Land is an essential resource for women and men, supporting farming, livestock, gardening, livelihoods, housing, and family security. However, for women survivors in Caicassa and Bibileo, access to and control over land remain challenging due to patriarchal cultural practices. If not addressed, these challenges can reinforce gender inequality and increase survivors’ vulnerability, affecting not only land access but also tenure security, dignity, community relationships, economic opportunities, and their ability to build sustainable livelihoods and rebuild their lives.

ACbit considers coordination with the Government, particularly the Secretariat of State for Lands and Property (SETP), essential to addressing the challenges faced by women survivors. This engagement enables survivors to present their concerns, complaints, and recommendations directly to government representatives and community leaders. Following consultations, Mr. Jaime Xavier Lopes of SETP demonstrated commitment to understanding community concerns and facilitating dialogue among survivors, affected communities, and indigenous communities. With support from Oxfam Timor-Leste, SETP and ACbit facilitated community dialogues involving the President of the Municipal Authority, Municipal Directorate of Lands and Property, community leaders, local authorities, PNTL, community representatives, women survivors, affected communities, and indigenous communities. Their participation enabled diverse perspectives to be heard and supported fair, inclusive, and community-accepted solutions. The dialogue aimed to provide a safe space for mediation, understanding, negotiation, and conflict resolution while protecting the safety, dignity, and rights of women survivors.In Caicassa, the community dialogue has made important progress, with communities reaching consensus that respects local customs and cultural practices. Women survivors have gained greater recognition of their rights to participate in land-use and ownership decisions and have greater freedom to use land for farming and livelihoods, strengthening their dignity, security, and economic well-being. In Bibileo, Viqueque Municipality, negotiations remain ongoing, as the community and survivors have not yet reached a mutually acceptable solution. The complexity of the dispute requires time, patience, continued commitment, meaningful participation, and ongoing dialogue to build trust and achieve a fair and sustainable solution.

The dialogue process was supported by Participatory Action Research (PAR), which documented women survivors’ experiences and challenges related to land access and use in Bibileo and Caicassa. Using participatory methods such as Stone and Flowers, Timeline, Livelihood, and Community Mapping, survivors and communities shared their experiences of forced displacement and land disputes. The findings show that past conflicts continue to affect survivors’ lives through restrictions on land use, difficulties repairing homes, discrimination, intimidation, and challenges in registering land. These issues affect their livelihoods, dignity, land rights, gender equality, and social inclusion.

The community dialogue between women survivors, affected communities, and indigenous communities is an important step toward resolving longstanding land conflicts and strengthening social cohesion. The experience in Caicassa shows that, with support from government institutions, community leaders, civil society, and communities, dialogue can promote culturally appropriate solutions while protecting survivors’ rights and dignity. However, the situation in Bibileo shows that land disputes linked to historical displacement, customary practices, community relations, and gender inequality remain complex and require continued dialogue and mediation. Moving forward, women survivors must remain at the center of the process, with their voices and recommendations reflected in land-related decisions. Strong coordination among government, communities, indigenous groups, civil society, and survivors is essential to ensure fair land access, sustainable livelihoods, protection from discrimination and intimidation, and lasting peace and reconciliation.

ACbit-artikel-com,Bemori-Along with Women Pirilampu, AJAR and ACbit continue to advocate for the dignity of survivors, especially the results of the government-level politivism through the implementation of a Reparation Law that recognizes the victim. It also aims to raise public awareness of the truth and dignity of survivors, build solidarity for survivors and war children, in reflection of the transformation including advocacy campaigns through poetry, music, music /collage to make it easier for people to understand and take part in this important day.

Also to ensure and recommend to the government of Timor-Leste, National Parliament, community leadership, civil society in public policy that can also accumulate survivors according to the CAVR recommendation report, in addition to university students, activists, community not only learn history but need to internalize in social practice and add survivors’ suffering during conflict and political history Timor-Leste between the period 1974-1999, became an important lesson in ending the chain of violence.

 In this celebration a brief interview was held with survivors about past events and the consequences they have experienced to date.

According to survivor Rosa said: in 1974-1999 we faced various challenges our reputation is like a broken stone, memories I will remember about the critical sexual violence in the past years. I had 2 children at that time, I gave birth to one of them in a cave, my husband was armed, he ran into the forest with his 2 commanders and left us alone, one of my two children held his hand to the forest there was no food, no water I was about my husband, they burned me and beat me.

In addition, Ms. Idalina said: They always collect so that we are a wife or children of the Indonesian military, we feel very sad and shock but we don’t collect anything, we just write it in our heart with our eyes. Therefore I ask the government to protect the community especially for survivors we do not ask for money and wealth, but we only ask to write our mother’s storeys on the stone and iron that can be held by the rain and rain but that it cannot be destroyed.

 The intervention of the Head of State of the PLP Party, Ms. Maria A. L. Sarmento, stated that seeking the truth is a legal obligation of the state and society to know the sufferers. We celebrate to confirm the memory, the truth, the essential pillars of justice, repair, and prevention of future violations. Victims require public recognition, concrete repair measures, and need to be effectively guided in public policy making the law on repair sets out the criteria for accessibility in the report.

During the 16-day campaign, PIRILAMPU, with the support of ACbit and AJAR, is screening the “BUKAE” video across all 13 municipalities, and at the same time mobilized 699 peoples signed a petition to the National Parliament, calling for political measures or legislation to recognize survivors as victims of human rights violations who have the right to reparation.

Isabel as a PIRILAMPU’s president, stated “The activities carried out in 12 municipalities and RAEOA are part of PIRILAMPU’s advocacy efforts to raise awareness among the public, including authorities such as government, religious leaders, local authorities, resistance organizations, and others, about the reality of life for survivors or victims of sexual violence and the children born out of rape- children born as a result of past conflict.”

PIRILAMPU deeply appreciates those who voluntarily showed solidarity with us through signing the petition, and we will bring it to the National Parliament so that they can also consider our demands for justice that we continue to fight for.

From 25–27 September 2025, ACbit organized a three-day workshop at Pirilampu Hall in Dili, together with 25 participants – survivors’ children and families – from seven municipalities: Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro, Dili, Ermera, Covalima, and Viqueque.

The workshop aimed to socialize the history of past conflicts from the period 1974–1999 with participants, mainly as the younger generation, so they could learn and reflect on the inhumane acts that occurred in the past and ensure they are never repeated in the future.

Zelia, a participant from Baucau, expressed her gratitude: “Through this workshop, I gained deeper knowledge of our struggle for liberation. The visit to CNC (former Balide Prison) and the mural painting in Lakoto made me feel the suffering people endured during that period, especially the pain experienced by women.”

Another participant, Urbano, shared: “After learning history properly, I realise that independence was achieved through diverse sacrifices. We were killing each other, we were forced to leave our place, suffer sexual violence, etc. That is why we must learn from our past to ensure that such cruel and inhumane actions are never repeated, while valuing the independence we hold today.”

ACbit trainer, Nizio Carvalho, emphasized: “Our goal is not only to help participants understand the history of past conflicts but also to analyse their root causes and consequences. Through the Uma Dame Method, we reflect on how to build a lasting and ideal peace for the future of Timor-Leste.”

This initiative has also been carried out in Ermera, Baucau, and Covalima, engaging both students and survivors’ families in meaningful dialogue and reflection on history as a foundation for peacebuilding.

In May, ACbit facilitated a two-day training on the “Basic Concept of Women’s Land Rights” for women survivors, their families, and Dinamizadora in Mauchiga, Ainaro. Survivor Amelia dos Santos shared that the training was very helpful because it made her understand that women also have rights to land and now, she knows how to ensure fair distribution of land and resources within the family. She explained that in the past, they were bound by patriarchal practices that disregarded daughters, and once women married, they were not considered to have land rights from their families. However, she realized that land is essential for life and that even a small piece of land can help sustain survival.

After the training, ACbit observed that it was necessary to provide further and more specific training on the “Special Land Regime Law.” Therefore, in August, ACbit, in collaboration with Consultants AFJTL, conducted another three-day training for survivors in Mauchiga, Ainaro. The aim was to provide survivors with more comprehensive knowledge so they could confidently protect their rights under the law. One of survivor shared, “Only after this training did I become aware that intelligent people have taken advantage of our ignorance and, together with local authorities, occupied our inherited land. Now I understand, and I will demand and strive to reclaim the rights that belong to us according to the law.”

This activity was made possible with the support of Oxfam and collaboration with community leaders and Dinamizadora in Mauchiga.

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Dinamizadora, who play a crucial role in advocating for the rights of survivors, because they serving as the ears, eyes, and bridges for those survivors who are most vulnerble. To strengthen their effectiveness in this role, ACbit facilitated a three-day training for dinamizadora from 14–16 August 2025. The training aimed to strengthen their knowledge and skills to effectively support survivors through advocacy at the local, municipal, and national levels.

The program included key materials on Women in Conflict and Gender Justice, as well as simulations on advocacy and communication. These sessions allowed dinamizadora to practice strategies, on how to engage with relevant institutions and authorities to find solution and resolve challenges faced by survivors, particularly in the rural areas.

Carlota Maria Da Costa, a dinamizadora from Baucau, said: “I really value the materials provided by ACbit, as they help us understand survivors’ rights and how to connect them with the right institutions. For instance, we accompany survivors to process their documents to access elder subsidy (terseira idade). These materials are a valuable guide for us to apply in the field.”

Irene, a dinamizadora from Ainaro, also shared her experience: “This training is very helpful because we practiced advocacy strategies, and learned effective ways of communication to ensure our messages are heard. As a dinamizadora, I will apply this knowledge to help survivors who need my support.”

This training was carried out in collaboration with dinamizadora from seven municipalities and was supported by Misereor.

To reinforce its commitment to this mission, ACbit organized the Chega! Mobile Exhibition in schools across several municipalities, inviting survivors to directly share their painful experiences from the past conflict with students, so they can learn and reflect, ensuring such human rights violations are not repeated in the future.

From mid-2024 to 2025, ACbit has carried out the Chega! Mobile Exhibition in 8 schools in three municipalities: Baucau, Atauro, and Ermera, reaching a total of 444 students.

The students showed great enthusiasm and appreciation in learning about the history of conflict in Timor-Leste, especially the untold stories of survivors whose experiences are often missing from the official historical narrative.

Deonisia Soares, a student from 99 Secondary School in Atauro, said, “This exhibition helped me understand the history of the conflict in Timor-Leste, and the consequences of war for vulnerable people – especially women, who not only suffered but also contributed to the struggle for independence, though their history are not recognized as other heroes.”

“This history is part of our identity. It is essential for us, the younger generation, to learn about it so we can value and honour all those who sacrificed their lives for our independence.” Stated by Flavia D. Menezes, a student from ESTV Cabo Martinho Guisarudo School in Ermera municipality.

The exhibition engaged not only students but also survivors and their families, along with teachers. Pe. Aderito M. E. V. da Costa, SDB, Director of ESSA Baucau School, stated, “We truly appreciate this exhibition initiative by ACbit, because it helps students learn history from a human perspective—guiding them to value humanity, and to avoid any inhumane acts or resorting to violence in their lives.”

This activity is support by MISEREOR which will continue to be implemented in schools in other municipalities, to disseminate the recommendations of the Chega! Report to the new generation, to ensure that human rights violations do not occur in the future.

After the conflict, Graciana played an important role in her family by becoming the main breadwinner. Through farming and raising livestock for sale, she worked hard to meet her family’s needs. It was not easy for her to raise and provide for her eight children, including four children of her late sister (who was killed by the militia during the Setembro Negro Massacre). Fortunately, she had a supportive husband who always stood by her in all her efforts, and her children became her greatest motivation to persevere—without complaint.

The activities implemented by ACbit, and Graciana’s active participation in them, have significantly contributed to strengthening her knowledge and capacity to improve her life. As she explained:

“I have been involved in ACbit’s activities such as PAR (Participatory Action Research), life skills, micro-enterprise training, and others. These activities have helped me a lot and empowered me to become stronger, more confident, and independent in facing life.”

With ACbit’s continued support, Graciana grew stronger and developed the necessary skills to support her household. Together with her husband, she has watched her children grow into responsible adults. Some of them have started working, and one of her sons is now married with a child – an addition that has brought even more joy to Graciana’s humble family life.

Graciana is not only strong within her family, but she also plays an important role in her community, particularly among fellow women survivors of past conflict. She serves as a Dinamizadora, supporting women who live in vulnerable conditions. In 2022, together with other survivors, she helped establish the Galagol Group – a safe space where they can organize economic activities, share experiences, and find solutions to the challenges they face. Today, Graciana serves as a counselor for the Galagol Group, continuing her journey of resilience, leadership, and solidarity within her community.