EU development chief visits Plan-assisted camp

European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, recently visited a Plan-supported internally displaced persons' (IDP) camp in Dili, the capital of East Timor.

Photo: IOM

Metinaro camp is the largest in the country with a population of approximately 9,000 IDPs at the height of the crisis.

Plan was one of the first NGOs to begin relief operations in the camp in 2006 and has been working there ever since with the support of grants from the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department.

East Timor resurged into political crisis in April 2006, with the population divided by factors such as perceived regional east/west identities.

Dili especially saw IDP camps emerge as people sought to avoid threats, intimidation and house burnings in their communities. However, almost two years on, the process for reintegrating IDPs has started and camps are gradually being phased out.

Michel's visit included the opportunity to talk with IDPs about the humanitarian situation and the challenges they face, as well as their views on the reintegration process.

One of the main concerns they highlighted was the need to have their security assured by the Government. The Commissioner empathised and pledged the European Commission's support to assist the Government.

Despite heavy rain, Michel walked around the camp and visited water-related infrastructural support provided by Plan, including water tanks and wells. Plan trucks in 45,000 litres of drinking water to the camp on a daily basis.

Tim Budge, Country Director, told the Commissioner: "Although this has been a difficult location because of flooding, poor access and a lack of local water, the needs of up to 9,000 people here have been our first priority.

"Given the government's return programme, we are now working with other partners towards the de-commissioning of this camp in early 2009."

The Commissioner was pleased to hear of the positive impact of Plan's activities in the camp from IDPs themselves.

The camp's manager, Angelo Pereira, told him, "Water provided by Plan has been really important for us, our health and that of our families. The water that is trucked in every day has been vital for tiding us over in the dry season. We hope it will continue until we are all ready to move out of the camp and back to our homes".

Plan's other EC-funded interventions in the camp include addressing hygiene and sanitation issues, responding to child protection cases, setting up child-friendly spaces and training youths in conflict resolution skills to aid the nation's peace building process.

Non-EC-funded Plan projects include mobile library services for children and a women's livelihood project in partnership with local NGO, the Alola Foundation.