Background to this web page: In 1999 I backed out at the last minute from becoming an election monitor for the East Timor referendum. I am very thankful I followed my instincts. I am also thankful that I had the opportunity to finally visit Timor for 3 months from June to September in 2003 as a researcher and trainer for Oxfam CAA. Below are photos I had taken and excerpts from my research on livelihoods in Oecussi.

OECUSSI

the East Timor enclave

Oecussi is an enclave of Timor Leste located some 70 kilometers inside Indonesian West Timor. Its population of 48,000 occupy an area of 815 square kilometers. As a remote region of subsistence farmers, Oecussi is the poorest region of East Timor, and thus, one of the poorest regions in the world. High fertility rates have long been understood as indicators of poverty, lack of education, and poor gender equality. Timor Leste (and specifically Oecussi) has the highest fertility rate in the world at 7.6. It also has the lowest median population age in the world at 13.9 which at ground level means that 75% of the population are under 25 years old!

Following the referendum of 1999, Oecussi was literally destroyed by roving bands of militia. Once the smoke settled and people were able to return to what was left of their homes and possessions, they were hit by new realities: Oecussi is now sealed off from all the traditional markets, connections, and resources its people had depended on for centuries. Despite strong family and linguistic ties throughout West Timor, for the first time in their history they are now separated beyond a well-guarded international border. They lack the capacity to manage themselves and support development, and they are isolated from the center of Timorese government in a physical sense as well as economically, politically, socially and even linguistically. With the repatriation of thousands of Indonesian merchants and civil servants consumers back beyond its borders, the local cash economy is virtually ruined. Since there is absolutely no local industry, such basic necessities as soap, cooking oil, fuel, plates, glasses, clothing, and even plastic buckets for collecting water need to be donated or imported from Indonesia – legally or illegally.

There is no business sector, a predominantly unschooled population, few decent roads, poor transport availability (thus people walk to market carrying goods on their backs or heads), and no guaranteed buying public (thus people walk back home carrying their goods). One cannot sell excess vegetables or fattened cows to fellow farmers, who are all trying to sell the same basic resources. Whereas selling livestock had been the standard means of acquiring money in the past, prices for livestock have dropped drastically with the disappearance of buyers. Still aching from the loss of both thousands of Indonesian civil servants as guaranteed consumers and access to cheap basic goods in Indonesian markets, the people of Oecussi face their sudden isolation by mainly turning inward. They barter what they cannot sell and look toward adat as a guide for repairing the damage done to their land during Indonesian times and for appeasing the spirits of their ancestors.   

Basic issues affecting development of livelihoods in Oecussi:
• Roads are in poor repair (there is no road maintenance in Oe-Cussi), and many villages are only accessible via unpaved roads and rocky tracks (‘jalan tikus’ or foot paths).

• No reliable transportation links between most regions.
• No sufficient electricity or water supply in the town - none outside.
• Banking system : none. No ability to arrange payment to outside suppliers/transfer of payments; no safe places to store money.
• Standardization of pricing: none
• Serious lack of business training/advice.

• High levels of illiteracy.
• Inadequate school provisions (materials, equipment, supplies, books, accommodation, teachers) and no standards for quality insurance or even teacher attendance requirements.
• School costs are a major burden.

• National language requirements shifted the language used in schools from Indonesian to Tetun and Portuguese. Now there are 4 languages taught in most schools (plus English), yet no use of Baiqueno (the language spoken in Oecussi and West Timor).

• Women have low status (including female head of household) and do not have a voice in decision-making.

Then there are the adat or 'traditional' cultural issues which become too complex to discuss here.....