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Timor-Leste's political crisis in 2006 affected tens of thousands of residents in the capital Dili.
People fled their homes as violence escalated. Most Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) segregated themselves according to regional identities and fled to the mountains, districts, and to the safest places in Dili such as churches, the airport, UN compound and national hospital. Everything left behind was either burnt or looted. Most IDPs lived in a makeshift or plastic tent with poor water, sanitation, unreliable access to food, security, health and school for their children for months and for some, years after the troubles erupted.
As one of the many Timorese whose families were affected during the crisis, it seemed to be the worst conflict after independence and was one of the hardest moments in searching for peace and tranquility in the country. Although all of the IDPs have left the camps that were ‘formally’ closed in 2008, many people have still not returned to their homes of 2006. These images depict a small part of the displacement during the crisis.
Notes: DISPLACED is my book project of IDPs in Timor-Leste. Some of the images in DISPLACED was shown in March 2010 international photography Festival FotoFreo, Perth Australia.