Ajiza Mango was only a year old when her family fled from her hometown of Bahagia in East Timor to live in the nearby mountains. After Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1976 for economic and political reasons, Mango’s family, along with many others, went into hiding from the militia.
Through interpreter Agatha Scmaedick, a recent International Studies University graduate and tour coordinator for the East Timorese Action Network (ETAN), Mango spoke to about 80 people Friday in Willamette Hall about her frightening experience of living in East Timor during the 24 years of invasion.
Mango, who has since earned an economics degree from the University of Sebelas Maret in Solo Java, an island in Indonesia, came to the U.S. to present her story to people in 32 different cities. ETAN, an organization that supports human rights issues for East Timor, organized her visits to help encourage people to write to Congress and insist that military aid to the United Nations be halted until refugees can return home safely and reconstruction efforts increase. Her visit to Eugene was sponsored by the Women’s Center, Black Student Union, Sexual Assault Support Services, ASUO, Survival Center, Alliance for Democracy, Student Life and the YMCA.
Mango shared her memories of watching family members, including one of her sisters, and other residents die from illnesses resulting from difficult living situations or being killed by the Indonesian militia.
Mango, a founder of the East Timorese Women’s Forum for Peace, also emphasized the violence and sexual assault many East Timorese women endured. She talked about women who were coerced into marrying Indonesian soldiers or becoming “comfort” wives and constantly being sexually violated.
“Women were systematically raped and had to take care of children when they didn’t know who the fathers were,” she said.
When Mango was four years old and malnourished, her family left the mountains and moved to Dili, the capital of East Timor. During this time, a few guerilla groups formed to resist the invasion and two women’s organizations also joined in the struggle for independence.
Last year, after 78 percent of the people in the country voted for a referendum to become completely independent from Indonesia, Mango’s family went to the East Timorese House of Diocese, where the Bishop lives. It was attacked by the Indonesian militia.
“I remember seeing soldiers enter the house and hitting anyone in the way,” she said. “The militias were shooting their rifles over my head. I was traumatized but kept telling myself I had to be strong for my little sister and mother while hearing the sound of the shots going over my head … I can never forget that sound.”
Scmaedick said she admires Mango for sharing these experiences and is happy to help her tell her story.
“It’s amazing that someone who has faced such trauma can talk about it so calmly,” she said. “It just shows her courage and determination for the truth to be heard.”
Mango said the country’s reconstruction and attempts at seeking justice for crimes committed against the people has been a slow process, and the U.N. hasn’t made a great effort to speed it up.
She mentioned that many schools and infrastructures haven’t been restored and the country has a 75 to 80 percent unemployment rate. She added that the U.N. has been setting up a new government without local people’s involvement. Women who have been sexually assaulted also don’t have any way to get legal assistance for crimes committed against them.
Elisha Harig-Blaine, an OSPIRG campus organizer, said the speech was eye-opening in many ways.
“Events like this help raise awareness of how fortunate we are to be in this country,” he said. “It also raises the feeling of responsibility to help others and to act on behalf of people who can’t act as strongly themselves.”
Calla Schmidt, a freshman geology major, said Mango’s presentation shed light on issues that have been hidden in the media.
“I can’t believe news coverage about this has been so little,” she said. “Listening to her speak made me aware of so many issues in East Timor I hadn’t heard much about before.”