In settings of conflict, dramatic changes occur quite rapidly. As a result, NGOs working in these settings must continually reassess their programs and adapt quickly to the changing needs on the ground.

Kroc alumni Winnie Romeril (’93) and Jill Sternberg (’90) have experienced this first-hand through their work with local NGOs in East Timor. Romeril has been working with Peace Brigades International (PBI) since 1988 and served on its Guatemala team in 1990-91. She is now Training Coordinator for PBI-Indonesia.

Sternberg and Charlie Scheiner, have been involved in East Timor advocacy in the United States for many years. Scheiner is the coordinator of the East Timor Action Network-USA (ETAN) and the national office is in their home. The couple recently moved to East Timor for a two-year project. Sternberg is assisting Nobel Laureate Jose Ramos-Horta in establishing a peace center focused on conflict transformation and preventive diplomacy. Scheiner is working to narrow the cultural and economic gap between the international and East Timorese communities.

Until recently, such a move would have been impossible. From the Indonesian invasion in 1975 to the mid 1990s, East Timor was virtually closed to the outside world. During this time, over 200,000 East Timorese, one third of the population, were killed by the Indonesian military and pro-Indonesian militias.

However, as the pro-democracy movement gained strength in the 1990s, local human rights groups saw a window of opportunity: With the fall of President Suharto after 32 years of authoritarian rule, Indonesia itself was undergoing a major transition. Furthermore, East Timor was now more open to outsiders than it had been in the past.

In 1998, representatives of local East Timorese human rights organizations met with PBI’s National Coordinating Council to ask for accompaniment. PBI supports local human rights workers threatened with political violence by providing international escorts who can quickly relay first-hand information about persecution or harassment to an international response network.

“I appreciate PBI’s philosophy of combining creative non-violent action with nonpartisanship,” says Romeril. “It is a very respectful way to support local efforts for peaceful change and justice, without acting imperialist or imposing outside ideas.”

Romeril and Sternberg were both members of the Council at the time and led PBI’s exploration of a presence in East Timor, which would have been the organization’s first project in Southeast Asia. The project was approved by PBI in 8 months, which was record time for PBI’s consensual decision making process, says Romeril. But before any volunteers arrived, the situation suddenly changed.

In a surprise move, Indonesian President Habibie announced he would allow a UN-sponsored referendum in East Timor. PBI quickly redirected its efforts toward supporting an election monitoring operation, in which Sternberg took part.

“We had about 130 observers from 21 countries participate,” notes Sternberg. “We witnessed the exhilarating courage of the East Timorese people as they cast their ballots under death threat from the Indonesian military and militias. We also witnessed the near total destruction of the country after the results of the ballot were announced on September 4 and the Indonesian government and military realized they had not succeeded in getting the population to accept their autonomy package.”

As the flow of refugees increased, attention soon shifted to West Timor. “In the militia-controlled refugee camps, foreign workers were under threat, but Indonesian (West Timorese) human rights workers could move more freely,” explains Romeril. “PBI received and accepted requests to protect these local human rights defenders, as no other international group was giving them the coverage they felt they needed to continue operating safely.”

“Once the situation in East Timor changed and then stabilized through the presence of international forces, the groups in East Timor originally requesting PBI services felt safe and no longer in need of protection,” says Romeril. At the request of local organizations, PBI continues to provide training in nonviolent conflict resolution methods in the region. However, PBI’s focus has turned to Aceh, where recent flareups have generated requests for protective accompaniment, which PBI is providing.

As the situation has stabilized in East Timor, a new set of peacebuilding issues has emerged. How should the country deal with atrocities committed while it was under Indonesian control? How will former militants be reintegrated into society? And how will returning refugees be compensated for losses? Sternberg will be grappling with such questions as these as she assists Jose Ramos-Horta.

“The initial focus will be to develop a team of East Timorese to examine different approaches to conflict resolution and adapt them to the local circumstances and culture,” says Sternberg. “We will both practice and assist with skills development. Our aim is to complement and collaborate with local NGOs. We envision three centers around the country; they will also function as internet cafes and provide a link to outside resources.”

Sternberg’s approach to conflict transformation has roots in her experiences at the Kroc Institute. “Debates we had about intervention inspired me to work harder to understand and later assist in the development of nonviolent mechanisms of intervention that do not undermine or disempower the local population,” she notes.

While much has changed in East Timor, one thing remains the same: the need for committed peacebuilders.               

More information about the Peace Brigades projects in Indonesia and elsewhere can be found at:
www.peacebrigades.org

 

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