USAID Timor-Leste - Programs - Highlight: Democracy and Governance

Highlight Photo

Senior members of the veterans' commissions developed a special quiestionnaire to identify Timor-Leste's many thousands of veterans. jacob Correia (left) is the coordinator of CAAC, Duarte Viana (center is the general coordinator for both commissions, adn Andre de la Costa Belo (more popularly known by his resistance code name, L4) is the coordinator for CAVF.

Photo by Nelson Gonclaves, USAID Small Grants Program

Veterans' Commissions Wrap Up Nationwide Survey (August 28, 2003)

Timor-Leste's two veterans' commissions have surveyed tens of thousands of Timor-Lesteese to identify the veterans of the country's 24-year struggle for independence. More than 200 specially trained surveyors canvassed people across the country and the families of fighters who have died. The commissions expect that the final tally of responses will be about 60,000. Data from the survey will be sorted and analysed over the coming months.

Teams travelled to villages in all 65 of Timor-Leste's subdistricts. The questionnaire runs to 30 pages, documenting the experiences of people who took part in the conflict. The data is being entered into a database at the commissions' office. The verification stage comes in November, when the initial list will be distributed around the country for feedback.

President Xanana Gusmao established the veterans' commissions in September 2002 to create a register of those who fought in order to ensure that they are recognized as veterans. One commission, the Commission for Former Combatants' Affairs (CAAC) is involved with veterans who fought from 1975 to 1979. The second, the Commission for Falintil Veterans' Affairs (CAVF), covers the period of 1979 to 1999, the year that Timorese voted overwhelmingly for independence from Indonesia. Although they represent veterans from different periods, the two commissions act in concert. Their roles are to identify and confirm the nation's many veterans and to make policy and legislation recommendations on veterans' issues to the government.

Establishing a formal registry and providing appropriate recognition and support to veterans are important issues in Timor-Leste. Reintegration, reconciliation, and representation for the nation's tens of thousands of veterans are vital to the continued stability and security of the country. USAID supports the work of the commissions with grants totalling more than $100,000.

(Go to highlights archives)