EAST TIMOR CRISIS REFLECTION NETWORK (ETCRN)

REDE REFLEKSAUN BA KRIZE IHA TIMOR LESTE

Telp: 725-3877/723-3665, Email: infoetcrn2006@yahoo.com

Press Release

East Timor Crisis Reflection Network-ETCRN[1] held its second forum on 6 November 2006 at STP-CAVR, former Balide Prison, Dili. The topic was “How to Achieve Justice and Reconciliation in Timor Leste; Reflect Chega! and the Current Crisis,

Based on the forum ETCRN acknowledges that the current crisis is very complex, it’s in self-burden and wider to raise various issues within Timorese. It seems that many Timorese did not learn lessons from the dark pages of history that were recorded in the CAVR’s final report “Chega!”

Reflecting on Chega! and the current crisis ETCRN recognizes that to resolve the crisis, Timorese people need to learn from their past experiences and should seek urgent solutions with consolidated effort and spirit of nationalism in order to refine Timor Leste’s dignity ETCRN puts forward the idea that Timor-Leste will find a comprehensive solution if leaders and society accept, self consolidate in the spirit of nationalism and hold hands together to diminish violence and maintain peace. We should also seek for peace by implementing the following key solutions:

Political solution for the political and leadership crisis, Judicial solution to criminal actors, Dialogue and reconciliation for overcome differences and divisions within society, Stability solution to the recent security crisis and violence, Social rehabilitation including economic reparations for victims, and Repatriation and reintegration solution for displaces people.

To achieve integrated solutions to the crisis based on the points made above ETCRN calls for the following:

1. Call upon the National Parliament to position itself regarding the report of the International Commission of Inquiry (COI) which was handed over to Parliament by the UN last month. This is an important step in order to contribute to the solution of the political crisis.

2. Call upon the Prosecutor General to continue the judiciary process towards criminal actors who were indicated in the report of International Commission of Inquiry.

3. Call upon the Notaveis commission to release its report about the allegations of discrimination between Eastern and Western personnel within the F-FDTL institutions. This is an important contribution for an integrated solution to the recent crisis.

4. Call upon those who abandoned justice, most importantly for those who escaped from prison, to contribute to the judiciary process in Timor Leste by reporting themselves to the relevant institutions in order to enable us to see that justice is being done.

5. Call upon the state leaders in Timor Leste including leaders of political party to show political maturity and courage to carry our political reconciliation among each other. They also should contribute to the youth initiative and to the Simu Malu (accepting each other) processes and national reconciliation that take place within Dili. As we see the recent crisis is a state crisis all the citizens are the victims of the crisis. It is important that the leaders show to their people that they have reconciled themselves and can bring confidence to the communities and Timorese people in order to overcome the crisis of confidence and trust. All leaders should also recognise and have the courage to say that they made mistakes and should apologise to all Timorese that suffered from this crisis. This is important in order to contribute to communal reconciliation among Timorese people.

6. Call upon the majority party FRETELIN and the President of the Republic to seek solutions to the political differences through face-to-face dialogue and not just by responding to each other via media. This is very important to prevent further conflicts within the communities.

7. Call upon the government of Timor Leste to have good approaches to people in villages and communities around the IDP camps in order to set up profound conditions for the reintegration process based on people’s self-determination about their future homes. It is important that the government does not push too hard for the reintegration of the IDPs because of the raining season etc. This is important to avoid haterate and retaliation within communities, which could contribute to further conflicts.

8. Call upon the government of Timor Leste, UN and International community to take the recommendations of Chega! seriously and to bring justice to the victims of political violence between 1974 to 1999. It was one year ago that Chega! was presented to Timorese institutions. However, until today there is still no reaction or response from the National Parliament and the Government of Timor Leste. Therefore call upon the Parliament of Timor Leste to take up the topic, publicly debate CHEGA! and to look for ways to implement the recommendations of this CAVR report as these recommendations were raised by Timorese society This is an important reminder to all Timorese people that today’s crisis should not make us forget about the violation of human rights in Timor Leste from 1974 to 1999.

9. Call upon all Timorese to accept and contribute to the Sovereign Institutions’ decisions for re- activating certain state institutions such as PNTL and F-FDT. Judicial processes for those who committed crimes are important, but the reactivation of these two institutions is very important for the future implementation of law and order in Timor Leste.

10. ETCRN praises the youth and all Timorese which have shown their political maturity in embracing each other and accepting each other after the Santa Cruz Massacre’s celebration on November 12, 2006. Although there were some people who were not contributing to the peace activities, we still hope that their conscience will convince them that violence it not an instrument for seeking justice and democracy in our country. ETCRN praises all people including the UN and International forces who have put lots of effort in rebuilding the rule of law in Timor Leste with dignity.

Dili, 17 November 2006

Jose Caetano Guterres, Head of Coordinating Committee ……...………………….

Jaimito Candido da Costa, Coordinating Committee Members ……..………………….

Jose Costodio Marcal, Coordinating Committee Members ……..………………….

Carmeneza Dos Santos Martins, Coordinating Committee Members ……..…………

Chiquito da Costa Guterres, Coordinating Committee Members ……..………………….

1 ETCRN is a new network based on individual preoccupation internally and externally, which would like to facilitate wider discussion on the crisis that faced our beloved country Timor Leste. It has two main programs as well as writing and forum reflections. ETCRN has facilitate it first forum on National Unity; Seeking Solution to the Current Crisis on September. A report about this two forum and writing reflection will be launch in December 2006.