Escape from Dili, Part VI (Crisis Management?)

(…Continuation)

The next morning, April 28, 2006, I had the same observation when I had my early walking exercise. There were no “malays” in the jogging area and there were sporadic groups of local people outside their homes on serious conversation with each other. In my office after series of meetings and teleconferences that I had, I called up the AFET (Association of Filipinos in East Timor) President and ask him about the emergency or evacuation plan for the Filipinos in case of a worst scenario. There I discovered that the Philippine Embassy has no concrete plan at the moment. Dick Pajarillo, the AFET President verbalized of the simple plan the association had in case of a worst scenario: first, there will be a phone brigade to be undertaken so all mobile phones should be kept open at all times, second, the final refuge will the Philippine embassy where evacuation will be undertaken. It was 12:45 PM when we had that conversation.

After that conversation with the President, I tried calling Zeni Gusmao, a local friend and the Executive Director of the Hadomi Timor Oan, a locally run orphanage. I asked her about the situation and on the safety of the “malays” given the tension. She jokingly answered that its not yet time to run and will just signal me in case scenario will worsen.

Around 2:00 PM, my staff were tensed after hearing a successive gun firing near the “Palacio do Governo” (Government Palace) and that was the signal of the riot. Immediately all communication facilities broke down and there was no means that we can contact each other. The AFET plan of executing cell phone brigades collapse. Around 2:30 PM, Richard (Arlyn’s husband) arrived to pick up Arlyn. There I decided to dismiss my staff so they could also join their families. I invited Richard & Arlyn a ride and brought them to their house. Everybody was panicked. On our way to Richard’s house, we saw the ambulances went through and fro. They invited me to stay but I insisted to go home directly to Carla Mansion. I brought with me the hand-held radio to monitor the situation. On my way home, I accidentally saw in opposite direction the protesters, around 1,000 people and most of them were in fatigue uniforms. With them were bows, arrows, bolos machetes, guns and grenades. I tried finding another ways to reach home so I can avoid them.

At home, lodgers were also panicked, but from time to time we still managed to joke and laugh. As an obligation, I texted Nestor who was in a conference in Manila about the situation. I copied Beng with the message to made her also aware on what was happening with me. “Be reminded dat JESUS R LORD HD COVERD U WD Hs most precious blood. Take care n we love u. Called up Nes but hs cp s un a10ded. Forward ur msage 2 hm” It was Beng’s reply (to be continued…)

Escape from Dili, Part V (Crisis Management?)

(…Continuation)

Early morning of April 27, I still managed to have my daily walking exercise along Roxas Boulevard (This is how Filipinos called Pantai Kalapa, a place in front of the sea where most of the embassies are). I found it strange during that time since I failed to see other “Malays” (this is how Timorese called foreigners) jogging except me. Before preparing for office I sent the members of the ManCom sms telling them on the special meeting we have to conduct first hour in the morning.

The meeting was well done. We formulated the security plan with regards to safekeeping of properties, records and funds. I assured my team that what was going on in the country is just part of the democratic process where everyone has the right to express their feelings and on what they thought were right. Because also of the order from Nestor I told my staff that I have to leave Dili on the 6^th of May for a meeting and consultation with my supervisor relative to our HFHTL operation and funding support. I did not reveal to the ManCom the fear of the Asia Pacific Office about the situation of the country and on their order for me to immediately leave the country. This is to keep them calm and not to feel demoralize. Even with the assumption that the situation will be normalized soon, we still formulated the worst-case scenario plan for the staff and the assets of the office. It was understood that Alvaro have to prepare back up records in CDs and on the email address of the National Director all the financial records and administrative assets although similar copies of such were already sent to Bangkok Asia Pacific Office. We installed a transition committee and a skeletal force to man the office given a worst scenario. Of course with the worries of the local staff, we also formulated evacuation plan for them and families. Tito was assigned to prepare the staff and orient them during the regular meeting the following day. As if there’s no emergency, I set up meetings for May 1, 2,3&4 with our Japan & Singapore networks.

“FYI, we rcvd info ds late pm dat protesters gave govt til 12hrs start 6pm knina (tym of mtg) 2 rsolv prob f solution not aceptable protstrs wil cause prob n dili. Ingat! Avoid tc3, cmoro mkt, audian, bdau, caicli. Acdng 2 informant, ppol firful 2day dan b4. Hqtr n tc3. Kip hp open & b prayng real hard. Pls pass!” It was exactly 9:47 pm when I received this sms message from Ibu Wennie and I was really thinking if I will pass the message to others or not sinced I know it will just cause disturbance and panic to the people. Finally, I prayed and decided not to send the message to others. Again, what a sound sleep I had on that night. Praise be to God! (to be continued…)

Escape from Dili, Part IV (Crisis Management?)

(…Continuation)

While viewing movie show in my television set and eating canned goods for my dinner, I sent an sms message to the Philippines for my wife Beng, informing her about the very tense situation in Timor Leste. “D2 ako sampaguita (Miracle Life Christian Church), just come from DBC (Dadiangas Baptist Church) n God gave us the asurans dat HE’s in control of the c2ation der. Fear not! dats God’s word 4 us. Take care, we ms n luv u.” It was the reply that I received from Beng and I was comforted the more believing that God has the situation in His hands. Just after cleaning the plates I used for my dinner, I received an sms message from Pastor Nelson Fernandez informing me that he is in Carla Mansion and he would like to pray with me. Pastor Nelson wore a black suit and in his black motorbike. He told me that he was with Bro Richard and Sis Arlyn praying before he proceeded to Carla Mansion. I took a helmet with me and we drove to Sands Motel to see Bro Joey (A Filipino working in Asian Development Bank for Capacity Building and Governance Project for the Timorese Government officials) and prayed together. At that time we intensely prayed for the country and its situation. We had a short fellowship together and there we learned that Bro Joey was set to fly back to the Philippines by Saturday – the reason was he cannot organized a training program since potential participants would not like to leave their areas due to the impending threat.

“I hop u nform Charli of d c2uation der so he can giv nstruction 4 precautionary measures”. It was 8:07 PM and I was already backed at Carla Mansion when I received this follow up message from Beng, asking if I had informed my supervisors about the situation. “1 sympthizr of d petitioner ws shot dead in Taibise ds pm. People r tense nd dili ct luks lyk a ghost town aftr d ncident.” This message I sent to Dr. Nestor Pestelos & Charlie Ayco, my supervisors who were attending a conference in Manila during that week. At exactly 9:30 PM, I received too very surprising sms responses from Nestor saying, “Charlie says you should be prepared to get out. Buy ur tkts n transfer responsibilities to locals. He is authorizing u to get out anytime. Tk ker” “ Provide 4 security of funds, assets, records. Follow SOP. Then leave. Rgrds.” With the instruction, I was so bothered, but focus to reply Nestor for me to convene first hour in the morning our ManCom to set up our security and contingency plans in case the situation will become worst as expected. “K, noted. U can put rcords in cds.” Nestor replied. With that response, I proceeded to pray and sleep soundly. (to be continued…)

Escape from Dili, Part III (Crisis Management?)

(…Continuation)

April 24-29, 2006 was the “big week” for the petitioners when the Government allowed them to conduct a march rally and mass demonstration specifying 5 major demands, which include asking the Chief of Staff of the army to ask a public apology when he pronounced war for the 591 military personnel sacked from the service. The petitioners multiplied into thousands when the issue was diverted into “east-west” concern. Dili, the capital city of Timor Leste was put in the state of tension as all residents were speculating something worst to happen. My staff kept on telling me to go home immediately and avoid doing overtime work alone in the office.

During those times I observed several military trucks/ vehicles filled with uniformed men in full battle gear roaming around Dili. Several times I was caught in check points by fully armed policemen asking for my credentials and vehicle documents talking to me in local language. April 24-25, Tito and I attended a Housing summit in Timor Hotel organized by the Ministry of Public Works. It was so surprising that only few had attended the summit given the chance of having international speakers. On that summit, Odette Victor, the Public Work’s Minister sought for an apology of the few attendance and sighted the on going demonstration as the reason for the few turn out of participants.

April 26, 2006, 3:00 PM, I was on my way to Oxfam Office to meet Atty. Marlon Cardinoza for a consultation on the MOU I drafted to be entered into by HFHI with the Dili University. Before I reached the office I received a call from my friend Edna Tesoro of Progressio calling me to pick her up since she wanted to go home but there was no available taxi. She further reported that there was demonstration related violence that happened in Taibise which caused someone to die. People were panicked and immediately the city became a ghost town. You cannot see a single public utility vehicle running in the street anymore. When I went on my way to pick up Edna, I manage to call up my staff and instructed them to close the office and go home, as I was afraid that they would be trapped in the office due to the unavailability of public utility vehicles. In my way to Edna’s, I saw people in groups talking with each other outside their houses and speculating worries on the incident. Wow, that was the first time that I arrived Carla Mansion (the hotel I was staying) to early and waited for few hours to attend our regular Wednesday prayer meeting in the church.

“Please stay home and pray 4 d c2uation. We advise we all b watchful & alert. God wil c us thru”, this was the sms message that I received from Ibu Wennie, the Pastor’s wife as I was preparing for the Wednesday Prayer meeting. It was already 6:02 in the evening when I received the message. The message connotes that the scheduled regular prayer meeting was cancelled and that there was a serious threat of security. I changed my clothes again and opened my television looking for any local news report but I had not seen any. I calmed my self in prayer and changed the channel seeking for movie shows. (to be continued…)

Escape from Dili, Part II (Crisis Management?)

(continuation)

The spokeperson of the expelled soldiers (more than 1/3 of the total military population), Gastao Salsinha has expressed his disappointment with President Xanana's decision not to intervene in the expulsion decision taken by the F-FDTL headquarters. He stated in an interview that the petition presented by the soldiers has no value, which reinforced the impression that the general population continues to be in an oppressed condition, while the leaders make efforts to help each other.

In the midst of the tension, the Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri expressed his support on the decision to expel the 591 soldiers stating that he believed the decision was correct and just. His statement was based on the record that the 591 soldiers has been absent from their job for more than two months already.

The tension was aggreviated when the struggle redowned to the Loro sae - Loromono (East vs, West) issue. I dont have any exact idea how it slide down to this issue but it started to divide the nation and its people.

March 25, 2006 a rumor of violence errupted between the lorosae and loromono residence which caused the general public to be frightened. I was on my way home to the Philippines to attend my daughter's graduation when I heared the news that there were 7 persons arrested, 16 houses were attacked with stones and lot of market vendors vacated their kiosks and market activities. The 7 persons were accussed of creating instability in Tasi Tolu, Bairopite and Taibessi. The PNTL (Police) General Commander Paulo de Fatima Martins confirmed that the problems occured due to the East vs. West issue related to the expulsion of the 591 soldiers. He said that it was not the concerned soldiers themselves who caused the disturbance but the groups who were taking advantage of the issue to provoke a situation of instability. It was aggreviated since some people were spreading rumors about massive disturbances. (to be continued)

Escape from Dili, Part I (Crisis Management?)

As I opened my blogspot, I saw that the last entry I had was 2 months ago. Well, I really want to keep it updated but sometimes I am having a hard time to do it due to work related schedules and sometimes... problems. Well, it is just but normal as part of the development work. In this issue let me give you a blow and blow account on the author's experience as he went into a crisis situation when the social unrest in Dili, Timor Leste erupted.

The chaotic situation started when a division from among the ranks of F-FDTL members in Timor Leste held their protest on February 8, 2006 which was followed by their eventual dismissal from the military service. This caused the initial strife in the country as the ensuing violence in the Dili, the capital of the country has been blamed on this dispute that refused to die. Slowly by slowly, this dispute caused to renew the trauma of the general public.

The sacking of the troop from military service done by Brig. General Taur Matan Ruak (Chief of Staff) failed to get the President's approval as President Xanana Gusmao publicly criticized the Ruak's decision. However, he had stood into Ruak's right to decide. As a backround, during the 1990's struggle of the country for independence, Ruak led the Timor's Falintil Guerrilla Army while Presidebnt Xanana was in prison... (to be continued)