Lighting the Flame to Rise from Adversity

The ex-East Timorese refugees hope for a better existence and desire to participate in building the country lifts their fighting spirit and rise above their deprivation.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

Traders display their wares on Tuesday (18/2/2020) at Motaain Market, at the Indonesia-Timor Leste Border Crossing Post in Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara. The market, which has traders from the two countries, is stimulating the economy of the border region.

On Monday morning (17/2/2020) three men were busy loading 12 bags of household needs onto a truck at the house of 64-year-old Luis Soares in Atambua, Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The goods, which weighed 1 ton and consisted of house utensils and instant foods, were being prepared for shipping to Maliana and Dili in Timor Leste.

The three men are the sons of Luis, an ex-East Timorese refugee now in the export business. Luis was negotiating with local entrepreneurs at the time in Dili, Timor Leste.

Luis’ eldest son, Nino Marthin Soares, 29, drove the truck to the State Border Crossing Post (PLBN) in Motaain, around 35 kilometers away. At the PLBN Motaain, the goods were examined and Nino had to complete administrative requirements at the local customs and excise office. After the inspection, the truck promptly crossed over and entered Timor Leste.

If father didn’t persevere in founding this business, we would be living in poverty. We would have had no schooling.

Within about a 2-hour drive, the truck arrived in Maliana, the capital of Bobonaro district. There, they unloaded some of the freight at Luis’ kiosk. The other goods were then transported to Dili, around 4 hours from Maliana.

Luis and his sons transport export goods to Timor Leste at least four times every month. They have been managing the business for more than a decade. After the pro-independence group emerged victorious in the 1999 referendum, Luis and his family left their birthplace of Ermera district. Initially, they shared the same fate as the other East Timorese refugees at the Haliwen refugee camp.

“If father didn’t persevere in founding this business, we would be living in poverty. We would have had no schooling,” said Minggu Soares, 19, Luis’ sixth son. Luis has been able to send three of his 10 children to university in Malang, East Java.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

A worker arranges gallon bottles of Aquamor for distribution on Saturday (15/2/2020) in Baumata, Kupang regency, East Nusa Tenggara. The drinking water business belongs to the family of Abilio Soares, the former governor of East Timor.

Drinking water

Another ex-East Timorese success story is Antonio Soares, who manages his Aquamor drinking water business in Baumata, Kupang regency. The business, which was set up in 2005, is the first of its kind in NTT. The company produces 2,000 one-gallon containers and 10,000 cartons of cups of drinking water in a day.

The company currently employs 155 workers, including 20 ex-East Timorese refugees. “We want to show that we can also do something and help build the country we all love,” said Antonio, who is the son of former East Timor Governor Abilio Soares.

In addition to Luis Soares and Antonio Soares, many other former East Timorese have achieved success in working for the state. Some have become civil servants, while others are regional legislative councilors and village heads. One of these is Arthur Ximenes, the Manusak village head of East Kupang district, Kupang regency.

Another former East Timorese who has built a successful career in the regional administration is the chief of the Kupang Municipal Police, Felisberto Amaral. Starting out as a low-level civil servant, Amaral moved up the ranks to head the Kupang Social Affairs Office.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

Sacks of household goods are ready for exporting to Timor Leste on Monday (17/2/2020) at the home of Luis Soares in Haliwen of Atambua city, Belu regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Luis, a former East Timorese refugee, has been running his export business for the last decade.

For Amaral, the successes of ex-East Timorese depends on their fighting spirit. He believes that if they are prepared to work hard, a way will open that will lead them to a better life.

Nevertheless, he does not deny that most ex-East Timorese have failed in making a living, primarily due to the lack of farmlands. The majority of ex-East Timorese who are farmers find it difficult to escape the shackles of poverty because they don’t own the land they cultivate. If they were given land, they would have a chance to thrive.

“People everywhere have the desire and spirit to fight for their own progress and welfare. If opportunities are offered in the form of arable land, conducive social conditions and facilitation of their aspirations, they can make achievements,” said Amaral.