In homes and offices, schools and shops across the country, Timor-Lesteese listened intently to the radio for four days in mid-December. What held their attention were formal hearings about the turbulent period of their history between the departure of Portugal and the invasion of Indonesia in the mid-1970s.

The hearings were held by the Commission on Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation (CAVR) and brought testimony from many of the most important political and military leaders of the time. The December hearings shed new light on the decision by Portugal to leave its colony and on the divisions among Timor-Leste's political factions that led to a brief but bloody civil war. With public interest so high, CAVR's radio technicians ensured gavel-to-gavel coverage.

The hearings at CAVR's Dili offices, a former Indonesian prison, attracted a large audience. Outside Dili, most Timorese get news and information from the radio. Two nationwide radio stations and several community stations broadcast the CAVR radio coverage. In addition to the radio coverage of its public hearings, CAVR produces a weekly radio program, "Dalan Ba Dame" (Road to Peace), covering a wide range of topics, including community reconciliation, victim support, and mortality surveys.

CAVR plans two more public hearings on international involvement in the years of Indonesian occupation and the role of children in conflict before its mandate expires in May 2004. Feedback from listeners has been very positive, according to CAVR, especially in rural areas with no television coverage. The organization is planning a detailed survey of its audience in early 2004.

USAID has supported CAVR with grants totaling more than $250,000 since July 2001. These grants include $72,000 specifically for broadcasts of its public hearings and weekly radio programs. By facilitating open discussion of the country's troubled history, CAVR encourages public participation in civic affairs, provides citizens with better access to justice, and helps Timor-Leste build a stronger democracy.

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