IOM has helped 145 internally displaced families to return to their
homes in the Akanunu neighbourhood of Hera, 20km east of Dili.

The families are the first Hera villagers to return to their
aldeia since the political and civil unrest in May, which caused
thousands of East Timorese to flee their homes and seek refuge in
camps in and around Dili. 

The return of the families was marked by a commemorative mass
and traditional Timorese songs and dance performed by the children
of the Akanunu community.

The ceremony concluded with the ritual blessing of Bua-Malus, in
which village chiefs and government officials were invited to
partake in the ancient custom of chewing beetle-nut as a way of
promising to uphold peace and stability within the village.

Over the last six months, IOM’s work in Hera has included
coordination of basic services to IDP camps, as well as community
activities aimed at rebuilding trust between communities in
conflict.

In collaboration with the Government of Timor-Leste, IOM and its
NGO partner BELUN have organized a series of return and
reintegration dialogues for members of the six Hera aldeias to
discuss tension within the community and possible solutions to
prevent future conflict.

Welcoming the Akanunu return, IOM Chief of Mission Luiz Vieira
hailed it as a breakthrough. “It shows us that when people
have a chance to start talking, they can begin to create the
conditions needed to go home,” he said.

For more information, please contact:

Angela Sherwood

IOM Dili

Tel +670 72 31 576

E-mail:  "mailto:asherwood@iom.int">asherwood@iom.int