30 Organisations in over 12 countries, support the Land Network’s call for

effective public consultation on the draft Land Law

Press Release – 30th June – For Immediate Release

Over 30 organisations in 12 Countries have endorsed a set of measures that would ensure a fair and effective public participation on Timor-Leste’s draft Land Law. Today the Timor-Leste Land Network (Rede ba Rai) wrote for a second time to the Minister of Justice, Lucia Lobato, urging her to adopt these measures for the government’s public consultation process.

The new land law will determine who owns land in Timor-Leste. It will have far reaching effects on the nation’s social, cultural, economic and ecological development.

Inês Martins from La’o Hamutuk, a Land Network member said “We are very eager to support the development of a good law. Public consultation is crucial to find the best workable solution on land issues in Timor-Leste. We first gave the Minister our recommended measures on 10th June. We are hoping that she will give more time for consultation so we can effectively work together on the land law.”

“This law will effect every single person in our nation” – Demetrio de Carvalho, Director of Haburas Foundation and Land Network Member.

“The information we have so far is that the process may be extended until mid-September. However two months is less than half the time we need for an adequate consultation.” said Ms. Martins.

“The public consultation meetings are starting before people have had an opportunity read the law. They need time to understand it and discuss it. It’s very complex. A one day meeting in each district is not enough time for people to learn about the law and provide constructive feedback.”

“To the best of our knowledge consultation meetings will start on Monday (6th July) but the timetable’s still not finalized.”

The Land Network’s letter notes it ‘is eager to coordinate extensive public consultation and information sharing’ and today asks the Minister;

· To outline how people at the Sub-District, Suco and Aldeia levels will receive information on this law and participate in the consultation process,

· To extend the consultation process until the end of October in order to facilitate submissions from rural communities

· To explain how public feedback will be recorded, reported to the public and considered for incorporation in the law.

Copies of the letter were also sent to the Prime Minister, President of the Republic, President of the Parliament, President of Commission A, Director of the National Directorate of Land, Property and Cadastral Services and the Director of Citizenship.

Please see below the signatures of relevant organizations and the minimum requirements that were sent to the Minister of Justice on June 10th.

For more information please contact: Meabh Cryan, Secretariat Rede ba Rai, +670 730 7800 <mailto:meabhcryan@gmail.com> meabhcryan@gmail.com or Inês Martins from La’o Hamutuk on +670 725 8724.

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Organizasaun hamutuk 30 husi nasaun 12, fó suporta ba Rede ba Rai nia husu ba prosesu konsultasaun públiku ne’ebé efetivu kona-ba

esbosu Lei de Terras

Press Release – 30 Junhu

Organizasaun hamutuk 30 husi nasaun 12 mak fó suporta ba lista aktividades ne’ebe bele asegura konsultasaun publiku ne’ebe efetivu no justu kona-ba esbosu Lei de Terras Timor-Leste nian. Ohin, Rede ba Rai mak hakerek fali ba Ministra da Justica, Lucia Lobato, no husu ba nia atu inkorpora rekomendasaun sira iha governu nia prosesu konsultasaun.

Lei de Terras atu determina sé mak iha titlu ba rai iha Timor-Leste, lei sei iha impaktu boot tebes ba dezenvolvimentu kultura, ekonomiku, sosial no ékologiku Timor-Leste nian.

Inês Martins husi La’o Hamutuk, nu’udar membru Rede ba Rai dehan, “Ami pronto atu suporta dezenvolvimentu Lei de Terras ne’ebe diak no ami haree konsultasaun públiku hanesan parte importante tebes ba prosesu ida ne’e. Ami uluk fahe ami-nia rekomendasaun sira ho Ministra loron 10 Junhu. Ami hein katak Ministra atu hanoin fali no fó tempu liu ba ami atu servisu hamutuk kona-ba Lei de Terras ne’e’.”

“Lei ne’e atu halo impaktu maka’as ba povu hotu-hotu nasaun nian.” - Demetrio de Carvalho, Diretor Fundasaun no Membru Rede ba Rai.

To’o agora Rede ba Rai hetan informasaun katak prosesu mak hanaruk to’o 12 Septembru 2009. “Maibe fulan rua la’os tempu naton atu halo konsultasaun ne’ebe efetivu” dehan Sra. Martins.

Enkontru konsultasaun públiku ida ne’e atu hahú antes ema hetan oportunidade atu lee lei ne’e. Povu mos presiza tempu atu komprende lei no loke sira-nia hanoin. Lei de Terras mak komplikado tebes. Enkontru loron ida de’it iha kada distritu la’os tempu naton ba ema atu hatene kona-ba lei ne’e no mós fahe sira-nia ideas.

“Tuir informasaun ne’ebé ami rona, enkontru públiku kona-ba lei atu loke loron 6 Julhu (Segunda tuir mai). Maibe horariu seidauk finaliza.”

Karta husi Rede ba Rai hatete katak rede ‘pronto tebes atu koordina konsultasaun públiku sosiedade sivíl-nian no halo prosesu fahe informasaun ne’ebe efetivu’, entaun ohin loron ami husu ba Ministra atu;

· Fo planu oinsa ema husi sub-distritu, Suco no Aldeia sira bele asesu informasaun kona-ba Lei de Terras no partisipa iha prosesu konsultasaun,

· Hanaruk prosesu konsultasaun to’o fulan Outubru atu fasilita submisaun husi komunidade rurais

· Asegura oinsa governu atu konsidera , publika no inkorpora informasaun no submissaun husi povu sira.

Kopia karta ida ne’e mos haruka ba Primeiru Ministru, Presidente RDTL, Presidente Parliamentu, Presidente Commisaun A, Diretor DNTPSC no Diretor ‘Citizenship’

Bele haree iha kraik kopia Rekomendasaun original ne’ebe Rede haruka ba Ministra iha loron 10 de Junhu, no i asinatura husi organizasaun ne’ebe supporta Rede nian rekomendasaun.

Atu hetan informasaun liu bele kontaktu: Meabh Cryan, Secretariat Rede ba Rai, Fundasaun Haburas,

+670 730 7800 <mailto:meabhcryan@gmail.com> meabhcryan@gmail.com Inês Martina, La’o Hamutuk +670 725 8724.

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Minimum Requirements for Effective Public Participation

on the Draft Transitional Land Law

10 June 2009

Public Information

· A public consultation period of at least 5 months. At least a month is needed to share information and promote public discussion on the draft law before public consultation meetings begin.

· A summary of key elements and concepts of the draft law which people with limited formal education can understand, to be released together with the draft law.

· A timetable of public consultations with dates and place names. This needs to be issued at the start of the process so that communities and civil society are aware of when consultations will occur in their area.

· Distribute the draft law, summary of key points and timetable of public consultations to all Suco councils, district administrators, other local governance organs and DNTPSC and Ita Nia Rai offices before the public consultations start. Post information about the consultation and timetable to all Sede Suco noticeboards.

· Make copies of the draft law, summary and timetable of public consultations available to other agencies, civil society organizations and members of the public. This will help to ensure fair distribution to all members of the community.

Public Meetings

· Ensure Ministry of Justice/Ita Nia Rai facilitated public consultation meetings are held, at a minimum, in all 13 districts with broad public participation.

· Devise a mechanism that reaches people at more local levels. For example, coordinate with civil society groups and district DNTPSC offices, and train Xefe Councils, in order to engage communities at the suco level, or at the very least in all sub-districts.

· Make it clear in all announcements that all community members are invited to attend public meetings and take measures to actively encourage broad participation. We encourage meeting organizers to help facilitate transport for community members.

· Facilitators for public consultations need to provide specific opportunities for women participants to speak (not only by keeping it ‘’generally open” for women to speak). Facilitators should also ensure that people of all ages have an opportunity to speak.

· Public meetings to consult with communities should last at least 2 - 3 days. The first day to provide information, and the following day/s for communities to give their input and ideas.

· Hold public consultations in Tetum, with the flexibility to incorporate ideas and input in community languages (such as through informal translations by community members).

· Monitor public attendance and participation in consultation meetings to track the inclusion of vulnerable groups such as women.

· We encourage incorporating a variety of perspectives in public consultation meetings. This could include inviting speakers from civil society, academia, and customary land authorities to present.

Accountability

· Produce a publicly available and timely report to record input and suggestions from the public consultations. Determine the parameters of this report and who is responsible for it before public consultation begins. This will strengthen accountability for how public suggestions are incorporated into the draft amendments.

· Provide a statement to outline how public input is incorporated into the draft law.

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Signatures of supporting Organisations

Rede ba Rai Timor-Leste

Forum ONG Timor-Leste (Fongtil)

Trocaire, Timor-Leste

Concern Worldwide, Timor-Leste

Center on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE)

Cafod

Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

International Organisation of Migration (IOM)

Joel Simo, Land Desk, Vanatuatu Kaljoral Senta (Vanuatu Cultural Centre)

Warren Wright, East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin

Dr. Jennifer Franco, Transnational Institute, Amsterdam

Dr. Tim Anderson, University of Sydney

La’o Hamutuk – The Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis

Fundasaun Haburas

HASATIL Network

Luta Hamutuk

KSI – Kdaduluk Sumulituk Institutu

Forum Tau Matan

Permatil

JSMP – Judicial Systems Monitoring Programme

Asian Farmers’ Association – Alliance of regional farmers groups in 8 Asian countries

Aniban ng mga Manggagawan sa Agrikultura (AMA - Union of Agricultural Workers in the Philippines)

Dr. Max Kelly, Deakin University

AIDWATCH

PARAGOS PILIPINAS (National Philippino Peasant Organisation)

South Durban Community Environmental Alliance

ATTAC, Japan

Focus on the Global South

Daniel Nazer, Civil Liberties lawyer, San Francisco

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