(26 Oct 1999) English/Nat
The East Timorese are slowly rebuilding their lives in the wake of the terrible violence that followed the province's independence vote.
That violence was aided by anti-independence militia and some of the Indonesian military.
President Abdurrahman Wahid announced that his new Cabinet will lessen the military's powerful political role and will also widen representations of Indonesia's ethnic diversity.
One of Dili's schools re-opened its gates on Tuesday to children deprived of an education since the independence referendum erupted into violence in early October.
At this school, children are taught in three different languages, the local dialect Tetun, Portuguese and Bahasa-Indonesia.
This trilingual teaching is yet another example of the problems facing East Timor.
It will be up to the new administration to decide what language these children will be educated in.
Teachers and children are still trying to come to terms with the violence that shook the province.
SOUNDBITE: (Tetun)
"I think we have to accept this situation for our country. We have to accept whatever happens. But at the moment, we as the teachers, are trying our best to help the children, to repair themselves for the future."
SUPERCAPTION: Alicia Gusmao, Teacher
In the Red Cross Hospital in Dili a small baby is fighting for its life.
The infant was found by Beatrice Sousa Almeida in July as she roamed in the woods above the capital.
The infant has been named Juliana.
Beatrice Sousa Almeida only brought the baby to the hospital last week, fearful of leaving the relative safety of the hills.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"She was just like a small bird. One point five kilogrammes. She had been only fed with rice water. That is why she is so skinny. So we started with a kind of therapeutic milk and at least she has less diarrhoea, so we hope she will gain weight."
SUPERCAPTION: Marit Busengdal, Red cross medical staff
Another victim of the troubles is 19 year old Duarte Olivera.
Only a few days ago, he was walking in the eastern region of Los Palos, searching for food with friends.
On their return to their hiding place in the hills, Duarte Olivera stepped on a trip wire attached to a grenade.
The explosion blew his foot off.
Four other live grenades were in the same area and were disarmed by pro-independence militia.
SOUNDBITE: (Tetun)
"We don't exactly know who laid the booby trap. But at the time the militia had just attacked the area. They destroyed the houses. But they left food around - they didn't destroy the food. Then my friends and my brother went down to try and get the food. When he collected the food he just started to go back up to the hills when he stepped on the booby trap and it exploded."
SUPERCAPTION: Tomas Correia, Grenade blast victim's brother
The board outside the Red Cross hospital acts as a missing persons agency.
It's an essential source of information for those separated from their families.
Many children have lost their parents and are being looked after by aid agencies.
Some play around the harbour area, singing songs of freedom as they wait for the last remnants of Indonesian rule to leave their province.
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