A Statement from Women's Studies Scholars, Women Leaders and Feminist Organizations
"An International Tribunal is the most pressing demand in the interests of justice. Of all the victims of Indonesian military violence the greatest suffering was borne by women, who up to this time, have not met with the justice they hoped for." from a statement by the East Timorese Women's Network, June 2001
We join with our East Timorese sisters in calling for an international tribunal for East Timor.
We urge the United Nations Security Council to establish an international tribunal for East Timor without delay. The East Timorese people have waited far too long for the architects and perpetrators of the atrocities committed against them to be brought to justice. Over two years have passed since the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry on East Timor called for an international human rights tribunal. During that time, it has become clear that only an international tribunal can hold accountable the high-ranking Indonesian military, police and government officials most responsible for crimes against humanity committed in East Timor.
When Indonesia illegally invaded and occupied East Timor in 1975, it began a genocidal campaign that lasted nearly a quarter-century. During the first five years of the occupation, some 200,000 people - one-third of the pre-invasion population - were killed. The occupation specifically targeted women in several ways, including the following:
- Rape and "forced marriage" to military personnel were used to terrorize and control East Timorese women, to punish pro-independence families, and to reward Indonesian soldiers. A study of gender violence in 1999 by the Communication Forum for East Timorese Women (FOKUPERS) found many acts of rape were "planned, organized, and sustained - militia and soldiers conniving together to abduct women and share them like chattel; or, in some cases, forcibly taking women across the border into [Indonesian] West Timor where the women were raped daily and made to perform household chores." Tragically, the women among the estimated 80,000 East Timorese still in Indonesian refugee camps remain vulnerable to sexual assault by militia and military members.
- East Timorese women were forcibly sterilized by the Indonesian military under the guise of "family planning". It is estimated that tens of thousands of women were injected with contraceptives without their consent - sometimes even without their knowledge - and never with adequate follow-up care.
- An unknown number of East Timorese children were kidnapped and raised in Indonesia as Indonesian citizens, a practice that continues today. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has confirmed 240 cases of East Timorese children being taken from their parents by militia in Indonesian refugee camps since 1999; according to the UN, as many as 2,000 children may be held captive currently.
In the face of such suffering, it is truly reprehensible that the world community has knowingly placed its faith in an unacceptable alternative to an international tribunal - the Indonesian ad hoc Human Rights Court for East Timor. Due to its many flaws, the Indonesian court will not adequately address cases of gender violence and the systematic targeting of women and children, among other serious crimes.
International justice was significantly advanced last year by the decision of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to classify rape as a crime against humanity. But the world community cannot stop there. Atrocities committed against the people of East Timor deserve no less attention than those committed against peoples of other nations. An international tribunal for East Timor, with a mandate covering the entire Indonesian occupation, must be established now to redress the most heinous crimes committed against the women and men of East Timor. Otherwise, international justice will appear weak and conditional, rule of law will be undermined, and the people of the world's newest nation will have good reason to lose faith in the world community.
see also Media Release on statement
see also Women and East Timor
see also Human Rights and Justice
Signatures
as of May 12, 2002
Organizations and
institutions listed are for identification purposes only.
| Abigail
Abrash Executive Committee, Indonesia Human Rights Network and Board of Directors, Institute for Human Rights Studies and Advocacy Keene, NH Lynn Anthony Sima Aprahamian, Ph.D. U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin Parvin Basiri Rosalyn Baxandall Professor, American
Studies Oona Channa Besman Regina Birchem Steve Grubman Black, Ph.D. Robin Bled Ellie Bluestein Liz Blum Michele Bohana Mary Bolton Diane E. Boyd Johanna Brenner Christina Brinkley, Ph.D. Susan Brownmiller Leslie Cagan Elizabeth Cannon, PhD Bettina Canon Cenacle Sisters of North America Reverend John Chamberlin Sina Choi Martie Clemons Nancy Cohen, Ph.D. Kathleen Conlon Hellen Cooke Lori A. Creed Agnes B. Curry, Ph.D. Jennifer L. Cushman Behjat Dehghan Diane Docis Regina Domingues Tahnya Donaghy, PhD Barbara Drageaux Karen Dugger Léonie Ebert Cynthia Enlo Eve Ensler Abigail Erikson Diane Farsetta Mahin Filabi Jill C. Fink Elizabeth
Flanagan, M.S. |
Jahnnie Freebaum Mindy Fried, Ph.D. Gloria Gay, MSW, LSW Heather Gill Linda Gordon Anna Gramberg, PhD Joan Grant-Cummings Janet Gray Rhonda Hammer, PhD Elfriede Harth Susan Heald, Ph.D. Erin Herberg Mia Herndon Homeyra Hesami Jane Hirschmann Pat Hollingsworth Janet Hunt Rosalie Huzzard Prue Hyman Mary Jenkins Ana Cecilia Jimen ez Janet Kalven Grail Sarah Kelser Women's and Gender Studies Program,
American University Helen Klebesadel Naomi Klein Chung Hyun Kyung Associate Professor of Ecumenical Theology, Union Theological Seminary New York, NY Margaret Lazarus Drea Leanza Valentia Leanza U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee Sally Lilienthal Elisabeth Linder Ruth Luschnat Virginia Macbin Joan Macdonald Bonita Maywald U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney Anne McLaughlin Christopher McNulty Helena M. Medeiros Traci Mitchell Anuradha Mittal Colette Morrow, Ph.D. |
Yolanda T.
Moses Co-Director, Natural Initiative for Women in Higher Education Washington, DC Jessica Neuwirth Eileen Noyes-Verchereau, M.Div. Carolyn O'Donnell Karen Orenstein Sister Dianna Ortiz Cynthia Peters Fred Pfeil Usha Pillai, Ph.D. Georgia Lee Pinkel Sara Poehlman-Doumbouya Ana Esther Posada Judith Poxon Kirsten Rambo Carol Richards, Ph.D. Johnny Roberts Mary Rose Xoana Rutherford Lydia Sargent Richelle Schrock Birgit Clari Schùler Ivy Schweitzer Gayatri Sethi Sue Severin Judith Shapiro Vandana Shiva Kayann Short, Ph.D. Peter Snoad Valerie Sperling Silvia Spitta Gloria Steinem Malama Tafuna'i, M.D. Mary Terrall Aili Tripp Shungu M. Tundanonga-Dikunda, Ph.D. Jonathan Walker Beverly Walters Denise Warren Olivia Watt Cora Weiss Wendy Wolters Emma Woodley Alice Zachmann Mansoureh Zamani Debra Zimmerman |
To add your signature, please contact the East Timor Action Network with your name, organization, title, city and state for identification.
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