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Intern with ETAN in 2008Help our grassroots organizing for human rights!The East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) is seeking interns to work with us in the New York City area. Your help is needed in a wide range of areas, and your experience with use will involve a wide range of activities. ETAN is a grassroots human rights organization working in solidarity with the people of East Timor and Indonesia. ETAN advocates justice for past rights violations, genuine self-determination for East Timor and democratic reconstruction of the world’s newest nation. ETAN supports human rights and democracy in Indonesia. Current projects include campaigning for justice for past human rights crimes and working to oppose military assistance to Indonesia. Interns will help with administrative matters, writing, research, maintaining and building relations with other organizations and grassroots activists, monitoring news and developments in the region, at the UN, and educating Congress, fundraising, and other tasks required to keep an organization functioning and issues alive. This year, interns will work in Brooklyn (though it may be possible to work elsewhere). Applications are accepted at any time. To apply, please send or e-mail a cover letter, resume and writing sample along with your reasons for applying and any relevant experience you may have to:
We look forward to hearing from you. --- What Does ETAN stand for? ETAN supports continued restriction of military assistance to Indonesia in order to support peace, justice and democracy in both countries. To this end, we work to influence the policies of the United States government and international institutions as they relate to East Timor and Indonesia. The history of U.S. support for Indonesia's illegal invasion and occupation of East Timor underlies ETAN's efforts to achieve accountability for those responsible at home and abroad for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed from 1975 onward. Why East Timor and Indonesia? On December 7, 1975, Indonesia invaded East Timor with U.S. backing. Over the next 24 years, Indonesian military forces killed one-third of the population and devastated the country -- all with weapons and political support from Washington. In response to a 1991 massacre of over 270 East Timorese civilians, ETAN formed to campaign in the U.S. for human rights and self-determination in East Timor. In May 1998, Indonesian dictator Suharto was forced from office in Indonesia, ending his brutal 32-year reign. In an August 1999 UN-supervised referendum, an overwhelming majority of East Timorese voted for independence. In retribution, the Indonesian military and their militia proxies killed at least 1400, raped women and girls, destroyed 75% of the country’s infrastructure, and forced three-quarters of the population from their homes. East Timor is working to rebuild, establish itself, and create essential political, social, and economic institutions. On May 20, 2002, East Timor became the first independent nation of the millennium. What does ETAN do now? Many issues remain: None of the Indonesian military and police officials who planned and carried out 1999's scorched earth campaign or the 24-years of illegal occupation of East Timor have been brought to justice. ETAN continues to oppose U.S. assistance to Indonesia’s military, which remains a major roadblock to reform, justice, human rights and security. We also work with East Timorese grassroots organizations to ensure that the developing U.S.-East Timor relationship respects East Timorese human, political, economic and environmental rights. Holding people and governments accountable for past crimes, and working towards a just future for Timor and Indonesia are critical. Will I get paid? Not in cash, but in experience, skills, and the satisfaction of helping people who have been deeply wronged by the international community. If you need to relocate, we can help find cheap housing and may be able to provide partial support for living expenses. How does one apply? Please send or e-mail a cover letter, resume and writing sample along with your reasons for applying and any relevant experience you may have to:
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