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9 October 2002 The East Timor Red Cross Society (CVTL) has played an important role in helping the world's newest state recover from the bloodshed of three years ago. UN recognition for its disaster reduction efforts has given the fledgling Society the encouragement to continue its valuable work. The CVTL has not yet been admitted as a full member of the International Federation, although the Federation has been helping to set this new National Society on the right path. Now its work with the Timorese population has been rewarded. The CVTL has received a Certificate of Merit from the UN International Strategy for Disaster reduction (ISDR) at its annual Sasakawa awards. "For us, it's a recognition by the UN of our activities and those of the International Federation and ICRC," Francisco Ximenes, secretary general of the CVTL said before receiving the accolade at UN headquarters. The East Timor Red Cross was praised by the ISDR for its "valuable initiatives in the domain of health and awareness-raising" and the "assistance provided to victims of disasters to empower them and protect them against future disasters, despite a complex political environment". East Timor is still remembered for the violence that followed the territory's vote for independence in 1999. Hundreds of people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands more were displaced when anti-independence militias launched their campaign of violence. The violence has ended and independence has been achieved, but much work still needs to be done in what is one of the poorest countries in the region. The CVTL, through its grassroots activities, is well placed to help strengthen the fabric of East Timorese society. Since the initial emergency phase passed, attention has been focused on reconstruction, training and capacity building in order to support the long-term development of East Timor. Ximenes points out that the CVTL's 70 to 80 Red Cross volunteers come mainly from youth groups. They do invaluable work at grassroots level, coordinating especially with remote communities, where there is often little or no government assistance. For the CVTL, passing on first aid skills is a priority. "First aid assistance is a fundamental part of disaster reduction, because it's about saving lives," Ximenes says. As part of this, the CVTL is currently engaged in training the army and police force in first aid. Such skills are crucial, given the likelihood of natural disasters striking East Timor. "Each year, cyclones hit the south and west of the country, and often they can destroy up to 1,000 houses. Landslides and floods are common in the south and east - and they can destroy rice fields and homes. The north is often affected by drought," Ximenes says. To mitigate the impact of such events, the Red Cross has embarked on a tree-planting programme and pre-positioned relief supplies. To reduce the spread of disease, Red Cross volunteers also regularly clean the island's beaches. Ximenes says that when the CVTL was created in June 2000, it "still had a provincial structure". First the ICRC, then the International Federation, have sent representatives to Dili to help it put in place the infrastructure of a National Society. The East Timor Red Cross has a permanent salaried staff of 46. Twenty-seven of these were transferred across from an ICRC water and sanitation project, now one of the central planks of the CVTL's programming. The project, which is supported by the Australian Red Cross, aims to take advantage of the abundant rainfall and natural springs to bring clean water supplies to rural areas. During the violence in 1999, 70 per cent of the water and sanitation services were destroyed. Before that, less than half of the population of East Timor had access to safe water, according to the UN, and most of the water systems were concentrated in urban areas. Related Links: East Timor field operations and appeals 22 May 2002 - East Timor Red Cross celebrates independence on the job |
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