David Dare Parker

EAST TIMOR - Cry Havoc (6/6/2k6)

During the past decade I have covered the Indonesian Archipelago’s extremes of poverty and wealth, corruption and tensions. The ethnic and cultural diversity of its people and historic events, such as the fall of the Suharto regime after 32 years in power and the re-birth of a nation with East Timor bravely voting for its independence in 1999. Seven years later I found myself back in Dili – hundreds of rebel soldiers holed up in the hills, the police force had collapsed and more than 100,000 internally displace persons (IDP’s) were fleeing their homes in Dili seeking refuge in camps. The absence of law and order allowed thousands of youths to rampage through the streets.

East Timor is the poorest country in Asia and getting poorer – out of every thousand children born, 80 won’t see their first birthday.

DAVID DARE PARKER