Forum
Nacional ONG Timor Lorosa'e
The
East Timor National NGO Forum
Kaikoli Street, Dili-East Timor telephone 322772/ etngocentre@hotmail.com
East Timor Donors’ Conference, Canberra
NGO Comment on Political
Transition
Your Excellency, Mr Sergio de Mello, Mr
Downer, Foreign Minister of Australia, Mr
Ramos Horta and East Timor Ministers, Representatives of the Donor
Countries, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thankyou for the opportunity to speak
on behalf of the NGO delegation.
Since the election date is 30 August, maybe we could extend the consultation beyond the election day, to give greater opportunity for a broad consultation with the community, which Mr Downer said was so important.
The Fiji experience provides us with some lessons. It was drafted by three experts, one Fijian, one Australian, and one Fijian living here in Australia. It is a very good Constitution, very detailed, but there is no ownership of it by the Fijian people, as we have seen.
Another possibility is to have an interim
Constitution and after three or so years, have a review process which would
give people more time to conduct a proper consultation in the future.
During the past 25 years there was a loss
of trust due to the oppression of colonisation, we need to regain
the peoples’ trust. We need more resources in the justice system, to build
a strong and effective system. There will be resources for the Truth
Reception and Reconciliation Commission, but we must also address with
some seriousness the crimes against humanity and war crimes, as Jose Ramos
Horta said. The Truth, Reception and Reconciliation Commission is not a
substitute for Justice for serious crimes.
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
See also:
Jun
13 ET NGO: Donors’ Conference: Constitutional Process in East Timor
Paper added June 15
" ... we recommend that there should be
a greater effort to resource the consultation process for the constitution,
and the consultation needs to be extended beyond the elections for the
Constituent Assembly. Without significant change in the timetable, the
new Constitution should only be viewed as an interim Constitution, allowing
more time for broad based input and consultation." Forum
Nacional ONG Timor Lorosa'e / The East Timor National NGO Forum
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