17 January 2009

Internally Displaced Persons East Timor 2008

Internally Displaced Persons - In 2008, considerable progress was made to solving the problems of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) whohad been living in camps since the crisis of April/May 2006.

In 2008, 54 IDP camps were closed, including 7 camps in Baucau. It is expected that 9 more IDP camps will be closed in January-February 2009.

55,000 people out of 65,000 registered with the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) were relocated after family members received the government recovery package.

MSS/UNDP dialogue teams provided much assistance to families leaving the camps. Five such teams were established in Dili (for five sub-districts – Dom Aleixo, Metinaro, Vera Cruz, Nain Feto, Cristo Rei), one Ministerial team, one team for Ermera and one for Baucau. The Dili dialogue teams have covered Dili. The Baucau team covered Baucau, Viqueque and Lospalos. The Ermera team mostly covered Ermera, but also supported dialogues in Suai and Maliana where required.

UNDP launched a US$3.5 million project to assist in further strengthening the efforts by the Ministry of Social Solidarity to address the needs of the IDPs and the receiving communities. It will be important for both the Government and the UN to continue to monitor the situation in the receiving communities to see that any problems that may arise as a result of the relocation will be addressed in an appropriate manner.

Source: http://unmit.unmissions.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=DaJrQ62buZo%3d&tabid=221&mid=637

Image - A child in an IDP camp in Dili, 2008, gets a drink of water.
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1999 East Timor Crimes Against Humanity

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