Worlds Apart - Indo's Isles of Bali, Lombok, Rote and Terra Nusa Timur

 

Words by Barry and photographs snapped by Lesley Greville-Eyres 

 

 

Uluwatu's cliff top views of the surf break with jukung boats in the background

 

 

Bali, despite it's history of bombings; debauchery; tourism and sustainable development gone or going wrong; and many happy returns, remains a fascinating destination and paints a far different picture to many of the other islands on the far eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago. Despite successive ‘boom and bust’ periods courtesy of the 2002/5 bombings, the 2008 financial and broader Global Financial Crisis (2007 – 2012), the tourism sector remains vibrant albeit decidedly chaotic.

 



A typical Legian Kuta street scene

Even though regional autonomy is afforded to the 33 country-wide provinces, by the centre in Jakarta, tourism and it's associated development on the Indonesian island is heavily contested by multiple ‘interest’ groups both local and global. One has a sense that bule, or foreigners, including Asia’s emerging super-nations, have an enormous stake in this multi-billion dollar industry and their interests are being served at the expense of the Balinese and their much vaunted Island of Peace. It’s highly likely that the all-pervasive KKN – collusion, corruption and nepotism is similarly endemic and rife on the island and as a consequence the industry remains in limbo - largely uncoordinated and poorly governed with a general, free-for-all orientation.

 

The upmarket and 'exclusive' Potatoe Head beach club - Seminyak

In spite of this, the Balinese experience is alluring and unique as one is taken in by the soothing and intoxicating embrace of country and kinfolks. Everything works wondrously well despite the crush of people and vehicular traffic, with all on the same page or Bintang-induced ‘good karma.’

 

Gentle and charming Balinese men

There is consistency, continuity and even camaraderie in breaking, by Western standards, every conceivable rule of the road. It’s all very liberating and in spite of the apparent lawlessness it’s rare to find, in my experience, Aussies, Poms or any other tourist behaving badly. There is, however, evidence to the contrary. In a recent Australian Herald Sun report it was confirmed that on average one Australian dies every nine days in Bali (with 39 meeting their demise in 2011/12 alone). Many more are injured annually in motorbike-scooter accidents and nightclub brawls. Personal biases aside, Aussies are remarkably civil and content to share the island with all and sundry even though my ‘mates’ usurped Bali as an extraterritorial state decades ago. Formal policing is largely ‘invisible’ although the private security presence is very obvious and the relationship between the two appears to be strong and one of mutual respect and cooperation.   

  

Touring the countless unique Balinese Hindu temples in the Ubud area 

 

Fact Sheet - Bali

·         Bali is located at the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Island, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east;

·         Denpasar is the provincial capital;

·         According to the 2010 census the population was recorded at 3,9m with an estimated 30,000 expats living on the island;

 

Stone carvings and sculptures at the Great Elephant Temple outside Ubud

·         Bali is home to most of Indonesia’s Hindu minority with about 92% of the population adhering to Balinese Hinduism while most of the remaining Indonesians worship Islam;

·         The island is the largest tourism destination in Indonesia, renowned for it's highly developed art and culture including traditional and modern dance; music; sculpture (wood and stone carvings); painting; batik fabric; leather; metalwork specifically silverware and water sports – a diving, boating, fishing and surfing mecca;

 

The awe-inspiring window shutter facade of Seminyak's Potatoe Head Beach Club

·         Tourist arrivals include: 2,5m visitors in 2010; 2,2m visitors in 2009 and 1,96m in 2008. Currently Australians, Chinese and Japanese top, respectively, the visitor list to Bali;

 

A must do - cycling through the Bali's rural highlands from Kintamani Volcano to Ubud

·         Roughly 80% of Bali’s economy depends on tourism yet agriculture is still regarded as the island’s biggest employer particularly with regard to rice production.

 

One of the many well stocked roadside farm stalls in Bali's highlands outside Ubud

 

·         Other island nicknames include Island of Love, Gods and Hinduism;

·         Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian, Chinese and particularly Hindu culture, around the 1^st century AD;

·         First European contact with Bali is believed to have been made in 1585 when a Portuguese vessel was shipwrecked off the Bukit Peninsula. In 1597 the Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman arrived in Bali and by 1602 the Dutch East India Company had established a significant presence on the island;

 

 

Home stays in Bali offer intimate insights into the daily lives of Balinese and are a wonderful accommodation alternative 

·         The 1963 volcanic eruption of Mount Agung in the central highlands (in close proximity to the modern-day cultural hub of Ubud) killed thousands, caused economic devastation and forced many displaced Balinese people to migrate to other parts of Indonesia;

·         The Asian Palm Civet is kept on plantations to produce a unique blend of Balinese coffee known as Kopi Luwak. The civet feeds naturally on the ripening coffee ‘cherries’ and the beans pass ‘relatively’ unscathed through the digestive tract of the animals. The collected and cleaned beans then receive the mildest of roasts with this ‘downstream processing’ culminating in the distinctive and sought after Kopi Luwak;   

Ben's home stay in Ubud 

 

It’s wonderful to bask in the generosity, Hindu-mystic and goodwill of the Balinese. The island offers accommodation options aplenty yet we found our homestay with the Bengkur family in Ubud to be the most memorable and insightful (Ben’s Homestay  ben_bali88@yahoo.com).  The notion of supporting ‘local enterprise’ and contributing directly to the GDP of our host family sat very well with us.

The upper end of the accommodation market, ranging from small, exclusive boutique hide-away lodges to expansive resort complexes, found typically at Nusa Dua, Sanur and Seminyak, provide an interesting education in consumerism, social elites and exclusionism. The Balinese people, culture and way of life are at the very core of the island experience and there is a concern that it’s being eroded, increasingly, by external influences and globalization.    

Resort-styled accommodation in Bali typical of Sanur and Nusa Dua

 

The surfing sub-culture in the region has been a long held, personal pre-occupation and an obvious observation is that it’s assumed epic proportions particularly in Bali. It’s no longer a minority of middle-aged misfits who live off nasi goreng, palm wine and island-hopping but has morphed and mainstreamed into a multi-generational past-time that is also exceedingly lucrative.  It’s super-cool to surf and much of the holiday hype is geared towards ‘selling’ this dreamy facade including surf & boards; sex; sunshine; boardies & bikinis; stock-standard gear to the burgeoning Bintang brigades and associated accoutrements. Branded surf shops and fashion outlets, quite conceivably, outnumber Bali’s night clubs and bordellos.

 

An unidentified member of the Bintang Brigade reconnoitring the resort beach at Sanur

Much has been said, seen and written about Bali’s fabled surf spots and reef breaks but the key in this regard is to ‘manage’ one’s expectations very carefully. As a first-timer or even a returnee, it’s often a major mission to find the spots and once there, contend with hoards of ‘local’; wannabe and hard core surfers all vying for the perfect 10 wave ride. The proliferation of surf schools, in recent years, has added to the in-water bedlam. More joy and head-space is to be had venturing out of the Legian-Kuta area altogether. Canggu, a short 30-45 minute commute from Legian-Kuta, is well worth a punt. Swell generating conditions are also quite unpredictable, often reliant on major weather patterns far south that seem to conspire ‘to make your day or week’ or perhaps not at all!  Besides being ‘seduced’ by sexy and imaginative sounding surf locations such as Impossibles, Padang Padang, Playgrounds, Uluwatu  surfer-dudes tend to be ‘eternal optimists’ and the promise of tomorrow and what the Surf-Gods will bring keeps many grounded and going.

Uluwatu, situated almost at the southern tip of Bali and far enough from the maddening crowds, has consistently provided me and countless others with the goods – a surfer’s heaven on earth. Besides being a breathtakingly beautiful location, where water-side one is totally immersed in an almost outer-worldly experience with wrap-around vistas alternating between towering cliffs and heaving horizons of open sea. The package deal – rhythmic sets gracing the left-hand reef breaks; casual banter and camaraderie shared with nameless nationalities of fellow surfers; warmer yet invigorating seawater and wind sigh-like caresses; adrenalin surges matching wave peaks, breaks and barrels; surf satisfied bodies and minds in need of nourishment; ecstatic escapism - is true soul-food.  There is no mistaking the spiritual aura that blends sea, land and people into one.

 

The Blogger threading his way through a crowded Uluwatu line-up in small surf conditions

Landside, the cliff hugging Uluwatu community is like no other – new tussling with the old; a warren of warungs and restos (eateries), bars, tourist shops, surf shops, surfboard ding repairs, apparel & photo shops (delivering cliff-top, real time personal digital pics of surfed expression sessions below) – a pulse, life and vibe of its own all dictated by nature’s timeless rhythms of sunrise and set; lunar cycles; tidal ebb and flow; senses and emotions laid bare by adventure, hunger, thirst, exhaustion and curiosity.

 

Uluwatu's quaint cliff-top and side community that primarily supports the global surfing fraternity 
 

 It’s fascinating to observe the daily trans-migration of people and surfer dudes from elsewhere into Uluwatu, with the trickle beginning around sunrise and developing into a steady stream throughout the day. With surfboards racked and loaded, the main mode of transport is the omnipresent $5 a day motor scooters. For those, like me, who find the daily commute too time-consuming and onerous there is ample locally based accommodation in close proximity to the action. Home stays are on the increase and I spent many relaxing nights at the very affordable and comfortable Bali Bule (balibule.uluwatu@yahoo.com).   

Superb Bali Bule home stay accommodation at Uluwatu 

 

 

Uluwatu surf sessions are inevitably punctuated by local fare (fried rice and noodles - nasi & mie goreng; fresh fruit smoothies or juices); in situ massages; quiet interludes of reflection and utmost appreciation and the ability to mat or bunk down, in quiet nooks and crannies, for a powernap if needed.  All ages revel in this splendour all the while ‘shepherded’ by gracious, enigmatic, all-knowing and seeing Balinese.    

 

One of Lombok Kuta's many laid back warungs or eateries with stunning coastal views

 

 Lombok offers a refreshingly wonderful alternative to a ‘maxed out’ Bali that is going through successive phases of re-development. Although the locals seem somewhat standoffish, the product of an Islamic island-state, they are affable and wholesome in their reservedness. Lombok Kuta located on the south coast is, truly, a world apart from its adjoining namesake and is rustic, earthy (without bling, plastic and billboards) and harsh in its drop-dead beauty. The island environment is an unforgiving one and most people live off the land or sea in a less than harmonious or symbiotic way. ‘Illegal’ gold mining, on the outskirts of Kuta, has exacted a toll on both man and environment but the ‘quick rich’ lure still drives this sinister undertaking.

 



Risking life and limb - a backyard gold mining operation on the outskirts of Kuta on Lombok Island 



Lombok has a history of illegal logging and deforestation and this has impacted severely upon already compromised surface and ground water supplies. Resilience is etched in the local people, many dabbling in the passing tourist trade of backpackers, surfers, divers, trekkers and eco-warriors. One such enterprising Fix-It or Go to Man is Jerry from Kuta Lombok Transport Services (+6281 757 95 998).

 

Lombok Kuta's upmarket accommodation at the Novotel Hotel

Whereas much of Lombok’s upmarket resort-styled accommodation is centred around Senggigi and the offshore Gili Islands (west coast), Kuta offers very basic yet comfortable lodgings with the exception of the flashy Novotel Hotel. Pristine beaches and surf breaks are relatively close by, well within a short scooter commute and include Mawi, Gerupuk, Seger Beach, A’an and many others. The hamlet itself is small and quaint with a slow-paced yet stress-free appeal.   

A pristine Mawum Beach a short commute from Lombok Kuta

 

 

 

The 30 minute day break ‘scoot’ from Lombok Kuta to the estuarine village of Gerupuk, followed by the short boat trip to the right hand reef break is still vivid in my mind as are the evocative sights and sounds. Anchored pontoons harbouring farmed lobsters and providing a substrate for seaweed to grow and flourish punctuate the waterway and are dwarfed by weathered rock pinnacles and landforms that nod and grant solemn access to one of Lombok’s iconic surf spots. Gaudily appointed traditional, jukung boats jettison their eager cargos into the already busy line-up and then anchor, at a distance, to watch the antics of the multi-national surf armada.    

Gerupuk Bay with a jukung armada used to ferry surfers to the reef break

 

Fact Sheet – Lombok

·         Located immediately east of its ‘sister island’ of Bali and separated by the Lombok Strait the distance of 25 miles is bridged by sea (fast boats approx. 90 minutes) and air (numerous domestic carriers daily taking approx. 45 minutes) links;

 



Fast boat service across the Lombok Strait between Bali and Lombok



·         Mataram is the provincial capital and largest city on the island. Similar in size and population to that of neighbouring Bali sharing some cultural heritage;

·         Lombok’s topography is dominated by the centrally located volcano of Mount Rinjani (3,726m) – the second highest volcano in Indonesia and a popular trekking and adventure destination;

·         The volcano and its crater was declared a ‘protected area’ in 1997 and incorporated into the Gunung Rinjani National Park;

·         Highlands of Lombok are afforested and most undeveloped although in recent years large scale deforestation, illegal logging and associated environment degradation has taken place particularly to the water catchments;

 



Illegal gold mining on the outskirts of Kuta Lombok



 

·         As a consequence of water catchment degradation, the water supply in Lombok is severely stressed placing increasing pressure upon both the water supply of Mataram and the island in general;

·         Rice, soybeans, coffee, tobacco, cotton, cinnamon, cacao, cloves, cassava, corn, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla are the major crops grown in the fertile soils of the island;

·         The islands indigenous Sasak people which make up 85% of the inhabitants are predominantly Muslim;

·         Prior to the arrival of Islam Lombok experienced a long period of Hindu and Buddhist influence that reached the island through Java. A minority Balinese Hindu culture remains in Lombok (estimated at 10 – 15% of the island’s inhabitants);

·         Most developed tourist area is on the west coast of the island centred around the resort complex of Senggigi. The offshore islands of Gili are also a major drawcard for adventure seeking tourists. 

Poolside - Novotel Hotel at Lombok Kuta

 

An Indo surf-safari is incomplete without a visit to the off the beaten track Rote Island - specifically Nemberala and other legendary breaks. Further information can be found at:

·         Becalmed on Rote Island – Indonesia http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011_11_01_archive.html;

 

Ann Turner, the co-owner of Dili's Free Flow Diving and a tourism industry consultant to Nusa Tengarra Timur - the Timor-Leste government is emphatic on her views of tourism experiences on offer across the Indonesian archipelago.  Even as Timor-Leste tries to define it's product and experience there seems a consensus on what it is not. "I don't think the standard Bali tourist would be satisfied with Timor-Leste," Turner says.

 



Bali's distinctive tourism brand should not replicated elsewhere in the region more especially in Timor-Leste which is struggling to identify it's own unique brand in a global market place

 

Since the country is predominantly Catholic and with an associated “social conservatism” it stands to reason that pavement peddling in pornographic DVDs and Viagra; pirated brands; sex trading and party-style tourism that commonly thrives in most Asian destinations is widely frowned upon and rarely exists in Timor-Leste. It's relative “prudishness might become it's strength as the Timorese develop their tourism industry.” Additional insights into Timor’s unique brand of tourism can be sourced at:

·         Adeus Timor-Leste! http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/

·         Timorese Blessings Counted and Received http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011_12_01_archive.html;

·         Tais – Kaleidoscope  http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/tais-kaleidoscope.html;

·         Timor-Leste’s Revealing Road Show  http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011_10_01_archive.html;

·         Poignant and life-changing markers in time  http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/poignant-and-life-changing-markers-in.html;

·         Centrepiece Tatamailau  http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011_08_01_archive.html;

·         Six of the Best  http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/six-of-best-by-barry-greville-eyres.html;

·         The City of Peace Rocks!  http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011_06_01_archive.html;

·         Delectable Dili  - Timor-Leste http://barrygreville-eyres.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/delectable-dili-timor-leste.html;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adeus Timor-Leste!

This pictorial best defines and represents Timor-Leste - relating its own unique story. Pics and odd words by the Blogger 

My Timor - the best possible depiction Ever!

Feast your eyes on this ..... traditional Kupang fare - piquant and delectable out of Indonesia's Nussa Tenggara Timur

Maubissie's landmark Catholic Church dwarfs the tiny mountain hamlet renowed for its excellent export quality, organic Arabica  coffee

Don't mess with me ....I see you too 

Dili's well-trodden Cristo Rei circuit decked out in summertime finery.

Lest we forget - Timor-Leste's Darkest Side

Outdoor classroom Oe-Cusse - Snr. Luis, lecturer from the National Institute for Public Administration, in action.

Serious business .......Snr. Nuno negotiates a fair price for handcrafted tais

Atop Tatamailau!

An aerial view of the Cristo Rei Circular walks 8kms and 12kms respectively

Timor-Leste boasts with some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving in the world

Dollar Beach is one of the many pristine snorkelling spots in close proximity to Dili

Mates mucking around - good, clean fun!

Bright-eyed, brave and driving into the future as Timorese

A distinctive peninsula delineating the Hera and Metinaro sub districts approximately 20kms east of Dili

After......... 

 Before..... Timorese produce - freshest, distinctive and organic

Best dressed - a Timorese Summer 

Development's softer side

Volunteers abroad including the United Nations Integrated Mission to Timor-Leste (UNMIT)                
 Words and Photographs by Barry Greville-Eyres

UN Service Medal presentation to Malaysian Formed Police Unit

Having recently farewelled the pride of Malaysia’s Royal National Police Force – the Malaysian Formed Police Unit (MAL-FPU) which forms the most enduring and an important part of the United Nations Integrated Mission to Timor-Leste (UNMIT), it’s an opportune time to reflect upon the less obvious side of development. Personal sacrifice through volunteerism is the noblest and altruistic side of international development that warrants, in my view, specific mention.



Assistant Superintendent Lim Chee Teong (right) and one of his NCOs - Malaysian Royal Police at the farewell UN Service Medal Presentation in Dili recently

The MAL-FPU is a highly trained, rapid reaction force tasked primarily with policing and stabilization on the western approaches to Dili via Comoro Road. The unit also closely guards access to the all-important and only international airport and the Comoro River bridgehead which divides Dili’s commercial, residential, political-administrative and manufacturing heartland disproportionately.  Rotations are generally of a six monthly duration with a return, rest and recovery period in Malaysia of about two weeks midway through their tour of duty. Whilst in Timor, all staff receives a modest daily allowance to cover incidental and essential expenses but beyond that the ladies and gentlemen receive no additional remuneration for an absence from homeland and loved ones.
  



MAL-FPU perfect their crowd control techniques

I’ve been a witness to their ongoing service to Timor-Leste and the international community – one of dedication and distinction but it’s their composure, empathy, warmth, humility and Asianness – their ability to connect with the Timorese that differentiates them from all others. Their linguistic proficiency is astounding with many fluent in half a dozen regional languages and capable of picking up Tetun in an instant. Besides their conventional policing role, FPU conducts a community outreach program focussing on public health and safety. Women appear to be well represented throughout the broader Malaysian contingent although primarily in non-combat roles. I’ve also experienced their wonderful culture, camaraderie, hospitality and many culinary delights and it’s little wonder that Malaysia – Truly Asia occupies a must-visit destination on my travel list.

The newly arrived, June-December 2012, rotation of MAL-FPU relax with Pit a friendly local

Since the men are generally confined to barracks and constantly on standby, they've turned their hands and minds to many inventive pastimes including vegetable gardening, metal and wood work and  a full range of sporting activities. Their lives, on mission, are full and exciting and most seem to breeze through their time here without any problems.  


My Antipodean colleagues also deserve a special mention with Australian Army Reservists – essentially volunteers – taking a ‘service year’ to represent the Australian Defence Forces in Timor-Leste. They are an extraordinary bunch of young men who have taken time out from their private lives and personal relationships to represent Australia and support the people of Timor. One should not be misled by the notion that volunteerism is a ‘free ticket’ to representing the ADF in Timor. On the contrary, reservists serving in Timor have had to ‘earn’ their right to deployment through a series of stringent selection requirements. The right people are here for the right reasons and this is clearly the case.

'Brothers in Arms' - the blogger is flanked by UNMIT forces - Ugandan and Malaysian Police Officers respectively

Our African ‘brothers in arms’ – a geo-political world away from their continent – also deserve accolades. Small African police contingents, representing Ghana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Gambia, Nigeria, consolidated under UNMIT have also charmed and made their presence felt in Timor-Leste.





South Africa's King Air Services provide exclusive charter and medivac services for the United Nations Integrated Mission to Timor-Leste. Here the team gear up for another busy day at the office!

  

Dili’s thriving expat community, its own weird universal amalgam of development practitioners, has also left a lasting philanthropic mark on Timorese society. More specifically, I salute the Australian spirit and generosity; perhaps a collective conscience – whereas the significant few have conveniently forgotten – countless other ‘fair dinkum’ Aussies have remembered. Australian individuals, towns and states, schools, community groups, NGOs are rebuilding the people and institutions of Timor-Leste, often, independently and outside of the official aid program. This generates immense goodwill particularly at community level and needs are often being met, side by side, with greater impact, focus and pragmatism.   

Volunteer English tutors drawn from Dili's expat community take time out of the classroom with University of Timor-Leste students. Pic courtesy of Greg Fergin

Fund raising is a constant and aid workers and expats of all nationalities take volunteerism to a new level in that it becomes second nature and an important part of Dili's social scene. Quiz evenings, film screenings, art and music festivals, frequent formal balls; a plethora of lessons - dancing, choral, language etc all rake in the expat dollar which is, presumably, channelled  back into Timorese communities near and far. In addition, many donate their time, experience and intellectual capacity to a range of deserving local causes. In a strangely symbiotic way,  malae-sira are both producers and consumers in Dili's economy. It is hoped that through both informal (active expat community) and formal (government)  stakeholders that thought and consideration  will be given to the impact(s) that the significant reduction in aid workers / peace keepers - as a result of the planned December 2012 UNMIT drawdown - will have on Dili's economy. Its a harsh reality that must be confronted proactively and head on.

Cultural and culinary appreciation! University students enjoy a traditional, Australian sausage sizzle. Pic courtesy of Greg Fergin

Asia's Mother of Necessity: The Ubiquitous Motorbike

From Jakarta to Dili to Bangkok to Manila and to every other, equally exotic, Asian capital city there’s absolutely no escaping them…..




The 'bikie culture' as we know it - boyz with coiffured hair, decked out in leathers astride an expensive, high powered toy - definitely out to impress!

Firstly, let me put my ‘disclaimer’ down from the outset … these ramblings are from an eco-freak and non-fossil fuel, cylinder head therefore, I guess, I’m hardly qualified to comment. The only throbbing I’ve felt between my legs is bum numbness induced by hours humping around on a mountain bicycle saddle and I can’t really recall having felt the wind blowing through my hair because my golden, flowing locks deserted me many moons ago. I once had a brief flirtation with a MB as a young forester but it didn’t blossom much beyond that. Cars and MBs have rarely been the object of my desire or fascination – they simply don’t do it for me and I’ve used and sometimes abused them over the years merely as a convenient conveyance.   




A family outing at the seaside resort of Com enjoyed by all

Although I may be described by the hard core bikies as a conservative old bat, my views on MBs have become even more entrenched with time and recent experiences in Asia. In this part of the world they are the bane of my life. Undoubtedly, they are unmanned drones especially in the hands of the Timorese youth, coffins on wheels that are smelly, smoky and incessantly noisy. The definition of youth here is decidedly different from that of elsewhere. Bike riders are often unlicensed and its common to find children aged around ten or younger experimenting on Dili’s congested roads.



Have MB will travel..... over land, sea, and mountain .... distance or terrain is never an issue for our intrepid travellers. MBs loaded on a ferry from Kupang to Rote Island

I simply adore my MB, there is no other!

To our Asian friends, the motorbike is everything and so much more. For most, a giant leap into the 21^st century, ‘affordable mass’ transport where it’s not unusual to get three to five up – an entire family on one MB! They also offer vastly increased mobility, and despite challenging terrain, bikers travel vast distances on their trusty steeds. The catch phrase in this neck of the woods is: ‘Have MB, will travel….’ and Asians are not daunted at all by land, sea, mountain, jungle, and river.



A sales rep with a difference.....

The Dark Knight vs his counterpart....

They’ve also become ‘new age’ work horses and in this regard their commercial value and earning potential cannot be underestimated – all manner of sales representatives use MBs to ply their trade….. plastic & cookware, clothing & linen, fish mongers, miscellaneous trinkets and jewellery and self-contained fast food eateries on wheels. MB taxis are common in the impoverished rural areas are often the only available form of transportation.  



Meals on meals - Rote Island

For young adults, MBs are their pride (definitely a status symbol linked to economic prosperity) and joy. The wilder, recreational side includes drag and street racing, especially in Dili, although it’s not something I’ve encountered first hand. Thrills and spills are aplenty but since they generally appear to happen at low speeds, fatalities seem to be relatively low.  It's the head-on collisions, with other motor vehicles, that exact a deadly toll and memorials consisting of rock cairns, flowers arrangements and crucifixes are found dotted around the countryside in profusion.



This roadside fast food vendor received a steady stream of hungry customers

MBs loaded for Indo-island hopping between Timor and Indonesia

Australian and other Western tourists get to ‘live out’ their own version of the Mad Max trilogy whilst vacationing in Asia and Bali is the prime spot to hire low powered MBs at inexpensive, daily rates. The young, wild and reckless can have fun in the sun, joining their own lemming run, all the while thumbing their noses at ‘conventional’ traffic rules and breaking many with impunity. A case of Who let the dogs Out?  In spite of this, fatalities and injuries seem to be relatively low or are perhaps under-reported. The obligatory apparel here is the Bintang singlet, thongs, boardie shorts, peroxided mullet, strategically located tats and all rounded off with a light to moderate state of intoxication.   



Jakarta, Blok M peak hour traffic (2008ish) a nightmare for pedestrians with elevated carbon monoxide levels ....

Bikie facts

·         Major Japanese MB brands are manufactured under license in Indonesia including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki (in order of popularity, value for money and reliability especially in Timor-Leste);

·         A new Indonesian manufactured Honda 125cc MB retails in Dili, Timor-Leste for around US$1,300 - strictly cash only;

·         There is a roaring trade in both new and second hand MBs but rarely higher than 250cc;

·         Wearing of crash helmets is ‘supposed’ to be compulsory locally, although this is not strictly policed with a ‘good quality’ helmet retailing for approx. US$35. Pillion riders – babes in arms, toddlers, children, teenagers, adults and the elderly seldom wear protective headgear;

·         All manner of ‘imaginable’ engine and exhaust modification takes place with little or no policing;

·         Yamahas are the preferred street and drag racing MB;

·         The impact of millions of MBs on the regional environment is clearly the ‘great unknown’ yet even so, if every third or fourth Asian family share a MB is quite likely that their carbon footprint is still significantly lower than that of the average Australian or American family (consisting of 2 motor vehicles – the obligatory 4-wheel drive and mid-sized family sedan, multiple plasma screen televisions, A/Cs and countless other  energy-eating appliances).



'Free' pavement parking in Jakarta

Breaking out of the Lethargy and Siege Mentality that Imprisons Timor-Leste

All too soon the UN and countless other agencies will pack up their kit-bags and head off to the next crisis….confident of a job well done. Boxes ticked, budgets blown, buildings built, systems in place, capacity developed, skills transferred to be farewelled by a more than audible sigh of collective relief.

Given Timor’s turbulent history (especially the accumulation of deprivation, suppression, violence, and trauma across successive generations ….. on the spirit, soul and the psyche of this nation) and the recent unprecedented change that has engulfed this country, I cannot but wonder whether there is still some very, important unfinished business at hand. Some aid initiatives, particularly through non-governmental and community-based organisations, have directly provided psychosocial, coping or change management support to marginalised groups. Despite this, there is a lingering sense that mainstream Timorese society, as resilient as it may appear, is still haunted and indelibly affected by the more and less recent past. This begs the question: has the development community done enough to support the needs of the Timorese?   

 

Extract from an earlier post: Poignant and life-changing markers in time, October 2011.

A derelict Indonesian occupation-era prison on the outskirts of the Oe-cusse enclave

In recent months I’ve been extremely fortunate to have a couple of first hand, WOW experiences in relation to a, potential, missing development link in Timor-Leste. This revelation answers, in part, a concern raised in an earlier posting. Whereas Timor’s telling and arguably most destructive occupations are long over, the country continues to be inflicted with a numbing siege mentality – a legacy of centuries of occupation and a post-independence occupation of ‘different sorts.’

Forced occupations by the Portuguese, Japanese and Indonesians were largely characterised by a control and command orientation whereas a more recent, decade  of ‘voluntary’ UN occupation differs considerably – leaning towards a developmental approach with coaching and capacity development featuring prominently.

The nature of the command and control orientation under the respective occupiers also differs – Continental/Mediterranean Portugal (Christian Catholic) once a colonial power but very much on the wane lately. The country now languishes in the wake of the global financial crisis and is a primary member of the ‘illustrious’ PIGS financial bloc.  During the colonial period, Portuguese administrative power was concentrated at the centre (Dili) with little more than pottering around on the periphery (numerous, rural administrative districts). It’s ‘insanely’ ironic that in a few months Timorese will be ‘celebrating’ 500 years of Portuguese founding and occupation. 

Indonesia (the world’s most populous Islamic country), with its crescent waxing and  emerging as an Asian superpower simple saturated Timor-Leste with the sheer weight of military might. This practice is continued to this day in West Papua and is conveniently ignored, by the old firm, in a bizarre déjà vu. Contrast this then, with the more recent ‘international’ occupation force headlined by the UN but including a hodgepodge of donor countries that are more likely, Eurocentric in orientation.

Neatly sandwiched between this are the Timorese people and herein lies the immense development dilemma. For too long they have been trapped between the extremities of these very different development paradigms - Timorese and Malae sira (all manner of foreigners). There is little wonder that Timorese are culturally, developmentally and psychosocially shocked and confused.

As development practitioners it’s critical that we are cognisant of this and adjust our frame(s) of reference, understanding and expectations accordingly. How does one manage and tread the fine development line between doing too much – controlling,  commanding, disempowering, suppressing and stifling local initiative/self-determination; and doing too little – casting a country and people aside and setting them up for failure?  

Acceptable limits need to be set on either side of the development line where based on specific circumstances and timing, one can cross the line with impunity, yet remain within acceptable limits, to achieve specific developmental objectives. Self-correction appears to be a natural tendency that happens, over time, often with little or no direct management intervention. Going beyond ‘acceptable limits,’ denoted in diagram 1 by the dotted line, tends to lead to compromise. The compromise here can be considerable and in many forms – compromising values and ethics, political and administrative governance, sustainable development, integrity, trust, and norms and standards.

Diagram 1. The CD Continuum

The concept of the fine development line bracketed by acceptable or tolerable developmental levels is similar to that of the ecotone in a bio-physical environment.  The ecotone is a  transition zone between different habitats such as forest and grassland, often characterised by a convergence of life forms from both habitats. This invariably results in immense species richness and diversity as organisms (plants and animals), transition from their ‘specialist’ habitats to the ecotone.

Learning, especially action-oriented and on-the-job for counterparts and advisors alike is greatest and richest within this ‘devzone’ provided that mutual rapport, trust and respect has been established from inception. Initially, an advisor may have to step over the fine line and ‘do more’ in order to win credibility, trust and build rapport but will then have to self-correct once a healthy, working relationship is established. Experienced practitioners intuitively surf this devzone knowing when to assist or guide based on their assessment of the unique circumstances.  

 Without skirting around the issue and being brutally honest, Timorese leadership need to develop the confidence and temerity, based on informed opinion, to tell regional bullyboys and meddlers from further afield to butt out and bugger off. This is already happening with the Timorese government enforcing contractual obligations, related of oil and gas concessions, granted to Australian partner companies. With presidential and parliamentary elections looming; and the UN set to implement a phased withdrawal shortly thereafter, it’s perhaps the opportune time to take stock and for Timorese to work on freeing Timorese from the siege mentality that has entrapped the country.

Where to from here?? What is needed are cool heads, courageous hearts – Old school is good but if infused with the exuberance, creativity, constructive engagement and energy of the youth it’s even better! Young and old need to soldier on together – excluding or marginalising the burgeoning and highly ‘expectant’ youth will be at the peril of the old guard and the country. 

It is hoped that a decade of international development assistance has developed and installed a leadership cadre that is self-assured, analytical, critical, well read and informed capable of decision making and calculated risk taking. Of greater importance, is a leadership that will embrace and celebrate things Timorese and resist ‘cloning’ or replicating archaic administrative and political systems that are wholly and/or generally inappropriate for Timor-Leste. We all hope for a new, invigorated government that will follow a path of measured moderation and modernisation where the leadership and people of Timor-Leste find their voices, suppressed and silenced for too long, as a sovereign nation with every right to self-determination.

Timorese are undoubtedly survivors and at the very centre of this is their unshakeably, customary Uma Lulik/religious faith. The very essence of being Timorese complete with a resurgent culture and tradition that has sustained and strengthened Timorese over centuries. One would hope that within the process of UN-nisation and Westernisation, that a home-grown brand of stewardship and governance will evolve retaining attributes of the old and blending them with attributes of the new world.

My personal ‘wish list’ for Timor-Leste:   

·         Reinforce and reward Timorese uniqueness and enterprise;

·         Embark upon an aggressive ‘nation building’ program of reconstruction and development (capital works) where Timorese will be the drivers and unemployed Timorese youth will be the primary beneficiaries. This should be linked to  systematic up-skilling of the youth;   

·         Promote Timorese icons – role models;

·         Reverse the Timorese diaspora and encourage Timorese to return and to become a valuable/central part of building a new nation;

·         Urgently address critical skills needed to rebuild Timor-Leste through a clear, concise and coordinated/consolidated national skills development strategy/implementation plan;

·         Tap into the traditional system of tribal leaders/elders with a view to coaching and mentoring a new and emerging leadership in the country;

·         Establish a Presidential Leadership Development Program endorsed by the President and designed to systematically develop a ‘new generation’ of Timorese leadership for the future;  

·         Consider viability of partnerships with less traditional regional neighbours including emerging ASEAN member countries (especially CLMV);

·         ‘Re-position’ capacity and skills development at the ‘front and centre’ of all current and planned development assistance efforts. In this regard, a ‘back to basics’ approach is advocated where assumptions are ‘tested/verified’ prior to embarking upon a course of action.

Fledgling, fragile, costly and hard fought democracies, the world over, particuarly more recently in Iraq, south Sudan, Egypt, Libya and Afghanistan are teetering on the brink. The reversal of such significant democratic gains in Timor-Leste is simply not an option.  

Bygone days are best consigned to history with the hope that they will never return

Postscript: Sentiments expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of others.