13.03.08 : Briefing UNHCR

13.03.08 : Briefing UNHCR

According to the UNHCR, there are around 150.000 Internally Deplaced Persons (IDP) in Timor Leste.

Presentation by Mr. A. Poujai, Senior Desk Officer in Bureau Asia and Pacific of the UNHCR:

When Timor Leste was created no sign of possible crisis was perceived, but it appeared in april-may 2006. After independence, UNHCR was very active in Timor.

The classical scenario is that people flee far from their home, but in Timor it did not happen: people did not go far. It is quite complicate to understand why, but one reason cannot be ignored: they did not want to leave their new State. In consequence, 150.000 IDPs are installed inside Dili.

The first emergency is shelter, but those persons also need food and protection.
There was no law enforcement are security was not assured until international troups (from Malaysia, Australia, New-Zeland...) arrived around a month after the beginning of the crisis.

At the beginning UNHCR hoped that once security would be assured people would have go back to their home, but security was not totally assured even after the arrival of the international forces. People stayed and UNHCR was obliged to organize camps. Many houses were destroyed or occuped by other persons and people are also afraid to leave the camps.

Actually, there are still 100.000 IDPs in Timor and almost all are in Dili.
Timor signed the 1951 Convention on the status of refugees.

Mr. Dick added that other issued are important as food, gangs which are present in the camps, unemployment (60% of the population is under 18, there are no job opportunities so there is an important risk of an increasing number of gangs’ members).
Mr. Poujai added that job opportunities in the rural areas could be a way to make people leave the camps.

Mr. Dick asked about the risk of an impact of the reduced presence of UNHCR. According to Mr. Poujai this risk is not very important. There is no negative impact concerning material assistance.
Dorothee asked about what you can do to reduce gangs. According to Mr. Poujai, a political decision, or a distribution of lands. Two of the main problems are legal rights and property rights.
Suzanne asked about the education situation in the camps. Mr. Poujai replied that IDP are not coming from far, they can go to their school, but some are afraid and do not want to leave the camps.

Mr. Dick thanked Mr. Poujai for his presentation and for the help UNHCR provided and still provide to Timorese. Mr. Poujai thanked the members of the Permanente Mission for coming.


2 videos on Timorese IDPs are available on the UNHCR web site:
http://www.unhcr.fr/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/template?page=home&src=static/webvideos.htm

Suzanne Roset