Forum
Nacional ONG Timor Lorosa'e
The
East Timor National NGO Forum
Kaikoli Street, Dili-East Timor
telephone 322772/ etngocentre@hotmail.com
Final Press Release 15 June 2001
Donors’ Meeting Discusses Key Issues
The East Timor NGO Forum delegation at the Canberra Donors’ Meeting for East Timor believes that the key issues facing the nation in the next phase of transition to independence have been highlighted and discussed.
“We are impressed with the debate and the issues raised by donors, which demonstrate their commitment to working with and supporting East Timor over the long term, said Arsenio Bano, Executive Director of the NGO Forum. “ We encourage the East Timor Transitional Administration to take these issues raised by the donor community into account in coming months.”
“We want to see a culture of transparency and accountability and a culture of partnership built between government and civil society, to ensure that the future objectives of development, particularly poverty-reduction, are achieved.
“This will need a more comprehensive mechanism for government-civil society relations to be established by both current and future administrations. It will also be important for donors to make a long term commitment to support a future Timorese Government and civil society partners.”
Aderito Soares, NGO spokesman on Legal and Constitutional issues, said at the conclusion of the meeting, “The NGO community is still concerned about the lack of clarity about future justice for East Timor, and urges continued international attention on how this will be achieved. It is essential for Reconciliation. We would like to see an International Tribunal as one of the options to be explored.”
“ We would also like to see a commitment to continuing consultation with the community on the Constitution-making process, up to and even after the election of the Constituent Assembly. One option is to have an Interim Constitution in the first instance,” said Mr Soares.
Ms Ajiza Magno, speaking on social and economic issues, said, “ I hope that efforts will continue to strengthen the role of East Timorese women in the nation’s development, and that essential investments in education and health will not be jeopardised when hard budget choices are being made. These are a long-term investment in our nation,” she said.
For further information contact:
Arsenio Bano on 0418 200 697
Aderito Soares on 0409 263 718
Ajiza Magno on 0417 867 542
Arsenio Bano
Added June 14 see
also
Arsenio Bano is the Executive Director
of the East Timor NGO Forum, the coordination
and information body for local and international NGOs working in East Timor.
He is 27 years old, and had begun a degree in Management in Indonesia.
He is currently also the Chair of FSFO, an NGO in the enclave of Oecussi,
Arsenio’s home District, and Managing Director of Tolas, a human rights
newspaper in East Timor. Arsenio was one of a group of students who
jumped over the wall into the US embassy in Jakarta some years ago to draw
attention to the dire situation in East Timor. He was sent to Portugal.
From there he went to London where he worked as Campaign and Research Assistant
for the Human Rights organisation TAPOL.
He was also a member of the British Campaign for East Timor. He returned
to East Timor on 6 October 1999, and worked during the emergency period
with the student NGO Renatil, and the CNRT. He is
a strong advocate for civil society organisations, and a skilled networker.
He speaks Bicaeno (the language of Oecusse), Tetum, Portugese, English
and Bahasa Indonesian.
Aderito de Jesus Soares
Added June 14 see
also
Aderito Soares is the Coordinator of SAHE
Institute for Liberation and the East Timor Jurists Association. He
is 31 years old, has a degree in Law from University of Salatiga in Central
Java. After graduating he worked as a lawyer for the NGO ELSHAM (Institute
for Policy Research and Advocacy) in Jakarta where he focussed on the indigenous
people of West Papua and labour issues in Kalimantan. Aderito lectures
in human rights and legal subjects at the East Timor National University.
He has considerable international experience, having represented East Timor
at the Vienna +5 Human Rights Conference in Ottawa in 1998 (with Jose
Ramos Horta), was one of seven international judges for the Peoples’
Tribunal in Puerto Rico in November 2000, and had an internship with OMCT,
a NGO focussing on Torture) in Geneva for three months in 1998. He acted
as a facilitator for the CNRT training campaigners
for independence, and during his time in Jakarta worked with the pro-democracy
movement. He is a Board member of the NGO
Forum and another NGO, Lao Hamutuk.
Aderito comes from Maliana District, and speaks Kemak (the local language),
Tetum, English, Bahasa Indonesian and Portugese.
Email: Sahe_Lib@yahoo.com
Aziza Magno
Added June 14 see
also
Aziza Magno is a representative of REDE,
the East Timor Women's Network, which has 15 member organisations.
She has a degree in Economics from Yaysan Universitas Sebelas Marek in
Indonesia. She was active in the East Timor students’ movement in Indonesia,
being Secretary and later Treasurer for IMPETU an East Timorese Students
Association. She was also a Board member of ELSHAN, a women student's group
for peace. She has also been active in Renatil and a Catholic Students’
group, PMKRI, of which she was Treasurer. Aziza was Secretary of the Committee
that organised the first Women's Congress of East Timor from 13-17 June
2000. This Congress developed a major platform for action to improve the
situation of women in East Timor. She also helped to establish REDE.
Aziza currently works as Coordinator for
Advocacy and Campaigning for SAHE Institute,
with a focus on women, labour and cultural issues. During the emergency
period she worked with another women's
NGO, Fokupers, and with a Human Rights
NGO, Yayasan Hak. She prepared radio programs for the UNTAET Radio
and for the student radio RTK. In Year 2000 she did a 6-week speaking tour
of the USA, talking about women's issues, labour issues, and the political
transition in East Timor. Aziza is from Baucau District, and speaks Bagia
(the local language), Tetum, Indonesian and English. She understands Portugese.
East
Timor National NGO Forum / Forum Nacional ONG Timor Lorosa'e
Updated June 14
Umbrella agency for East Timorese Non-Government
Organisations (NGOs)
VISION: To contribute to the building
of a pluralist, democratic, just and sustainable East Timor through the
development of a strong, independent and responsible civil society committed
to upholding and making real in the daily life of the community, both village
and urban, the full range of human rights so that all East Timorese, particularly
the poor and disadvantaged, can enjoy the fruits of liberation and development
in an East Timor forever free.
MISSION: To realise its vision
by promoting a culture of learning, cooperation, partnership with the community
and respect for human rights and good practice amongst East Timorese NGOs
and between them and other development actors, both domestic and international,
and by serving as a collective, independent voice for the rights and needs
of the community.
VALUES AND PRINCIPLES: a rights
approach to development; inclusiveness, participation; accountability;
gender balance; respect for the environment; non-party political; non-sectarian;
good governance; volunteerism.
Kaikoli Street, Dili-East Timor
Telephone +670(390)322772
E-mail: etngocentre@hotmail.com
Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/etngoforum/index.html
Jun 7 ETNGO Forum: Donors Meeting must
be for Rural People: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/01junrural.htm
Jun 13 ETNGO Forum: The voice of Civil
Society calls the Donors: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/01jundonors.htm