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This will be the final issue of Timor Today produced by Timor Aid.
28/September 2001
To our Readers and Friends,
This will be the final issue of Timor Today produced by Timor Aid.
Since its first issue in mid 1997, Timor Today, then produced by our predecessor organisation the 'East Timor International Support Centre (ETISC)', has proved to be a very popular resource providing up to date information on East Timor to a wide variety of readers. Among Timor Today's regular visitors are journalists, diplomats and other government personnel, UN staff, academics, and many others.
Timor Today had an important role to play in support of the advocacy role of ETISC for East Timorese self-determination, which culminated in the August 1999 UN-sponsored Consultation. Afterwards, Timor Today was able to contribute providing information to those involved in the reconstruction and development process of East Timor in the last two years. In the last few months it also proved of use to the work of Timor Aid.
We thank our readers for their faithful patronage over these important years in the history of East Timor. We would like to receive any comments about Timor Today you may care to provide us at
info@timoraid.org
We also would like to take this opportunity to again thank our funders who made the production of Timor Today possible, namely Danida the Danish Government aid agency and Caritas Denmark, as well as the Westminster Foundation of the UK. Thanks are also due to our staff members
Hugh Ekeberg, the Webmaster, and Suzan Yates of our Darwin Office, for their high dedication to Timor Today during these past years.
With Timor Aid having now finalised its involvement in the emergency phase in East Timor, and having shifted its attention to longer-term development projects, a downsizing of activities has recently taken place. The production of Timor Today is one of the activities that it is no longer possible for us to maintain.
We are making arrangements to shift Timor Today back to www.easttimor.com, where our US-based associates the Fund for East Timor in partnership with TheCommunity.com are making arrangements to continue producing it. We expect that the new Timor Today will begin publication in the next few days. Please keep checking the site.
Today also marks my last day as Chief Executive Officer of Timor Aid. In line with our Timorization policy, I am handing over the position to a Timorese, Maria do Ceu Federer. I shall continue to serve the organisation as a member of its Governing Board.
I would therefore like to also make use of this opportunity to thank all the many people, organizations and governments from may parts of the world, who have assisted us during these intense and difficult years to fulfil our mandate to help the people of East Timor. It is widely acknowledged that a very good job was done by Timor Aid. Without their support we could not have done it.
Wishing the new team all the best for their work, and looking forward to a well-deserved bright future for the new nation of East Timor and its people,
With much gratitude
Juan Federer
Chief Executive Officer (outgoing)
Timor Aid
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