodrama. She was created as a
“A role model like Marta is crucial cartoon character in 2005 and officially
january 2007
Features
recommendations and inputs for ongoing
peace talks between the Government and
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.”
Literacy
“Many success stories in peace building
have been based on mass literacy
movements. Give young people and adults
literacy, give women literacy and you will
have a greater sense of equality and more
opportunities for all to participate in
nation building. People are also better able
to analyse and debate issues.”
It’s in your hands
“It’s not the UN or the international NGOs
that will eventually restore peace to Timor-
Leste. If you have endured conflict and
survived, it means you are the best person
to restore peace and order in your society
because you know how Timor-Leste works.”
UNICEF aims to integrate a peace
building approach into future
programmes and strategies; this includes
work with young women, and in
community development work at the
village level around issues of schooling,
community radio, water and sanitation,
and health. This means working
closely with NGOs (e.g. Ba Futuru,
Auscare, Belun, Care International and
Bibi Bulak) and the Government (the
Ministry of Education and Culture, the
Ministry for Labour and Community
Reinsertion, the Secretary of State for
Youth and Sport, and the Ministry for
State Administration).
launched in November 2006. To date,
four stories for comic books and radio have
been developed and animation cartoons
are planned for the future.
Marta’s struggles for opportunities and
for peace are echoed by the lives of the
children and adolescents in Timor-Leste.
“Perhaps she can inspire them to stay on the
right track as the country moves through
challenging times,” says Monemnasi.
For more information and materials on Marta
email marta.fitun@gmail.com
19
 Features

SPEAK OUT
AGAINST
VIOLENCE,

UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay
SAYS MINISTER

By Cornelio Moniz

Cornelio Moniz was one of two young journalists from Colegio de São Jose invited to contribute to this magazine.
Cornelio’s article was written in Tetum and the English version edited by Bridgette See, who was with him when
he interviewed the Minister.

W
“ omen should tell men that we
have had enough stoning and
burning which has made us
and the children suffer. We’re
tired of this violence. Now stop and talk
about the future which has to start now
and not next week or later,” said Arsenio
Paixao Bano, Timor-Leste’s Minister for
Labour and Community Reinsertion.
I met the Minister at his office on
September 13th when I interviewed him
about the crisis in our country. Mr Bano’s
Ministry had been actively involved in
a conflict resolution programme called
Simu Malu (Mutual Acceptance). Its aim
is to stop the violence on the streets and
through community dialogue, promote
the safe return of displaced populations to
their communities.
But Mr Bano pointed out that
few young women and girls had been
participating in the programme. He hoped
that the level of participation from women
and girls would increase as many of them
were living in camps and it was important
for women to play a role in overcoming
the crisis.
“We say that children are the future
but the future has to start now, not next
week or next year... We cannot wait, we
have to work now to make the situation
better,” said Mr Bano forcefully.
He said that parents play a critical
role in protecting children, even though
Timor-Leste has ratified the Convention of
the Rights of the Child. According to the
Convention, children have the right to live
safely, to be protected, to play and study in
an environment where there is no conflict.
Mr Bano said: “That is why we started
the Simu Malu programme. It will allow
our children to live in a safe environment
and return to school. Then can we talk
about the future.”
Mr Bano appealed to parents, children,
young people, leaders and village and
sub-village chiefs to really try and resolve
conflicts, if they were indeed thinking of

20 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

 “We’re tired
of this
violence.”
Arsenio Bano, Timor-Leste’s Minister for
Labour and Community Reinsertion

their children’s future. He said the Simu

Malu programme had also invited young
people from the Youth Council, religious
and international NGOs to participate.
“Don’t just wait for the Government
to resolve the crisis, you all have to get
involved so that we can move one step
further away from the crisis,” said Mr
Bano.
Currently the Ministry of Labour’s
Division of Social Services has been
working hard to ensure that children can
return to their normal living conditions.
Through the Simu Malu Programme, the
Ministry has worked with UNICEF in the
areas of nutrition, education and media,
in order to bring information to people
affected by this current situation.
The Ministry has played a key role in
coordinating the country’s humanitarian
aid and worked closely with international
NGOs and UN agencies. Its staff, like
Mr Bano, never stopped work even at the
height of the conflict, when their lives
were in danger.
“A lot of NGOs were working and
helped us and if we weren’t working just
as hard as them, we would have felt bad,”
said Mr Bano.
The Minister has two children, whom
he said he now spends less time with
because of his long hours at work.
“It hasn’t been easy working during
this time, because our security has not
been guaranteed. But it’s important to
continue working to demonstrate that we
are committed to our responsibilities. We
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay

are committed to working for our nation

and for our children,” said a determined
Mr Bano, before we shook hands and said
goodbye.

january 2007 21
Features
Thoughts from the Prime Minister
Dr Jose Ramos-Horta:
“Before Timor-Leste can enjoy
prosperity, strength and growth our
country must be peaceful and secure.
This is why national reconciliation is so
important and it is where women and
children can play such an important role.
“All people have to realise that they are
neighbours and that without peace and
harmony, our families – and particularly
our children – cannot be safe.
“Women have a crucial role to play in
building this neighbourhood trust. Often
it is women who determine how our
children develop. They cradle the babies
and the young and it is the women whom
children rush to for help when they are
frightened or injured.
“Simu Malu is a programme designed
to prepare the way for displaced people
22
to return to their homes, and to their
neighbours, without fear or intimidation.
The programme will very carefully
encourage the women of
Timor-Leste to help with this
important task.
“If women can teach
their children to play
peacefully with other
children, then this can be
the key to opening the door
to reconciliation.
“When a country endures
conflict, the people who suffer
most are the women and
children. We cannot allow this
to happen again to Timor-
Leste. Women are
like
New UN Mission
For the new United Nations Integrated
Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT),
women and young people will play critical
roles in bringing stability and national
reconciliation to Timor-Leste, according
to Finn Reske-Nielsen, Acting Special
Representative of the UN Secretary-
General in Timor-Leste.
“We want to encourage women and
girls, in their various roles as mothers, sisters
and daughters, to use their unique positions
to contribute to peace-building efforts,
community healing and the disarmament
of civilians. Women have always been
natural peacemakers with their traditional
roles of keeping their families safe
from conflict,” said Reske-
Nielsen.
One of UNMIT’s
first priorities has
been to promote
the rights of
women and their
participation in
key state-building
processes such as
farmers tending, feeding and watering the
crop. But this crop is our children, our most
valuable resource and the future
of our country.
“It is women
who can help stop
the youth gangs
from fighting. If
each woman can
influence her child
to resist those who
advocate violence
and conflict then
we will begin to have
peace. A woman’s
choice of peace is a gift
to her family and
particularly to
her children.”
the elections. At the same time, the mission
is pushing for young people to have a greater
say on issues which affect them, by working
with youth groups, state institutions and
development partners. UNMIT will also
support the adoption of the National Youth
Policy – an umbrella framework drafted
with input from young people to provide
a coordinated approach to young people’s
issues.
“In recent months, many young men
have been involved in the destruction
of property, looting and fighting. The
politicisation of youth organisations
and martial arts groups, coupled with
the high rate of unemployment, limited
access to education and a feeling of
hopelessness about the future, have
made youth particularly vulnerable to
external influences. This is why UNMIT
recognises that youth groups need to
strengthen their structures and leadership
so that more young people can be involved
in peace building and community healing
to achieve sustainable peace,” said Reske-
Nielsen.
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE
FROM THE FIELD
Interview with
Bridget Job-Johnson
Adolescents and HIV/AIDS
Project Officer
Bridget Job-Johnson
Adolescents and HIV/AIDS Project Officer
bjobjohnson@unicef.org
The incidence of HIV/AIDS in Timor-Leste is quite
low. Why is it still a concern?
The number of cases is quite small, but
there has also been a significant increase in
the past two years, from 7 cases to 43 cases
(Sep ‘06). And there is still a lot we don’t
know about HIV/AIDS in this country. We
had more or less stumbled across these cases
because people had presented themselves
to the hospital. Timor doesn’t have wide-
scale testing or surveillance, so the actual
incidence may be much higher than this.
What are community perceptions about HIV/AIDS in
Timor?
There are a lot of myths about transmission
and the most common one is that HIV/
AIDS is a foreigners’ disease. But of the 43
cases reported, none of them were ‘malae’
or foreigner.
What are some of the risk factors associated with
HIV/AIDS in Timor?
In 2003 there was a study which found
a high incidence of sexually-transmitted
diseases (STD), which are an associated
risk for HIV/AIDS and which are believed
to be grossly under-reported in the
community. The study also revealed a lot
of multi-partner behaviours like married
men who had girlfriends and also visited
commercial sex workers. This is a volatile
network which could cause a significant
increase in HIV/AIDS.
january 2007
In the general population, which group is most at risk?
This is a young person’s country with a
huge proportion of the population under
20. Young people are exposed to the risk
of HIV/AIDS because of the milestones
ahead of them, such as experimentation,
dating and marriage.
What are some of the obstacles to HIV/AIDS
education here?
If you look at the terrain of the country and
the limited reach of the media, it’s hard to get
information out there; illiteracy is another
issue. In terms of human resources, there are a
lot of health workers who need to be trained
and educated about HIV/AIDS. Another
major obstacle that we need to overcome is
sensitivity in the Catholic Church on condom
use. However, there is some opinion in the
Church which is not opposed to condom use
for disease prevention.
During the crisis this year, there was a lot of debate
about young people in Timor. What has been one of
the main shortcomings, in terms of working with
young people?
Young people could be an asset or they could
be a problem depending on how you harness
their energy. There has been a lot of tokenism
but no serious attempt has been made to
harness their energy. I think the National
Youth Policy is a step in the right direction.
It’s an umbrella framework which will provide
a coordinated approach to young people’s
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Santos
issues across various sectors including health,
education, labour and general youth issues.
Young people were very involved in drafting
the policy. When it’s completed, I hope it will
become a rallying point for other programmes
and initiatives for young people.
Literacy has also emerged as an issue for young
people. What has UNICEF been doing in this area
recently?
Previously, there was a very piecemeal approach
to literacy in Timor, but in the past two years,
we’ve been working with the non-formal
education (NFE) section of the Ministry
of Education, UNDP, UNESCO and the
Brazilian mission. With the help of a technical
consultant from UNDP, we designed a new
set of literacy manuals; within 3-4 months of
using these manuals, people who were illiterate
could write their own names. We’re also
working on primary and pre-secondary school
equivalency programmes through the NFE.
What would you like to see happening in the youth/
adolescent area and in HIV/AIDS education in Timor
in five years time?
I’d like to see a more vibrant economy so there
are more opportunities in the labour market for
young people, so that when they go to school,
they go with a hope. And since young people
have the right to know about and to be educated
about HIV/AIDS, I hope they’ll be better
informed and that they won’t be criticised for
making their own choices for their lives.
23
 Teenagers participating in a UNICEF Life Skills Education
session specially adapted to the ongoing emergency.
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See
W
hen Jacinta dos Santos Guterres
sought refuge at the São Jose
Minor Seminary in June, she saw
how frustrated children were at the
camp for 1,500 people who fled their homes
amid the recent violence in Timor-Leste.
“With nothing to do and nowhere
to go, the young people were simply
hanging around all day,” said Guterres.
She had previously served as coordinator
of a UNICEF-supported project for
children and young people in the Comoro
neighbourhood of Dili, the capital.
She knew that with so much free time on
their hands, some of the youths in the camp
would get into trouble before long. The
best thing, she thought, would be to teach
them some useful skills to occupy their time,
and also help them make better informed
24
decisions before joining in any activities.
Already, there had been reports of young
people living in camps fighting with those
living in surrounding neighbourhoods.
So after getting the nod from camp
managers and support from UNICEF,
Guterres and UNICEF adapted the
organisation’s life skills education modules
into a five-day training session - designed to
suit young people’s needs in emergencies
The training covers how to improve
self-awareness, cope with emotional stress
and communicate effectively. Issues such
as HIV/AIDS, drugs and alcohol are
addressed as well.
Girls especially vulnerable to abuse
When UNICEF visited the Minor
Seminary, a group of 30 young people
had gathered for a life skills session on the
rooftop. Under the blazing morning sun,
they shifted around constantly in their
chairs. Despite the limited resources and
harsh conditions, all were fully attentive.
Among them was Jaquelina Fonseca,
16. “I got a headache when I sat at the
camp listening to people gossip,” she said.
“It stressed me out. So I am glad to be at
this training. I can make new friends and
also learn new things.”
Girls are particularly vulnerable in
the camps, facing the constant threat of
physical and sexual abuse. By participating
in the training sessions, they can more
successfully cope with stress and stay away
from violence. As of August, ten cases
of domestic violence, sexual assault and
child abuse (including 2 cases of rape) had
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

been reported to Rede Feto, a Timorese
Women’s Network monitoring gender-
based violence occurring in camps.
“I wanted to join this training because
I don’t know myself well enough,” said a
young man in the group, Albino Fatima, 25.
Like thousands of others across the newly
independent nation, he is unemployed and
frustrated. Instead of joining the protestors
on the streets, however, Albino found hope
in the life-skills training.
HIV/AIDS prevention messages
“Sometimes at night, you can see
young men and women sitting together in
dark places,” said Guterres. “Nobody dares
to tell them off. We just pretend we don’t
see them and walk away quickly.”
In a society where many people prefer
january 2007
SKILLS FOR LIFE
IN EMERGENCY
Displaced, frustrated and in very unstable
environments, young people now need a strong
sense of identity and confidence.
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See
to ‘see no evil,’ spreading messages among
young people on how to protect themselves
from diseases like HIV/AIDS is crucial.
“Traditionally we don’t have a culture of
saying ‘no’, which is what they will learn in
this course,” said UNICEF Assistant Project
Officer for HIV/AIDS Prevention, Milena
Rangel. “We are also going to discuss what
constitutes molestation and inappropriate
behaviour so that young women can
understand risks, and be more assertive.”
The lessons learned should not only
help carry young people through this
emergency but also rebuild their lives
when peace finally comes. UNICEF has
trained adult facilitators in Baucau, Los
Palos and in Dili to carry out more of
these sessions.
Adolescents and HIV/AIDS
UNICEF Life Skills consultant Alfredo de Jesus
Mota leads a discussion on decision-making
with 30 young people on the rooftop of the São
Jose Minor Seminary.
Not only has UNICEF and 2 local
NGOs trained adult facilitators
in Baucau, Los Palos and Dili to
carry out more life skills trainings,
it is also identifying young people
who had undergone the sessions
to become peer educators on
prevention of HIV/AIDS. This is
expected to reach up to 600 peer
educators who will in turn reach
an estimated 10,000 young people
by the end of 2006.
25
26 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE
 TESTING
TIMES
A demonstration by former soldiers that
turned violent shattered peace in Dili on
April 28. As tensions mounted, some state
institutions began to disintegrate - torn
by political forces. Fierce fighting began
around Dili and climaxed on May 25 when
several police officers were shot at point
blank range in the city. International forces
were called upon to intervene and a state of
emergency declared. For some women and
children, they will never see their husbands
and fathers return home.
Photos by Armando Lay

< DETERMINED
Children at the Dili International Airport appealing for a restoration of normalcy as Special
Envoy for the United Nations Secretary-General, Ian Martin, arrives to undertake a rapid
assessment on the crisis for the UN Security Council.

january 2007 27
HURT IN CROSSFIRE
A woman cries for help after her teenage daughter was hit in the chest by a stray
bullet while on the way to seek refuge at the Australian Embassy. At that time, armed
men were shooting at random on the streets.

28 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

 < CONTEMPLATION
An old woman, with hundreds of others, stands outside the Australian Embassy to seek
shelter as fierce gun battles rage in their neighbourhoods.

TO SAFETY
<

A woman hands her baby to the father from a truck that had brought them to the airport.
They had sought refuge at the Indonesian Embassy and were being evacuated by an
Indonesian military plane to Kupang.

< INSECURE
A young boy sits out side the UN compound, unsure if he and his family would be
allowed to seek shelter. Tensions were high in Dili with news of impending attacks on
the city by soldiers who had broken away from the military.

january 2007 29
With more than half of Dili fleeing to the
districts, more attention needs to be paid to host
communities bearing the extra burden.
I
n June, much of the world’s media were
focused on Dili as the capital plunged
into chaos, which had been sparked off
by former soldiers’ demonstration and
precipitated into ethnic violence.
More than 78,000 people fled their
homes, with children and possessions in
tow. The result – more than 60 camps for
Internally Displaced People sprung up all over
Dili. Overnight, the capital became the focus
of humanitarian response as UN agencies,
international and local NGOs turned up to
assist the displaced people.
Meanwhile, away from the media’s
attention, were some 80,000 Dili residents
who had fled back to their hometowns in
the districts. Their exodus also displaced
district residents who in turn fled up to
the hills in anticipation of more trouble.
Reports from districts called for assistance
but help was not getting out as roads were
blocked after the May violence.
Gradually as the security condition
stabilised, humanitarian workers began
to distribute food to the districts, hauling
tonnes of food in big trucks. Yet the situation
is far more complex than food distribution.
UNICEF made its first assessment trip to
BEYO
Baucau in mid-June and reported on the
large number of displaced students there
(see Baucau story). A rapid assessment of
districts completed in July by UNICEF and
four local partners presented a grim picture
of the water and sanitation situation outside
Dili. Displaced children have also received
little psychosocial help. (see Liquica story)
Months later, there is still no indication
of many people returning home to Dili
anytime soon. Therefore aid in all forms
needs to go beyond Dili before it can be
said to have reached all the displaced and
affected.

BAUCAU BLUES
Around 25,000 people descended
onto Baucau district in May and June.
Many from Dili, fleeing burnt and looted
homes or threats of destruction in a
conflict fuelled by ethnicity, politics and
poverty. The influx represents one quarter
of Baucau’s population (around 100,000).
That is a lot of extra bodies to feed, educate
and provide health care for.
Around 15,000 people are staying in
Bacau town. The rest have scattered to
Baucau’s five sub-districts. In town, most
are staying with relatives or host families.
Others are living in IDP camps, ranging
in size from a dozen people to around
350 in Don Bosco primary school. While
conditions in the camps are basic at best,
the situation for those accommodating
entire families is just as worrying. In some
homes, a dozen people or more are sleeping
in a single room.
The markets in Baucau town sell fresh
fruit, vegetables and other foodstuffs, but
those caught up in the Dili melee have
little money to buy. Food shortages and a
protein-poor, monotone diet are shoo-ins
for malnutrition. In Timor-Leste, where half
of all children under five are malnourished,
underweight or stunted, missed
meals even for a short duration
can push those vulnerable over
the brink.
On the positive side,
basic services in health and
education are functioning
normally, or more accurately,
have not been interrupted by
Dili’s troubles. Cuban doctors
make the rounds of the six IDP
camps several times a week
to treat the ill, and a mobile
clinic has been deployed to
service communities outside of
Baucau town.
The government has
instructed all primary schools
in Baucau district to take in
every child from Dili and elsewhere. One Of the 150 teachers who have come in
primary school in town is struggling to cope from the capital, 120 are already at work
with an additional 160 pupils. in primary, secondary and vocational
“More than 800 secondary-school schools. Meanwhile, there are shortages
students have come from Dili. Of these, of just about everything, from furniture,
700 are enrolled in school here,” said writing materials to toilets. Sanitation is
Rodolfo Henrique Aparicio, the Baucau crippled and there is a lack of food.
District Education Superintendent. There June 2006
are three secondary schools in the town.

30 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

OND DILI
LIVING IN LIQUIÇA
A UNICEF-supported assessment in
July gave a grim picture of the water and
sanitation picture outside Dili. Almost
three quarters of the 77 villages surveyed
have not received any water and sanitation
support from any organisation despite
a 10-20% surge in population since late
April while 60% of the villages do not
have sufficient water for their needs.
To alleviate the situation, UNICEF
has supported the government’s water
and sanitation services to collect garbage
from Liquiça district and to truck water
within Baucau district to places where large
numbers of displaced people have gathered
and water needs have increased.
UNICEF also distributed 800 family
kits consisting of pails, soap, jerry cans and
purification tablets to the the displaced in
Liquiça district when Regional Director
Anupama Rao Singh visited.
Here, there has been a 10% increase
in population and most of the 5000 IDPs
are staying with their relatives while 25
january 2007
families live in houses around the Liquiça
church. They have been primarily assisted
by the Catholic Church and Christian
NGO CD Bethesda.
A local emergency commission says
that although they have received water and
food aid from Dili, the IDPs feel that there
is little attention paid to them otherwise.
“I hope that UNICEF will continue to
focus attention on us because we lost all
our belongings when our house was razed
to the ground in April,” said Cipriana
Rodina. The 35 year old gave birth to her
youngest while seeking refuge in the Don
Bosco IDP camp in Dili. She then ran to
Liquiça with seven children in tow.
Like thousands of others, Ms Rodina
is afraid to return home.
Beyond the urgent need to treat
malnutrition and provide enough clean
water, children’s psychological well-being
also concerns aid workers on the ground.
“I’ve seen five or six year olds who start
shivering and crying when they see guns
Rows of damaged properties in Becora, Dili.
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See
on the police patrolling the district or even
a kitchen knife,” said Luis Pereira, 21, a
volunteer with NGO CD Bethesda. “So we
have held some music and dance activities
for them but we lack funds and materials.”
“Many of the children now live with the
memories of violence so initially we have to
occupy them and then support a return to
normalcy, for example the return to school.
If we do identify severely affected children,
we’ll link them up to local NGOs specialising
in trauma counselling,” said Paul Chantrill,
UNICEF Child Protection Officer.
A survey of displaced children and their
needs is now underway with the Liquica
District Education Office. During the month
of August which is the school holidays,
UNICEF will set up emergency classes for
children those who have missed their classes
and work towards a “BACK TO SCHOOL”
campaign to ensure that displaced children
resume their education when the new school
year starts in September.
July 2006
31
Snapshots
First aid, fears later
On May 25th, Dr Domingas
Bernado was as scared as
everyone else when a gun
battle broke out between police
and military near the UN
compound in Dili, where the
UNICEF office is located. It
sounded as if the bullets were
flying overhead as hundreds
of UN staff crowded into
the centre of the compound
for safety. Events came to a
climax when a UN-negotiated
ceasefire between the police
and the military was broken,
and wounded Timorese police
officers were carried into the
compound. People began crying
Brave Heart
He was a freedom fighter – like
many others - in the resistance
against Indonesia for almost 15
years and is used to the sounds
of gunfire and mortar. So on
May 26th when UNICEF staff
were unable to return home and
had no food, UNICEF driver
Marcos Soares volunteered
to go out to pick up food for
everyone when a brief window
of opportunity was given by
the UN security team. “I wasn’t
afraid at all. I’d been through
war and this was civil unrest,”
said Soares. So he ventured
out with office staff Justino
Vieira and Pedro Aquino, and
another driver Jose Carceres.
Soares saw some people
32
at the sight of the wounded and
soon, the small UN medical
clinic was overrun with injured
officers. “I remember a UN
staff calling me to help but I
was still scared and shaking.
But once I saw the wounded, all
my fears disappeared. It must
have been a doctor’s instinct
because I was able to help out
and treat them despite my
fears,” recalled Bernardo, who
is Assistant Project Officer for
Child Survival and Maternal
Health Care in UNICEF’s
Health and Nutrition section,
and trained in Indonesia as a
medical doctor.
fighting on the street, while
others were desperately looking
for separated family members.
After they had picked up food
and were about to return, he
saw a group of soldiers with
weapons and ammunition
strapped across their bodies but
Soares was not intimidated. In
the initial weeks of the crisis,
Soares was separated from his
family because he was a target
in his village that had also been
influenced by the ethnic divide.
But after a month staying in the
UNICEF office, the 54-year-
old decided to go home after he
had convinced his village that
there is only one Timor-Leste
with no east or west.
Home no more
He used to live a stone’s
throw from the office – now
his entire family lives in the
office. Antonio Anacleto
Serra, UNICEF Education
Programme Assistant, and his
family left their modest home
when houses nearby were being
swallowed up in flames during
the May violence in Dili. “I
didn’t want to run away but I
had to think of my children and
wife,” said Serra. In their panic,
they grabbed only their clothes,
the children’s school uniforms
and a statue of the Virgin Mary.
Serra did not expect the looting
and destruction of 1999 to
be repeated, but it was. Soon
after his family was brought
into UNICEF’s office, Serra’s
home was stripped bare; he
lost everything, even the zinc
cover on the roof. By then, UN
security had shot past Phase 2;
international staff were relocated
while national staff could return
home to the districts. Serra
became one of the few national
staff who stayed back to keep
the UNICEF office running,
along with the Representative
and some international staff.
“It was like in ’99 when I was
with UNAMET and continued
working during the [post-
referendum] crisis to evacuate
UN staff to Darwin,” said Serra.
Like in ‘99, food was scarce and
everyone had to share. “In the
first two, three days, we all had
dinner together. I was given a
plate of rice and I brought it
back to my family. My three
boys had two spoons of rice each
and were still hungry but I told
them we had no choice,” Serra
recounted. Now more than six
months later, the family still
resides in the office, carefully
packing away their belongings
every morning before other
staff arrive. Serra looks forward
to the day when security returns
to Dili so that he can begin
rebuilding his home.
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE
FROM THE FIELD
Interview with
Alejandro Gonzalez-Richmond
Health Project Officer
Alejandro Gonzalez-Richmond
Health & Sanitation - Project Officer
agonzalezrichmond@unicef.org
What are the most common health problems for
Timorese children?
The malnutrition - infection cycle.
Malnourished children get infected more
easily and infection worsens malnutrition.
And for Timorese women?
Because of gender inequalities, Timorese
women are not taking charge of their own
health. Even if they have access to health
services, they don’t use the health services
as much as they should. The other main
problem for women is chronic malnutrition
and associated issues such as anaemia and
reproductive health problems, including
too many pregnancies.
So is malnutrition in Timor more about a lack of
money or a lack of knowledge?
Knowledge – if you have knowledge, then you
are empowered to take action to look after
yourself. Health services are free in Timor,
food is mostly available, even if it is more
expensive now than it was during Indonesian
times. But there is very little knowledge
about nutrition or disease. Food distribution
is also an issue – there is enough food in the
country as a whole, but some districts don’t
have enough and some districts suffer food
shortages during certain times of the year.
So what’s the level of health knowledge like for
ordinary Timorese?
It’s very low. There is little concept of
january 2007
general health and every survey about
specific diseases, whether AIDS, malaria,
diarrhoea or dengue, comes to the same
conclusion. People don’t know about the
causality of diseases, so they won’t see the
relationship between the puddle of water
out there in the yard, and dengue fever.
Do Timorese who live in remote areas have worse
health than people who live in urban areas?
In Timor, you can get to all district
capitals and to sub-district capitals and
then in many places, the road ends, there
is no more road. So you can presume
that if an area is isolated physically and
geographically, where health services are
not available, basic health will be worse
than in urban areas. Malnutrition is worse
in rural areas and neonatal and infant
mortality higher.
What are the main water issues for people in remote
regions?
Rural areas are also worse off in terms of
access to safe drinking water and sanitary
disposal of waste and this is another
reason why basic health indicators are
worse.
Since independence in 2002, which areas in the
health sector in Timor have improved?
There has been a lot of investment in the
health sector. The health sector now has
infrastructure, equipment, drugs in good
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Santos
supply, and medical and support staff
who have been trained. Some indicators
are showing improvements as a result
of this, for example, there has been an
improvement in the infant mortality
rate and immunization rates have been
improving.
What is one area which UNICEF will focus on in the
health and nutrition sector in 2007?
Improving the quality and availability of
health services at the community level
throughout the country.
During the crisis this year, there was a lot of
discussion about unemployment and persistent
poverty. How are unemployment and poverty related
to health and nutrition?
Poverty has everything to do with health
and nutrition. In a country like this,
which is a market-based economy, if you
have money then you have access to things
which can improve your health. But
people who have to spend all their time
just surviving have no time to look after
their health.
What would you like to see happening in health and
nutrition in Timor in five years time?
Health services reaching every community;
and people having changed their behaviour
at least in the sense that they understand
basic sanitation and why it’s important to
use health services.
33
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay
Health
Although severely malnourished, Lukas Sarmento is still
active. He plays peek-a-boo with the reporter while his
father Carlos Sarmento is being interviewed.
SAVING LIVES Stemming malnutrition through nutritional screening.
A
s little Nevia Nunes huddled close
to her mother’s breast, her eyes
were half-open, her face a picture of
exhaustion. The 15-month-old had
cried for a long time before succumbing to
fatigue. Nevia was one of the three severely
malnourished toddlers identified at the
Don Bosco IDP camp in June.
“She was able to walk and stand on her
own before the crisis. But since coming
here, her condition has worsened,” said
her mother Maria Santina da Conceicao.
The 28 year old mother of three was also
malnourished during her pregnancy, a likely
reason why Nevia was more vulnerable.
34
The family fled to the Don Bosco school
when troubles began in late April. Staying
at the shelter for two months took its toll
on Nevia. Her family sustained her mainly
on porridge, and vegetables when they
could afford them. Nevia was also living in
an overcrowded camp where an estimated
14,000 people had been displaced from
their homes. Despite the best efforts of
camp coordinators and humanitarian aid
workers to keep the camp clean, children
were still susceptible to infections and
diseases. As a result, coughs, malaria and
diarrhoea were common in the camps.
“She sleeps with the rest of us on the
floor here,” said Conceicao. “At night, when
the wind blows, it’s cold. And even though
we have a mosquito net, she still gets bitten.”
Nevia’s mother pointed out their mats which
were laid out on a corridor, next to a drain
and sheltered by a piece of tarpaulin.
Little Nevia was found to be severely
underweight and suffering from acute
diarrhoea. The doctor assigned to the camp
referred her to the Dili National Hospital
for immediate treatment, which included
therapeutic milk provided by UNICEF.
Health ministry and humanitarian
aid workers feared more children would
become malnourished, as the crisis dragged
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

on into its third month. Before the crisis,
Timorese children were already the most
undernourished in the Asia-Pacific region
– around 50 per cent of children below
years old are underweight and 14 per cent
are severely underweight.
In response, the Health Ministry,
UNICEF and other NGOs began a
nutritional screening in late June to
identify malnourished children.
In one day at Don Bosco, the
assessment team saw 300 children. They
used a simple strip to measure the mid-
upper arm circumference of the children.
Those who appeared to be malnourished
had their weight and height taken for
confirmation. If their weight for height
was low, they were referred to doctors from
the Health Ministry for further checks.
Two-year-old Lukas Sarmento was
given therapeutic milk to increase his
weight.
“A doctor told me Lukas had very low
chances of survival when he was born but
we’ve never given up hope on him,” said his
father Carlos Sarmento. Although clearly
underweight, Lukas was bright and cheerful,
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay
january 2007
Health
playing peek-a-boo with the reporter while
his father was being interviewed.
While nutritional screenings such as
this can save lives, follow-up treatment in
crisis situations are a challenge.
“There is an urgency to identify the
severe cases quickly, yet at the same time
we are faced with the dilemma of whether
we can assure them the quality treatment,”
said Jennifer Barak, UNICEF Project
Officer for Child Survival and Maternal
Health Care.
Severely malnourished children should
be isolated so that they will not be exposed
to infections while being treated.
But at the height of the crisis, the
Ministry’s nutrition officer, Dirce Maria
Soares, was doubtful that this could be
organised. The National Hospital was
functioning with only 60 per cent of its
staff while the grounds of the Hospital had
been turned into an IDP camp.
“We have asked our colleagues at the
hospital to prepare for this but they are
now coping with limited staff, limited
equipment and overcrowding,” said
Soares.
In June and July, almost 3,300 chil-
dren in 52 camps in and around
Dili were screened and 121 moder-
ately malnourished and 7 severely
malnourished children were iden-
tified. After the screening, UNI-
CEF distributed corn-soya blend
(CSB) and oil and sugar rations to
Nevia’s mother and to the parents
of other malnourished children.
Nevia’s condition had improved
when UNICEF staff saw her dur-
ing their first follow-up visit. In
August, UNICEF and staff from
community health centres began
another round of follow-up treat-
ments, including monitoring chil-
dren’s growth and development,
assessing their diet and educating
parents about nutrition.
<
Little Nevia is underweight and suffering from acute
diarrhoea.
35
NOT A
Health
PIPEDREAM
UNICEF and partners step in to bring 80,000
people access to safe water and sanitation.
A
fter the civil unrest in late May in
Dili, it was not uncommon to spot
trucks with bright blue UNICEF
banners on the road. They were the
garbage and septic waste collection trucks
serving most of the camps for displaced
people in the capital.
UNICEF had stepped in when the
political meltdown brought the city’s water
and sanitation services to a halt. Rubbish
piled up in camps and septic tanks were
filling up fast; the mess threatening to
spill out in the overcrowded camps could
have severe consequences like an epidemic
outbreak. Nearly 80,000 people were
living in 60 camps, with at least 17%
below 5 years old - the most vulnerable to
diseases and infections.
With the help of the United Nations
Central Emergency Response Funds,
UNICEF was able to quickly engage
private contractors to address the mounting
water and sanitation problem. Initially,
the local workers were also fearful to
venture out but they were more confident
after donning UNICEF caps and shirts,
and flying the banners which gave them a
sense of security.
As a result, UNICEF began handling
solid waste and sewerage management
36
in most of the camps
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Pokhrel
in Dili, giving at least
50,000 people a clean
environment. But there
was always more work
to be done. UNICEF
Water, Sanitation and
Hygiene Project Officer
Bishnu Pokhrel and his
team had little time to
rest as the camps were
filling up to busting
capacity in the city
Semi-permanent ‘pour and flush’ toilets and bathrooms at the
by June. UNICEF airport camp where some 5000 displaced people live.
also had to look into
the mounting pressures on water and kits consisting of soap, pails, and collapsible
sanitation in the districts like Lautem and jerry cans. In addition, UNICEF provided
Baucau, where thousands of displaced Dili support to 16 camps in Dili to repair and
residents had fled to. maintain their water supply while NGO
Everyday was a race against time to partners like Oxfam were trucking water
install more latrines, to clean out septic to the camps.
waste and rubbish, and to assist in “Safe water and a clean environment
providing safe water and adequate storage are essential conditions to prevent the
facility. By the first week in May, 24,000 outbreak of diseases and illnesses like
jerry cans were distributed and every diarrhoea, which could be fatal for young
person could store at least 3 litres of water children. So the Emergency Funds really
per day. allowed us to respond quickly to meet the
By the end of September, 6700 families needs and save lives, especially of children
(in camps and affected communities in the amongst the thousands gathered in
districts) received basic water and hygiene overcrowded conditions,” said Shui-Meng
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

Ng, UNICEF representative in Timor-
Leste.
The emergency funds were also used
to construct 500 latrines, giving nearly
14,800 people access to toilets.
“Initially, we dug 2 toilets when the
number of people kept increasing in the
camp. Finally, we could not handle the
situation and requested UNICEF to provide
us with another 2 toilets which have been
really useful,” said Sister Floriana from the
Canossiana Sisters Camp in Becora.
The bathrooms built by UNICEF relieved
the issue of privacy for women and girls.
Before they were available, it was common to
january 2007
see them taking their showers next to water
points fully clothed.
“If not, we would have to shower at
night somewhere further away,” said Rosa
Da Conceiçao Meschado who lived in a
camp next to the airport.
Without any indication of a political
resolution, the water and sanitation team
began to plan for the rainy season which
would start in November and end in
March. Health workers’ biggest worry
was that the rains would create a spike in
malaria and dengue cases due to clogged
up drains and flooded camps.
“Keeping the camps clean especially
A woman preparing a meal with clean water stored in
collapsible jerry cans provided by UNICEF.
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See
where people are living in open space
or tents is going to be a big challenge.
Therefore our focus in the coming
months would be to improve the drainage
systems and ensure proper environmental
sanitation,” said Pokhrel.
After so many months on the roads,
the UNICEF banners have become well-
worn and dusty but the commitment to
keep the camps clean remains. UNICEF
is also continuing its non-emergency
programmes to improve water, sanitation
and hygiene in the five districts as those
needs have increased due to the exodus of
people from Dili.
37
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Pokhrel

NO CHANCE FOR
The measles virus
thrives in overcrowded

MEASLES
conditions. Transmitted
through airborne
droplets, the disease can
spread quickly, to fatal
effect. But a country-wide
vaccination campaign in
By Tani Ruiz
Timor-Leste protected

S
ounds of crying babies filled the air,
children from the disease but on this particular occasion, the
for life and helped prevent sobs elicited smiles. Timorese parents
were happy to hold their screaming
an outbreak. children as health workers in Don
Bosco, one of Dili’s largest camps for displaced
people, expertly jabbed measles vaccines into
one little arm after another.
It was the start of a measles vaccination
campaign that the Ministry of Health

38 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

 Health

< A UNICEF - Health Ministry banner ‘Posto Imunizasaun’ where

the inoculation took place.

Ministry of Health workers preparing measles vaccine.

<
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Pokhrel

A girl receives a measles vaccine; comforted by her friends

UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Ruiz
who have also come for the life-saving jab. This is the first day
of a UNICEF-supported government campaign to inoculate an
estimated 30,000 children living in camps for displaced people
in the capital Dili.

conducted with support from UNICEF and A supplements (to boost children’s immune
other partners. On June 13, the first day of systems) and de-worming tablets were laid on
the drive, some 1,500 children were vaccinated tables, syringes were unwrapped and filled with
– including almost 600 at Don Bosco camp. vaccine, and safety boxes prepared.
The goal of the campaign was to ensure Parents appeared en masse when the drive
that all children aged 9 months to 14 years was announced over loudspeakers. After some
were immunized against the lethal disease. initial muddle, proper lines formed for the
“This one single action has a huge impact in measles registration.
protecting children from an infectious disease “We have 12 vaccinators at this camp. They
that is a big childhood killer, particularly will vaccinate 5,000 children in the coming days,”
when immune systems are compromised,” said the head of the maternal and child health unit
said UNICEF’s Representative in Timor-Leste, at the Ministry of Health, Natalia De Araujo.
Shui-Meng Ng, during a round at Don Bosco. Etelvina, the mother of seven-month-old
Joque, was one of the first to arrive. “I’m bringing
Parents appear en masse my baby here so that he doesn’t get the disease.
At mid-morning – after the supplies and I know that measles is dangerous and I’m very
cold-chain box used to keep vaccines fresh conscious about my child’s health,” she said.
arrived at Don Bosco – vaccinators from the Although a coordinated humanitarian effort
Ministry of Health quickly set up shop in the did its best to provide food, water and sanitation,
centre of the large, crowded camp. Vitamin and health services to Timorese displaced by the
crisis, conditions were still tough for many. But
having their children inoculated against measles
was one less worry for stressed parents, and a
lifetime health boost for children.
Enthusiasm among parents was also
evident at the other camps where the campaign
was being rolled out.
After campaign staff had visited
all camps in Dili, they moved to
schools, to try and catch children
who had missed out on the vaccine
in the first drive. The campaign then
moved out into the districts and
by September, 158,512 children
had been vaccinated, 76,898 given
Vitamin A supplementation and
106,229 de-wormed.

january 2007 39
GOT MILK? Plenty, according to Kirsty Sword-Gusmão.

T
he founder of the Breastfeeding Her actions did lead to some confusion on the ground
Association in Timor-Leste said if for aid workers. To most people, the name Kirsty Gusmão
women were given more attention was synonymous with her NGO Alola Foundation,
and emotional support, they would be the Breastfeeding Association and their views on
able to breastfeed even, in uncertain times. breastfeeding.
Ms Sword-Gusmão said that the Ms Sword-Gusmão said she gave the food
nutritional status of women must be distribution volunteers an hour’s talk about the
improved so they can feel healthy and benefits of breastfeeding before giving out the
confident enough to breastfeed. This milk. She also stressed that the milk must not be
means strong family support to ensure that given to babies below 6 months, but instead to
the mother is fed well and not neglected. mothers who should drink the milk.
But the reality, she admitted, is that even Indeed, in a country where women
during peaceful times, Timorese women have an average of 8 babies, often in quick
face great pressure to give up exclusive succession, they tend to be neglected
breastfeeding early, due to traditional beliefs. and malnourished. This leads to future
So it was no wonder that many fell prey generations of undernourished children,
to the view that their milk was inadequate who are particularly vulnerable.
during the crisis with the stresses of living Therefore, the way out of this
in overcrowded camps and coping with “terrible dilemma” according to Kirsty
the volatile security situation. Sword-Gusmão is to focus attention
The truth is breast milk alone is the on the nutritional status of
only food and drink a baby needs for the women. And then, she
first six months; breast milk gives babies said, we can talk about
immunity against viruses, bacteria and healthy babies.
diarrhea. Experts also say that stress does
not affect a woman’s ability to breastfeed.
Despite this, the woman’s own belief
(influenced by those around her) can be a
powerful psychological impediment.
When Ms Sword-Gusmão visited IDP
camps she was overwhelmed by requests
for milk powder for children.
“It was a terrible dilemma I was
presented with everywhere I went, top
of the list, milk, everywhere I went,” she
said. “Do I have the right to be preaching
‘you must breastfeed and therefore I
won’t listen to you’? The reality is you’re
not [breastfeeding] and therefore should I
deny your child the milk?”
The staunch believer of breastfeeding
finally made the tough call to distribute
milk powder for older children, in the
capacity as First Lady to the President of
Timor-Leste, Xanana Gusmão.
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Lay

“I was prepared to bear it if there were

negative consequences,” she said.

• Nearly half of all Timorese children under 5 are too short and underweight for their age.
• Bottle feeding leads to diarrhoea, which can be deadly for babies, if the water used for
making formula milk is unclean or the bottle not thoroughly sterilised.
40 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE
 Snapshots

Milking
the opportunities
W
hen the troubles in Dili reeled Friendly. “When we
out of control, many Timorese came in 2004, there
fled to the districts for their were many mothers
safety. Instead of sitting using bottles to feed
idle, some turned the situation to their formula to their
advantage. Take Maria Imaculada Guterres babies,” said Fernandes.
and Angelina Fernandes from the National “But after our repeated
Breastfeeding Association who fled to trainings, the staff are
Baucau district. They succeeded in getting now more skilled in
the Baucau Referral Hospital accredited counselling mothers
as a Baby-Friendly facility for promoting, and we don’t see any
protecting, and supporting mothers to bottles being used here Volunteers from the Mothers Support Group with maternity packs made by
breastfeed. The association had trained now.” Breastfeeding Alola Foundation, which are given to new mothers. The packs include items like
is a critical step to baby clothing, sanitary pads and a health poster. UNICEF works with the group
hospital staff in 2004 and 2005 on the
and Alola Foundation to promote mother and child health.
“Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.” eliminate malnutrition
While seeking refuge in Baucau, the two in children. Nearly half of Timorese Friendly Plaque on the Baucau Referral
conducted a refresher course and prepared children are malnourished and stunted Hospital making it the second hospital in
the hospital for UNICEF and WHO for their age. On 4th August 2006, Timor-Leste to actively promote exclusive
to verify if the hospital is indeed Baby- UNICEF and WHO conferred the Baby- breastfeeding.

Sharing Stories
She is barely 20 years old, but Francisca Fatima is already a
mother. Her baby was born premature, weighing less than one
kilogramme and had to be put in an incubator. Ms Fatima fed her
baby formula milk on the first day and then began breastfeeding.
But after three days, she could not produce enough milk because
she had not learnt how to express milk properly. With help from
hospital nurses, she learnt how to express milk. By that time,
the excess milk in her breasts led to engorged breasts and an
infection. Nurses advised her not to stop breast feeding however,
as the infection would not harm the baby and feeding would
also help Ms Fatima to recover faster. At that time, her baby
was too small to suckle all the milk he needed so she expressed
milk into a cup. Breast milk can be kept up to eight hours at
room temperature without going bad. Ms Fatima used a spoon
to feed the baby instead of a bottle because unclean baby bottles
can cause illnesses like diarhoea. Her husband also agrees that
nothing is better than mother’s milk and is supporting her to
breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of her baby’s life.
Gina dos Santos delivered her second child by caesarean-
section. She gave her baby boy only breast milk for the first
five months and he was never sick, but the 35-year-old still
felt that her milk was not sufficient. Her friends encouraged
her to eat and drink more, but the 35-year-old turned to
baby formula. When he started drinking formula milk, he
suffered from diarrhoea. Dos Santos brought him to hospital
and stopped giving him formula when she realised it was the
formula that made him fall ill for the first time. Now she
breastfeeds again and complements his diet with baby food.
She says she would now advise her friends to drink lots of
water and eat properly, so as to breastfeed well.
Cora Lopez’s twin babies arrived 3 weeks early and had to
be placed in incubators for two weeks. The 33-year-old only
fed her babies breast milk and although they were gaining
weight, she still felt that her milk was not enough. With
guidance from hospital staff, she learnt how to express milk
more effectively. When her milk dried up, she drank water
and with this tip, Ms Lopez found that she was able to breast
feed two babies without any trouble.

january 2007 41
FROM THE FIELD
Interview with Peter Ninnes
Education Project Officer
Peter Ninnes
Education - Project Officer
pninnes@unicef.org
What was the main impact of the crisis on school
children?
For students in Dili, it would have probably
stopped you from going to school for two
months. In the longer term, we’ll see a
spike in the number of students who have
to repeat and an increase in the drop-out
rate as a result of the crisis.
What about for the education sector as a whole?
Planning in general was put out of kilter.
It’s difficult to plan when everything is in
a state of flux, with children displaced all
over the country and teachers missing.
UNICEF is now working with the Education Ministry
on a Back to School campaign for the new school
year. Why did Timor need a campaign like this?
Many students missed out on schooling
during the crisis and many teachers were
not able to work. People are also still
concerned about security and hesitant
about returning to normal activities, like
sending their children to school. So we
are encouraging communities to work
together to support schools, students and
teachers in returning to the classroom.
Do schools have a role to play in reconciliation now?
Definitely. If people come out of a post-
conflict situation with psychological scars,
42
then it doesn’t matter how many clinics or
schools you build, people can still come
and burn them down. Teachers can take
a leading role in teaching and modelling
non-violent conflict resolution strategies,
and in teaching students how to discuss
issues and share different points of views.
What is the area of greatest need for education in Timor?
Primary school – providing six years of
basic education for students.
What do you see as one of the biggest ongoing
challenges for education in Timor?
Improving the quality of teaching. We’re
working with the Education Ministry in
this area by improving the curriculum and
giving teachers guidance in using it. The
new primary curriculum includes a much
wider range of teaching methods, such
as student-centered learning, than most
Timorese teachers have been exposed to.
How does teaching in a typical primary school today
differ from the sort of teaching that would have been
delivered five years ago in Timor?
In schools which are part of our 100
Friendly Schools project, you’ll see a big
difference. The lessons aren’t based so
much on writing on the blackboard, with
kids sitting there passively. You can see the
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Santos
students working in groups, the teacher
moving among them and there are a whole
variety of learning materials in use.
What’s the focus of recent UNICEF teacher-training
in Timor?
Participatory learning. Teachers who try
to incorporate some of what we’ve taught
them probably find the teaching more
enjoyable because they don’t have to spend
hours standing at the blackboard, and
students are more active.
And what’s the role of the parent-teacher
associations in Timorese schools?
Parents in the districts are a bit hamstrung
because of a lack of cash, so parent-teacher
associations aren’t about fundraising so
much as parents having a say in decision-
making and providing materials that kids
can use in schools – for example, cutting
shapes out of old rubber flip-flops to teach
students about geometry.
Where would you like to see education in Timor in
five years time?
I’d like to see the primary school
curriculum fully implemented, student-
centred learning firmly in place, active
parent-teacher associations and Timorese
students more confident and articulate.
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

MADE IN
TIMOR
T
his school year which started in September, teachers
and students finally got their hands on the new teaching
and learning materials - despite the civil unrest in
the country. It was a mammoth task to distribute 1.7
million pieces of curriculum materials across the
country before the rainy season arrived as roads are sometimes
washed away.
The curriculum was officially launched on 17th October in
Dili by the Prime Minister Dr Jose Ramos Horta. It was first
introduced to Grade 1 teachers nationwide last year. Led by the
Ministry of Education & Culture, the curriculum was developed
with the support of the Swedish International Development
Agency (SIDA), technical expertise from UNICEF, and inputs
from Timorese educators. The entire curriculum development
and implementation cost about US$2 million.
The curriculum is unique because it was developed based
on the country’s historical and cultural context, while taking into
january 2007
Education
At last, the first made-in-Timor
primary school curriculum materials
for Grade 1 have reached our shores
after 3 years in the making.
consideration worldwide best practices. The focus is on child-
centred teaching and learning; to complement this, primary school
teachers are being trained to engage children to learn actively.
The curriculum is bilingual in Portuguese and Tetum;
the teaching and learning materials are bright and colourful.
Some of the Tetum literacy readers were adapted from the East
Timor Studies of Mary MacKillop Institute while others were
developed by a team consisting of selected Timorese teachers,
principals, university lecturers, NGOs, Education Ministry
staff and UNICEF staff.
This year, UNICEF is also introducing the new Grade 2
curriculum by merging curriculum orientation with active
learning teaching methods. In Timor-Leste where nearly
50% of the people are illiterate, education is a key factor to
escape the cycle of poverty. UNICEF’s firm belief in the value
of education is now underscored by its new commitment to
develop lower secondary curriculum too.
18 containers of curriculum
materials for primary schools in
Timor-Leste arrived in the country
in mid-September. A container is
being moved from the seaport to the
airport in Dili where UNICEF has its
warehouse.
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Santos
43
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Santos

UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Santos

District Education staff from Baucau chip in to

<

move the heavy curriculum boxes to their district.

The Red Kits are filled with educational posters
and readers for both teachers and students.

A woman plays the babadok (local drum)

<
while a boy carries a baton with blue ribbons.
They acted in a short skit by NGO Knua Buka
Hatene to demonstrate active learning in the
new curriculum in which cultural education
is important.

44 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

 < A worker stacks the boxes onto a truck for distribution.
Every Grade 1 teacher gets 2 boxes of teaching and
learning materials which they are responsible for. The
Green Kit contains teaching syllabi and also story books or
literacy readers for students.

<
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See

Former Education Minister Armindo Maia

cuts the ribbon on a stack of curriculum
syllabuses for the six subjects in Grade 1.

Prime Minister Dr Jose Ramos Horta, with

Shui Meng Ng UNICEF Representative, and
Ilda da Conceição, Vice Minister for Education
and Culture, at the launch of the new
curriculum in Dili.

<
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See

UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See

january 2007 45
Child Protection
SPEAK NICELY TO ME
Are Timorese children subject to violent discipline in the school and the home?
A
necdotal evidence has suggested
that violence against children in
Timor might be a concern, but
no one knew the exact nature and
extent of the problem.
So in 2004, UNICEF, Plan
International and the Timorese ministries
of Education and Labour began a study
into disciplinary practices used on children
resulting in Speak nicely to me: A Study on
Practices and Attitudes about Discipline of
Children in Timor-Leste.
The study was launched earlier this
year, by Professor Sergio Paulo Pinheiro,
the independent expert appointed to lead
the UN’s global study on violence against
children.
It found that Timorese children
are subject to a range of disciplinary
46
behaviour, some of it positive and some of
it very harsh. For example, many children
said their teachers spoke nicely to them,
encouraged them to come to school and
praised them for their schoolwork.
But more than six out of every ten
children said that they had been beaten
with a stick by a teacher; and almost four
out of every ten children had been slapped
in the face by a teacher.
Similarly, almost six out of every ten
children had been beaten with a stick by
their parents, while the same number of
parents told researchers that they thought
this was acceptable. More than three out of
ten parents also though it was acceptable
to punish children by twisting their ears
and slapping their faces.
Interestingly, one quarter of the
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Asael
parents surveyed said they had also been
beaten until they were bruised when they
were young.
“During Portuguese time, when I
was at school the teachers beat children.
Sometimes they would kick children or
sometimes they would hit children ...
Some teachers would throw children out
the window at school,” said one primary
school teacher.
But the majority of parents who had
been punished violently when they were
children opposed strong forms of physical
punishment on children.
One of the most positive findings
to come from the study is the common
ground between parents and children
on the best way of disciplining children.
Children said it was very important for
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

adults to speak to them in a friendly way
and almost all parents agreed with this.
Similarly, children and adults agreed
that giving “moral education” is an
important way of teaching children to
behave well.
“We have to find a way not to be too
rigid [with children] but rigid enough to
guide them in the right direction, and they
should be treated as human beings but not
in a way to release them from any kind of
responsibility,” said one community leader
interviewed in Dili.
A group of children who spoke at the
launch of the report put forward a number
of recommendations to the Government,
teachers, families, young people and the
UN.
UNICEF child protection consultant,
Joanna Francis said the children also came
up with some innovative ideas about how
to get their recommendations out to the
public,including organising a children’s
march to the central government building
in Dili, the Palacio do Governo; and
holding discussions between teachers and
children on violence against children.
Their recommendations have now been
distributed to the Government, teachers,
parents and other children and youth.
This love will not vanish
“The crisis that is happening in our
beloved country is affecting every aspect
of our lives... We ask the Government to
resolve this problem... reconcile with each
other ... particularly in regard to the east-
west issue, because we children do not have
any concept of east or west. We only know
that we are one family and one people...
“We know that in this current crisis
a lot of young people have turned to
anarchy and violence... We ask young
people to be models for us and to guide
us... When you commit violence, you are
also digging our graves – you are creating
enemies for us too. So we urge you to stop
the violence. Meet, sit down and talk to
each other. Hold hands and embrace in
order to rebuild this lovely country... our
january 2007
Protecting
children in a time
of crisis
In response to the 2006 crisis,
UNICEF’s child protection team and
colleagues from other NGOs immediately
set about establishing children and family
support programmes in IDP camps,
says head of UNICEF’s child protection
project, Johanna Eriksson Takyo.
“Child protection focal points,
who are responsible for organising play
and recreational activities for children
were identified and trained in 55 camps
across Dili. We also developed leaflets on
potential risks in camps and distributed
them to parents in all camps.
“Through the difficulties of the
recent crisis, we’ve been able to develop
a good model for engaging volunteers in
community-based child protection. This
network has the potential to go beyond
the camps.
“We’re currently talking to child
protection focal points about how they
can continue to support children and
simple dream is for peace.
“In Timor-Leste, there are many
teachers who use violent forms of
punishment. They hit us with sticks and
yell at us and make us more confused
... We ask teachers to use non-violent
punishment ... You have nothing to lose
by speaking nicely to us.
“To all children, we ask you to listen
to your parents and use this time to study.
Childhood only comes once and if we
don’t take this opportunity now, we will
regret in the future.
“Children have dignity and need love.
We ask parents not to use violence against
children. In order to educate children, you
need to show love and care ... children
will then know in their hearts that they are
Child Protection
Johanna Eriksson Takyo
Child Protection - Project Officer
jeriksson@unicef.org
families once they have returned to their
communities. In the districts, we’ve also
talked to community leaders, families
and children about what can be done to
promote children’s protection and social
well-being outside Dili.
“We hope these initiatives will
enable us to maintain a greater focus
on community-based development for
children’s protection over the next couple
of years.
“Of course, prevention is always
better than a cure and the family is the
first line of defense for children. We need
to continue to support families and help
parents identify their own resources, so
that they can ensure their children’s overall
protection and well-being.”
loved, and they will believe in themselves.
“We ask the UN, NGOs and civil
society to sit together to find ways of
solving these problems once and for all.
“Finally, as the children of Timor-Leste,
we want to express our frustration. We are
fed up. We no longer want to be the victims
of violence. We want to enjoy our lives, just
like our friends in other countries do... We
declare that violence will only stop when
there is love – not just words of love – but
love that comes from the heart. This love
will not vanish... love that starts from each
family and goes out to the community, to
the nation and to the whole world.”
* Extract from a presentation by 15 Timorese
children at the launch of the report into
disciplinary practices, Dili, August, 2006
47
FROM THE FIELD

UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Santos
Interview with Siping Wang
Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation
Project Officer

Siping Wang
Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation - Project Officer
swang@unicef.org

What’s the most important contribution that good
PME can make to a programme or country office?
A good monitoring and evaluation system
can help us to understand what leads
to the problems faced by children and
women. Then, we’re able to set up specific,
measurable, attainable, realistic and
time-bounded (SMART) objectives for a
development plan. In this way we’ll know
where we are during the implementation
of the plan, and learn which interventions
work, which don’t work and why. The
results of monitoring and evaluation will
also give us tangible evidence or data to
advocate for women and children, and
raise funds to carry out the necessary
programmes.
What can statistics tell us about a country and about
the best way to tackle problems?
Monitoring indicators are important to
measure achievements made towards
goals within a development plan. A good
monitoring system will not only describe
a problem but will also point towards a
solution. We know that the high under-
1 infant mortality rate in Timor-Leste
means that every day, 11 children under
the age of 1 die. But if we also know,
for example, that the biggest killers are
malaria and respiratory infections, we can
then focus our interventions on malaria
and respiratory infection control.
How have numbers helped in responding to the
current crisis?
The Timor-LesteInfo database programme
(Timor’s version of DevInfo) puts statistics
into graphs and maps which can help users
visualise achievements and issues, and plan
accordingly.
The map below was produced by Timor-
LesteInfo. It tells us that responses to IDPs
should focus on Dili and Baucau districts,
followed by Liquica, Aileu, Viqueque and
Lautem districts.
What’s one nice piece of feedback you’ve received
from a donor since you’ve been with UNICEF Timor-
Leste?
The Japan Committee for UNICEF is an
important donor for UNICEF Timor-
Leste and we have used some of their
contributions in the areas of health, water
and sanitation, community education and
child protection. After our first progress
report, a staff member in charge of
fundraising for the Japan Committee for
UNICEF wrote: “Through the progress
report, I am firmly convinced that the
project [is being] successfully carried
out.” Two months later, we received more
contributions from the Committee.
How does Timor differ from your last duty station?
My last duty station was in UNICEF Zambia,
which is stable, but the main challenges are the
high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, taboos about
talking openly about HIV/AIDS, inadequate
resources to control the spread of HIV/AIDS,
and the impact on social and economic
development. HIV/AIDS is not the main
problem in Timor-Leste but the current civil
unrest is a major challenge to Timor-Leste and
the UN.
Map produced by Timor-LesteInfo indicating
displaced population in Timor-Leste.

48 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

 AFORLIFELINE
TIMOR POST
D
uring the height of the mayhem in
Dili, reporters with the Timor Post
were holed up in their office. They
were not filing stories, but fending
off looters. One of the country’s
major media outlets, the Timor Post
was forced to close shop for almost two
weeks from 26 May – a day after rampant
shootings brought things to a standstill in
the capital. Because of staff vigilance, the
premises escaped harm.
But the restoration of security in Dili by
international troops was not enough to get
the Post back on its feet. Instead, it was a
grant from UNICEF that helped to revive the
paper. The issue of 9 June was the Post’s first
in a fortnight and a cause for celebration.
“[The UNICEF aid] will give us a
reprieve for two months, to hopefully
recover if the situation normalizes,” says
Adérito Hugo da Costa, the newspaper’s
director and senior editor.
That could be a big ‘if’. Half of the
Timor Post’s 18-strong staff had left Dili.
And how could the paper get money from
subscribers and advertisers when thousands
had either decamped to shelters or to
different districts altogether? But da Costa
was determined to salvage the readership it
had taken him 6 years to build.
“We’re trying to deliver invoices house
to house, office to office,” he said.
january 2007
Before the crisis erupted, around 1,200
copies of the Timor Post were printed each
day. In June, the number plunged to 750.
At least some editions made their way
into the masses of camps for internally
displaced people.
“Our staff are trying to sell the paper
close to the camps so people there can access
news and read about what is happening,”
da Costa said. “One of the things we’re
focusing on is the impact of this crisis on
women and children, people in the camps,
and how they are dealing with limited
sanitation, food and other things.”
The re-launch issue had a front-page
article on how schools in Dili were empty,
and how many of them had been looted.
The following day’s edition had a report on
the situation of displaced people in Baucau
district, which is about 3 hours by road to
the east of Dili. Baucau, in particular, had
seen an influx of people from the capital.
The Timor Post and UNICEF have
been working together since 2002, two
years after the paper’s founding by da Costa.
The Post’s journalists have been actively
involved in promoting ethical reporting
and child rights issues through articles and
workshops supported by UNICEF.
The two support Journal Labarik
(Children’s Newspaper in Tetum) which
is a monthly paper devoted to coverage
of children and women. The Timor Post
has also trained Labarik’s journalists, while
UNICEF has provided financial and
technical support.
“From 2002, we were financially
independent,” said da Costa. “We hope to
stay that way.”
Local journalists were not spared
the violence during the months of
civil unrest. Reporters of the public
television and radio broadcaster
RTTL were attacked after a TV
story on the former Prime Minister
Mari Alkatiri went to air. The office
of the daily newspaper Suara Timor
Lorosae (Voice of East Timor) was also
broken into and staff assaulted.
UNICEF has extended financial
support to both the Post and Suara to
tide them over tough times, with the
condition that both agencies strive for
fair and balanced reporting. UNICEF
has been working with local NGO,
the Timor-Leste Media Development
Centre, to conduct daily media
monitoring on local news since 2005.
With the 2007 elections looming,
raising the bar on journalism will be
critical to ensure that Timorese make
well-informed choices.
49
 about Timor,
Snapshots

10 facts
the world’s newest nation...
1 Timor officially became a state on May 20, 2002, making it the world’s
newest nation...

2 Timor is also a very young country – more than 40 per cent of the country
are under 14 years of age, according to the 2004 census

3
The word Timor comes from the Malay word timur, meaning east...

4
Tetum and Portuguese are the two official languages and Timor has an additional
15 national languages ... Bekais, Bunak, Dawan, Fataluku, Galoli, Habun, Idalaka,
Kawaimina, Kemak, Lovaia, Makalero, Makasai, Mambai, Tokodede, Wetarese...

5 At 2963 metres, Mount Ramelau (or Tata-Mailau which means grandfather) is the
highest point in the country, and is the home of some of the ancestors of the Timorese

6
Chinese merchants first came to Timor for its vast sandalwood forests. As early as 1436,
one Chinese record notes that Timor’s mountains were covered in sandalwood. But
exploitation by Indonesian companies decimated the forests and sandalwood is now
protected by law in Timor ...

7
Timor’s organic coffee crop is the biggest single export earner – in 2005 coffee
accounted for more than 90 per cent of total exports. But up to 20 per cent of
this year’s coffee crop may have been lost this year, because of the crisis ...

8 At only $400, East Timor has the lowest per

capita GDP in the world...

9 90 per cent of Timorese are Catholic

though animist lulik practices are widely
practised...

10
One of the fathers of the theory of
evolution, Alfred Russell Wallace, spent
four months in Dili in 1861 and he said
of the Timorese: “The people retain their
independence in a great measure...”

50 TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE

 Snapshots

ART in all of us Laughter,

Courtesy of Timor-Leste Media Development Center

Photographers Anthony Asael and Stephanie Rabemiafara dropped

into Dili during an uncertain time in August. The pair were on a the best medicine
round-the-world journey to collect drawings, poetry and photos Filomena Babo lost all her
of children from all 191 UN-listed countries, to create the “Art in possessions to fire in June but
All of Us World Art Book” (www.artinallofus.org). When the 2 instead of wallowing in self-pity,
photographers arrived at the Comoro Has Laran IDP camp, they the plucky Timorese took on an
introduced their book project using a world map. They also showed assignment with UNICEF to train

Breaking
photographs of children taken from around the world. But what adults in camps to interact with
delighted the children most was when the photographers taught children. By October, she and her
them how to use a simple digital camera and all 50 children had colleagues had trained 200 adults

the ice
Spotted – laughing children,
adults and even Australian
soldiers sucking on lollipops at
a movie screening. UNICEF
and NGO Timor- Leste
Media Development Center
(TLMDC) began screening
cartoons in Internally Displaced
People (IDP) camps from July
to bring simple entertainment
to thousands of children. It
not only attracted the tiny tots,
but also their curious parents
and the international forces
a chance to snap a picture each. The thrill of using a camera was
palpable; so too the joy of posing for one another. A day before,
in preparation for this, UNICEF staff and 2 volunteers from the
São Jose College had conducted a drawing and poetry session with
(child protection focal points) to
use drama, story-telling, puppets,
songs and dance to inject fun and
laughter into camps. But first, the
the children. They drew national icons like the Timorese flag, the adults had to shed their shyness
crocodile, and the traditional house. Pictures depicting the crisis and be willing to be silly and to
appeared as well – camps, trucks laden with belongings, and a play. When they saw how Babo
bleeding map of Timor-Leste. The children’s poems called for an lost herself in story-telling, they
end to fighting and for all to unite for Timor-Leste. were half embarrassed, bewildered
and wondered if they could do
the same. Babo also shared key
messages so the focal points could
return to their communities and
involve parents and caregivers in
creating a protective environment
for children. They were also given
an orientation on child rights and
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/Asael

on guard. Like a scene from a the importance of creating child-

drive-in movie, the movie goers friendly spaces where children can
brought benches, chairs or sat meet and play especially during
on the ground to enjoy heart stressful times like emergencies.
warming cartoons like The Ice

Age. The cartoon drew peals
of laughter from the children
who were delighted by the
antics of a talkative sloth, a
grouchy woolly mammoth,
and a sabertooth tiger, as they
tried to return a lost human
baby to his tribe. One woman
remarked to UNICEF staff: “If
animals could have such love
to help another, why can’t we
[Timorese] do this?” referring
to the senseless violence that
overtook the capital Dili in
May and June. Before the
film show began, TLMDC
facilitators warmed up the little
tots with some games, and took
the opportunity to spread some
health and hygiene messages.
january 2007
Lending a Hand
Japan Ambassador to Timor-
Leste, Kenji Shimizu and his
wife, Sonoko Shimizu visited the
IDP camp at Police Academy,
Comoro in mid-August. They
talked to camp residents to get
a picture of life in the camps,
and to see how Japan’s support
has helped UNICEF in its hu-
manitarian response. So far, the
US$1.5million grant has been
used in water and sanitation,
health and nutrition, child and
adolescent protection, and edu-
cation sectors. Family hygiene
kits (pails, water scoop, detergent,
and soap) were given out during
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See
the visit, as were wa-
ter containers made
locally from rubber
tyres. Some chil-
dren were tickled
when Mrs Shimizu
put on a yellow
Mrs Sonoko Shimizu, wife of Japanese Ambassador to Timor-Leste,
duck hand-puppet plays with a Timorese boy using hand puppets.
and began playing
with a boy who had on a grey supporters of its programmes
mouse hand-puppet. These pup- in Timor-Leste. Besides Japan,
pets and wooden building blocks Singapore and Canada pitched
were also distributed during the in too, while UNICEF National
visit. UNICEF’s flash appeal in Committees from Portugal, Aus-
June was answered quickly and tralia, Sweden, Hong Kong and
generously by several countries New Zealand pumped in about
– some of whom have been loyal US$1.9million.
51
Opinion
A wake up call for us?
By Madhavi Ashok
S
ome of us may never ever experience the pain that I
saw around me – my Timorese colleagues and friends
confused, angry, sad and uncertain about how to face the
future. Once again this country had come under siege and
women and children were paying a heavy price.
With 24 years of Indonesian occupation and 450 years of
Portuguese colonialism behind them, the Timorese tried to
fast track their development through the last four years of
independence, with support from the UN, development partners
and other international agencies.
But when the country was rocked by
demonstrations in April and subsequent
riots, burning and deaths, it was obvious
“...what we did not
that the Timorese had not only retreated realize was that the
to IDP camps and to the districts, but Timorese needed
had also retreated into their memories of more time to adapt to
1999 and difficult times prior to that.
In our last issue in 2005, we wrote that
the rapid changes...”
there was a silent emergency happening in
Timor-Leste. In a region with large countries plagued by natural
disasters, Timor-Leste received scant attention until the problems
that began in April 2006.
In our last issue we also acknowledged that a silent and positive
revolution was happening within the country: through better
investment in the social sector and increasing access to education
and healthcare facilities. But what we did not realize was that the
Timorese needed more time to adapt to the rapid changes within
the political, social and cultural fabric of the country.
Along with other critical pillars of the nation, the local media
also crashed in May. In the days following May 23, as structures
and systems started failing and more and more people fled,
the media too was badly affected. The national TV and radio
broadcaster ran on the strength of a handful of individuals;
community radio stations were off-air due to lack of fuel and
volunteer support; and print media closed down due to threats.
On 1 June at a peace rally held by children, I was approached
by the editor of the Timor Post with a plea to help them
restart their newspaper, which had been forced to close during
the crisis. While foreign journalists had arrived in Timor at
considerable expense and were busy hiring local journalists to
52
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2006/See
translate for them, I spotted a few lonely Timorese journalists
covering the peace rally and interviewing children and women
gathered opposite the Government Palace (the main government
building). This included the Timor Post journalist. I wondered
when the article was going to be published, if Timor Post had
been shut down!
While the international media used state-of-the-art
equipment to beam the looting and the violence across the world,
their national counterparts struggled to stay afloat. It was obvious
that their articles and the voices of women and children remained
unheard and unpublished - drowned
out by the din of sensational coverage,
demonstrations and violence.
The new UN mission has a clear
UNICEF Timor-Leste/2005/Caminha
mandate for information decentralisation.
This is not new. Successive UN and NGO
field assessments come back from districts
and repeatedly mentioned the lack of
media outside Dili. But this appraisal needs
to be accompanied by soul searching by the UN and agencies
such as ours. We have to acknowledge that we dragged our feet
over whether or not to support community radio stations, when
millions of dollars went into arming the police force and setting
up judicial systems which failed in the crisis.
Together with the local media, we now have a second chance
to work out new ways of helping media outlets survive and
become professional and sustainable. The revival of the national
media and its ability to provide fair and balanced reporting is
vital in the run up to the 2007 elections. Timor’s own media
outlets have not always provided balanced views and credibly-
sourced information; they must also acknowledge that they have
a big responsibility to provide information which will help people
make informed choices.
Will the new UN mission, donors, development partners and
the Timorese media fulfill this mandate this time? Time is of the
essence! Are we ready to respond to this call now?
The writer served as Communication Officer in UNICEF Timor-Leste office
from January 2003 to September 2006.
TIMOR-LESTE NOW AND THE FUTURE
United Nations Children’s Fund
Timor-Leste
UN House
P.O. Box 212
Rua de Caicoli
Dili, Timor-Leste

T: +670 3313309
F: +670 3313322

www.unicef.org