Big Day in Dili

Unhappy campers in Dili

It was another big day for demonstrations in the capitol.

The momentum for change seems to be growing.

There are demonstrators camped out all over town.Some have been here for 3 or 4 days not counting the refugees that have been here over a month.

There are a few refugee shelters in town. One is a field of bright yellow tarps across from the ferry office.

I stopped in there last night to talk to the people and one tent was equiped with its own dvd player.

Most of the refugees are not staying in plush conditions.
The tents across from the ferry office are under big trees that offer some shade.

The ones at the airport are out in the direct sun and must get really hot in the daytime.

The nights are comfortable.

Large groups gathered at the palace and parliament buildings today and yesterday.

They symbolically locked the gates to the parliment building as a way to show that they, the people, are taking back the government.

It is a very exciting time here in Dili.

It seems that most of the violence has subsided with a few small scale outbreaks.

A bunch of guys were carrying a casket around the perimeter making some kind of political statement.

Australian soldiers were guarding the parliment building and the palace.

The procession was orderly for the most part.

There was a problem along the beach road that I need to get more info on.

Alkatiri so far has decided not to resign.

He is a tough character, but there doesn’t seem like there is any other way out.

Xanana Gusmao (president) had stated that if Alkatiri (prime minister) did not resign he would.

Everyone seems to be waiting.

Gusmao is very popular with the people as he was a resistance fighter when Indonesia controlled the country.

This is one of my favorite pictures I took during my brief stay in East Timor.

Dili protests 2006