October 17, 2001
TO: Mr. Dennis McNamara
Deputy SRSG
United Nations
Transition Administration in East Timor
RE: Meeting on Justice for East Timor
Dear Dennis,
We write to you in relation to your planned visit to Indonesia to discuss various issues with the Indonesian Government, in particular, the issue of justice for East Timor, with the Indonesian new Attorney General.
Two years after initial steps were taken by the Indonesian government to prosecute those responsible for serious violation of humanitarian law in East Timor, very little progress has been made. Furthermore, recent developments in Indonesia show little prospect of any further measures being taken within the Indonesia system for such necessary prosecution to take place.
The international community continues to have faith that the Indonesian Government will put its commitment into practice. However, at this point, faith is not enough and the Indonesia government must be questioned by the international community as to when it will honour the process it set out to establish and follow through to its end.
Therefore, we would ask you to question the new Attorney-General, as to what concrete steps will be taken on this matter in the near future, and what are the benchmarks and time periods for determining whether such steps have been effectively carried out. At the same time, Indonesian Government needs to be reminded that its lack of action on this matter, is not only undermining the process of justice in Indonesia itself, it is also significantly hampering the justice process in East Timor.
The East Timorese leadership have expressed their views on how, in the aftermath of the Indonesian occupation, the country should deal with its past and those views have been taken by the international community as representative of the feelings of the East Timorese community.
However, little space has been provided for the broader East Timorese community to voice their opinions and feelings on this crucial issue. In response to this situation, and the current stalemate in both the Indonesian and East Timor formal justice processes, NGOs and community groups felt that it was imperative to consolidate actions already underway to hold those responsible to account.
On Tuesday 16 October 2001, concerned NGOs and community groups held a joint meeting in Dili to discuss ways to ensure that there be justice for East Timor. One of the outcomes of this meeting was a resolution that it is an International Tribunal that would be the most viable means of holding those senior government and military officials to account. Being aware of your planned visit to Indonesia, another outcome of the meeting was the resolution to bring to your attention our strong views and lasting commitment to ensure that those known Indonesia figures who have documented involvement the attempted genocide of the East Timorese will face justice.
This letter will be followed by a more detailed report of content and resolution of the meeting. All those NGOs and community groups who participated in the meeting would be very interested to hear from you after you return from Indonesia to share your impressions on the meeting and future development.
We wish you the best in all your endeavors.
Yours sincerely,
Ubalda Alves
FOKUPERS
Joaquím Fonseca
Yayasan
HAK
Tomás Freitas
Lao
Hamutuk
(Representatives from the 16 October meeting)
Attendant NGOs:
1. Bishop Belo’s Center for Peace and Development
2. Lao Hamutuk
3. FOKUPERS
4. Yayasan
HAK
5. Kdadalak Sulimutu Institute (KSI)
6. Working Group for Electoral Education
(KKPP)
7. Judicial System
Monitoring Project (JSMP)
8. East
Timor Student Solidarity Council (ETSC)
9. Student Solidarity Council of Oe-Cusse
10. Yayasan Timor Nabilan
11. Caritas
Australia
12. International
Federation for East Timor (IFET)
13. Asia Pacific
Cooperation for East Timor (APCET)
14. East Timor
Action Network (ETAN)
15. Forum Solidaritas Indonesia untuk
Rakyat Timor Lorosae (FORTILOS)
16. Asia Pacific
Support Center (APSC)
17. Oxfam
18. Nove-Nove Survivers Group (Maliana)
19. NGO Forum
Bahasa Indonesia:
Fokupers - Forum Komunikasi
Untuk Perempuan Loro Sae Updated Aug 22
Direktur: Manuela Leong Pereira
Maksud Umum: Fokupers didirikan
pada tahun 1997. Organisasi ini membantu korban politik dan juga memberikan
nasihat atau ‘counselling’ dan lain lain kepada perempuan yang menderita
sebagai bekas tapol, atau yang menjadikan janda karena perang, atau isteri
tapol. Selain dari itu, Fokupers mendorong hak asasi manusia, pada khususnya
untuk perempuan, dalam masyarakat setempat.
Kegiatan Sekarang: Sudah mengadakan
bengkel untuk mendiskusi bagaimana perempuan akan diikuti atau menjadi
lebih aktip di masyarakat Timor Loro Sa’e. · Pada saat ini, kami
memusatkan perhatian atas latihan ‘trauma counselling’ untuk pekerja Fokupers.
English:
Fokupers - the East Timorese
Women’s Communication Forum Updated Aug 22
Women's Development and Advocacy
Director: Manuela Leong Pereira
Fokupers is a registered East
Timorese non-government organization (ETNGO)
General Mission: Fokupers was founded
in 1997. It focuses on political victims and gives counselling and other
forms of assistance to women victims of violations, including ex political
prisoners, war widows and wives of political prisoners. Its mandate also
includes promoting women’s human rights among the local population, especially
the East Timorese women.
Current Activities: Conducting
workshops discussing ways to enhance or develop further women’s participation
in Timorese society. · Focusing on receiving trauma counselling
training for their staff in order to provide counsel to women victims.
Supporting women survivors of violence and to end violence against women
through advocacy and education.
Bahasa Indonesia:
Yayasan HAK - Yayasan
Hukum, Hak Asasi dan Keadilan Updated Sep 4
Maksud Umum: Yayasan Hak didirikan
untuk maksud utama dua: 1. Kerja perkara - mewakili korban dan keluarganya
di pengadilan. 2. Sokongan anjuran hak asasi manusia - melaporkan dan menerbitkan
informasi mengenai HAM, proses pengadilan.
Sejarah Pendek: Yayasan Hak adalah
yayasan bantuan hukum yang didirikan pada bulan Maret 1997, dan dibiayai
oleh empat kelompok. Hak didirikan untuk menyediakan bermacam-macam pelayanan
hukum kepada masyarakat Timor Lorosae.
Alamat: T-091 Gov. Serpa Rosa St.,
Farol, Dili - Timor Lorosae
Tetum: Jun
21 2000 Y-HAK: Lopes: Rekonciliasaun Housi Lei Nia Roman
Article http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/earlyhakt.htm
English:
Yayasan HAK - Foundation
of Law, Human Rights, and Justice Updated Sep 4
Human Rights, Advocacy and Community Organising
Yayasan HAK is a registered East
Timorese non-government organization (ETNGO)
General Mission: Yayasan Hak has
two primary functions: 1. Casework - representing victims and their families
in court 2. Human rights advocacy work - monitoring, reporting and publicising
human rights information, litigation
Short History: Yayasan Hak is a
legal aid foundation set up in March 1997, co-funded by four funding agencies.
It was established in order to provide a range of legal services for the
people of East Timor.
Address: T-091 Gov. Serpa Rosa
St., Farol, Dili - Timor Lorosae
Sep 3 YHak: Elections in the Context of
Nation-Building:
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/01sepyhak.htm
Jul 24 YHak: Serious Concerns re Judicial
Independence under UNTAET: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/01julconcerns.htm
Jun 21 2000 YHak:
Reconciliation from a Legal Perspective:
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/earlyhak.htm
Tetum: Jun
21 2000 YHak: Rekonciliasaun Housi Lei Nia Roman
Article http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/earlyhakt.htm
Tetum:
(the most common East Timorese
language)
La’o
Hamutuk, Institutu Timor Lorosa’e ba Analiza no Monitor Reconstrusaun /
Institut
Permantauan dan Analisis Reconstruksi Timor Loro Sa'e
Updated Aug 18
Saida
mak La’o Hamutuk? La’o Hamutuk organizasaun klibur Ema Timor
Lorosa’e no Ema Internacional ne’ebe buka atu tau matan, halo analize ho
halo relatorio kona ba hahalok (actividade) instuisaun internacional ne’ebe
oras ne’e haknaar iha Timor Lorosa’e, liu-liu hahalok sira ne’ebe iha relasaun
ho rekonstrusaun fizika no social Timor Lorosa’e nian. La’o Hamutuk
fiar katak Povo Timor Lorosa’e mak tenke hakotu iha procesu rekonstrusaun
ne’e nia laran no procesu rekonstrusaun ne’e tenke demokratiku no transparante
duni.
Staf Timor oan: Inès Martins,
Fernando da Silva, Thomas Freitas; Staf Internasional: Pamela Sexton,
Mark Salzer; Kuadru Ejekutivu: Sr. Maria Dias, Joseph Nevins, Fr.
Jovito Rego de Jesus Araùjo, Aderito Soares Durubasa: Benjamin
Sanches Afonso, Tomé Xavier Jeronimo, Maria Bernardino, Manuel Tilman,
Djoni Ferdiwijaya Ilustrador: Sebastião Pedro da Silva, Nan
Porter Design Jeronimo Staf Monitoriu Projektu Judiciariu JSMP:
Christian
Ranheim, Caitlin Reiger, Rayner Thwaites
Local Contact: P.O. Box 340,
Dili, East Timor (via Darwin, Australia) Mobile fone: +61(408)811373;
Telefone Uma: +670(390)325-013
International contact: +1-510-643-4507
Email: laohamutuk@easttimor.minihub.org
Homepage: http://www.etan.org/lh
Boletim La’o Hamutuk: [Tetum PDF
format]
Vol. 2, No. 3 Junho 2001 Fundu Monetariu
Internasional (IMF) iha Timor Lorosa’e: http://www.etan.org/lh/PDFs/bulv2n3T.pdf
Vol. 2, Nos. 1-2 Abríl 2001 Vizaun
Jeral Hosi Fundu Ba Rekonstrusaun Timor Loro Sa’e: http://www.etan.org/lh/PDFs/lhbl2n1t.pdf
Vol. 1, No. 4, 31 Dejembru 2000 Banku
Mundial iha Timor Loro Sa’e: http://www.etan.org/lh/PDFs/lhbul4tm.pdf
Vol. 1, No. 3, 17 Novembro 2000 Hari Sistema
Saude Nasional iha Timor Lorosa’e: http://www.etan.org/lh/PDFs/LHbul3tm.pdf
Vol. 1, No. 2, 17 Julho 2000 Protesaun
ba meio ambiente iha TL: http://www.etan.org/lh/PDFs/bulletin02tetum.pdf
Vol. 1, No. 1, 21 Juñu 2000 Rekonciliasaun:
http://www.etan.org/lh/PDFs/bulletin01tetum.pdf
English:
La'o
Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
Updated June 24
La'o Hamutuk (Tetum for Walking
Together) is a joint East Timorese-international organization that seeks
to monitor, to analyze, and to report on the reconstruction activities
of the principal international institutions. It believes that the people
of East Timor must be the ultimate decisionmakers in the reconstruction
process and that the process should be as democratic and transparent as
possible ...
East Timorese staff: Inès
Martins, Fernando da Silva, Thomas Freitas;
International staff: Pamela
Sexton, Mark Salzer Executive board: Sr. Maria Dias, Joseph Nevins,
Fr. Jovito Rego de Jesus Araùjo, Aderito
de Jesus Soares Translators: Maria Bernardino, Tom‚ Xavier Jeronimo
JSMP
staff: Christian Ranheim, Caitlin Reiger, Rayner Thwaites
International contact: +1-510-643-4507
Email: laohamutuk@easttimor.minihub.org
Homepage: http://www.etan.org/lh
La’o Hamutuk Bulletin: http://www.etan.org/lh/bulletin.html
Mar 23 2001 LH: Job announcement for La'o
Hamutuk in East Timor: http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/01marjob.htm
Activity Report: Mar 16 2001 LH:
http://www.pcug.org.au/~wildwood/01marlhreport.html
Judicial
System Monitoring Programme / Program Pemantauan Sistim Peradilan (JSMP)
Updated Aug 17
JSMP is a new human rights project set
up by the East Timorese Jurists’ Association and the Timorese/international
organisation La'o Hamutuk. JSMP aims to assist the United Nations Transitional
Administration in East Timor, the East Timorese public and the international
community by making recommendations for ongoing reform of the fledgling
judicial system of East Timor.
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 through:
Bahasa Indonesia:
East Timorese Student
Solidarity Council (ETSSC) Added Mar 8
Sejarah Pendek:
ETSSC didirikan pada bulan Juni 1998,
sesudah Suharto turun dari posisinya. Mahasiswa-mahasiswa mengadakan beberapa
pertemuan umum, demonstrasi dan dialog, asalnya di Dili dan kemudian di
seluruh Timor Loro Sa’e. Sebelum referendum, informasi HAM disebarkan oleh
mahasiswa ini, dan mereka menjadi terlibat dalam pendidikan pemberi suara.
ETSSC termasuk mahasiswa yang sebelumnya duduk di UNTIM, bersama dengan
pelajar dan sarjana.
Keadaan Sekarang Lsm Dan Kebutuhan
Utama:
ETSSC terletak di Dili, dan ada jaringan
yang kuat di seluruh Timor Loro Sa’e. Hubungan di antara cabang-cabang
ETSSC (misalnya di antara Baucau dan Dili) memang tak mungkin pada saat
ini, karena ETSSC di luar Dili tak ada telepon mobil, dan garis telepon
tanah belum didirikan lagi. Peralatan kantor juga diperlukan (misalnya
fax, komputer dll).
Kegiatan Sekarang:
ETSSC di Dili sudah menulis usulan proyek,
judulnya ‘Framework 2000’. Usulan ini termasuk benkel ‘capacity building’
dan kelompok pelajaran masyarakat. Di Baucau dan Viqueque, mahasiswa terlibat
dalam membangun kembali SMP dan SMA, dan juga bekerja sebagai guru di SD.
Rencana:
Dua anggota ETSSC akan mengunjungi kota
Melbourne pada bulan Februari/Maret (berhubungan dengan USET untuk perincian
lain). Kemungkinannya bahwa ETSSC akan mendirikan koperasi persahabatan
dengan universitas Australia. Salah satu prioritas ETSSC ialah kesempatan
untuk menyelesaikan kursusnya yang sudah dimulai di Universitas Indonesia,
UNTIM atau tempat lain.
English:
East Timorese Student
Solidarity Council (ETSSC) Added Mar 8
Civil Society, Culture, Informal Education.
ETSSC is a registered East
Timorese non-government organization (ETNGO)
Short History:
ETSSC emerged in June 1998 responding
to the window of opportunity for a free East Timor following Suharto’s
resignation. Prior to this new period of freedom of speech, students had
been organising clandestinely as part of the wider resistance movement.
The students organised a series of public meetings, demonstrations and
dialogues, originally in Dili and later spreading throughout East Timor.
During the lead up to the referendum, the students disseminated information
on human rights, and were involved in voter education in all regions of
East Timor. The Council includes students who previously attended UNTIM,
as well as high school students and academics.
Current Situation And Three Primary
Needs:
The ETSSC is based in Dili, but has a
strong network throughout East Timor. Communication between branches of
the ETSSC (eg between Baucau and Dili) is currently impossible, as branches
outside Dili have no access to mobile phones, and land-lines have yet to
be re-established. General office facilities (such as computer, fax equipment)
are desperately needed.
Current Activities:
The Dili ETSSC have put together a project
proposal entitled ‘Framework 2000’ which provides for capacity building
workshops and Community Study Groups. In Baucau and Viqueque the students
are involved in rebuilding secondary schools. Members are currently involved
in various community activities including teaching in primary schools.
Plans:
Two members of the ETSSC will be visiting
Melbourne in Feb/March (contact USET for details). Possible friendship
unions with Australian universities are being pursued. The ability for
ETSSC members to complete university courses begun in Indonesia, UNTIM
or elsewhere is a priority.
Caritas
Australia Up-dated Aug 19
Caritas Australia (estab. 1964 as Australian
Catholic Relief) is the official development and relief agency for the
Catholic Church in Australia under the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference
in response to requests being received from the countries of the Pacific,
Asia and Africa for financial assistance to help the poor in their countries.
The organisation is part of the Caritas Internationalis network of 146
autonomous Catholic aid and development agencies active in 194 countries
around the world. Caritas works with the poor and marginalised through
supporting the community development programs of our Caritas partner agencies.
Email: caritas@caritas.org.au
Homepage: http://www.caritas.org.au/
ETimor Webpage: http://www.caritas.org.au/ourwork/where_easttimor.htm
International Federation
for East Timor Updated Sep 14
The International Federation for East
Timor was founded in 1991 by East Timor solidarity groups from four continents
as a clearinghouse for non-governmental organization (NGO) initiatives
on East Timor and to support those initiatives, particularly in United
Nations fora. IFET is accredited with the U.N. Department of Public Information
and has a U.N. Representative in New York. Our secretariat is in the Philippines.
IFET participates in U.N. hearings and conferences, supplies analyses and
statements to the media, and lobbies the U.N.-Portugal-Indonesia East Timor
talks to ensure that the human and political rights of the East Timorese
people
are respected. IFET selected, trained
and sent the largest number of international observers to the UN-conducted
popular referendum in 1999.
Email Charlie Scheiner: ifet@etan.org
Homepage:
http://etan.org/ifet
East
Timor Action Network U.S. Updated May 19
ETAN/US was founded following the November
1991 massacre. ETAN/US supports a genuine and peaceful transition to an
independent East Timor. It also supports human dignity for the people of
East Timor by advocating for democracy, sustainable development, social,
legal, and economic justice and human rights, including women’s rights.
East Timor was invaded and subjugated
by US ally Indonesia in 1975. East Timor chose independence in August 1999
and was soon destroyed by the Indonesian military. It is now administered
by the UN.
ETAN/US provides a wide range of articles,
news reports and press releases related to East Timor. ETAN has 28 local
chapters. Email: etan@etan.org &
info@etan.org
Homepage:
http://www.etan.org
East Timor info on the ETAN site is added
daily.
Asia Pacific Support Collective
Timor Lorosa’e (APSC-TL)
PO Box 115 Dili Timor Lorosa’e
Office tel/fax +670-390-321030, mobile
phones: 0409-193242 (Jude Conway), 0417-886792 (Beba Sequeira)
Email: dili.apsc@downunder.net.au
Homepage:
http://www.apscTimor.org
East
Timor National NGO Forum / Forum Nacional ONG Timor Lorosa'e
Updated Sep 3
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
See: BD:
East Timor National NGO Forum / Forum Nacional ONG Timor Lorosa'e (FONGTIL)
/ LSM-LSM Timor Loro Sa’e - A collection of recent media releases, position-statements,
speeches, petitions, reports, and news
See also:
Oct
18 United Timorese NGOs calls for an international ad hoc tribunal
Call added Oct 19
"During a
seminar on justice for East Timor on 16 October 2001, all participating
Timorese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) unanimously called for the
establishment of an international ad hoc tribunal with the jurisdiction
to try international crimes committed after the Indonesian invasion in
1975. ... All NGOs emphasized the need to bring justice to the victims,
to avoid further human rights violations in Indonesia and the responsibility
of the international community to try crimes against humanity committed
during an Indonesian occupation which was never legally recognized by the
United Nations." Judicial System Monitoring Programme
Oct
16 Dili Seminar: Justice and Accountability in East Timor
Invitation added Oct 11
"You are invited to attend a one day seminar
on: 'Justice and Accountability in East Timor:
International
Tribunals and other options'. The purpose of the seminar is to discuss
the progress so far regarding prosecution of crimes
against humanity committed in East Timor and where we go from here.
... The seminar will be held at the Canossian Sisters, Becora, Dili, Timor
Lorosa’e. Tuesday 16th October ... Most of the presentations will be in
Tetun or Bahasa Indonesia. An English interpreter will be available." The
NGO Forum; Yayasan HAK; La’o
Hamutuk; Fokupers; Caritas
Australia; Judicial System Monitoring Programme
BD: Calls for International War Crimes Tribunal - A collection of recent reports, articles and news