On 6 June 2008, HAK Association held a launching ceremony for two Indonesian language books, "The Timor Sea Is Rich with Fish but Its Fishermen Are Poor" and "Profile of Several Fisherman and NGOs". The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Mariano Sabino, and the National Fisheries Director, Mr. Acácio Guterres, attended the ceremony at HAK's auditorium in Farol, Dili, Timor-Leste. Fisher folk, farmers, partner organizations and university students also participated.
The 96 page book detailing the situation of Timor-Leste's fisher folk is the result of research conducted by staff of the Law and Human Rights Education Program at HAK from 2005 through 2006 in seven fishing communities in Timor-Leste. Oxfam Hong Kong and Oxfam Australia supported the work.
In his presentation, the program manager and author of one of the books, Rui Viana said, "the research results don't represent all of Timor-Leste's fisher folk, but very important for everyone is the information included to assist all of us to better understand our responsibility regarding fisheries development for the future."
The other book profiles some fishing communities and some NGOs whose work is dedicated to fisheries.
In his talk, the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries praised the books HAK published and said, "Agriculture is the pillar of the nation, because of this the work of farmers is not optional work or only the work of the elderly."
He added that the agriculture ministry belongs to the famers and rice cultivators, and that when farmers have problems they should come to find solutions to their problems. The ministry is reforming its administrative structure to concentrate on the communities in order to attend more quickly to farmers' concerns.
To conclude the ceremony José Luis de Oliveira, the director of HAK Association, symbolically delivered the two books and two t-shirts to the Agriculture Minister and National Fisheries Director as part of a campaign on local food and promotion to eat fish.
To publicize the campaign the organizing committee distributed t-shirts in government buildingsthe Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Education, and Health Ministryas well as in public places around the city where small businesses and fishermen concentrate.
They also distributed t-shirts to communities in the districts (fisher folk, farmers, civil society and students).
To order copies of either publication contact Antonio Maria Soares at [email protected]
