It has been 10 years since Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia in an historic referendum. Since then, the road to stability has been precarious, and the eruption of gang violence in 2006 weakened previous peace-building efforts. During the civil unrest, 6,000 homes were destroyed in the capital Dili alone, and between 150,000 and 180,000 people fled from their homes.
But things could be about to change. By the end of September, the Metinaro camp – the last of the 60 internally displaced people (IDP) camps set up after the riots – is to close. Is this a sign that this traumatized nation, the first country to gain independence this millennium, is finally on the road to recovery?
