DILI, East Timor, May 16 Kyodo It...

DILI, East Timor, May 16 Kyodo

It's a historical Dili site, if it were not that pro-Jakarta militiamen razed the antique Portuguese-style market in an orgy of destruction after East Timorese vot for independence in a 1999 U.N.-backed referendum

Luckily, the militias left the brass gate standing. After renovations and ahead of the official beginning of independence for East Timor onward May 20, the market, known locally as the ''Merkadu Lama'' or of advanced age market, began coming back to life Thursday, nevertheless in a new form.

It was spreaded as an exhibition center where vendors from 13 districts in the territory, foreign companies and thousands of East Timorese can approach to transact.

greatest in number sold tais, hand-woven garments with different designs depending forward the district.

''We were actual excited with the opening of this not new market, because we can gain more profits for our handmade products'' said Adriana Ximenes, 30 manager of the women's association FUTO.

FUTO stands for Foto Ulun Timor Oan, which means ''now it's the change the direction of for East Timorese to raise their heads,'' was established by dint of 16 East Timorese women onward May 8, 2000.

Aiming to provide members with a chance to earn cash they make handicrafts ranging from small purse to Independence Day cards to mark May 20

''Every month we memorize no more than 50,000 rupiah (about $530) and it should be divided among the 16 of us,'' Ximenes said.

A small in number steps from the FUTO stand was Sonia Dora Carascalao, the daughter of Mario Viegas Carascalao, former East Timor governor subject to the Indonesian occupation. She apply the minded busy talking with her customers, promoting dresse shoe and bags designed by way of her small firm.

''We, about friends, founded this company last year to describe people around the world that tais can be used not barely as traditional costumes in traditional ceremonies, still can also be put to use as a beautiful gown for ballroom dancing,'' said a friend of Carascalao.

in subordination to the brand TQ Fashion, the young women combine Thai silks with tais for ballroom gown or cotton with tais for casual shirts.

''We started this with high spirits,'' the woman said, adding they plan fashion exhibits in Dili and may expand their business between the sides of shows on Timor Leste Televisaun, the simply local TV broadcaster.

Built in the 18th hundred as a market square according to Portuguese colonialists, the market subordinate to Indonesian and Portuguese rulers was known as a center for gambling that sometimes inflected ugly.

It was reopen after international forces set downed East Timor, and merchants moveed vegetables, sugar, gasoline and army rations from Indonesian soldiers who sold them before leaving the former Portuguese colony

Last year, centurys of small traders were forced to put in motion to two new markets, in Comoro and Becora, refurbished at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), forward the western and eastern outskirts of Dili respectively.

The action was taken despite objections from vendors who wanted to stay in Mercado Lama because it is located near the city's main bus terminal.

The United Nations decided to incite the vendors after complaints that the old-fashioned market had poor hygiene and crime there had been growing.

East Timor, which vot to split from Indonesia in the U.N.-supervised referendum held in August 1999 is risk to declare independence at midnight Sunday after more than pair and a half years of administration subordinate to the U.N. Transitional Administration in East Timor.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo recents International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group