WOODENBOATS

FOR EAST TIMOR

JULY 2001

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A.B.E.T. Aussie Boats for East Timor goes to Timor
by Barry & Michele Wicks

I along with photo-journalist Mike Larder, flew out of Brisbane airport on the 17th May headed for Dili in East Timor. The first boat built in our project to help East Timor was already waiting for me at Port Hera. It was our intention that the boat would help the fishermen get back on their feet and provide them with a source of income as well as food on the table.

The boat was transported free of charge all the way to Timor. The funds for this first boat were donated by the Maclean Shire Council and local unemployed people were used to assist in its construction at Harwood Island NSW.

The project was first conceived of by our friend Mike Maskell in Qld who knew I was a retired boat builder, and asked if we would start a NSW branch. After a frustrating 18 months at last our dream of helping East Timor was coming true.

Following a long flight to Darwin we embarked on a flight aboard an old UN Hercules plane to Dili. An adventure in itself. At Dili we were swooped upon by Customs to check the contents of some boxes I was carrying. These boxes contained pencils for the school kids in Timor.

The trip into Dili by taxi was an eye-opener. I had heard of the devastation but it did not compare to actually seeing the destruction of what once must have been a beautiful city. There were countless burned out buildings and cars everywhere you looked.

Our boat was unloaded for us at the little coastal village of Port Hera – also once a picturesque place. We emptied the boat of the 250kg of donated items into the Fisheries shed ready for distribution to the local villagers. These donations consisted of clothing of all types, assorted linen items, nightwear for the hospitals, school necessities, sewing implements, a resuscitator and a much-needed hand-operated sewing machine. All these items were collected by the people of the Lower Clarence Valley NSW. These gifts made a lot of people very happy.

East Timor had been under Portuguese rule for 400 years then the Indonesians took over. Before the conflict both Governments were hard taskmasters not giving an inch in their brutal rule. Today Portugal has a presence in East Timor in the form of Peacekeepers for the Un. These Peacekeepers are known as Rapid Response Police and they are called upon to quell any disturbances, which they do with much gusto.

A story comes to mind of a Timorese man who’d had a bit too much palm wine and was singing and dancing in a local café. The Rapid Response Police were called and they proceeded to beat this poor happy little Timorese with riot batons. Sitting in the back of the cafe were four very large Fijian Peacekeepers. One of the Fijians stood up to the Portuguese saying that you can’t do that to another human being. He received a blow to the head for his trouble. His Fijian mates joined in the fray with the result that five Portuguese RRP’s were carried out on stretchers with varying degrees of injuries. The Fijian Peacekeepers sat down and finished their coffee.

Another time on a trip from Port Hera to Dili over a rough narrow winding Mountain road, we were confronted with a HumVee with a 50mm machine gun mounted on top and manned by Portuguese Peacekeepers. Our driver signalled them to move over so we could pass. They declined to do this and took our rear vision mirror with them.

Our driver, an ex Warrant Officer Australian Army, got out of the vehicle telling the Portuguese what he thought of their lack of parentage etc. Looking at the manned 50mm gun I was willing our driver to get back into our vehicle. I had visions of not being able to write this story and thought about my last will and testament.

The day came to deliver the boat to a village called Fatu Hada that was one and a half hours north of Port Hera by sea. This boat was designed for flat water and was an unknown quantity in the ocean. With a 3.3hp outboard made in China, we set out in an 8-foot following sea, punching a 4-knot tide. The boat exceeded all expectations and much to my surprise the boat, crew and outboard survived the trip.

It was my intention that we surf the boat onto the beach but the villagers had other ideas. About 30 of them raced into the sea chest deep and physically lifted the boat clear of the water and carried us to the crushed coral beach above the tide. We were treated royally.

The boat has been placed in the care of 5 families chosen by the Head of Fisheries, Richard Mounsey and the head of the village and is now feeding and earning an income for around 50 people. Each family usually consists of approximately 10 people including grandparents. The villagers of Fatu Hada threw a feast on the evening of our arrival as their way of saying thank you.

Between NSW and Qld we will build 200 boats for Timor which should eventually feed and provide an income for approximately 10,000 people.

On the home front, my wife Michele and I also breed parrots which Michele hand raises as pets for sale. Michele also teaches interested unemployed persons computers skills, software programs such as MYOB etc., and office procedures.

Our thanks must go to the many people who have made this project possible so far including John Welsford – designer, the Maclean Shire Council, Lindsay Bros Transport at Maclean, Perkins Shipping, Rotary Iluka, UN Flight Command Darwin, Head and staff of Fisheries in Dili and the much appreciated support of the people in the Lower Clarence Valley.

We still urgently require funding for future boats and donations of any kind so if you are able to help just call us on 02 6646 4699 or email us at bmw@turboweb.net.au. Website: http://www.bri.net.au/~abet