CRISIS IN EAST TIMOR

By Kirsty Sword-Gusmao

First Lady, Timor-Leste

Thank you so much for the many messages of love and concern that Rotarians have sent to us during the recent troubles in Dili. I know that the staff of the Alola Foundation have been truly heartened to know that they have so many friends who are concerned for them and the plight of East Timor, as our fledgling democracy finds its way. Many of you are also asking how you can help the women and children of East Timor who are again suffering the traumas of violence and displacement.

I am writing to you today to give you an outline of the role the Alola Foundation intends to play in what will be a monumental relief and relocation effort and how you can help.

Alola Foundation has been closed for several days and our project work has been temporarily suspended. Staff members have been active in assisting with the relief effort where they are able and we are providing maternity packs for distribution to women who have delivered in the camps for displaced people.

We will continue to coordinate with other agencies and provide support based on our maternal and child health and child rights focus.

I am relieved to be able to tell you our Dili office is still intact, as is our maternity packs sewing room in Taibesi. Our staff members are all safe, but several have lost relatives, friends or their home in the gang violence.

In terms of assistance, funds are the most flexible form of aid and provide us with more flexibility and capacity to respond to the needs of the people. I know some of you would like to send us material aid such as clothes and household goods to assist families who have lost everything. Unfortunately, the usual difficulties of receiving material aid from other countries are magnified by the current disruption.

We have displaced people who need the following items:

• BASIC COOKING UTENSILS INCLUDING POTS, PANS, WOKS

• PLATES, CUPS, CUTLERY

• BASIC CLOTHING

• BEDDING INCLUDING SHEETS, LIGHT BLANKETS, SLEEPING MATS

Our Staff

Many of our staff have been displaced during the crisis and some have also had their houses destroyed. All of our staff will have been emotionally as well as physically affected by what has happened. We need to first make sure that our staff are looked after if we are to expect them to lead, manage and implement the Alola Foundation rebuilding and development program.

A Voice for Women

You may have seen news reports of a women’s march. The Alola Foundation has been an active organizer of this event and we will remain active in achieving a voice for women in East Timor. We have talked with different NGOs and women leaders and this will be a major area of focus for Alola Foundation’s advocacy program once the current crisis is over. We will be part of follow up consultations to ensure that women’s demands for peace and their special needs and priorities are heard as the political future of the country is decided upon and humanitarian responses are formulated.

Support for Program Participants

The physical impact of this current crisis has mainly been felt in Dili, however, it is having an emotional impact throughout Timor. Our plan is to work through our existing groups and through our staff, assess the needs of our groups and their members and, within our resources, respond to their needs.

We will assist members with linking up to support services being provided by NGOs and the government, and reassess our current programs to see if there is a need to adjust or modify them in response to our participants’ immediate needs. Our participants include members of the mothers’ breastfeeding groups, women employed to make the maternity packs, our weaving groups, friendship schools and scholarship holders.

Thank you for your continuing concern and support.

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