Helping Timor

I'm excited about my new internship at Timor Worldwide, NGO that helps indigenous communities in East and West Timor with issues like land and sea disputes. They're located really close to ISS, a few minutes bike ride away. While chatting to the chairperson I couldn't help but notice a couple of names on the whiteboard behind her - turns out that many of the Indonesian students at ISS are already volunteering there.

Timor Worldwide is organising an international conference on 18 Mar 2011 with the topic "Indigenous Claims to Water: What does International Law say?" and we're trying to get more people to come! So if you're reading this and you're interested, send an email to info@timorworldwide.org.

Unfortunately, after this conference they have to vacate the building because there are no more funds to pay the rent. So, we're aiming to raise 3000 euros (to cover 5 months of rent) through a film screening of 'Troubled Waters' at ISS which is about how Rotenese fishermen are losing their livelihoods from the maritime claims of bigger states, and the sale of two kinds of cookies - pineapple and spiced.

More details to come (: