Church Mediates To Help Refugees

July 30, 2008 TL05440.1508

DILI (UCAN) -- Martinho Gusmao's former neighbors do not want him back and refuse to allow him to rebuild his home, razed to the ground by rioters two years ago, he says.

So Gusmao and his family remain in a refugee camp near the Dili airport. "I am very sad, disappointed and suffer a lot because this kind of situation has forced me to live in tents for more than two years. I miss my home but how can we go home? Our neighbors do not accept us," he told UCA News on July 25.

Such animosity has its roots in the communal violence that erupted in Timor Leste in mid-2006, following the dismissal of more than one-third of the country's army. The dismissed soldiers, from the western part of the country, alleged discrimination. Tensions sparked by the dismissal degenerated into clashes between groups claiming to represent "easterners" and "westerners."

Groups armed with machetes, swords, knives and sticks fought on the streets, and at least 20 people died. Meanwhile, around 100,000 people, mostly in the Dili area, fled their homes to take refuge with relatives or in makeshift refugee camps, many of these set up at Catholic churches and centers.

Fear of youth violence haunts many of the people, mostly easterners, still living in the remaining camps. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor and Solidarity puts their number at 64,367, in 44 camps. These people say they worry that violence awaits them should they return home, if their house was not burned in the rioting. Many say westerners have occupied their homes. Read More...