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ISSUES / KESTAUN hosi FETO
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WOMEN'S ISSUES / KESTAUN hosi FETO
Click on links relating
to Women's issues at:
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/women.htm
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: 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: 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 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
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
added Aug 23
"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)
Tetum:
Junho
2001 BLH: Lia Badak: Partisipasaun Politika hosi
Feto News from ETimor added Aug 26
"Iha loron 1 fulan Maiu, UNTAET sira nian
“Gender Affairs/Urusan Gender” Unit hamutuk ho Nasoes Unidas nian Fundus
ba Feto sira (UNIFEM) komesa halao treinu potensial ba kandidatus feto
sira. Treinu ne’e hala’o iha fulan Maiu nian laran to’o prinsipiu fulan
Junhu no fokus ba partisipasaun politika,
halo desizaun no konhecimentu baziku konaba oinsa bele sai kandidatu iha
eleisaun
oin mai hanesan membru konstituanti."
La’o
Hamutuk, Institutu Timor Lorosa’e ba Analiza no Monitor Reconstrusaun
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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
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
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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
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
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
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
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
Tetum:
Junho
2001 BLH: Lia Badak News from ETimor added Aug 26
Lia-foun no Kestaun
husi 'Boletim La’o Hamutuk':
Konsulta
iha Konstituisaun;
Partisipasaun
Politika hosi Feto; Traballadór;
Oecusse
Isolado; Bispo katolico Basilio De
Nascimento; Timorizasaun;
Nasional
survey konaba votantes sira nian konhecimentu.
Tetum:
Junho
2001 BLH: Lia Badak: Oecusse Isolado News from ETimor
added Aug 26
"Sira hateten ba hau katak [Ro-ahi] servisu
foun ne’e atu hala’o . iha 23 Maiu semana kotuk ne’e, maibe seidauk hala’o.
Ami kole ona hein bebeik. Ami mos preokupa katak kada bilhete nebe karun
teb-tebes US $10 kada bilhete para ba deit Oe-cusse, osan ida ne’e la’os
ema hotu iha Oe-cuse mak bele selu. Ami precisa solusaun permanente ida.”
Ana Paula Sequeira husi Conselhu Nasional representante Oe-cusse
Tetum:
Junho
2001 BLH: Lia Badak: Traballadór News from ETimor
added Aug 26
"Iha loron 1 fulan Maiu 2001, besik trabalhador
atus ida ho sira nia apoiantes hamrik iha UNTAET nia oin atu komemora Loron
Premeiru de Maiu. ... Wainhira UNTAET simu kritikas tamba la estabelese
lei servisu basiku trabalhador hanesan pagamentu minimu vencimentu ho mos
estabelecimentu oras walu loron ida Asaun ne’e fo oportunidade ba ema barak
bele fahe ho fo sira nian preokupasaun no experiencia iha servisu."
La’o
Hamutuk, Institutu Timor Lorosa’e ba Analiza no Monitor Reconstrusaun
Tetum:
Junho
2001 BLH: Lia Badak: Konsulta iha Konstituisaun News from
ETimor added Aug 26
"Iha karta loron 18 fulan Abril nian ba
Peter Galbraith, chefe Departamentu UNTAET ba “Bidang Politik/Political
Affairs” no “Timor Sea/laut Timor,”
NGO
Forum oficialmente rejeita UNTAET nian konvite atu tur iha panel selesaun
ba komisariu konstitusional. NGO Forum mos reitera hanoin nebe fo
sai iha nia karta iha loron 17 fulan Marsu ba Konselhu Seguransa ONU nian
konaba planu prosesu nebe sei falta hela."
La’o
Hamutuk, Institutu Timor Lorosa’e ba Analiza no Monitor Reconstrusaun
Tetum:
Junho
2001 BLH: Lia Badak: Nasional survey konaba votantes sira nian konhecimentu
News from ETimor added Aug 26
"Iha loron 22 fulan Maiu, Asia Foundation
(husi Estados Unidos) fo sai resultadu “nasional survey konaba votantes
sira nian konhecimentu.” Survey ne’e hala’o iha fin de Marsu husi working
group NGO Forum ba Edukasaun Votantes sira
nian, envolve mos ho intrevistas ho votantes potensiais iha districtus
13 iha rai Timor. Hatudu Timor eleitoradu sira senti positivu pursentu
75 ema ba hare ne’e hanoin katak rai ne’e la’o iha diresaun los no pursentu
94 hatete katak sira atu vota iha eleisaun be mai ne’e. Maibe resultadu
ne’e fo’o preokupasaun bo’ot konaba eleisaun."
La’o
Hamutuk, Institutu Timor Lorosa’e ba Analiza no Monitor Reconstrusaun
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(Selection of)
CANBERRA & NATIONAL EVENTS:
Access
details of Canberra & National (Australian) Events at:
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/ACTEvents.htm
International Conference: “Politics,
Crime and Criminal Justice”
International Society for the Reform of
Criminal Law
Final day of the conf: Emphasis on East
Timor: Restoration of criminal
justice systems & development of international
criminal justice systems
Info: email: secretariat@isrcl.org
website: http://www.isrcl.org
Old Parliament House, High Court of Australia
& Rydges Lakeside Canberra Hotel, Canberra, Australia
26-30 August 2001
August 30th East Timor National Election Date
Post-Timor Election Dinner
Also, some interesting speakers to talk
about the election and its implications.
Acceptances by 28 August to Robert and
Wendy by phone 62822805 or by e-mail robert.altamore@ags.gov.au
$25 per person. (includes $5 fundraiser)
Greater Indian and International Restaurant
Curtin Place, Curtin (opposite the Curtin shops), Canberra
Friday 31 August 7.30 p.m
Public discussion on E.Timor: "Democratisation
and Decolonisation - The Elections as Prism"
Speakers include:
Peter Hosking, former Director of the
Jesuit
Refugee Service in East Timor; Tricia Fitzgerald, ABC journalist; Balthasar
Kehi,
East Timorese Lecturer; Helen Hill, Senior
Lecturer & Research Fellow.
Institute of Post-Colonial Studies
Info: Helen M. Hill helenh@alphalink.com.au
Uniting Church Hall, Elm street, North
Melbourne
Thursday, September 20, 8pm
(Selection of) SYDNEY EVENTS:
Access
details of Sydney Events at:
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/sydney.htm
"Leaving the Crocodile" Exhibition:
The Story of the East Timorese Community in Sydney
Timorese artists working with the Liverpool
Museum
Principal Curator: Amanda Wise: email
a.wise@uws.edu.au
Liverpool Regional Museum, Cnr Congressional
Drive & Hume Hwy, Liverpool, Sydney
August 25th-December 15th
A 25 Year Retrospective Of The Best
Documentary Films On East Timor
includes unscreened footage from Maliana
and Sydney
An AETA
fundraiser. Details Andy 9960-550
andrewmcnaughtan@hotmail.com
Bookings at The Valhalla 9552-2456. $10
entry.
The Valhalla Cinema, Glebe, Sydney
Monday 27th August 8.15pm-11pm
Mass to be celebrated, praying in solidarity
with the people of East Timor
for a successful and peaceful outcome
to their first and momentous elections on August 30.
Mary MacKillop Chapel, Mount Street, North
Sydney
Wednesday, August 29th,1pm
August 30th East Timor National Election Date
John Birmingham In Conversation With
Lansell Taudevin
on the Quarterly Review essay “Appeasing
Jakarta”
Gleebooks, upstairs, $8/$5. Bookings:
Gleebooks (02) 9660-2333
Thursday 30th August, 6.30pm for 7pm
Post-East Timor election PARTY to officially
OPEN ‘Leaving the Crocodile’ exhibition
Come and celebrate! Free. All welcome
- Timorese bands, dancers, food.
Exhibition details 9602-0315 Email
a.wise@uws.edu.au
Includes: Launch of Mary
MacKillop Institute of East Timorese Studies (MMIETS)
Literacy Program
Launch details: 9623-2847 Email: mmiets@nareg.com.au
Liverpool Regional Museum, Hume Hgwy Liverpool,
Sydney
Sat. Sept 1st Timor - from 1pm onwards
"Friends Of Maliana" Monthly Meeting
(held
first Tuesday of each month)
Details 9367-9047 or gailc@lmc.nsw.gov.au
Leichhardt Town Hall, Sydney
Tuesday 4th September, 7 p.m
Amnesty
Group Seminar on Torture in East Timor
with speakers including:
Ciaron O’Reilly,
Sr.
Susan Connelly, Peter McGregor, Lansell Taudevin, STARRTS, etc.
Details David Druery bradman09@yahoo.com.au
Uni of Western Sydney (Parramatta
campus), Room EG36
Wednesday 5th September, 12 Noon to 2pm
Guest Lecture By Ciaron O’Reilly:
'The solidarity movement’s reclaiming
of public space to resist the Indonesian occupation of East Timor'
Catholic Worker & ‘Swords into Ploughshares’
Includes: Book Launch of Ciaron’s 'Remembering
Forgetting: A Journey Of Non-Violent Resistance To The War
On East Timor' by Sister
Susan Connelly, of Mary MacKillop
Institute of East Timorese Studies (MMIETS)
Details: Peter McGregor, Lecturer, Media
& Social Studies, (02) 98525244, or p.mcgregor@uws.edu.au
Uni. of Western Sydney, (Kingswood Campus),
Room K104
Wed. 5th September, Lecture: 3pm, Book
launch 4pm.
Guest Lecture by Lansell Taudevin (aid
specialist & author of 'East Timor: Too Little, Too Late'):
'Espionage in aid work'
referring to his involvement in East Timor
from 1996 to 1999, & the limits to which the innocent can be used as
informers.
Details Peter McGregor, Lecturer, Media
& Social Studies, (02) 98525244, or email p.mcgregor@uws.edu.au
Uni of Western Sydney, (Werrington South
campus), Room BJ117
Thurs. 6th September, from 5pm
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