Monday July 23 2001: BACK DOOR Newsletter on Timor Loro Sa'e

This collection of recent items relating to a particular theme
has had a major up-date in the past week:

JULY 2001 NEWS, ARTICLES & REPORTS

Jul 22 JRS: Annual Report 2000 E & W Timor Report added July 22
"Over 250,000 East Timorese refugees fled to or were deported to West Timor in the wake of the post-election violence in East Timor in September 1999. The miserable living conditions of the refugees and their intimidation at the hands of militias who virtually controlled the camps, drew much media attention throughout this year.
JRS projects in West Timor: JRS set up in West Timor in September 1999. A team of 20 Indonesian nationals worked in the camps, collaborating closely with the local church. JRS did not evacuate with other international agencies when the UNHCR personnel were killed, becoming one of the few international organisations to maintain a presence in the camps." Edi Mulyono SJ, Jesuit Refugee Service Indonesia director

Jul 20 STL: Fretilin shakes Liquica town News from ETimor added Jul 21
“But today we are gathered here full of hope. Now we live free in a democracy. We do not have to be afraid of the enemy, because the enemy has left the country. Democracy, now, is not the same as democracy during the time of the Indonesians. Democracy now will bring us to the road of independence,” Luis Lobato.

Jul 19 Correspondence with U.S. Embassy on Refugee Registration Letter added July 21
"We would also like to express our support for the decision not to give credibility to the severely flawed registration exercise by sending an observer from the United States, and are gratified that the UNHCR and Australia made the same decision. However, given the dire humanitarian conditions the refugees continue to face, ongoing militia control of the camps, and recent validation of the registration by an International Organization of Migration (IOM) led international observer delegation, we feel it is important to continue our discussion with you on this issue." Karen Orenstein, East Timor Action Network; Jana Mason, Policy Analyst/Congressional Liaison, U.S. Committee for Refugees; Kurt Biddle, Indonesia Human Rights Network; Mubarak Awad, Nonviolence International

Jul 19 TP: PST does not want Constituent Assembly to be like National Council News from ETimor added July 20
“The regulations that were passed in the NC reflected the needs of the administration and not that of the people. These regulations did not take into account actual realities, ... I do not want to be in a so-called legislative body [the Constituent Assembly] where I will be used as a rubber-stamp and cannot perform my duties as a people’s representative,” Avelinho Coelho, the secretary-general of the Timor Socialist Party (PST)

Jul 18 STL: Don’t believe rumors Editorial from ETimor added July 20
"But the irresponsible are still around. As evidenced two days ago, they were some politicians who were spreading rumors that there was a group of armed Indonesians heading towards Timor Lorosae. All these rumors are meant to scare people. FDTL Commander Brigadier-General Taur Matan Ruak had to intervene to calm the people. He asked the people not to believe rumors and not to believe those who said an armed group of Indonesian was out to disrupt the 30 August election." Suara Timor Lorosae

Jul 17 ETAN/US: Scheiner: "Guns Know No Borders" rally NY Speech added July 22
"The guns used by the Indonesian military to kill 200,000 East Timorese civilians were almost all “legal.” They were fired by soldiers following orders from a recognized government. They were sold according to the laws of the countries - principally the United States, but also Britain, Germany, Russia, Sweden and many others - which profited from Indonesia’s need for ever more bullets in their effort to exterminate East Timor’s freedom. ... Indonesia’s annexation of East Timor was never recognized by the United Nations, ... During the most intense killing in the 1970s and 80s, United States businesses and government supplied 90% of Indonesia’s arms, double the amount before the 1975 invasion. These weapons violated a 1958 treaty that banned their use for “aggressive purposes.” And the human and legal rights of the people of East Timor, their rights to life and to self-determination, were violated every day of the quarter-century of occupation." Charles Scheiner, National Coordinator, East Timor Action Network

Jul 17 Brereton: East Timor: Selective and Partisan Publication of DFAT Records Release added July 20
“It is a matter of record that Mr Downer accepted Indonesian Foreign Minister Alatas’s denials that the Indonesian military were orchestrating militias in East Timor. He did so at a time when the Australian Government knew from its own Defence Intelligence reports that this was a deliberate strategy to sub-contract out violence against pro-independence supporters. ... It is also a matter of record that the Australian Government actively argued against pressing Jakarta to accept the early deployment of peacekeepers.” Laurie Brereton MP, Shadow Minister For Foreign Affairs

Jul 17 BBC: TNI to crackdown on plans for independent West Timor News added July 18
“If the plans are still only a matter of discourse then I will make no comment, but if an NTR [Independent Timor] is declared in NTT [West Timor], I will demonstrate no tolerance. I will wipe them all out! ... If this concept of forming an NTR violates the unity and sovereignty of Indonesia then this will be dangerous ... Have those proposing an NTR both from East Timor and Kupang thought this out properly? Plans like this will cause NTT to lose face with the rest of Indonesia” Nine/Udayana Military Area Commander Maj-Gen William da Costa

Jul 17 AAP: US given 'extra E. Timor info' News added July 18
"The book provides some insight into Australia’s position on the unfolding and escalating violence perpetrated by the Indonesian military (TNI) and its militia proxies. It also exposes some behind-the-scenes efforts to convince Indonesia to stop it. But it fails to precisely describe when Australia knew the TNI was funding, arming and organising the militias. The book said Australia knew of such evidence, but not that it had the evidence. It says that by mid-1999 it was obvious the TNI was encouraging the militias to intimidate people to stop them from voting." Karen Polglaze

Jul 17 ABC: Australian report links Indonesian military with Timor militia News & release added July 18
"The study, written by Australian diplomats, says the Indonesian military supported the violence of the East Timor militia with weapons, money, transport and strategic direction. It says Indonesian special forces set up a second chain-of-command to deal with the militia. ... A senior Foreign Affairs official says the book shows that Australia must be worldly wise and see that assurances from Indonesia’s military are not always reliable." Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Jul 16 Aust: Tony Kevin: Timor has Downer in full spin Article added July 18
"But Australia’s role through 1999 is profoundly disturbing. To what extent did we wrong-foot Wiranto’s group into launching stupid and murderous actions that would ravage East Timor and shame Indonesia? Did we understand beforehand that the price of East Timorese independence could be widespread bloodshed or did we really believe that we could wing it, with minimal collateral death? Did we deceive ourselves or did we recognise that our real policy was that the end justified the means: that this window of opportunity had to be grasped, whatever the risks we took with East Timorese lives?" Tony Kevin, visiting fellow, school of Pacific and Asian studies, Australian National University

Jul 16 JSMP: Militia member convicted of UNAMET staff murder News from ETimor added July 17
"A former member of Team Pancasila militia was today found guilty of murdering a UNAMET local staff member and FALINTIL supporter in Atabe village, Ermera district on the day after the popular consultation in which nearly eighty percent of East Timorese voted for independence from Indonesia. ... This is the first case involving the killing of an East Timorese who was in part targeted for his role in working with the UN mission that supervised the ballot on 30 August 1999. Many other local staff were similarly attacked in the violent aftermath." Judicial System Monitoring Programme news service

Jul 16 KY: 2 Japan GSDF officials to visit E. Timor News added July 17
"Two Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) officials will shortly visit East Timor to collect information on the state of security in the territory, Japan’s Defense Agency said Monday. ... The two are also expected to gather information about PKO in East Timor, given agency chief Gen Nakatani’s desire to study plans to dispatch personnel of the Self-Defense Forces in the event of new PKO there." Kyodo

Jul 13 HT Lee: Speech at Canberra launch of "A Dirty Little War" Speech added July 17
"Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has welcomed Milosevic’s detention but when it comes to our dealings with Jakarta, the Jakarta lobby of the Department of Foreign Affairs, DFAT is still calling the shots and pulling the strings. It is therefore time for the Australian Government of whatever political persuasions to cut those strings and take a tougher stand with Jakarta by calling for and making sure the International War Crimes Tribunal for East Timor is established. It is only than that the ghosts of Balibo, Maliana, Suai, Liquica, Lospalos, Viqueque, Atsabe, Alas, Same, Dili and all the killing fields of East Timor, can finally be laid to rest." HT Lee, Australian press photographer in East Timor Sep 1999

Jul 12 STL: 201 Muslims choose to be Timor Lorosae citizens News from ETimor added July 17
“We have stated our intentions earlier that we wanted to be citizens here. During the time of Interfet, Pak Xanana had been here to visit us and we stated our intentions to him then. We had 201 people in the mosque who wanted to treat Timor Lorosae as their new country,” Arham, the spokesperson for residents in Alor Mosque

Jul 12 STL: Luis Carrilho: The law does not recognize ‘public figures’ News from ETimor added July 17
"All people are equal in the eyes of the law and no one is above it, regardless of whether he or she is a renown public figure, ... I understand that he [Dr Sergio Lobo] is an intellectual and a medical doctor. But I stress that no one is above the law and the same applies in Timor Lorosae, ... The judiciary is independent and it will not bow to pressure from any institution or influential people.” Civpol spokesperson Luis Carrilho

Jul 10 STL: Fr Martinho Gusmao: No figure more central than Xanana News from ETimor added July 18
“When Fretilin signed the National Unity Pact, the crowd just applauded. ... The emotion was because Fretilin was the party that fought to free Timor Lorosae in the former CNRT, ... Bishop Belo is behaving like a political figure, while Xanana is taking more of a moral stance, ... In our society we can go on talking about democracy. But for democracy in Timor Lorosae, I will choose Xanana Gusmao.” Father Martinho Gusmao, President of the Baucau Diocese Youth Commission

Jul 4 AFR: Dili sees three powers as vital to its future Article added July 18
"It will be the ironic fate of independent East Timor to have its key international economic and security relationships with three countries responsible for much of its historic suffering: Portugal, Indonesia and Australia. As a poor country facing long-term international dependency, it is already looking to these countries for the economic and security assurances it needs to establish stable foundations for development and progress after independence." Geoffrey Barker

OTHER NEWS, ARTICLES & REPORTS

Jun 29 St.J: Young Activist Tries to Make Social Change Article added July 18
“We’re training them [Indonesian government] to repress their own people [through military aid] and that allows corporations to go into Indonesia, ... People who try to organize to improve their conditions get killed. ... I’ve learned that I can make a difference and change the world, ... I think if you can make a small change, you can send out a ripple, ... In that small way you can even affect politics in East Timor.” Tristan Vazquez, member, East Timor Action Network

Bahasa Indonesia:
Jun 20 Profil Organisasi AID/WATCH Article added July 21
"AID/WATCH adalah sebuah organisasi berbasiskan pada masyarakat, tidak mengambil untung, melakukan kampanye atas keterlibatan Australia dalam bantuan luar negri dan proyek proyek, program dan kebijakan pembangunan. Sewaktu kami memonitor Dolar pembangunan, kami bekerja untuk memastikan bahwa uang bantuan tersebut menjangkau individu, masyarakat dan lingkungan yang tepat. ...
Kampanye AID/WATCH: Timor Watch: Menyadari besarnya peran Australia pada pembangunan di East Timor maka AID/WATCH telah memulai kampanye 'Timor Watch' yang akan bekerja sama dengan Organisasi kemasyarakatan lokal untuk memonitor peran dari dana bantuan dan agen pembangunan dalam proses pembangunan kembali East Timor." Yoga Sofyar, AID/WATCH

Tetum:
Abríl 2001 BLH: Komisaun As ONU nian ba Direitu Emar nian (UNHRC) fasilita impunidade Indonejia Editorial added July 21
"Iha loron 6 fulan fevereiru 2001, Mary Robinson, nudar portavos ONU nian ba direitu emar nian, fo sai relatoriu ida kona ba situasaun direitu emar nian iha Timor Loro Sa’e. Relatoriu ne’e nudar progresu hosi sorumutu UNHRC tinan liu ba. Iha tempu neba, ulun komisaun nian rekere atu relatoriu hosi portavos komisaun ba soromutu 2001 iha Genebra. Relatoriu ne’e tenke fo sai informasaun no analiza kona ba buat sira nebe iha relasaun ho investigasaun no prosekuzaun kona ba hahalok a’at hasoru humanidade nebe hala’o iha Timor Loro Sa’e durante Indonejia okupa teretoriu ne’e. Kona ba ne’e, relatoriu ne’e falha bo’ot. ... Povu Timor Loro Sa’e – hanesa mos sira seluk nebe funu ba demokrasia no dereitu emar nian iha Indonejia laran – merese atu simu diak liu tan : lia los no justica." La’o Hamutuk, Instituto Timor Lorosa’e ba Analiza no Monitoring Reconstrucao

UPCOMING AUSTRALIAN EVENTS

Sydney Timorese Community Festival with "Leaving the Crocodile" Exhibition.

AETA Fundraising Barbecue:
to raise money for Dr Dan Murphy Clinics and Leichhardt Council Maliana Project.
Music & entertainment provided. $10 donation
Details Jenny Denton (02) 9516-4275 or Jeff Lee (02) 9500-1638
13 Albion St. Annandale (weather permitting)
Sunday 5th August, 1-6pm

"Through the Eye of the Lens Jan 1997- Jan 2000"
Info: HT Lee: email cfmeuht@magna.com.au
Melbourne: Trades Hall, 54 Victoria Street, Carlton
Also Dili on future date
Until Wednesday 25 July

Screening of King/Cavadini documentary film "Starting From Zero": Reconstruction in ETimor
‘ABOUT US’ program: SBS Television - Australia
Info: Mandy King & Fabio Cavadini cavadini@tpg.com.au
Friday August 17th, 8.30pm

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

BACK DOOR Newsletter on Timor Loro Sa'e: Monday July 23 2001

Homepage: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood

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