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Working Group on the Constitution for the People

Surat Popular on Constitution:
PDF files: Tetum; Bhasa Indonesia

Below is an English translation of part of the popular page on the constitution.

In East Timor, the United Nations and some political parties have decided that the new constitution will be adopted by a Constituent Assembly.

At present, elections for Constituent Assembly members will be on August 30.

Before this election, it is important that everyone has the opportunity to offer their opinions on the new constitution.
The UNTAET Transitional Administrator issued a directive establishing Constitutional Commissions in each district.

These Commissions will hold public hearings to gather opinions about the Constitution.

They will prepare a report for the Constituent Assembly.

This is the formal process, but there are many other ways for people to be involved.

• organize and participate in public discussions about the constitution
• ask for information about the issues related to the constitution
• ask our working group to help facilitate a discussion on the issues related to the constitution
• learn about the experiences with building a constitution in other countries
• speak openly about what issues are most important to you give all men, women and children the opportunity to express their opinions on the constitution.
• Submit your views directly to the Constitutional Commission in your district.
• Ask political parties and Constituent Assembly candidates for their views/position on the constitution

To provide a glimpse into the making of our popular pages and to invite your input in improving them we share part of our process.

The group that makes up our popular pages asked many questions, including the ones found below that were asked in several focus groups with a range of participants.

Questions on the Constitution pamphlet

1. Does the pamphlet draw your attention? Do you want to read it?

2. Look at the pictures. Do the pictures make sense to you? Are they interesting? How would you improve them?

3. When you read the words, do they make sense? Can you read and understand the words easily?

4. Does this pamphlet answer your basic questions about the constitution? What else, if anything, do you think should be included?

5. What page do you like the most? Why?

6. What page do you like the least? Why?

7. Do you have any other comments on the pamphlet?

Pertanyaan-Pertanyaan tentang Pamflet Konstitusi

1. Apakah pamflet ini mendapat perhatian anda? Apakah anda ingin membaca itu?

2. Lihat gambar-gambar ini. Bisa mengerti maksudnya gambar-gambar? Apakah gambar-gambar itu menarik? Bagaimana caranya untuk memperbaiki mereka?

3. Kalau anda membaca kata-kata itu, bisa mengerti maksudnya? Apakah anda bisa membaca dan mengerti dengan mudah?

4. Apakah pamflet ini menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan pokok tentang konstitusi? Apa saja lagi anda berpikir sebaiknya dimasukkan?

5. Halaman yang mana paling disukai sama anda? Mengapa?

6. Halaman yang mana kurang disukai sama anda? Mengapa?

7. Apakah anda mempunyai komentar-komentar lain atau rekomendasi-rekomendasi lain untuk pamflet ini?