August
30 Elections 2001 / Loron 30 fulan-Agostu 2001 Eleisaun:
Provisional
results will be announced on September 5 and confirmed on September 10.
See
these collections / Haree:
* Elections
/ Eleisaun
* Constitutional
Process
/ Konsulta iha Konstituisaun
* Women
and the election
/ Partisipasaun Politika hosi Feto
August
2001 LHB: Provision of School Furniture: World Bank Project
Article added Sep 27
"There have been, however, a number of
problems in the implementation of the emergency stage of the school rehabilitation
effort, including the provision of school furniture. ... Perhaps the greatest
problems relate to the insufficient level of commitment on the part of
the World Bank and UNTAET/ETTA to having local
employment generation and capacity building
as important goals of the project. The Bank and UNTAET/ETTA argue that
one should not confuse the goals of an emergency project—in this case,
bringing destroyed schools to a basic operational level as quickly as possible—with
other goals." La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
Aug
31 FAETTA: Latest on Tampa refugees Interviews added Sep
1
" ... as you know I received a call from
Foreign Minister Downer yesterday asking us to consider the possibility
of allowing these asylum seekers to disembark in East Timor. I told him
that I would consult with the East Timorese as well as UNHCR, since UNHCR
is the main UN player in these questions. But ... I have been informed
by Minister Downer that the East Timor option, which was being looked at
among others, will not be pursued any longer." Special Representative of
the Secretary General Sergio de Mello, UN
"We understand Australia’s dilemma [that
it will open a floodgate]. Human traffic is indeed a very serious problem.
But we cannot say because there might be a floodgate of human trafficking
… let those people, women and children, stay in high seas indefinitely.
Someone has to have the moral leadership, moral courage, to find a solution
to this problem. I just hope Australia, as a great, generous country, extremely
rich, can accommodate temporarily these 400 people." Cabinet Member for
Foreign Affairs Dr Jose Ramos-Horta
Aug
31 FAETTA: Response to MV Tampa Refugees Release added
Sep 1
"This is a matter for Indonesia and Australia
to sort out. The two countries have a primary responsibility, not East
Timor, ... If we are approached by the Australian Government, by UNHCR,
to help, certainly East Timor will be looking at this possibility of receiving
refugees favourably. This is my own opinion, shared with Bishop Belo, Xanana
Gusmao and Mari Alkatiri, with whom I have consulted already. However
there are two conditions and they are very strict: 1. That the International
Community shoulder exclusively the financial burden of sheltering and feeding
these refugees; 2. That it be for a limited amount of time." Nobel Peace
prize Laureate Dr Jose Ramos-Horta
Aug
31. 7 pm UN IEC: Statement of Chief
Electoral Officer
Statement added Sep 1
"From these figures, we can see that the
highest turnout in percentage terms was in Ermera, with 94.3 percent turnout,
and the lowest was in Dili with 87.1 percent. Nevertheless, Dili
produced the highest absolute number of voters, with 70,136 ballots issued."
Chief Electoral Officer, Independent Electoral Commission, UN
Aug
31. 11am UN IEC: Statement of Chief Electoral Officer
Statement added Sep 1
" ... the Independent Electoral Commission
is pleased to report that all ballot boxes have now safely arrived in the
district capitals, and the counting process has begun. ... we can say that
from the total estimated voter population, we have a turnout of 91 percent.
... We anticipate that we may have complete results from one or two districts
by the end of the weekend, with the bulk of the results coming during the
first half of next week." Chief Electoral Officer, Independent Electoral
Commission, UN
Aug
31 JSMP: Election observervation report Becora prison
Report added Sep 1
"A number of significant problems were
observed, leading to only 47% of the eligible voters being able to cast
their votes. As a result, many prisoners voiced their frustration and anger
at being effectively disenfranchised through procedural flaws in the electoral
process. ... JSMP makes the following recommendations: 1. That prisoners
continue to be eligible to vote in future elections in East Timor; 2. That
special provision be made for prisoners to vote outside their registered
address or polling centre; 3. That future polling procedures be designed
with the special circumstances of prisoners, who are detained by the State,
in mind." Judicial System Monitoring Programme
(JSMP)
Aug
31 RT: E.Timor says ready to help rejected asylum seekers
News added Aug 31
“We are a small player. If we can be the
solution to this problem of course we’ll make ourselves available, ...
If we are approached by the Australian government, by UNHCR, to help certainly
we will be looking at this possibility of receiving the refugees favourably.”
Jose
Ramos-Horta, de facto foreign minister, ETimor
"The asylum seekers have been stranded
for days on a Norwegian cargo ship which had rescued them off isolated
Christmas Island as they tried to sail to Australia in an unseaworthy boat
from Indonesia. Canberra has refused to give them refuge as has Indonesia
whose vast archipelago often acts as a staging post for a growing stream
of asylum seekers making their way to Australia." Reuters
Until
Aug 31 Internews: Job Vacancy Request added Aug 21
"Internews Network, an international
nonprofit organization supporting independent media projects around the
world, seeks a journalism trainer/resident advisor with extensive radio
broadcasting experience to manage the training program in our Dili office.
Competitive compensation package, excellent benefits. Visit our website
at
http://www.internews.org
" Internews Network
Aug
30 UN IEC: Election Day Statements by Chief Electoral Officer
Statements added Aug 31
"30 August 2001 will be remembered in
the history of East Timor as a demonstration of the capacity of the East
Timorese people to organize themselves, to participate, and to confront
their differences in the context of a multiparty democracy. It will also
be remembered as a peaceful election, and this will help reassure the East
Timorese people that they can exercise their democratic rights without
fear." Chief Electoral Officer, Independent Electoral Commission, UN
August
2001 LHB: For an Interim Constitution Article added Aug
30
" ... there is something that the soon-to-be-formed
Constitutional Assembly can do to correct this problem [of lack of representation]:
it can produce a document that will only have interim status, one that
will guarantee and facilitate a far-reaching participatory process to draw
up a permanent constitution at a later date. East Timor’s Catholic Church
advocated something similar earlier this year, officially recommending
following the example of other countries emerging from traumatic pasts,
such as South Africa, by drawing up an interim constitution." Aderito
de Jesus Soares, member of Sa’he Institute
for Liberation, the East Timorese Jurists’ Association, & a Board
Member of La’o Hamutuk
Aug
30 TAPOL on British arms exports Comment added Aug 30
"A Jakarta Post article dated 29 August
... suggested that Britain was about to resume arms exports to Indonesia.
In fact, Britain has been selling military equipment to Indonesia since
the European Union arms embargo was lifted in January 2000 ... the fact
that Ben Bradshaw, the British Minister, is pushing for closer military
ties and says he is prepared to accept TNI assurances that British equipment
will not be used for internal repression, despite its past record and its
current behaviour in Aceh, West Papua etc., is alarming and must be challenged."
TAPOL,
the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
Aug
30 Time Asia: Gusmao: What Happens Next? Interview added
Aug 30
"TIME: What is your position on
amnesty for the violence of 1999? Gusmao:
Amnesty can be considered, but only after justice,
after trials. Not before. TIME: Would that mean not putting people
in jail? Gusmao: It is not my decision to say. As a principle, I
only can conceive amnesty after justice. But who can decide? It will be
the assembly, the government. Not me."
Bahasa Indonesia:
Until
Agus 30 JSMP: Lowongan kerja Request
"Program Pemantauan
Sistim Peradilan (JSMP) merupakan sebuah projek independen yang telah
dikembangkan dibawah perlindugan Asosiasi Juris Timor Loro Sa’e dan La’o
Hamutuk, sebuah organisasi yang terdiri dari orang-orang Timor Loro
Sa’e dan internasional. ... Sasaran utama dari program adalah memperbaiki
mutu keadilan yang diberikan oleh sistim peradilan yang baru didirikan,
memajukan HAM dan pemerintahan yang berdasarkan hukum dengan cara yang
bermanfaat dan transparan bagi masyarakat Timor Loro Sa’e. JSMP sedang
mencari seorang anggota staf Timor Loro Sa’e yang bermotivasi untuk bergabung
dengan tim yang ada sekarang yang terdiri dari dua pengacara internasional.
Untuk informasi lebih lanjut mengenai JSMP dan kegiatannya, silahkan
mengunjungi http://www.jsmp.minihub.org
" JSMP news service
Until
Aug 30 JSMP: Job announcement Request
"The Judicial
System Monitoring Programme (JSMP) is a new independent project that
has been developed under the auspices of the East Timorese Jurists’ Association
and the Timorese/international organisation
La’o Hamutuk. ... The main objective of the programme is to improve
the quality of justice provided by the newly established judicial system,
and to promote human rights and the rule of law in a meaningful and transparent
manner for the people of East Timor. JSMP is looking for a motivated East
Timorese staff member to join the current team of two international lawyers.
For more information about JSMP and its work, go to http://www.jsmp.minihub.org
" JSMP news service
Aug
29 JRS: Refugees await election outcome Alert added Sep
1
"As East Timor holds its first election
on 30 August, an estimated 10 per cent of its population living in refugee
camps in West Timor will not be participating in this process. According
to JRS West Timor, some 80,000 refugees remain, ... Many refugees are still
expected to return to East Timor. JRS East Timor director, Frank Brennan
SJ, said the people in the camps are now waiting for a negotiated settlement
between their leaders and an elected government in East Timor. “Generally
people seem resigned to waiting until given the word from someone higher
up whom they trust that it is time to move,” said Fr Brennan." Jesuit
Relief Service
Italian:
Aug
29 FRETILIN Italia: Coordinamento italiano di solidarieta’ con il Popolo
Timorese Letter added Aug 31
"[Mari Alkatiri] E’ l’unico sopravissuto
dei fondatori del movimento ad essere rimasto fedelmente al suo posto e
gode della stima e dell’ affetto dei migliori quadri del partito. Nonostante
costretto dall’invasione a vivere nella diaspora e’ riuscito in poco tempo
a consolidare la sua posizione dentro il paese sebbene mussulmano e yemenita
d’origine. E’ un uomo molto orgoglioso, puntiglioso e metodico. Quest’ultima
qualita’ lo aiutera’ molto a Timor Est. Un assaggio delle sue capacita’
lo hanno avuto i negoziatori australiani in questi mesi che hanno preceduto
l’ ultimo accordo sul petrolio timorese secondo
il quale il solo 10% spetta al Governo di Camberra. Certo si tratta di
un primo successo e che altre insidie dovranno essere superate ma grazie
a lui lasciateci godere questa soddisfazione." Davide
Corona, FRETILIN ITALIA
Aug
29 Oxfam calls on the Constituent Assembly to listen to the people
Statement added Aug 31
"Oxfam calls on the new Constituent Assembly
to, once elected, seek further active participation from the East Timorese
population in forming the country’s constitution, ... It is vital that
the voice and wishes of the East Timorese are fully included in the document
which will be the foundation of their country. ... The Constituent Assembly
could ensure effective participation by extending the 90 day time line
for creating a constitution, or by declaring the constitution an interim
document, with the opportunity for a fuller participatory process in the
next two years. Thirdly, the Constituent Assembly could aim to achieve
a full participation process within the 90 days,” Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam
International
Aug
29 GLW: Elections mark new step toward independence Article
added Aug 31
"Overall there is
very little to distinguish the contesting parties from each other. In many
cases their platforms or policies are identical. Most espouse support for
a “free-market” economy. The only exception is the Socialist
Party of Timor (PST) which has consistently focused on developing a
base among workers and the rural poor through establishing peasant cooperatives
and campaigning for better wages and conditions for East Timorese employed
by the UN and private businesses. The 5000 strong rally the PST organised
in Dili on August 25 reflects its growing influence." Jon Land,
Indonesia
- East Timor Campaign Watch
Aug
29 AP: Large Number Of Voters Turn Up For East Timor Election
News added Aug 30
"Long lines formed in front of polling
stations in the morning twilight more than an hour before they opened at
7 a.m. (2000 GMT Wednesday). The atmosphere was relaxed as people joked
with police who were ushering women and children to the front of the line.
Election monitors said there were no reports of violence. ... Voters will
choose the 88-member assembly that will write
the fledgling country’s constitution, and there was little doubt who
would win. The Revolutionary Front for an Independent
East Timor, which led the country’s independence struggle, had a comfortable
lead in polls." AP
Aug
29 FAETTA: Horta's response to PD advert Release added
Aug 30
"Tomorrow’s vote is not to choose the
President and the Vice-President of the Republic, but simply and only to
elect the Constituent Assembly. ... Under these circumstances I categorically
and unequivocally declare that neither Xanana
Gusmao nor myself Ramos-Horta are in the running for the August 30
elections. I therefore encourage every Timorese to vote their conscience,
in choosing from the parties and candidates that are actually running for
election, and vote for those you trust." Cabinet Member for Foreign Affairs
Dr
Jose Ramos-Horta
Aug
29 JP: Britain ready to resume arms exports to Indonesia
News added Aug 30
"Britain is ready to resume sales of weapons
to Indonesia, saying that it has accepted the assurances from the Indonesian
Military (TNI) that these arms would not be used for internal repression,
including in Aceh. ... Britain, traditionally a major supplier of military
hardware to Indonesia, was in the middle of delivering several of its Hawk
jets when the European Union imposed an arms embargo in September 1999
in protest against Jakarta’s handling of East Timor. The embargo was lifted
in January 2000, allowing Britain to complete the delivery of the remaining
six Hawk fighters." The Jakarta post
Aug
28 SMH: To forge a future, Timor needs justice for the past
Article from ETimor added Aug 30
"On Thursday we elect
a constituent assembly which will write
our constitution. It is a proud moment for a new country. As we move
towards independence, we must remain vigilant in pursuing
justice for those whose lives were scarred by violence. The inner life
of the people of East Timor continues to be clouded by the events of 1999,
as well as by doubts about the future." Bishop Carlos Belo
Aug
28 AGE: The path to freedom by Bishop Belo Statement added
Sep 1
"Justice for the people of East Timor
requires that the perpetrators of the most serious crimes
be identified, and prosecuted in the same manner as a common criminal.
This means a legal process is needed. ... As with apartheid, there are
numerous shades of responsibility and guilt. Nonetheless, our people demand
an accounting and they are entitled to have the guilt of the authors of
the most serious crimes demonstrated. Where there are mitigating circumstances
these need to be kept in mind." Carlos Belo, the Catholic Bishop of Dili,
co-recipient of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize
Aug
28 Problems in East Timorese participating in the elections
Statement added Aug 29
" ‘How about my democratic right to choose
the leaders to represent me?’ asks a villager who will have to walk 4 -
5 hours to vote in East Timor’s first ever democratic elections. ... This
is the foundation of the new country but some will be denied their right
to participate. Many East Timorese will have to walk long distances to
vote. The young can do it but how about the old, sick, handicapped and
who will look after the children and village when people are away voting?"
Aug
27 ABC: Fretilin expects to win more than 60 seats Interview
added Aug 29
"Fitzgerald: You have a reputation as
a socialist. Is that a perception?
Alkatiri [Sec-Gen, Fretilin]:
“I always refuse to be labelled. What I can assure you is that my main
pre-occupation is people. How to help them, how to develop the country
to such a level that they can have what they need. I am not against the
rich people but I am really against poverty.” " Australian Broadcasting
Corporation
Aug
26-30 2001 ISRCL: Details of International Conf: POLITICS, CRIME AND CRIMINAL
JUSTICE
"* The [Canberra-based] conference on
the theme of “Politics, Crime and Criminal Justice” will examine the inter-relationship
of politics and criminal justice systems at local, national and international
levels.
* The final day of the conference will
consider the restoration of criminal justice systems following the collapse
of civil authority and the development of international criminal justice
systems with a specific emphasis on East Timor.
* Aug 30: 09h00 – 10h30 Plenary 8: The
Collapse of Order in East Timor
This plenary will examine the events relating
to the crisis in East Timor surrounding the widespread violence and serious
human rights violations there after the popular consultation on the future
status of East Timor on 30 August 1999." International
Society for the Reform of Criminal Law
Aug
25 C. Vasconcelos on ET Justice System to Int'l Association of Prosecutors
Briefing added Aug 30
"As an experienced and principled prosecutor,
I went to East Timor to share my skills with fellow prosecutors there.
I have become an object of retribution because I fought to uphold principles
that are sacred to our profession. What lessons the East Timorese are learning
from the experiences I have had! Particularly disturbing is the fact that
all of this occurred in the United Nations, the fountain from which the
fundamental principles of human rights set out in the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights have sprung from. ... I have paid the price for believing
that the United Nations practices what it preaches." Carlos Vasconcelos,
Federal Prosecutor at the 1st Federal Court of Appeals in Brasilia, Brazil
Aug
25 Age: Timor fighting a war of words News added Aug 30
“I would like to inform that no staff
from this department will attend this secretariat training workshop as,
once again, some of the international staff seem to wish to impose Bahasa
Indonesia or English, ... Time and again, these international staff members
have completely ignored the majority of East Timorese political leaders
(who) have stated that Portuguese will be the official language of this
country.” Jose Ramos Horta
"The choice of Portuguese is by no means
universal among East Timorese, many of whom prefer English or Indonesian
in addition to their national language, Tetum. Many East Timorese university
students fluent in Indonesian resent having to learn another language that
they say is irrelevant to the region." Mark Dodd, Dili
Tetum
Ago
25 Xanana: Desizaun ba Kandidata an Presidente hosi Timor Lorosa’e
Statement added Aug 29
"LORON OHIN NE, HÁ’U FO HATENE
KATAK HÁ’U SEI ACEITA NUDAR CANDIDATO PARTIDOS SIRA NIAN BA PRESIDENTE
REPUBLIKA TIMOR LOROSA’E, se partidos sira né hatudu sira nia kompromisu
maka’as atu simu ho laran luan resultado hosi eleisoens 30 de Agosto mai
ne. Ne katak, partido ida-idak sei buka hametin, toó sira nia estrutura
iha base, politica tolerância no respeitu malu nian, iha espirito
democratico nebe ita hotu-hotu hakarak atu harí." Kay
Rala Xanana Gusmão
Portuguese
Ago
25 Xanana: "Aceitarei Ser Candidato Dos Partidos A Presidente"
Statement added Aug 29
"EU DECLARO AQUI E AGORA QUE ACEITAREI
SER CANDIDATO DOS PARTIDOS A PRESIDENTE DA REPÚBLICA DE TIMOR LOROSA’E,
se os mesmos partidos demonstrarem o máximo compromisso para aceitarem
quaisquer que forem os resultados das eleições. Isto significa
que cada partido deve promover, nas suas estruturas de base, a política
da tolerância e do respeito mútuo, dentro do espírito
democrático que todos estamos empenhados a construir." Kay
Rala Xanana Gusmão
Aug
25 Xanana's statement on decision to run for President
Statement added Aug 29
"I DECLARE HERE AND NOW THAT I WILL ACCEPT
TO BE NOMINATED BY THE PARTIES TO THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
OF TIMOR LOROSA´E, if the same parties commit themselves to accepting
the outcome of the elections. This means that each party must promote,
through their structures at the grassroots level, the policy of tolerance
and of mutual respect, in the democratic spirit which we are all engaged
in developing." Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão
Aug
25 FAETTA: Ramos-Horta on Xanana decision Release added
Aug 29
“Once again Xanana has shown his love
and loyalty to his people. ... He is a wonderful human being and will be
a great President of an independent East Timor.” Dr
Ramos Horta
August
2001 LHB: Campaign to Support Women’ Rights in the Constitution
Article added Aug 22
"In March 2001, the National Council rejected
a
proposal that would have ensured that 30% of Constituent Assembly members’
seats would be for women. ... The defeat, ... has not slowed women’s
activism on constitutional issues. A campaign is underway to collect 10,000
signatures in support of “the Women’s Charter of Rights” before 15 August,
to present to the Constituent Assembly." La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
"We want all people in East Timor to understand
the importance of women’s rights in East Timor. The Constituent Assembly
must listen to the voices of men and women and write a constitution that
includes the rights of women,” Maria Angelina Pereira, Gender and Constitution
Subcommittee of the Constitutional Working Group, a coalition of national
and international organisations.
August
2001 LHB: Phillips Petroleum and Canberra Play an Old Game
Editorial added Aug 25
“In October 1999, while Dili was still
in smoldering ruins, East Timorese leaders indicated to the companies that
they welcomed their continued investment in the Timor
Sea. At the time, the leaders were not aware of the unfair investment
incentives, which lay hidden in company contracts. ... it is ludicrous
now to assert that East Timor is obliged to give the companies the benefit
of the same unfair fiscal incentives that were offered to them by the Indonesians
and Australians ... offered to attract companies to invest in a territory
which belonged neither to Indonesia nor Australia.” former Political Affairs
minister, Peter Galbraith
"There is too much money involved in the
Timor Gap for Phillips Petroleum and its allies to not stay involved. The
question is, under what conditions will they be involved? As the past conduct
of Phillips and its allies in aiding Indonesia’s subjugation of East Timor
demonstrates, they are not defending any principle; they are simply trying
to ensure high profits. The East Timorese leadership is correct to insist
upon a set of tax policies that is significantly more favourable to East
Timor." La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
August
2001 LHB: Women and the Reconstruction of East Timor Bulletin
intro added Aug 22
"Unfortunately, women’s liberation is
not a natural outcome of national liberation. In East Timor, as around
the world, women face pervasive violence, both in public and private life.
Women face higher rates of illiteracy, malnutrition, and overall poverty.
Women as a group lack access to resources and power to impact public policies
and development strategies. And while, since 1975, the United Nations has
played an important role in international efforts to improve the status
of women globally, economic globalization and international militarism
continue to disproportionately impact women’s lives in severe and negative
ways." La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
August
2001 LHB: Women’s Participation at the Rural Community Level
Article added Aug 22
"Present development practices often reinforce
these patriarchal and urban-centered structures. In turn, poor women in
rural communities are often left out of the development picture. ... Development
planning, therefore, often focuses disproportionately on urban development,
leaving rural communities neglected and leading to a flux of rural
youth to cities in search of
work. Instead, we should envision development from the perspective
of people’s daily lives and with a focus on the most basic of needs, ...
Development policies must focus on the most marginalized people in society
poor girls and women in rural communities - and women must be involved
in development planning." Mana Micató, aka Maria Domingas Alves
Soares, one of the founding members of Fokupers
August
2001 LHB: Domestic Violence: A Part of Women’s Daily Lives in ETimor
Article added Aug 22
" ... women have the right to talk about
the violence they face and look for a solution. Domestic violence is not
simply an individual or family problem as so many people think; it is a
societal problem that we must identify as such. There must be support and
solidarity from all parts of society: from political leaders; church leaders;
legal bodies; and all men and men. All must acknowledge domestic violence
as a deep social problem that needs immediate attention. There must be
mechanisms to support survivors of violence." Manuela Leong Pereira is
the Director of Fokupers
August
2001 LHB: International Security Forces and Sexual Misconduct
Commentary added Aug 22
"Sexual misconduct by military personnel
occurs all over the world. Recent cases of sexual violence against women
and children in East Timor show that the problem also exists in UNTAET’s
Peace Keeping Forces (PKF) and Civilian Police (CivPol). Although many
PKF and CivPol have good relationships with East Timorese, there have been
several instances of sexual misconduct: in early 2001, two PKF based in
southwest Suai were sent home ‘in disgrace’ after being found guilty of
inappropriate behaviour involving East Timorese women; several PKF in Oecusse
are currently under investigation after allegations of sexual misconduct;
and one CivPol officer is facing a rape charge." La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
August
2001 LHB: Catholic Women’s Conference in Rome Article
added Aug 22
"Earlier this year, the World Union of
Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO) held a conference of members in
Domus Pacis, Rome. Two East Timorese women, Sr. Maria Dias of PAS
Clinic and Laura Abrantes of Fokupers
attended the conference. Both women are also active with the East
Timorese Women’s Network. ... At the WUCWO meeting in Rome, international
representatives approved a list of 15 resolutions, which they have since
forwarded to Pope John Paul II, the United Nations and many other influential
individuals and organizations." La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
August
2001 LHB: Childbirth: A Major Health Concern for Women
Article added Aug 22
"Three newborn babies recently died in
our village, ... It is not uncommon for either the mother or child to die
during childbirth here.” a village chief
"East Timor faces many
serious health problems; for women, childbirth is one of most pressing.
... Health workers identified the following practical steps as necessary
to ensure safer childbirth: * General reproductive health education in
villages. * Training for traditional birth attendants. * Establishment
of networks and support groups. ... It is critical that these programs
empower women as well as reduce heath-related problems. And it must always
be understood that women’s health problems are deeply related to their
socio-economic situation." La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
August
2001 LHB: The United Nations, Gender Affairs, and East Timor
Article added Aug 22
"In the East
Timorese Women’s Network’s Briefing on Women’s
Issues (June 2001) for the East Timor Donors’ Conference, there is
a call for “the prompt realization of a Gender Unit within ETTA (East Timor
Transitional Administration) both now and after independence, and both
in Dili and in the Districts administration. This is an urgent requirement
so that women can be involved in dialogue so as to ensure that they are
not disadvantaged by administration policies.” Whether this office is created
will depend largely on the new elected government. If created, its effectiveness
will depend on its location in the new government structure, the mandate
it carries, and the degree to which its staff understand and commit to
that mandate." La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
August
2001 LHB: The Employment of Women in ETTA Article added
Aug 22
"Recently, ETTA led a large-scale effort
to recruit and hire East Timorese for civil service positions. These positions
will help lay the foundation for the new East Timorese government. The
data below show the number of women employed as a percentage of total employment
for different departments. ... Education 29%; Police 18%; Health 32%; Judicial
Affairs 17%; Border Control 20%; Water and Sanitation 3%; Agriculture 10%;
Labor and Social Services 4%; Land and Property 3%; Foreign Affairs 39%"
La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
Aug
24 TETA: No! to the Dispatch of Japanese SDF to ETimor
Release added Aug 25
"Free
East Timor! National Coalition, Japan, is against the current Japanese
government plan to send the Self Defence Force (SDF) to East Timor as part
of PKF, issued a statement in mid-July,
and we are currently doing a FAX campagin against the plan. While knowing
that Xanana and Horta
said OK to the sending of SDF and understanding it, we cannot agree with
the dispatch of SDF. Please read the following and, if you agree to our
stand, please act on with us to stop sending SDF. ... Last but not least,
during WWII, Japanese army occupied East Timor and many Timorese suffered
forced labour and sex slavery. Japanese government did nothing about this."
Kyo
Kageura, Tokyo East Timor Association
Aug
24 UNIFEM: Participation of women as candidates for the elections
Info update added Aug 25
"We have made an important update to the
East Timor page of the UNIFEM East and South East Asia web site ... Almost
all of the page content has been changed, with the highlight being an all
new section about the participation of women as candidates for the 30th
August 2001 election, including an assessment of the support they will
need to be elected. " Geoff Corner,
UNIFEM
French:
Aug
23 ApT: Le réglement de la question du Timor oriental est une question
internationale Release added Aug 25
"Nous appellons le gouvernement français
à maintenir son niveau d’implication dans la mission de l’ONU, à
soutenir la création d’un tribunal pénal ad hoc pour Timor-Est
et à agir de manière énergique pour que les Timorais
de l’Est deplacés en Indonésie échappent à
la terreur de milices soutenues par l’armée et puissent choisir
librement de rentrer ou de rester en Indonésie." Agir
pour Timor
Aug
23 ApT: A solution of the ETimor issue is an international question
Release added Aug 25
"We call on the French government to keep
its level of implication in the UN mission, to support the creation of
an ad hoc international penal tribunal for East Timor and to act energetically
so that the East Timorese displaced in Indonesia escape the terror of army-supported
militia and can freely choose to go back or stay in Indonesia." Agir
pour Timor
Aug
22 AAP: Australian Senate rejects Timor war crimes tribunal
News added Aug 23
"The Senate has rejected a proposal for
an international war crimes tribunal covering
the Indonesian occupation of East Timor. Instead, it backed Indonesian
President Megawati Sukarnoputri’s moves to prosecute those committing atrocities
during the 1999 independence ballot." AAP
“I don’t accept this amendment because
it is simply saying, well, this matter should be left to Jakarta and it
should be circumscribed to the events surrounding the referendum in East
Timor, ... Is the massive rape, death and destruction campaign in East
Timor different from that in Rwanda or in Bosnia?” Greens [party] Senator
Bob Brown
Aug
22 SMH: Timor justice shackled by 'joke' decree Article
added Aug 22
"She [President Megawati Sukarnoputri]
spoke about her commitment [to prosecute those responsible for human rights
abuses], but I don’t believe it, ... It was the military commanders who
supported her rise to power. Many of those were in East Timor.” Mr Aniceto
Guterres, director of Yayasan Hak, East
Timor’s leading human rights organisation
Aug
21 AUSGOV: Senate debate on war crimes tribunal Transcript
added Aug 29
"During the horrific referendum period,
2,000 East Timorese were killed. During the occupation, 200,000 East Timorese
were killed. How can we, as a chamber, support a war crimes tribunal into
one per cent of the crimes? Are you really satisfied with that? What about
the 99 per cent? Is that a matter for us to shrug our shoulders at? You
simply cannot say that there is a logic to this, and we cannot leave it
to Jakarta. Unfortunately, what is happening here today is that we are
seeing that we cannot leave it to Canberra." [Greens] Senator Brown (Tasmania,
Australia)
Aug
21 CIIR: Where are East Timor's women leaders? Article
added Aug 23
"As the people of East Timor prepare to
elect the country’s first national assembly since independence CIIR is
sending an all-women team of observers to focus on women’s
participation. ... Three women candidates are standing as independent
candidates in the districts, Olandina Caeiro, Teresa Carvalho, and Maria
Domingas Fernandes. The election of one or all of them ... ‘ ... would
be a step towards dealing with unreasonable discrimination in East Timorese
society, which is profoundly conservative and traditional, and in which
women occupy a position of subjugation, if we succeed in changing it just
a little bit.’ [Caeiro said]" Catherine
Scott, Asia Policy Officer, Catholic
Institute for International Relations (CIIR)
Aug
21 CIIR observer mission to East Timorese elections Release
updated Aug 29
"Women campaigned for a minimum
30 per cent quota for female candidates in party lists, as agreed by
the CNRT Congress and the first East Timorese women’s
conference last year. But in March the National Council blocked the proposal.
Women have since been developing alternative strategies designed to ensure
adequate participation by women in the elections, and have been urging
political parties to place female candidates high on their lists so that
women can enter the assembly." Catholic
Institute for International Relations (CIIR)
Aug
20 HRW: Attorney-general a disappointing choice News added
Aug 21
"The recently appointed attorney-general
is the most disappointing appointment in President Mwgawati’s cabinet,"
Sidney Jones in Jakarta
Aug
20 SMH: Gusmao ready to stand for president News added
Aug 20
"Ending months of speculation on the eve
of his country’s first democratic elections, East Timor’s charismatic independence
leader Mr
Xanana Gusmao has indicated he is prepared to stand for president.
A diplomatic source in Dili said he would publicly confirm details of his
proposed political role in days. ... “He says he is going to put the condition
that if they want him to be president of East Timor that not a single drop
of blood shall be spilt, [during the elections]” the source said." Mark
Dodd, Herald Correspondent in Dili and agencies
Aug
19 VOA: Xanana Gusmao: Guerrilla-Turned-Statesman Article
added Aug 21
"East Timor is not likely not to hold
a presidential election until just before it achieves full independence
early next year, and that poses a problem for East Timor’s U.N. caretakers.
Mr.
Gusmao is so extraordinarily popular that many are under the mistaken
belief that the August 30 ballot to election an interim council to write
a constitution is really a presidential election, and thousands have
declared their intention to vote for Mr. Gusmao." Patricia Nunan
Aug
20 Text of Pact of National Unity (signed July 8th) Text
added Aug 20
"Pact of National Unity: Convinced
of the need to create and maintain an atmosphere of peace and stability
as primary grounds for the sustainable development of East Timor; Considering
the principles consecrated in the Magna Carta approved at the First National
Convention of East Timor, which took place in 1998, in Peniche, Portugal;
Conscious of the need to assure an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust
... " APODETI Pro-Refrendum
AssociaçaoPopularDemocráticadeTimor Pró-Refrendum;
ASDT
Associação Sosial Demokrata Timorense; FRETILIN
Frente Revolucianário de Timor Leste Independente; KOTA
Klibur Oan Timor Aswa’in;
PD Partido
Demokrático; PDC Partido Demokrata
Cristão; PDM Partido Democrático
Maubere; PL Partai Liberal; PPT
Partido de Povo de Timor; PSD Partido
Social Democrata Timor Lorosa’e; PST Partido
Socialista de Timor; PTT Partido
Trabalhista Timorense;
UDC/PDC
União Democratica Cristão; UDT
União Democrática Timorense. [Signed by all parties except
PARENTIL
and PNT]
Aug
18 STL: Bishop Belo's Pastoral letter Letter added Aug
20
"Those amongst you who want to be big
must first be your servers; those amongst you who want to be famous must
first be your slaves. Why? Because the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to give his life so that Mankind may live (Mark 10: 43-45) ... Once
again we are at a crucial moment in our history, a moment that is important
in our efforts to develop our nation. This is our first
general election. In less than two weeks we will choose, for the first
time, our leaders the people's representatives who will be given the heavy
responsibility of drafting a
Constitution that will encompass all our hopes and aspirations." Bishop
Carlos Ximenes Belo
Aug
18 SMH: After 26 years, Timorese about to begin life again
Article added Aug 18
"Among Fretilin’s
younger candidates is Jose Lobato Goncalves, 29, the son of East Timor’s
founding guerilla commander, Nicolau Lobato, who took to the mountains
in the first hours of the Indonesian landing. His wife, Isabel, was caught
in Dili and publicly executed on the wharf. She had been nursing two-year-old
Jose before the troops dragged her away, but managed to thrust him into
her sister’s arms at the last moment. ... Today he is a replica of his
father in looks and intelligence and has an obvious future as a national
leader. He is just one of hundreds of thousands of Timorese for whom life
is resuming after 26 years: it is indeed a rebirth." Jill Jolliffe (in
Dili), freelance journalist, author of 'Cover-Up: The Inside Story of the
Balibo Five' [to be published Oct 16]
Aug
16 J Hejak & A Tilman: New East Timor phrasebook released by Lonely
Planet Release added Aug 21
" ... East Timor is a land of many different
languages and dialects. More widely used and understood than any other
is Tetun, the first language of 20% of the people and the second language
of most. ... Being the official language of East Timor, Portuguese cannot
be overlooked. A chapter of the book is therefore dedicated to key phrases
in Portuguese. For those going off the beaten track, three indigenous languages
- Fataluku, Makasae and Kemak - are also covered. With and enticing food
chapter ... plus a comprehensive health section, ... advice on etiquette
and essential cultural information." Lonely
Planet
Aug
16 abc/affet: Timor Sea Gas Project Impasse Transcript
& comment added Aug 17
"Alan Kohler (abc): Jim Godlove’s
message is simple—go back to the 1999 letter. Jim Godlove, Phillips
Petroleum: We’ve had a commitment to this project, a steady commitment,
for the past five years. We want to be successful. But obviously at this
point in time we are experiencing some difficulties, difficulties that
we believe were fully avoidable, and difficulties that can be overcome,
so long as the previous commitments are honoured." ABC ‘7.30 report’ television
program
"Australians for a Free East Timor position
is that Phillips and the Australian government should recognise that the
October [1999] letter was signed [by Xanana, Horta and Alkatiri] under
pressure if not duress, in circumstances which were unreal, the country
destroyed, and the signatories had not been provided with those details
about which the issue now turns, apparently. In a court of law, that signing
would not stand up. ... " Rob Wesley-Smith,
affet
Aug
16 Caritas Australia programs 2000 - 2001 - Emergency Relief
Report added Aug 19
"Oecussi is an isolated enclave of East
Timor, which is totally surrounded by Indonesian West Timor. ... The people
of Oecussi suffered greatly in the violence of 1999, as a consequence of
their isolation. Most of the population of 55,000 either fled to West Timor
or went into hiding in the hills during the violent militia rampage. ...
The people of Oecussi largely live in rural communities, in houses made
of wood, palm fronds and grass. These houses were burnt to the ground during
the militia violence. Displaced people returned to nothing." Caritas
Aug
16 STL: Ramos-Horta: Megawati’s position on Timor Lorosae clear
News from ETimor added Aug 18
“I value that joint communiqué.
[between Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Megawati] It is a concrete
indicated that the sovereignty of Timor Lorosae is respected, ... I’ve
known the Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda [in Megawati’s Cabinet] for about
10 years. He has been a good friend and I know he respects Timor Lorosae’s
sovereignty. I also know Susilo Bambang Yudoyono and he wants Timor Lorosae
to be a good neighbour of Indonesia.” Jose
Ramos-Horta, ETTA’s foreign minister
Aug
16 STL: 200 ex-Falintil at UNTAET sit-in News from ETimor
added Aug 18
"Domingos da Silva, spokesperson for the
ex-Falintil said the group of freedom fighters
that did not meet the grade to enter the
Timor Lorosae Defense Forces (FDTL) were in dire straits. “From January
to May, these former Falintil fighters were getting US$100 a month as living
expenses. Now they are struggling because these payments from the IOM have
stopped,” he added." Suara
Timor Lorosae
Aug
15 GLW: Howard ignores the lessons of Timor Article added
Aug 15
"Howard [Australia's Prime Minister] and
Beazley [leader of opposition party: ALP] see the [Megawati] Sukarnoputri
government as providing them with the opportunity to return to “business
as usual”, after the old special relationship policy was so severely discredited
in East Timor. We have to make sure that they don't succeed. One of the
important ways we can assist the peoples of Aceh, West Papua and those
fighting for democracy in all parts of Indonesia is to force Canberra to
end all military ties with Indonesia. As former Labor foreign minister
Gareth Evans now admits, Australian military aid to Indonesia only “helped
produce more professional human rights abusers”. It must end." Pip Hinman,
[Australian] national secretary, Action in Solidarity
with Indonesia and East Timor
Aug
15 GLW: Indonesia: Repression the winner in Megawati cabinet
Article added Aug 15
"Military generals and figures linked
to the regime of former dictator Suharto have done well in the first cabinet
of newly-elected President Megawati Sukarnoputri, which was announced on
August 9. In a signal move, Sukarnoputri has appointed Lieutenant-General
Hendropriyono as the new head of BAKIN, the state intelligence agency,
a post which has cabinet minister status. ... [he] has been one of the
most ambitious intelligence officers. With long experience in the
commando Kopassus forces' repressive operations in various parts of
Indonesia, he pioneered the technique of forming and using so-called civilian
militia." Max Lane, [Australian] national chairperson, Action
in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor
Aug
15 Age: Timor's son heeds the call via Oxford and a city tram
Article added Aug 19
“At the moment, everything in East Timor
is a problem. From building the infrastructure to building institutions,
economic development and food production. If East Timor wasn’t totally
destroyed, I would have given up and let somebody else take over, but now
the country requires everybody’s time and energy and help. You still have
to do your bit. You have an obligation to those people who died.” Abel
Guterres
Aug
13 RDP: East Timorese political rivals exchange accusations
Interview added Aug 14
"The old political rivals UDT
and Fretilin seem to have awakened to a new
existence of political opposition, 26 years after the ideological dispute
which took East Timor to civil war. The UDT has accused its political opponent
of promoting an anti-democratic intimidation campaign but Fretilin has
countered these accusations. In an attempt to play down UDT’s accusations,
Mari Alkatiri, the secretary-general of Fretilin [economy minister of the
transition government who stood down for campaigning] has said that UDT
is the party ignoring the principles of democracy" Antonio Veladas
Aug
13 SMH: Veterans of resistance struggle sniff election victory
News added Aug 13
"His name is distinctive, and in coming
months Australians may hear a lot more of the East Timorese independence
leader LuOlo. The Department of Foreign Affairs [Australia] certainly thinks
so, and earlier this year he was flown to Canberra to meet ministry mandarins
for talks and a chance for them to get to know the man and the policies
he represents. Mr LuOlo, a native of the south-eastern town of Ossu, said
to be the birthplace of East Timor’s warrior leaders, is head of Fretilin
(Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor) the party tipped
to win the elections on August 30 by a landslide." Mark Dodd, Herald Correspondent
in Dili
Aug
13 SMH/J.Dunn: Crimes Against Humanity Demand a Proper Airing
Opinion added Aug 13
"Indonesian officers responsible for murder
and mayhem in East Timor should face an international
court, ... The world may have been too quick to applaud Indonesian
President Megawati Sukarnoputri for setting up a tribunal to bring to justice
the Indonesian military (TNI) and the militia responsible for the violence
two years ago in East Timor. This is only a domestic tribunal, and its
establishment could well have been designed to head off the growing world
pressure for an international body." James Dunn, investigator of crimes
against humanity in East Timor
Aug
12 AP: E Timor Urges Indon To Make Concessions To Aceh and Irian Jaya
News added Aug 13
“If they [Indonesia’s government] do not
give up on violence against the legitimate claims of these people then
the problem will drag on and maybe they will reach a point of no return
where the only option left (is) secession by these regions, ... However,
I believe that Jakarta has now a golden opportunity to really make serious
efforts in meeting halfway the Acehnese and the Irianese,” East Timorese
Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta
Aug
11 ABC RN: Jose Ramos Horta: Walk a Mile in my Shoes Transcript
added Aug 13
"Picture an
election where the media has no real influence, an election where,
if you want to take your message to the people, you have to fly to remote
mountaintops, or drive for hours on treacherous roads and risk attacks
from violent gangs. An election where if you’re to have any chance of winning,
you’ve got to have the blessing of the church. An election where voters
are scared to go to the ballot box because the last time they did, they
saw their houses go up in flames and blood flow in the streets. ... this
week ... we go on a campaign trail like no other, with Jose
Ramos Horta in East Timor, as his country literally invents its own
institutions." Gerald Tooth
Aug
11 SMH: Stop-the-rot campaign helps E Timor on road to political integrity
Article added Aug 13
“This agenda and the outcomes have been
recorded in Tetum [local language] producing the only known set of East
Timorese anti-corruption material that will be useful for many years to
come, ... This is especially appropriate, considering the forthcoming election,
as the opportunity of securing commitment to anti-corruption issues by
the political parties contending the election has presented itself.”Nathan
Laws, program manager, Australian Legal Resources International (ALRI)
Aug
10 STL: Jakarta opposes land corridor between Oecussi and Timor Lorosae
News from ETimor added Aug 13
"The Indonesian government has rejected
the UN Transitional Administration’s proposal to open a land corridor,
through Indonesian territory, linking Oecussi district with the rest of
Timor Lorosae. According to the Vice-Governor of West Timor Johanis Pake
Pani the rejection was based on security grounds." Suara Timor Lorosae
Aug
9 RENETIL'S Election Observer Commission Statement added
Aug 30
"RENETIL, one of the leading youth organizations
in the Timorese resistance, sees East Timor’s unfolding political process
as one of its main priorities as it encourages popular participation in
the August 30th general election and the subsequent drafting of a democratic
constitution. To implement this priority RENETIL is undertaking civic education
projects and fielding election observer teams." RENETIL,
Resistencia Nacional Dos Estudantes De Timor Leste
Aug
9 Conference on Sustainable Development update Added Aug
11
"We have just published the book of Conference
Proceedings from the Conference on Sustainable Development in East Timor.
... [it] is available (English and Indonesian versions) in PDF and zip
format at http://members.tripod.com/sd_east_timor/
... We have also established a discussion list on sustainable development
in East Timor ... To subscribe to the discussion list, visit this website;
http://lists.ntu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/sduet
" Carrie Deutsch and Russell Anderson, Conference on Sustainable Development
in East Timor
Aug
9 Formation of the Popular Educators’ Network Release
added Aug 10
"Nine East Timorese organizations have
formed the East Timorese Network of Popular Educators (Rede dos Educadores
Populares Timor Lorosa’e). The formation of this network grows from the
recognition of the critical role of education in the process of East Timorese
democratization. ... The goal of popular education is to empower all people
to be able to participate in decision making processes. Popular education
is a collective act, not an individual one." Rede dos Educadores Populares
Timor Lorosa’e
Aug
9 SMH: Widows who share a legacy of murder Article added
Aug 10
“We want the militia brought to justice,
... We want the militia tried and punished. Reconciliation means justice
and a trial. ... A 10-year old boy was killed right in front of me. His
name was Francisco Barreto, ... My husband was dragged into another room.
He was stabbed and managed to walk as far as the Junior High School and
collapsed there and died from his wounds,” Filomena Fereira da Silva, widow
of pro-independence leader murdered during the Maliana police station massacre
Aug
8 TAPOL: Justice For East Timor Still Unlikely Under Megawati
Release added Aug 10
“President Megawati appears to be continuing
a pattern established by the Wahid administration, which involved doing
just enough to prevent the establishment of an international tribunal without
making any real attempt to institute a genuine national process of justice.
She is likely to keep a tight rein on what can be investigated and tried
so that the whole truth about the East Timor tragedy does not come out.
Without the prospect of credible trials in Indonesia, international justice
must now take its course.” Carmel Budiardjo, TAPOL,
the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
Aug
6 EMMP: Timor Journalists Adopt Code of Conduct for Elections
Statement added Aug 13
"The Timor Lorosa’e Journalists’ Association
(TLJA) adopted a code of conduct for its members to follow during the ongoing
election campaign in East Timor ... The voluntary code is an effort by
TLJA to encourage its members to behave in a fair and responsible manner
during the territory’s first free elections. ... The aim of the code is
to assist Timorese journalists in maintaining careful balance in their
reporting while avoiding taking sides in political debates." Election Media
Mediation Panel
Aug
6 UN: Oil company's complaints over Timor Gap fiscal terms not accurate,
UN says Info added Aug 10
"Responding to recent complaints by Australian
officials and oil company representatives over a change in incentives offered
for petroleum exploration in the Timor Gap, senior United Nations and East
Timorese officials have said the criticisms were “neither balanced nor
accurate.” " UN Department of Public Information (DPI)
Aug
6 FAETTA: Hollywood Honours Ramos Horta Release added
Aug 13
“This is certainly a most unique award
I will be receiving, which I do accept with honour and pride. It is an
opportunity for a very different audience to hear about East Timor.” Dr
Ramos-Horta
Aug 5 Contact info for ET political parties Info added Aug 10
Aug
3 ChHEd: ET Emerges From Indonesia's Grip With Scars and a New University
Article added Aug 17
"Today, the young people of this poor
tropical land might still be waiting for a university to open. The United
Nations, which is helping to rebuild, said other needs were more pressing.
But the territory’s students and academics refused to wait. Last November,
with the reluctant acceptance of the U.N., the National University of East
Timor was opened by the former resistance leader Xanana Gusmao, ... The
story of the university’s creation shows how hungry a young country can
be for higher education. To say learning conditions are poor would be an
understatement. The students don’t have textbooks and often lack desks,
so they usually sit in class with their notebooks on their laps." Burton
Bollag
Aug
2 AUSGOV: New facilities for Defence Intelligence Training Centre, Canungra
Presentation to inquiry added Oct 24
"We have been presenting public protest
and concerns about this military facility for the past 10 years, over the
training
of Indonesian military forces. We submit that the facility should not
upgrade and increase its capacity to provide this military assistance until
it reviews its past conduct in encouraging forces, such as the Indonesian
armed forces, to believe that their actions have the support of the armed
forces of Australia. ... in 1991 the Dili massacre presented to all Australians
clear evidence of the Indonesian forces and officers being involved in
frightening
human rights abuses." Mr Damian le GOULLON, member, Catholic Worker
Aug
2 Bishop Belo On Megawati Interview added Aug 13
"The Indonesian Parliament in October
last year said Jakarta will no longer make any efforts to get back Timor
Lorosae. I think Indonesian politicians will honor decisions made by Parliament.
I am certain Megawati and her new deputy will respect the wishes of the
Timorese people." Bishop Belo
Aug
2 ABC: East Timor pipeline on hold Interview added Aug
4
"The fact is that the treaty was only
initialled on July 5th. It left many questions to be resolved by East Timor
and by Australia separately. One of the provisions of the treaty provides
that East Timor will impose taxes on 90 per cent of the production of oil
and gas. ... there are issues that have to be worked out, incidentally
not just issues with East Timor but the companies also have issues with
Australia. Apparently the Australian tax office is changing the depreciation
schedule on pipelines in a way that could make them much less profitable,
and that too is a factor in this whole process." Peter Galbraith, UN’s
chief negotiator for the Timor Gap project
Aug
1 TP: Graves of two polytechnic students exhumed News
from ETimor added Aug 2
“On that day, [20 May 1999] TNI from the
Rajawali-Batallion 744 together with Aitarak militia men surrounded our
campus in Hera. Those who were physically strong managed to escape by running
away fast. Estevo and Agustinho, however, were not lucky, ... They were
both warriors for Timor Lorosae’s freedom. We will always remember them,”
Inacio Moreira, former lecturer, Hera Polytechnic
Aug
1 STL: Coffee Prices Fall Sharply, Timor Lorosae Farmers Protest
News from ETimor added Aug 2
“Every week the price falls sharply on
the American market in New York. The price fluctuations affect us badly
in Timor Lorosae because our coffee is sold on the American market,” Sisto
Moniz Piedade, the Operational Director of Cooperative Café Timor
(CCT) in Lecidere, Dili.
" ... a kilogram of Timor coffee was sold
at Aus$30 in Australia and 100 grams of the same coffee fetched US$1 in
Portugal. So I’m really baffled on why we are getting so low prices locally?”
Mario Viegas Carrascalao, Leader of the Social
Democrat Party (PSD)
Aug
1 DJN: Epic Energy Unfazed By Phillips’ Timor Gas Pipe Deferral
News added Aug 2
“We support the stance taken by Phillips,
... Epic Energy continues its commitment to deliver Timor Sea gas to South
Australia and New South Wales by the middle of this decade. ... Epic Energy’s
core objective is to be in a position to transport domestic gas to the
south and east of Australia when the gas lands ashore in Darwin, and at
this point in time, Epic Energy’s overall development schedule remains
unchanged,” Sue Ortenstone, chief executive of Epic Energy
Aug
1 Brereton & Evans: Phillips Petroleum Defers Timor Sea Gas Pipeline
Release added Aug 1
The Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Laurie Brereton, and the Shadow Minister for Science and Resources, Martyn
Evans, [Australia] today expressed regret at the decision of Phillips Petroleum
and its Bayu-Undan project co-venturers to indefinitely the development
of the proposed Timor Sea gas pipeline to Darwin. The news that Phillips
Petroleum has indefinitely deferred the proposed Timor Sea gas pipeline
is a blow to the economic prospects of East Timor and the Northern Territory."
Aug
1 SMH: Phillips pulls plug on Timor pipeline News added
Aug 1
“Participants in the Bayu Undan project
have unanimously decided to defer indefinitely investment in the sub-sea
pipeline proposed to transport gas from the Timor field to Darwin. ...
The deferral reflects the need to resolve certain critical legal and fiscal
issues arising from the Timor Sea arrangement.” American company Phillips
Petroleum in a letter to the UN