Dili, 28 March 2000
SRSG Sergio Vieira de Mello today handed a donation of US$50,000 to two projects for orphans and vulnerable women in East Timor. The donation was pledged by the Secretary General Kofi Annan during his visit in February.
Salesian Sisters, the main organization looking after orphans in East Timor, received US$25,000 to be used for support of a group of widows with children in Dili and reconstruction of teaching buildings in Fuiloro, near Los Palos. The direct assistance to widows and orphans will include items such as clothes, furniture and means to generate income.
The second part of the donation went to the establishment of a crisis center for women victims of violence to be run by a local NGO ETWAVE . The center will aim to provide counseling and refuge to women who have suffered either from political or domestic violence.
During his visit, the Secretary-General was particularly interested in the vulnerability of the Timorese women, specially the ones who suffer of all kinds of violence, the SRSG said, adding that this is a humble but very sincere contribution from our Secretary General that will alleviate suffering of orphans and widows in East Timor.
UNTAET AND INDONESIAN REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSS BORDER, EDUCATION, PENSIONS
A delegation of UNTAET officials headed by Ambassador Peter Galbraith, the head of UNTAET Political Office, today began a series of meetings with representatives of the Indonesian Government in Denpasar, Indonesia.
Border issues, education and pensions for East Timorese pensioners will be discussed during the meetings, which come as part of regular exchange of views between higher officials from UNTAET and Indonesia.
The discussions are to include UNTAET s proposal for establishment of three entry points on the border between East and West Timor, with regular immigration, customs and sanitary controls.
Education matters, in particular the implementation of President Wahid s recent offer to continue to give scholarship to East Timorese university students in Indonesia will also be on the table.
