Monday, June 16, 2008

Become Carbon Neutral, Plant a Tree, Sow a Garden, Save a Community in East Timor

Become Carbon Neutral, Plant a Tree, Sow a Garden, Save a Community in East Timor

(click on photo to enlarge)

Trees, Prosperity and Peace

Timor-Leste is a wonderful tree-growing environment. Sunshine, a diverse topography from beautiful coasts, to tropical highlands, to fertile mountains, and a life-giving rainy season combine to support growth of mangroves, lush tropical hardwoods, rich coffees, a variety of luscious fruits, and exquisite spices. From colonial times to the modern era Timor-Leste has been the source for the world’s finest sandalwood. But, centuries of colonial exploitation, recent decades of outsider oppression, and a poor life for a people dependent upon subsistence agriculture have left Timor-Leste in a de-forested state.

Reforestation of the country provides one of the major opportunities for the Timorese people to build wealth and create sustainable income while, at the same time, protecting its rich natural environment.

Under the sponsorship of the President’s Anti-Poverty Initiative, the people of Timor-Leste are embarking on a long-term, community-based program to reforest their country. This program has many dimensions including the rebuilding of its sandalwood forests, the replacement of its coffee shade trees that are dying from disease, the development of tropical hardwood forests, the expansion of fruit and spice growing capacity, and the strengthening of family livelihoods and food security.

The President’s Anti-Poverty Initiative is working in village communities with families, schools, and community organizations to establish effective tree planting programs. It is recognized that the successful planting of trees is a long term project. The plant site must be properly prepared whether it is intended for one tree or for hectares of new forest. Planting must be done at the proper time so that the new trees receive the right amount of water and nutrition in the first months. Cultivation must continue for, at least, three to four years until the trees become established and self-sustaining. And, the trees must be protected from foraging animals and destructive land management practices, such as, from the application of slash and burn traditions.

The President’s Initiative provides seedlings and young trees to families, schools, and community organizations that assume responsibility for planting the trees. Incentive payments are also made for up to four years to the families and organizations for the services provided to cultivate and protect the young trees. In some situations the trees will become the property of those who have planted, cultivated, and protected them. In other situations the trees will become part of the public domain and the growing wealth of the community.

Funding Support


Donations to support the President’s Anti-Poverty Initiative and its “Trees, Prosperity and Peace” reforestation program can be made in several different levels as outlined above:

Individual trees will be used for decorative, ceremonial or house landscaping purposes.

10 trees will be used for private property plantings for landscaping, to enhance family livelihood, and to complement family kitchen gardens.


100 tress will be used for landscaping around public buildings, in other public areas, or in parks.

1,000 trees will be planted as new forest plantings in hectare size plots by families or community groups.

Kitchen Gardens


To complement the reforestation program and to encourage greater food security and improved nutrition in diets, the President’s Anti-Poverty Initiative is also working in communities to encourage the creation of kitchen gardens. The development of a kitchen garden can provide immediate return to families who invest in cultivation of land that is available to them. These kitchen gardens, therefore, become a very good complement to the planting of trees that provide only longer-term return on the investment of time, energy, and resources. A donation to this level of support will provide the funds for a family to purchase the appropriate tools, acquire a supply of good quality seeds for the first seasonal plantings, and support the development of training programs and demonstration plots.

(Information for this programme proved by Mr. Barry Thomas, Special Advisor to President Jose Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste).



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Sophie Denis reaches Mt. Everest Summit in name of FPCD



The Foundation for Post Conflict Development is honored to announce that Sophie Denis reached the summit of Mount Everest on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 9 a.m. Pictured atop Mt. Everest with the FPCD Flag, Sophie weathered strenuous conditions to accomplish her important mission. FPCD congratulates Sophie for this monumental accomplishment and thanks her for adopting the motto of "Education, Action, Development" for aiding countries emerging from conflict situations.

For media inquiries, please contact Vincent Wilkinson, Director of Special Projects at vwilkinson@postconflictdev.org or please call the Foundation office at 212-643-5467.

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Wednesday, June 04, 2008

WAR AND PEACE IN THE DRC- TIME FOR A CULTURAL CELEBRATION!

After 6 months in Kinshasa as Chief of the MONUC Video Unit, I am happy to report that things are definitely looking up in this war-torn country. For sure, in many areas, such as basic infrastructure and social services, the DRC has a long way go, but the positive changes in the country since the MONUC mission began almost 10 years ago have been extraordinary; sadly, they have also been overlooked by most of the Western media in their customary hunt for material of the "if it bleeds, it leads" ilk.

Anyone interested in what is going on the DRC should take a look at our MONUCVIDEO channel on YouTube, which has most of our most recent shows. The story here is a textbook case of Post Conflict Reconstruction, and it should be studied in depth for lessons learned.

Instead, the BBC and others seem preoccupied with allegations of Peacekeeper misconduct that are, quite frankly, truly trivial when taken in context. Any military operation with over 16,000 troops in action is going to have incidents involving financial and sexual misconduct, and MONUC is no exception - but at least, we haven't heard the tales of collateral damage and friendly fire that seem to be regular occurences among US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What this country now needs is some real international support - where, for example, are all the musicians who are always talking about how much they care about Africa? Here in Kinshasa we have one of Africa's liveliest music scenes, and we have the infrastructure to support a music festival to salute the rebirth of the DRC for the first time as a democratic nation. Why not have a music or arts festival to focus some positive attention on this country as it emerges from a century of colonial and neo-colonial oppression?

Sometimes it seems that there are those with a vested interest in maintaining the
perception that the DRC is still a horror show and that the people are primitive
savages beyond redemption. Well, as far as I am concerned, that is a racist excuse
for doing nothing to assist this country - all the while plunderings its ample
mineral resources and leaving the local population a few crumbs.

As anyone who comes here can see, the DRC is a very wealthy country, and it is time
for that wealth to remain in this country and to be used to help reconstruct the nation. That would be a timely theme for a cultural event here - and the keynote performer should be Mama Africa herself, Miriam Makeba, who was here recently to support victims of sexual violence. In spite of her age and poor health, she remains a powerful performer who puts younger artists to shame by actually coming here and showing the local population her support.

May some other younger artists emulate her wonderful example!

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