East Timorese women reflect on 1999

By Vannessa Hearman

DILI -- Activities to mark International Women's Day on March 8 here included performance art and a public forum on the place of women in the rebuilding process in East Timor. Held in a large indoor stadium, the events were organised by Fokupers, a local women's rights organisation.

The situation of women under Indonesian occupation was re-enacted, showing them being chased, raped, arrested and tortured, and children being orphaned. Many in the crowd cried at seeing these scenes.

The coordinator of the Alliance of Socialist Women, Domingas da Silva, said the scenes were reminiscent of the experiences of many Timorese women last September, as they fled militia violence. The performance ended on a powerful note, with the women winning independence.

Speakers at the forum included Jose Ramos Horta from the National Council of Timorese Resistance, Fokupers coordinator Maria Fernandes, United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor representatives Sidney Jones and Sharon Scharf, Lucia Lobato from the Judicial Commission and UNTAET administrator Sergio de Mello.

De Mello pointed out that women did not take part in the looting, raping and burning that happened in East Timor last year, but they are now living a very difficult life as a result of those attacks.

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