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Women, Peace and Security Initiatives: Timor-Leste
In-country | International

In-country

Justice for East Timor
Although East Timor is now completely independent, the population is still struggling against the damage resulting from the Indonesian occupation. The Asia Pacific Coalition for East Timor jointly with Initiatives for International Dialogue launched the “Justice for East Timor” campaign aiming to bring justice and peace, to pursue people-to-people partnerships, and to consolidate the East Timorese civil society. The expected result is the public indictment of the responsables of human rights violations and crimes against humanity in East Timor. Click here to read more about the campaign goals. For more information visit Initiatives for International Dialogue.

International Tribunal for East Timor’s Campaign
August 25, 2002
The East Timorese Women’s Network (Rede Feto) send a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Mary Robinson, asking her support for the establishment of the International Tribunal for East Timor’s campaign. The East Timorese Women’s Network expressed their rejection of the Ad Hoc Human Rights Tribunal in Jakarta for its inability to bring justice to victims, specially women, and asked Ms. Robinson support to pressure the international community and the UN Security Council to fulfil their responsability regarding the crimes against humanity in East Timor. They also requested Ms. Robinson support in encouraging East Timor government and national parliament to ratify various international conventions relating to human rights, including the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Click here to read the letter by Rede Feto. For more information contact the East Timorese Women’s Network.

International Tribunal for East Timor’s Campaign
August 24, 2002
The East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis, jointly with a widow’s organization from Liquica, called Rate Laek or “without graves”, met with Ms. Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. They presented her a petition expressing their demand for an International Tribunal for East Timor. Women, victims and family members of victims of the Liquica massacre expressed their rejection of the Indonesian Ad Hoc Tribunal, and asked the internationaly comunity support for the International Tribunal for East Timor’s Campaign. Click here to read the Rate Laek’s letter. For more information contact the East Timor Institute for Reconstruction Monitoring and Analysis <laohamutuk@easttimor.minihub.org>.

Campaign to Bring the East Timorese Refugees Home
After the overwhelming result in favour of East Timor independence, an unknown number of East Timorese were murdered, raped and tortured by the Indonesian forces. Approximately three-quarters of the East Timorese population was displaced. By the end of September 1999, over 250,000 East Timorese were living in refugee camps in West Timor. By the end of the year, UN agencies reported over 125,000 had returned to East Timor. However, more than 100,000 East Timorese remained unable to return home. The East Timor Action Network calls individuals world-wide to write or call Indonesian and United States oficials to urge for a safe and inmediat return of East Timorese refugees. For more information visit East Timor Action Network.

First East Timorese Women’s Conference: Together Against Violence of Women
November 25, 1998
On UN Day Against Violence of Women, a coalition of women’s organizations, including FOKUPERS, Organizacao da Mulher Timor, Rede Feto and the Student Solidarity Council, hold in the town of Dili, the First East Timorese Women’s Conference to speak out about violence againt women. Micato and Sabina Fonseca from Organizacao da Mulher Timor were the main speakers giving information on both domestic and military violence. They spoke about mental violence, and asked Timorese women to wake up and fight against violence from the military, husbands and the government. To read the report of the First East Timorese Women’s Conference click here. For more information contact FOKUPERS <fokupers@fokupers.minihub.org>.

A Chronology of East Timorese Women’s Lives
At the national Conference of the Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor (FRETELIN) in August 1998, a member of Organizacao da Mulher Timor. presented a report documenting the experiencies of women in East Timor before, during and after the war. Among several proposals, the Organização da Mulher Timor (OMT), a clandestine movement for may years, urged all developed nations to suspend military aid to Indonesia, and the European Union to call a cease-fire overseen by the United Nations with the participation of multi-national forces and human rights organizations. To read the full report click here. For more information visit East Timor Action Network.

International

Five years on, Indonesia Still Denies Justice to Victims of Sexual Violence
Amenesty International
2004
Among the hundreds of cases not investigated in Indonesia is the rape of three women in Lolotoe Sub-district. In Timor-Leste, three men have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment in connection with this case. However, two remaining suspects, an Indonesian military officer and a militia member, are believed to be in Indonesia. Indonesia has refused to transfer them and around 280 others to Timor-Leste to stand trial. Amnesty International is calling on the UN to establish an International Commission of Experts to ensure justice for the three women in Lolotoe Sub-district, and the hundreds of other victims of human rights violations in Timor-Leste in 1999. For more information visit Amnesty International

Women Worldwide Call For an International Tribunal For East Timor: Justice For Crimes Against Timorese Women Now
A few days before East Timor idependence, the East Timor Action Network/U.S. (ETAN) released an statement in which women from across the world express their commitment for an international tribunal as the only way to hold accountable those most responsible for crimes against humanity committed in East Timor. The statement asserted the inability of the Indonesian Ad Hoc Human Rights Court to address cases of gender violence and the systematic targeting of women and children. As May 2002, more than 125 women from 14 countries and 22 U.S. states signed the statement. To read and sign-up the statement click here. For more information visit East Timor Action Network.

Act Now For East Timor
September, 1999
After the Timorese population voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence in August, 1999, despite intimidation from the Indonesian government, the Indonesia militia responsed with massive killings and destruction. Grassroots International, jointly with the East Timor Action Network, launched the Act Now For East Timor campaign to exert pressure on the United States and Indonesian governments to respond to the crisis in East Timor. In addition, Grassroots International provided resources to two aspects of the emergency relief effort: in the "Mercy Ship", run by a local organization, Timor Aid, which rapidly channeled food and medicine to East Timor, and in an underground railroad to get independence activist safe and secure from the Indonesia militia. To read the newsletter click here. For more information visit Grassroots International.