IOM has produced a house construction manual to help people rebuild
homes destroyed in the communal violence which swept across the
country in 2006.

The manual in Portuguese and Tetum was produced with funding
from the European Commission and launched this week by Timor's
Minister of Social Solidarity, Maria Domingas Fernandes Alves.

The political crisis of 2006 led to widespread destruction of
property mainly in and around Dili, the capital, and the
displacement of an estimated 100,000 people. Following the
successful implementation of the Government's 2008 National
Recovery Strategy, thousands of families were able to return to
their communities from displacement camps, but often to damaged or
sub-standard housing.

Some 5,000 copies of the user-friendly manual will be
distributed to communities facing the challenge of rebuilding. The
government's National Disaster Management Directorate (NDMD) is
also expected to use the manual in communities affected by natural
disasters, such as recent flooding.

For more information, please contact:

Katharine Bryant 

Tel:  +670 723 0254 

E-mail: "mailto:kbryant@iom.int">kbryant@iom.int

or

Maria Moita

Tel: +670 723 0265 

E-mail: "mailto:mmoita@iom.int">mmoita@iom.int