The Friendship Manual

A manual for Timor-Australia Friendship Agreements

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Building peace in conflict affected societies

Timor is a conflict affected society. Conflict affected societies typically :
  • have destroyed infrastructure
  • traumatised people
  • inadequate health and education sectors (due to the effects of years of conflict)
  • poor transport and access
  • poor communication systems
  • Alienated and disaffected ex combatants
  • Alienated and disaffected youth who have lacked access to educational and employment opportunities during the conflict.

The people in conflict affected societies can exhibit:

  • High levels of mistrust
  • An unwillingness to engage in new relationships
  • High levels of trauma
  • High levels of resilience
  • Creativity and capacity to cope with highly reduced circumstances.
Years of Indonesian occupation coupled with the trauma of Black September 1999 and the recent violence in Dili means that Timor continues to be a society that is affected by conflict.

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