Houdy Squatter, Sad to hear about the worsening situation, but many people remain positive. The GNR in TL are the military elite, very respected in my neighbourhood and wherever they operate, incl. Afghanistan. RTP1, the national PT TV channel, has been showing news about Dili at lunch and dinner time. I feel like we went years back in time and I am still studying and thinking that one day I might go there. They show the Australian military, UNPOL, and the GNR walking around. They show mainly the most affected areas. But seems like the international community is not ready to give up on that Island. Dozens of job offers with UN, NGOs, and other agencies. If evacuation happens I do not know what will happen to the people being called in. Unfortunately I also think Lobato’s sentence will help instability and its to be seen whether elections will hold-up… Take care.

I tend to think it will take a week to work out the new “normal”. But with the Lobato trial to finish up soon and some elections, it could be a bit of a roller coaster.

When trouble occurs, it appears the GNR are the boys who have the required training and equipment to get things back under control, so I feel quite good about another 140 GNR arriving soon.

cual es tu nombre? es curiosidad?
Llevas mucho tiempo viviendo en Timor? La verdad que en España no hay noticias de Timor Leste ni de nada de lo que allí acontence. La verdad que el haber encontrado esta página me da un poco de tranquilidad.
Yo estoy aprendiendo inglés, así que espero algún día escribirte como tal, la verdad que me cuenta un poco.
Espero de todo corazón que las cosas se calmen allí y en cualquier lugar del mundo donde allá este tipo de conflictos. Se que lo que espero no es muy realista, pero dicen que la esperanza es lo último que se piede.
Un saludo para todos, veo que tu home es muy leída, seguro que ayudaras a mucha gente, sobre todo a mentenerse informada.

Es una pena que en tantos lugares maravillosos alla cosas que nos quiten la tranquilidad.

Maybe your first comment was eaten by my spam cleaner. I learnt Spanish once so that my South American holiday would not be so useless and after a month, I could actually understand what people were saying.

Alas, my Spanish is now bordering on hopeless. All I can say is keep reading.

Yo me pregunto porque todo tieen que ser así, es ahí, en Iraq, en el Libano, por Dios no puede parar esto, Basta de guerras de conflictos, para que y porque?

Un saludo y si lees esto, gracias!!!

——————– Babel Fish Translation below ————————————
Hello Squatter, I have written to you on another occasion but I do not know if my commentary has arrived with you. I am Spanish, and live in Madrid. I have a very dear friend in Timor Leste, this page that I have found and that I translate, since my English is not very good, is at the moment the only contact that I have, with this country. I would like to know as it is the situation in Timor, auqnque reason why I can read does not have of being very good. I ask myself because everything tieen that to be thus, it is there, in Iraq, in the Libano, by God cannot stop this, Coarse of wars of conflicts, so that and because? A greeting and if you read this, thanks!

I do not do travel advisories. I do common sense. Check your government’s advice and any insurance repercussions. I would be surprised if any international NGO would be recommending any newbie come right now. If the local NGO has other expats working for them, seek their advice.

There is not much point coming here and being restricted to being locked indoors and being unable to do anything. Your government will not thank you if you come, do not know your way around and they have to evacuate you. Your NGO may also regret it.

I believe all OZ volunteers (AVI) and many AusAid associated people are scheduled to leave. Your NGO must have steel balls if they still want you to come.

Take up bungy jumping.