The Friends of Baucau originated in the desire of the Cities of Yarra and Darebin and their communities to assist the East Timorese in nation-building in the aftermath of the 1999 ballot for independence in East Timor.
Independence in East Timor
Between 1975 and 1999 East Timor was a territory occupied and administered by Indonesia. On 30th August 1999 the East Timorese people participated in a referendum to determine their independence from Indonesia. The ballot was followed by horrific violence from Indonesian-backed militia who killed many and destroyed infrastructure across the nation. After a groundswell of concern amongst communities in Australia, the Federal government announced that they would lead a peace-keeping force in East Timor the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) which began deploying to East Timor on 20 September 1999.
Rejection of applications for permanent residency in Australia
Following the ballot for independence the Federal Government notified 1,650 East Timorese who had lived in Australia for up to ten years that their applications for permanent residency had been rejected and ordered them to leave within 28 days.
City of Yarra
At that time Yarra City Council had the largest expatriate East Timorese community in Victoria (mostly living in the Richmond Public Housing estate). Yarra has been home to a number of local East Timorese support groups including the East Timor Elderly People Association, Timor Ethnic Chinese Community in Victoria, Timorese Association of Victoria Inc., Timorese Middle and Aged Association and East Timor specific programs run by North Richmond Community Health Centre. From 1996 – 2004 Yarra City Council had Australia’s only East Timorese Councillor, Cr. Li Lai.
In response to the Federal Government’s actions Yarra auspiced the local Council/Community, Yarra East Timor Support and Action Group (YETSAG) and conducted the advocacy campaign ‘Common Sense for East Timorese – Let Them Stay’.
In 2002, this campaign won the City of Yarra a United Nations award -The Golden World United Nations Award against 6 other international nominees – and supported East Timorese Richmond Resident Fivo Freitas to attend the presentation in New York in 2003.
City of Darebin
City of Darebin Councillor Rae Perry was one of the members of the Australian delegation – organised by Pat Walsh - which monitored the ballot in East Timor in 1999.
In December 1999 Santa Maria College, Northcote established a sister school relationship with Santa Maria Mazzarello in Venilale (Baucau District). At the same time the Preston Reservoir Residents Association invited Abel Gutterres (member of CNRT) to a Council meeting. City of Darebin established an East Timor Staff Interest Group and auspiced an East Timor Community Support Network. Several members of the community group had extensive experience working in East Timor.
First visit to Baucau
The visit by Abel and the sister school relationship to the Darebin Council meeting prompted a request from the District Administrator of Baucau to organise a visit by a working party from City of Darebin, which was joined by representatives of the City of Yarra.
The visit took place in May and June of 2000. The participants included Cr Rae Perry (Darebin), Cr Li Haim Lai (Yarra), Mr Abel Guterres (CNRT) and Mr Rasiah Dev (Darebin). The visit helped identify, in consultation with community leaders in Baucau, a number of programs and projects that would be of benefit to the Baucau community.
This visit resulted in a ‘Working Party Report” and strengthened a commitment to establish a Friendship City relationship with Baucau.
Forming the Friendship
City of Yarra endorsed a recommendation in Council on the 29 August 2000 to establish a joint City of Darebin / City of Yarra Friendship City relationship with Baucau, East Timor, resource a range of practical projects in East Timor to assist Baucau and support the needs and activities of the local East Timorese community.
City of Darebin endorsed a recommendation at a Council Meeting on the 18 December 2000 to establish a joint City of Darebin / City of Yarra Friendship City relationship with Baucau, East Timor;
The relationship was formalised by the signing of a friendship agreement on 30 March 2001 by Sr Marito Reis, District Administrator Baucau who was supported in a visit to Melbourne, and Cr Marlene Kairouz Mayor, City of Darebin and Cr Sue Corby, Mayor, City of Yarra.
Upon signing a Friendship Agreement with the District Administration of Baucau, the term ‘Friends of Baucau’ was coined to describe the coalition of interests, led by the two Councils and supported by the communities of Yarra and Darebin.