ABC
Timor Government won't meet with Woodside over gas plans
Woodside executives plan to travel to East Timor to convince the government to accept the company's proposal of a floating platform for liquifying gas from Greater Sunrise. [ABC]
Sara Everingham
Last Updated: Mon, 3 May 2010 10:56:00 +1000
East Timor's Government says it won't meet executives from the Australian oil and gas company Woodside to discuss the development of the Greater Sunrise fields between East Timor and Australia.
Woodside executives plan to travel to East Timor to convince the government to accept the company's proposal of a floating platform for liquifying gas from Greater Sunrise.
But the government won't meet them.
It says Woodside will have to stick to the accepted channels for negotiation and deal with East Timor's petroleum regulator.
East Timor's Government wants the gas processed onshore in East Timor.
A source close to the government source says Woodside has underestimated East Timor's ability to strike a fair deal and says the Woodside visit holds little credibility in East Timor because the company has a dubious history of dealing with developing nations.
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Wednesday, 5 May 2010
Thursday, 25 March 2010
The Tasi Tolu Exhumations
The case for a CAVR/CTF follow-up mechanism has been given new urgency by the recent find of more remains of human rights victims on the outskirts of Dili and the equally startling discovery that Timor-Leste has no regulations to govern construction on sites of significance. As Dili is in the grip of an unprecedented building boom, with some 1400 companies registered in the construction sector, legislation and the establishment of an oversight mechanism are urgently needed.
This month, 9 sets of human remains were exhumed at the Tasi Tolu site of the future Pelican Paradise hotel west of Dili. The discovery follows exhumations of 16 Santa Cruz victims last year. Initial forensic reports confirm that the Tasi Tolu remains were the victims of extra-judicial executions, possibly from the late 70s-early 80s. The bodies were trussed hand and foot and buried in pits prepared by mechanical ditch-diggers. Bullets were found at the scene, indicating that the victims were executed at the site. The burial site is therefore also a crime site. This also means that, like Tasi Tolu area itself, the site is a place of emotional and historical significance in Timor’s costly struggle for independence.
The discovery has already yielded some positive lessons. The most important of these has been the goodwill and respective contributions of the key stakeholders. The company has cooperated with the exhumations, an important precedent for other developers, although it is not known what, if any, steps will be taken to commemorate the site. Prime Minister Gusmao and his government have provided funding. Members of parliament and the community have taken a close interest and visited the site. Forensic experts have been engaged to ensure that the process is professionally managed, a welcome advance on damaging efforts some years ago when well-intentioned amateurs handled remains from 1999. Finally, it is said that the location of the site is due to a tip-off some years ago by Indonesian military sources. Each of these elements, not least –if true – the information from Indonesian sources, has been critical to the outcome and will be vital to future work of this kind which is only just beginning.
The process, however, has also revealed some serious policy shortcomings and the urgent need for regulations. Timor-Leste has no building regulations to protect or preserve sites of historic, political or cultural significance and to govern building on such sites. UNTAET Regulation 2000/19 (Section 6) on Protected Places provided that the Transitional Administrator, under a directive, may designate monuments, buildings and other sites as property of cultural, artistic or historic significance to the people of Timor-Leste, but this provision has not been translated into contemporary legislation. Such legislation would be clearly in the spirit of the Constitution which, although it does not mention sites, devotes four Articles to the Valorisation of Resistance (Section 11).
The CAVR Report Chega! contains some 14 recommendations that deal directly or indirectly with memorialisation. The most relevant can be found at 3.2.1-3.3.1; 3.7.7 and 12.12. In summary, these call for families to be assisted to locate and re-bury relatives and for significant sites to be registered and memorialised in some way. CAVR took a broad view of memorialisation. In this sense, the concept should be comprehensive enough to cover both sites of human rights violations like the ex-Balide Comarca and Hotel Flamboyan in Baucau (development of its notorious back section is on hold) as well as sites that are historically significant in other respects such the site of the new Palacio Presidencial and Hotel Turismo (currently undergoing renovation).
To this point, however, these timely recommendations have not been acted on. No register of sites or authority exist which companies should consult prior to development or if a discovery is made. The Parliament’s Committee A is currently preparing legislation to establish a CAVR/CTF follow-up mechanism whose terms of reference will most likely include a national memorialisation program. It is to be hoped that this important initiative is speedily enacted and that the Gusmao government uses this legislative and institutional framework to respond to the important issues raised by the Tasi Tolu case.
Comment on Taci Tolu exhumations
Pat Walsh, 22 March 2010
This month, 9 sets of human remains were exhumed at the Tasi Tolu site of the future Pelican Paradise hotel west of Dili. The discovery follows exhumations of 16 Santa Cruz victims last year. Initial forensic reports confirm that the Tasi Tolu remains were the victims of extra-judicial executions, possibly from the late 70s-early 80s. The bodies were trussed hand and foot and buried in pits prepared by mechanical ditch-diggers. Bullets were found at the scene, indicating that the victims were executed at the site. The burial site is therefore also a crime site. This also means that, like Tasi Tolu area itself, the site is a place of emotional and historical significance in Timor’s costly struggle for independence.
The discovery has already yielded some positive lessons. The most important of these has been the goodwill and respective contributions of the key stakeholders. The company has cooperated with the exhumations, an important precedent for other developers, although it is not known what, if any, steps will be taken to commemorate the site. Prime Minister Gusmao and his government have provided funding. Members of parliament and the community have taken a close interest and visited the site. Forensic experts have been engaged to ensure that the process is professionally managed, a welcome advance on damaging efforts some years ago when well-intentioned amateurs handled remains from 1999. Finally, it is said that the location of the site is due to a tip-off some years ago by Indonesian military sources. Each of these elements, not least –if true – the information from Indonesian sources, has been critical to the outcome and will be vital to future work of this kind which is only just beginning.
The process, however, has also revealed some serious policy shortcomings and the urgent need for regulations. Timor-Leste has no building regulations to protect or preserve sites of historic, political or cultural significance and to govern building on such sites. UNTAET Regulation 2000/19 (Section 6) on Protected Places provided that the Transitional Administrator, under a directive, may designate monuments, buildings and other sites as property of cultural, artistic or historic significance to the people of Timor-Leste, but this provision has not been translated into contemporary legislation. Such legislation would be clearly in the spirit of the Constitution which, although it does not mention sites, devotes four Articles to the Valorisation of Resistance (Section 11).
The CAVR Report Chega! contains some 14 recommendations that deal directly or indirectly with memorialisation. The most relevant can be found at 3.2.1-3.3.1; 3.7.7 and 12.12. In summary, these call for families to be assisted to locate and re-bury relatives and for significant sites to be registered and memorialised in some way. CAVR took a broad view of memorialisation. In this sense, the concept should be comprehensive enough to cover both sites of human rights violations like the ex-Balide Comarca and Hotel Flamboyan in Baucau (development of its notorious back section is on hold) as well as sites that are historically significant in other respects such the site of the new Palacio Presidencial and Hotel Turismo (currently undergoing renovation).
To this point, however, these timely recommendations have not been acted on. No register of sites or authority exist which companies should consult prior to development or if a discovery is made. The Parliament’s Committee A is currently preparing legislation to establish a CAVR/CTF follow-up mechanism whose terms of reference will most likely include a national memorialisation program. It is to be hoped that this important initiative is speedily enacted and that the Gusmao government uses this legislative and institutional framework to respond to the important issues raised by the Tasi Tolu case.
Comment on Taci Tolu exhumations
Pat Walsh, 22 March 2010
Timor security 'close' to taking over
ABC News
Timor security 'close' to taking over
Posted 3 hours 28 minutes ago
The Australian Defence Force Chief says he believes East Timorese forces will be able to take full responsibility for the country's security in the near future.
The number of Australian troops in East Timor has been recently reduced to 400.
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston says the East Timorese military are continuing to improve their professionalism.
He has told Australia Network that he is confident they will be able to take care of their own security.
"I think as we look forward they'll reach that stage in the not too distant future," he said.
"What we're seeing at the moment is the United Nations transition a lot of the police stations around Timor Leste to the Timorese police service."
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Support ETAN in 2010! To make a contribution go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john@etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
Web site: http://www.etan.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/etan009
Blog: http://etanaction.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/134122?recruiter_id=10193810
Send a blank e-mail message to info@etan.org to find out
how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet
Winners: John Rumbiak Human Rights Defender Award for 2009
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Timor security 'close' to taking over
Posted 3 hours 28 minutes ago
The Australian Defence Force Chief says he believes East Timorese forces will be able to take full responsibility for the country's security in the near future.
The number of Australian troops in East Timor has been recently reduced to 400.
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston says the East Timorese military are continuing to improve their professionalism.
He has told Australia Network that he is confident they will be able to take care of their own security.
"I think as we look forward they'll reach that stage in the not too distant future," he said.
"What we're seeing at the moment is the United Nations transition a lot of the police stations around Timor Leste to the Timorese police service."
etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan
Support ETAN in 2010! To make a contribution go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john@etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
Web site: http://www.etan.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/etan009
Blog: http://etanaction.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/134122?recruiter_id=10193810
Send a blank e-mail message to info@etan.org to find out
how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet
Winners: John Rumbiak Human Rights Defender Award for 2009
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Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Renewed calls for war crimes tribunal in East Timor
roduced by Michael Kermode
Audio here: http://www.thewire.org.au/audio/timorFINAL_3%2741web.mp3
A human rights group in East Timor has renewed its calls for an international tribunal for crimes against humanity committed by Indonesian occupation forces from 1975-1999. Earlier this month, the President, Jose Ramos Horta, repeated that a tribunal was unnecessary and support was marginal. But the group, the Timor-Leste National Alliance for an International Tribunal, with the support of a large group of victims, say they are sending a clear message that despite their leader's reluctance, widely unpopular criminal impunity should come to an end. However, the degree of support within Timor for a tribunal is questioned by some, who claim that bilateral and economic relations may come up trumps over justice in the end. Featured in story: Justice John Dowd, President International Commission of Jurists Australia; and Dr Clinton Fernandes, Senior Lecturer in Strategic Studies at the University of New South Wales.
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Support ETAN in 2010! To make a contribution go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john@etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
Audio here: http://www.thewire.org.au/audio/timorFINAL_3%2741web.mp3
A human rights group in East Timor has renewed its calls for an international tribunal for crimes against humanity committed by Indonesian occupation forces from 1975-1999. Earlier this month, the President, Jose Ramos Horta, repeated that a tribunal was unnecessary and support was marginal. But the group, the Timor-Leste National Alliance for an International Tribunal, with the support of a large group of victims, say they are sending a clear message that despite their leader's reluctance, widely unpopular criminal impunity should come to an end. However, the degree of support within Timor for a tribunal is questioned by some, who claim that bilateral and economic relations may come up trumps over justice in the end. Featured in story: Justice John Dowd, President International Commission of Jurists Australia; and Dr Clinton Fernandes, Senior Lecturer in Strategic Studies at the University of New South Wales.
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Support ETAN in 2010! To make a contribution go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john@etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Norwegian Refugee Council in Timor-Leste
22.03.2010 | news Newsdesk
Press release from the Norwegian Embassy in Indonesia
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has done a tremendous effort to help the country out of the crisis that followed the 2006 riots. A massive refugee problem, involving more than 10% of the population, was facing the tiny nation as the citizens had to flee their homes, or they lost their homes which were put on fire.
NRC started work in Timor-Leste in November 2006, with funds from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since then, NRC has built 595 transitional shelters in five different locations, in order to help internally displaced people (IDP's) to move from tented camps, such as Hospital IDP camp into temporary shelters. NRC has also rehabilitated a health clinic in Dili and five offices for the UN dialogue teams.
All transitional camps have now been closed. Further, NRC has built 5 youth centres, supporting youth without a job for training and encouragement in their lives. The last youth centre was opened in Dili 17 March 2010. Finally, since March 2009, NRC has been working with reconstruction/rehabilitation and teacher training for up to 30 schools in rural areas, so benefitting the most disadvantaged communities by ensuring sustainable access to education.
Mr. Alfredo Zamudio, and his very dedicated team, can look back at remarkable results achieved under very difficult circumstances. NRC will end their mission in Timor-Leste within 2010. Their dedicated leader Alfredo Zamudio works hard, with support from the Norwegian Embassy Section in Dili, to ensure that the work done by NRC, and their organisation built up during these years, may be carried on in a sustainable way by the Government of Timor-Leste.
Original news source:
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Support ETAN in 2010! To make a contribution go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john@etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
Press release from the Norwegian Embassy in Indonesia
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has done a tremendous effort to help the country out of the crisis that followed the 2006 riots. A massive refugee problem, involving more than 10% of the population, was facing the tiny nation as the citizens had to flee their homes, or they lost their homes which were put on fire.
NRC started work in Timor-Leste in November 2006, with funds from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since then, NRC has built 595 transitional shelters in five different locations, in order to help internally displaced people (IDP's) to move from tented camps, such as Hospital IDP camp into temporary shelters. NRC has also rehabilitated a health clinic in Dili and five offices for the UN dialogue teams.
All transitional camps have now been closed. Further, NRC has built 5 youth centres, supporting youth without a job for training and encouragement in their lives. The last youth centre was opened in Dili 17 March 2010. Finally, since March 2009, NRC has been working with reconstruction/rehabilitation and teacher training for up to 30 schools in rural areas, so benefitting the most disadvantaged communities by ensuring sustainable access to education.
Mr. Alfredo Zamudio, and his very dedicated team, can look back at remarkable results achieved under very difficult circumstances. NRC will end their mission in Timor-Leste within 2010. Their dedicated leader Alfredo Zamudio works hard, with support from the Norwegian Embassy Section in Dili, to ensure that the work done by NRC, and their organisation built up during these years, may be carried on in a sustainable way by the Government of Timor-Leste.
Original news source:
etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan
Support ETAN in 2010! To make a contribution go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john@etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
Beyond the Truth: Can Reparations Move Peace and Justice Forward in Timor-Leste?
by Leigh-Ashley Lipscomb
Abstract
After hundreds of years as a Portuguese colony and then decades of Indonesian occupation, Timor-Leste (East Timor) finally became independent in 2002. Since then, Timor-Leste has been in the process of building itself as a sovereign nation, fighting to shake off its tumultuous past. Timor-Leste must now decide how best to resolve issues stemming from a brief civil war and Indonesian invasion and occupation (1975-1999), including grave human rights violations on all sides of the conflict. Human rights trials in both Timor-Leste and Indonesia have produced unsatisfying results, but two separate truth commissions recommended reparations--both intrastate and interstate--as a key element of reconciliation and healing. Critical questions remain, however, concerning the value, scope, and implementation of a reparations program within Timor-Leste or between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Only a sincere, informed, and transparent decision-making process will result in a reparations program that could be a significant and successful part of moving peace and justice forward.
AsiaPacific Issues, No. 93
Publisher: Honolulu: East-West Center
Publication Date: March 2010
Pages: 12
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Support ETAN in 2010! To make a contribution go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john@etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
Web site: http://www.etan.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/etan009
Blog: http://etanaction.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/134122?recruiter_id=10193810
Send a blank e-mail message to info@etan.org to find out
how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet
Winners: John Rumbiak Human Rights Defender Award for 2009
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[This message was distributed via the east-timor news list. For info on how to subscribe send a blank e-mail to info@etan.org. To support ETAN see http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm ]
Abstract
After hundreds of years as a Portuguese colony and then decades of Indonesian occupation, Timor-Leste (East Timor) finally became independent in 2002. Since then, Timor-Leste has been in the process of building itself as a sovereign nation, fighting to shake off its tumultuous past. Timor-Leste must now decide how best to resolve issues stemming from a brief civil war and Indonesian invasion and occupation (1975-1999), including grave human rights violations on all sides of the conflict. Human rights trials in both Timor-Leste and Indonesia have produced unsatisfying results, but two separate truth commissions recommended reparations--both intrastate and interstate--as a key element of reconciliation and healing. Critical questions remain, however, concerning the value, scope, and implementation of a reparations program within Timor-Leste or between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Only a sincere, informed, and transparent decision-making process will result in a reparations program that could be a significant and successful part of moving peace and justice forward.
AsiaPacific Issues, No. 93
Publisher: Honolulu: East-West Center
Publication Date: March 2010
Pages: 12
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Support ETAN in 2010! To make a contribution go to http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm Thank you for your support.
John M. Miller, National Coordinator
East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN)
PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA
Phone: +1-718-596-7668 Mobile phone: +1-917-690-4391
Email john@etan.org Skype: john.m.miller
Web site: http://www.etan.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/etan009
Blog: http://etanaction.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/134122?recruiter_id=10193810
Send a blank e-mail message to info@etan.org to find out
how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet
Winners: John Rumbiak Human Rights Defender Award for 2009
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[This message was distributed via the east-timor news list. For info on how to subscribe send a blank e-mail to info@etan.org. To support ETAN see http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm ]
Report on the needs of families of the Missing in Timor-Leste
This is a report of recent research in Timor-Leste to understand what families of those missing as a result of the conflict seek in response to their victimhood. Whilst the authorities deny the need for prosecutions and talk of 'social justice', rights agencies insist that victims seek prosecutions: neither however has sought the views of ordinary victims. This study uses qualitative research methods with a representative sample of victims, using a list collected by ICRC over a 30 year period serving as a sampling frame. It aims to determine both what victims seek a decade after the end of conflict and their attitude towards those transitional justice mechanisms that have taken place, essentially a victim-centred evaluation of that process.
This research also aims to inform the ongoing process towards the creation of an institution to implement the recommendations of both CAVR and the CTF.
The report can be found at:
http://www.simonrobins.com/Robins%20-%20Needs%20of%20families%20of%20the%20Missing%20in%20Timor.pdf
I would very much welcome any comments or feedback.
Simon Robins.
--
_____________________________________________________________________
Simon Robins www.simonrobins.com
Post War Reconstruction and Development Unit, University of York
Tel: +1 646 881 7828 (US)
Tel: +44 (0)7795 575086 (UK)
_______________________________________________
Queries about this post should be sent to the poster NOT THE LIST. PLEASE DO NOT SEND PERSONAL REPLIES TO THE LIST.
This research also aims to inform the ongoing process towards the creation of an institution to implement the recommendations of both CAVR and the CTF.
The report can be found at:
http://www.simonrobins.com/Robins%20-%20Needs%20of%20families%20of%20the%20Missing%20in%20Timor.pdf
I would very much welcome any comments or feedback.
Simon Robins.
--
_____________________________________________________________________
Simon Robins www.simonrobins.com
Post War Reconstruction and Development Unit, University of York
Tel: +1 646 881 7828 (US)
Tel: +44 (0)7795 575086 (UK)
_______________________________________________
Queries about this post should be sent to the poster NOT THE LIST. PLEASE DO NOT SEND PERSONAL REPLIES TO THE LIST.
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