Oct
25 2000 WSWS: Timor Gap dispute highlights motives behind Australian
intervention Article added May 4
"Australian media commentators have expressed
concern that the Howard government's intransigence on the border dispute
will discredit the official humanitarian rationale for the dispatch of
Australian troops to East Timor. “Some observers believe,” noted a front-page
article in the Sydney Morning Herald last week, “the Howard government
is attempting to conceal its bid to minimise East Timor's share of Timor
Sea mineral wealth because it would be unpopular domestically where there
is strong support for the long suffering East Timorese. It could also damage
Australia's international reputation as the saviour of East Timor.” ...
Throughout all the twists and turns of Australian policy — from justifying
the 1975-99 military subjugation of Timor's people at a cost of some 200,000
lives to suddenly claiming to be preoccupied with rescuing them from Indonesian-backed
militias — successive Australian governments, both Liberal and Labor, have
had a common objective — to secure a controlling stake in the Timor Sea
oil and gas reserves." Mike Head
Oct
9 2000 AAP: Australian Labor Party / Australian Democrats back East Timor
on Gap Treaty News added Feb 27
* "Such a settlement [a boundary between
Australia and ETimor equi-distant from both nations] would place major
gas and petroleum reserves within East Timor's maritime boundaries and
constitute a just outcome consistent with the law of the sea," Laurie Brereton,
Australian Labor Party foreign affairs spokesman
* "[Australian] Democrats' foreign affairs
spokesperson Vicki Bourne said she favoured a proposal which would give
90 per cent of all revenue from gap development to East Timor." AAP
Portuguese:
Out
2 2000 OTL: Educação, início do 1º ano escolar
em Outubro de 2000 Report added June 27
"Sob a administração indonésia,
apenas 6% dos 6672 professores primários (timorenses e indonésios)
possuíam as habilitações curriculares necessárias
ao ensino (Columbia University, 1999). O teste de selecção
ao qual foram submetidos os professores parece essencialmente visar a redução
do seu número e, assim, do seu peso sobre o orçamento da
educação. O corte drástico, para menos de metade dos
efectivos, contradiz a proclamação do acesso à escola
primária para todas as crianças. A relação
professor/alunos, 1/55, não é de molde a melhorar a qualidade.
As exigências do Banco Mundial para a qualidade das construções
e mobílias – e financiamentos implícitos oriundos do TFET-
não parecem ter equivalente nos meios humanos que dependem do orçamento
corrente."
Observatório Timor Leste
Oct
2 2000 ETO: Education - 1st school year starts in October 2000
Report added June 27
"In Indonesia’s administration, only 6%
of the 6,672 primary teachers (Timorese and Indonesian) held the necessary
teaching qualifications (Columbia University, 1999). The purpose of the
nationwide teacher selection examination appears to have been to cut back
on their numbers and, thus, on education budget spending. Such a drastic
reduction – down to less than half original numbers – flies in the face
of the proclaimed access to primary school education for all children.
At 1:55, the teacher/pupil ratio is not one that will enhance quality.
The World Bank’s emphasis on quality when it comes
to buildings and furniture – and the availability of funding from TFET
– do not seem to be echoed in the area of human resources that depend on
the current budget." East Timor Observatory
Portuguese:
Set
14 2000 OTL: Agricultura, reabilitação e desenvolvimento
Report added May 17
"Apesar de todos os condicionamentos resultantes
da destruição de Setembro de 1999, quando os indonésios
se retiraram de Timor-Leste, a actividade agrícola, a que mais depende
dos próprios timorenses, é a que dá os maiores sinais
de recuperação: em seis meses, a produção de
cereais voltou a 75% do nível anterior e a do café aos 100%.
... A diversificação é a melhor protecção
contra a insegurança alimentar da população, mas não
parece preocupar os intervenientes externos que apostam no café."
Observatório
Timor Leste
Sep
14 2000 ETO: Agriculture, rehabilitation and development
Report added May 17
"In spite of all the setbacks caused by
the destruction last September [1999], when the Indonesians withdrew from
East Timor, agriculture is the activity that depends most on the Timorese
themselves and is also the area that is now showing the clearest signs
of recovery ... The people’s best protection against food insecurity lies
in diversification," East Timor Observatory
Aug
2000 AID/WATCH:
Partnership versus ‘consultation’
in East Timor Analysis added
Apr 4
"UN officials have
consistently marginalised the Conselho Nacional
de Resistencia Timorense (CNRT), insisting it be accorded consultative
rather than partnership status. The CNRT insists it is a national council,
not simply a political party, or ‘the biggest NGO in East Timor’. It brings
together a range of political forces, and the CNRT argues it should have
been recognised as the Timorese-run transitional government from the outset.
Nonetheless, the CNRT reluctantly agreed to participate in the UN’s ‘National
Consultative Council’ (NCC), although several prominent CNRT figures refused
to join. Reflecting the NCC’s consultative status, the UN retains the ability
to rule by decree, rendering the council toothless on key issues. Policies
such as the introduction of sales taxes and the introduction of the US
dollar as the local currency, have simply been imposed." James Goodman,
academic, activist, member Committee of Management of AID/WATCH
Aug
2000 CNRT/NC: Draft resolution on human rights
Added Dec 26
"* Taking into account
the many long years of pain and suffering resulting from the denial of
our basic rights and freedoms as a people and as individual men, women
and children;
* Acknowledging that while these abuses
were inflicted by individuals, they were essentially the outcome of an
oppressive system and policies which legitimised and institutionalised
the violation of human rights and fostered impunity and the abuse of power;
* Recognising the necessity to ensure
that such violations are never repeated in an independent East Timor and
that it is therefore our duty to build a new society which embraces human
rights as the basis of democracy, good governance, the rule of law and
sustainable economic and social development for all the citizens of East
Timor, especially the disadvantaged and minorities;
* Endorsing the principles and undertakings
of the CNRT Magna Carta Concerning Freedoms, Rights, Duties and Guarantees
for the People of East Timor adopted in 1998;
* Re-affirming our acceptance of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenants on Civil, Political
and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other human rights instruments
endorsed in the CNRT Magna Carta;
* Declaring our support for the newly
established International Criminal Court and the Rome Statutes which govern
it; ... " CNRT/National Congress
Aug
30 2000 IHT: A Year Later, East Timor's People Are Still Waiting for Justice
Article added June 30
"The United Nations should immediately
set up a human rights tribunal for East Timor. ... The United States, Britain
and Australia have a special responsibility to ensure that this happens
because for more than two decades they backed Indonesia's occupation of
East Timor. Their active support for an international tribunal will help
them atone for their complicity. It will also help to heal the wounds of
those who were most victimized and to build an independent East Timor which
respects the principles of democracy and human rights." Aderito
de Jesus Soares, founder, East Timor Jurists Association
Tetum:
Boletim La’o Hamutuk:
[PDF formatu]
Vol. 1, No. 2, 17 Julho
2000
Protesaun ba meio ambiente
iha TL:
http://www.etan.org/lh/PDFs/bulletin02tetum.pdf
Tetum:
Jul
17 2000 BLH: Ajuda Internasional ba Timor Lorosa’e: Misericordia?
Editorial from ETimor added Apr 4
"La’o Hamutuk husu ba nain ulun
UNTAET tahan atu fo osan ba Timor Lorosa’e nudar “misericordia”, ita tenke
hare sira nudar modesto hanesan compesacao husi governo nebe fahe sira
nian responsabilidade ba povo Timor Lorosa’e nia terus no destrucao nacao-la’os
deit iha Septembro 1999, maibe durante 24 anos nia laran." La’o
Hamutuk, Instituto Timor Lorosa’e ba Analiza no Monitoring Reconstrucao
July
17 2000 LHB: International Funding for East Timor: Charity?
Editorial from ETimor added Apr 4
"La'o Hamutuk calls upon UNTAET
officials to refrain from referring to funds donated to East Timor as "charity"
-- especially when the vast majority of these funds come from national
governments which provided significant economic, military, and diplomatic
support to Jakarta and its illegal occupation of East Timor. Rather than
seeing these funds as "charity", we should see them largely as a modest
beginning at amends from governments who share in the responsibility for
the suffering of the East Timorese and the destruction of the country --
not only in September 1999, but in the almost-24-year period that preceded
it." La'o Hamutuk: East Timor Institute for
Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis
Portuguese:
15
de julho de 2000 Presidium da Juventude Lorico Asswain de Timor-Leste
Link to documents added Sep 2
FRETILIN site: http://www.geocities.com/alextilman/presidiumjuventude0600_declfinal.html
" ... 1º Congresso Nacional da
Juventude de Timor-Leste: ... A Juventude de Timor-Leste, filha legítima
e heróica do Povo Maubere, cumpriu o seu importante dever durante
o processo da luta da resistência contra a ocupação
ilegal, quer na frente armada, como na frente clandestine e na frente diplomatica.
Com o sacrifício de todo o Povo, a luta da resistência forçou
a comunidade internacional a abrir os olhos para as flagrantes transformações
do direito do Povo de Timor-Leste à autodeterminação
e independência e, conseguiu quebrar os grilhues do poderio da ocupação
militar e fascista indonésia. Uma luta determinante e heróica
conseguiu levar-nos para uma nova fase, que é a da libertação
do Povo de todas as formas de repressão e exploração
e, também, para uma nova fase de luta que é a da reconstrução
das estruturas sociais que viabilizara todo o Povo a viver livre da ignorância,
doenças, repressões e explorações. ... " Juventude
Lorico Asswain de Timor-Leste
Tetum:
Boletim La’o Hamutuk:
[PDF formatu]
Vol. 1, No. 1, 21 Juñu
2000
Rekonciliasaun:
http://www.etan.org/lh/PDFs/bulletin01tetum.pdf
Tetum:
Jun
21 2000 Y-HAK: Lopes: Rekonciliasaun Housi Lei Nia Roman
Article added Feb 23
"Principio katak rekonciliasaun tenke
bazeia iha esforsu atu fo justisa ba sociedade, liu-liu ba mutun na’in
sira (victima). ... Bazeia ba lia-los ne’e mak ita bele hateten katak procesu
lei nian la’o. Procesu lei nian ne’e bele la’o iha tribunal (tribunal formal)
no mos bele la’o tuir dalan ne’ebe la-os tribunal, hanesan mekanismo fukun
(mekanisme adat). Substancia rua ne’e, justisa ho lia-los, bele hala’o
hanesan no dala ida de’it, ho hanoin katak sira na’in rua tulun malu. Procesu
lei nian bele mos hala’o uluk atu buka lia-los, no dala ruma ita hetan
tiha ona lia-los, tuir mai ita lori problema ne’ebe iha ba tribunal." Aniceto
Guterres Lopes, Direktor,
Yayasan HAK
Jun
21 2000 Y-HAK: Lopes: Reconciliation from a Legal Perspective
Article added Feb 23
"It is a basic principle that we must
base reconciliation on the effort to realize justice for the entire society,
especially for the victims. ... Given the spiritual injury experienced
by society, the healing process must be gradual. This reconciliation is
inevitably tied to the nature of the legal process. Only if there is justice
can true reconciliation, or social healing, occur." Aniceto Guterres Lopes,
Director, Yayasan HAK
Portuguese:
25-27
de Maio de 2000 Mini-Conferência Da OPMT, Dili Link
to documents added Sep 2
FRETILIN site: http://www.geocities.com/alextilman/conferences.html
" ... A Mini-Conferência da
OPMT, reunida de 25 a 27 de Maio do ano 2000, considerando os vários
entraves sócio-culturais a emancipação da mulher,
dentre os quais, se destacam o elevado grau de analfabetismo e a dominância
dos valores patriarcais da sociedade timorense, decidiu propor a UNTAET:
- Para que crie mecanismos rápidos
de alfabetização das mulheres. Saliente-se que numa população
de aproximadamente 800 000 habitantes, 63% são mulheres. Desta percentagem
da mulher, 64% é iletrada;
- Para que conceda facilidades de treino
e formação técnico-profissional às mulheres
da OPMT e, em particular, as viúvas de guerra;
- Para que conceda recursos e meios que
permitam a OPMT educar e mobilizar a comunidade, a juventude e o homem
na defesa dos direitos humanos da mulher;
- Para que introduza leis específicas
na Constituição que protejam os direitos da mulher;
- Para que crie os mecanismos que promovam
a criação de centros de apoio às vítimas de
violência doméstica .... " OPMT:
Organizacao Popular de Mulher Timor / The Popular Organisation of East
Timorese Women
Portuguese:
15-20
de Maio de 2000 FRETILIN: Conferência Geral De Quadros, DILI
Link to documents added Sep 2
FRETILIN site: http://www.geocities.com/alextilman/conferences.html
" ... Tem hoje início a Conferência
Geral de Quadros da FRETILIN que ao longo dos próximos dias se vai
debruçar sobre a sua vida institucional, analisar a situação
prevalecente em Timor-Leste e perspectivar os caminhos a seguir, para responder
aos desafios, que o futuro nos coloca. Esta Conferência integra-se
na dinâmica de crescimento e de reestruturação organizativa
da FRETILIN que está consciente do seu papel, da sua responsabilidade
e da sua força. Força que lhe advém do Povo, de Loro
Sa’e a Loro Mono, de Taci Feto a Taci Mane, de Oé-Cussi, Ataúro
e Jaco, como disso nos deram testemunho as reuniões distritais para
eleição dos delegados a esta Conferência. A FRETILIN
está ciente da incomensurável determinação
do Povo em garantir a Paz, a estabilidade e a unidade nacional. Consolidar
a unidade nacional, reafirmar a Nação Maubere e construir
um Estado de direito democrático em Timor-Leste são as grandes
linhas e os objectivos programáticos que devem orientar sempre a
actuação da FRETILIN, hoje, como há 26 anos atrás.
A história da FRETILIN confunde-se com a História da Resistência
á agressão e ocupação estrangeira. ... " Discurso
de abertura do Coordenador Geral do Conselho Presidencial da FRETILIN
Camarada Lu Olo
Apr-Jun
2000 II: The new Timor Gap: Will Australia now break with the past?
Article added May 4
" ... inflexible
pragmatism has its inherent risks, since today's interests may be shortsighted
tomorrow. Compliance with now well-defined international law principles
may offer more long-term stability. ... East Timorese policy makers will
of course have a pragmatic desire to work with Australia. Nevertheless,
there are multiple factors tilting the balance towards a permanent median
line seabed boundary settlement. ... Australia's foreign minister raising
a champagne glass with his Indonesian counterpart is the treaty's unforgettable
symbol. Asking the East Timorese to 'honour' the treaty indicates a certain
insensitivity on the part of Australia. There will be strong public pressure
for East Timor to make a symbolic break with the past. An historic opportunity
now exists to remove the Timor Gap from the very short list of the world's
disputed maritime areas. The ideal procedure is direct talks between Australia
and a democratically constituted government of East Timor. Failing that,
the dispute can always be resolved by international arbitration." Geoffrey
A McKee, oil industry consultant
1999
Gunn: Timor Loro Sae: 500 Years - Wartime Timor: 1942-45
Book extract added July 10
"Many Timorese including liurai paid with
their lives [at the hands of Japanese military 1942-45] either for standing
neutral or for alleged support of Australian guerrillas. ... The number
of Timorese who died during the war is impossible to calculate with precision
but is of the order of 40-70,000 out of a total prewar population of around
450,000. The disruption to native agriculture and the breakdown of prewar
society stemming from the harsh system of food collection and corvees imposed
by the Japanese inevitably led to famine and other hardships, including
debilitating disease. ... The issues of Japanese wartime compensation including
the claims of so-called "comfort women" or sexual slavery in Timor first
became public in 1997 but only in the Macau media where it was taken up
by Jose Ramos-Horta speaking on behalf of the Timorese people." Geoffrey
C. Gunn, author, Timor Loro Sae: 500 Years
Nov
1999 NI: We Will not be crushed Plea added May 24
"I urge each of you to call upon your
respective governments to stop sending weapons to Indonesia and all dictatorships
around the world. I urge each of you to call on your governments to open
a war crimes tribunal on Indonesia. We do not want revenge. We just want
those who are guilty of war crimes against humanity to be brought to justice.
For the sake of those who were murdered. For the sake of those were burnt
to death in their houses. All over the world, we must strive to bring to
justice those Indonesian ministers and political leaders who for the past
23 years have executed this crime against a small nation." José
Ramos Horta, Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Nov
1999 NI: Make your own militia Chronology added May 24
"24 July 1999: A secret six-hour
meeting of militia and military leaders in Dili is held. They lay out a
post-referendum plan that includes instigation of riots, targeting and
assassination of independence activists and full mobilization of militias
and armed forces. Makarim gives militia leader Eurico Guterres a list of
370 people to eliminate as part of a campaign of terror. All UN staff and
foreign journalists are to be forced out of East Timor."
Nov
8 1999 Pat Walsh: From Opposition to Proposition: The National Council
of Timorese Resistance (CNRT) in Transition
Added Dec 30
"It is important that international NGOs
understand the history, outlook and role of this unique East Timorese institution
[CNRT] and the extraordinarily difficult challenges those who comprise
it now face thanks to the devastation visited on East Timor by Indonesia’s
destructive exit plan. CNRT’s current life span will be short and will
be limited to this period of transition at the end of which political parties
will return to centre stage and CNRT will be replaced by a democratically
elected government. In the meantime, however, the pro-independence vote
has given CNRT a clear political and moral responsibility to determine
East Timor’s development at this critical juncture, in close dialogue and
cooperation with other sectors of East Timorese society, including NGOs,
students and the church. Those recently charged with responsibility by
CNRT, whose names are listed in this report, deserve to be given all the
space, resources and support they need to carry out their heavy and daunting
responsibilities and to enable them to do this in the CNRT spirit of inclusiveness,
participation and commitment to the common good." Pat Walsh
Sept 27 1999 Noam Chomsky: East Timor Retrospective - An overview and lessonsAnalysis added Dec 28
July
1999 Arena: Viva Timor L'este: Beyond Silence, Betrayal, Cowardice &
Murder Analysis added Mar 22
"Australian governments all sought to
influence the destiny of East Timor. This destiny became one of the longest
ongoing acts of genocide since the European Holocaust of the Second World
War. I am reminded of the French Vichy Government of that war which supplied
and organised the freight train convoys that carried persecuted Jews to
the Nazi ovens. Canberra's warts-and-all allegiance with Jakarta; the almost
$2 billion in bilateral aid; the million of dollars in military gifts,
defence training and defence co-operation; and the political lobbying in
the international arena for Jakarta's position, all helped to create a
similar cattlewagon, transporting the East Timorese to their diabolical
fate." Jim Aubrey, editor, 'Free East Timor: Australia's culpability
in East Timor's genocide'
July
1999 Goodman: East Timor: Australia's accountability Analysis
added Mar 30
"For twenty years the Australian Government
has consistently failed to support the people of Indonesia and East Timor,
choosing instead to support the military and political elites. ... The
UN tribunal which will investigate crimes against humanity in East Timor,
should also consider the accomplices to those crimes, including governments
that assisted the Indonesian military in full knowledge of how that aid
would be used in East Timor." James Goodman, academic, activist, member
Committee of Management of AID/WATCH