Timorese meet to plan development policies

Timorese meet to plan development policies

By Vannessa Hearman

MELBOURNE — About 100 people representing East Timorese communities, non-government organisations and international aid agencies met from April 5 to 9 to discuss policies to be put in place in an independent East Timor.

"Strategic Development Planning for East Timor" was sponsored by the National Council for Timorese Resistance (CNRT) and brought together Timorese from East Timor and exile communities such as Australia, Mozambique and Portugal.

Workshops dealing with public administration, the law, health, agriculture and education produced policy statements which were presented in the closing session. Task forces were formed to develop the blueprints produced by the conference.

News of the massacre in Liquica and Xanana's call for the Timorese to defend themselves reached conference participants in the middle of their deliberations. In response, they issued a statement urging the United Nations to "intensify efforts to resume dialogue" between Indonesia and Portugal, with the aim of disarming the paramilitaries and bringing about a "drastic reduction in Indonesian troops".

The statement emphasised the participants' commitment to continue drafting policies for a future without Indonesia.

From GLW issue 357