West Timor/refugees

All East Timorese refugees should be granted visas

Green Left Weekly - June 11, 2003

Gillian Davey -- Immigration minister Philip Ruddock's June 3 decision to grant 379 East Timorese asylum seekers permanent residency in Australia is a decision that all supporters of refugees' right should welcome. The decision ends more than a decade of waiting for the 379 people concerned. But for the remaining East Timorese asylum seekers living in Australia, the waiting continues.

The applications for permanent residency by all of the 1800 East Timorese asylum seekers were delayed for up to 10 years by the government's ridiculous view that they should seek legal protection from Portugal, East Timor's former colonial ruler, despite the fact that the government had recognised Indonesia's 1976 annexation of East Timor.

Last year, when the immigration department finally resumed processing the East Timorese asylum seekers' applications, their claims for refugee status had collapsed because East Timor had gained independence from Indonesia. They were consequently threatened with deportation, even though many members of them were either born in Australia or arrived as children.

In granting the visas, Ruddock has clearly rejected the previous determination of the Refugee Review Tribunal that the East Timorese asylum seekers were not eligible for full refugee status. He has also indicated that a high proportion of the remaining East Timorese asylum seekers are likely to be granted visas on humanitarian grounds.

In the days following Ruddock's decision, a number of public figures including Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, Democrats' leader Senator Andrew Bartlett, City of Yarra mayor Greg Barber and Catholic bishop Hilton Deacon, have publicly called upon Ruddock to grant permanent visas to the remaining East Timorese asylum seekers.

And yet, in spite of all the evidence pointing to the validity of the refugee claims of the East Timorese, Ruddock continues to refuse to create a special humanitarian visa category. Instead, the remaining asylum seekers will be forced to go through the complex, lengthy and costly tribunal process, a process which has now been proven to have failed.

The continued uncertainty of their status is causing immense stress and anxiety for the remaining East Timorese asylum seekers. With the stroke of a pen, Ruddock could remove that uncertainty.

Government & politics

Opposition leader criticises Fretilin

Green Left Weekly - June 11, 2003

Vannessa Hearman, Melbourne -- Fernando de Araujo heads the Democratic Party (PD) in East Timor, the second-largest party in the country's parliament. He also leads an eight-party parliamentary opposition to the Fretilin government. The opposition coalition includes parties from a diverse range of political perspectives.

De Araujo spoke at a forum organised by the East Timor Students' Association, Asialink and the Melbourne Institute for Asian Languages and Societies, on May 30.

Prior to 1999, Araujo was a leader of the clandestine student movement. He served time on charges of subversion in Cipinang Prison in Jakarta alongside Xanana Gusmao. For a brief period, he was part of the United Nations Transitional Administration's second cabinet as vice-minister for foreign affairs.

In 1999, the priorities identified for the country were agricultural development and improved health and education systems, Araujo noted. However, to date, there is little progress: "Just because a few schools have been repaired, this doesn't mean that we have made advances in developing education in our country."

Araujo charged that the government is too focused on the oil resources of the Timor Gap, as opposed to attempting to develop sectors such as agriculture. "When the oil is finished, does that mean we are finished too?" he asked.

Even though there is extreme poverty in East Timor, the government has increased consumption taxes and import duties, resulting in the price of rice, instant noodles and other basic commodities increasing.

Without discussing the legacy of UN rule and the continuing influence of the international financial institutions, Araujo declared that the government's attitude toward the question of taking out loans was "too proud" He used the analogy of the head of the family boasting that the family was "doing okay" when there was no rice in the kitchen and his children could not afford to go to school.

"We cannot be nationalists, when we see things wrong in our country, we have to say they are wrong", Araujo stated. He alleged that discrimination was rampant in East Timor, with preferential treatment being accorded to Fretilin party members.

Fretilin has introduced a system of "open government" in which senior government figures make visits to regional areas and hold direct consultations with the people. Araujo criticised this practice as one designed to centralise power in the hands of a few, as opposed to holding elections for local government.

De Araujo urged solidarity activists who campaigned for East Timor's independence to continue to follow the situation in the country. "Don't be afraid to criticise, East Timor belongs to all of us, we struggled together to bring about independence", he said.

Human rights/law

Alkatiri wants amnesty for crimes of 1999

Lusa - June 12, 2003

Jakarta -- East Timor's prime minister, Mari Alkatiri, called Thursday for an amnesty for prisoners currently serving sentences in Timorese jails for crimes committed around the time of the territory's 1999 bloody independence ballot.

In a Jakarta interview, Alkatiri told Lusa a general amnesty was the only way to resolve "the injustice" of perpetrators of less serious crimes being imprisoned, while those responsible for major human rights violations "sometimes remain difficult to indict".

"It is up to parliament to decide on an amnesty, which I think is the only solution to the problem. It is a question worthy of national debate in Timor", said Alkatiri.

Alkatiri's comments herald a more pragmatic position by the Dili government on questions relating to justice for crimes committed in 1999. There is clear recognition among Timorese leaders it is "impractical" to bring those primarily responsible for the wave of violence unleashed by the Indonesian Army and its proxy militias to justice.

"There are some Timorese militia leaders who received long prison sentences. I felt at the time the penalties appeared excessive, as how many years would the real culprits have received", Alkatiri commented.

It would be "practically impossible" for the UN Security Council to establish an international court for war crimes committed in Timor, said Alkatiri, adding it would be even more problematic to bring Indonesian security officials or civilians to face a Timorese court.

"As the government and president deal with questions of bilateral relations [with Indonesia] every day, they look for a pragmatic approach that allows relations to progress", Alkatiri told Lusa. The Timorese government has already distanced itself from the decision of the Dili Serious Crimes Unit to indict top Indonesian Army officers on war crimes charges.

After Indonesia's top military commander, Gen. Wiranto, was accused by the Dili court of organizing the violence of 1999, the Timorese government sent envoys to Jakarta to stress the independent court's decision did not reflect the government's will. In his interview, Alkatiri also said he would be seeking reform of the fledgling nation's justice system, particularly the Serious Crimes Unit, which has an annual budget of USD 4 million, compared to only USD 150,000 allocated to the rest of the legal system.

The Timorese leader is heading a senior government delegation on a three-day official Jakarta visit, ending Friday. He met Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri Wednesday and described the encounter as "positive and fruitful". Alkatiri said before his Indonesian trip his main aim was to seek good personal relations with Jakarta's leaders.

East Timor will not push for international tribunal

Jakarta Post - June 12, 2003

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta -- East Timor foreign minister Jose Ramos Horta reiterated here on Wednesday that his government did not intend to pursue an international tribunal against Indonesian military officials charged with rights abuses in East Timor.

According to Horta, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, who has reportedly suggested an international tribunal, clarified East Timor's official policy on the issue during the meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the Merdeka Palace on Wednesday. "We took the initiative to clarify ... and I have never heard the Prime Minister's (Alkatiri) statement on the international tribunal," Horta said after the meeting.

"In regards to the idea of the reports about an international tribunal, this is not the position of the government of Timor Leste [East Timor]." Horta, however, did not explicitly say he would oppose it if others in the international community commenced a trial, just that he would not lobby for it.

"This [justice] is now the responsibility of the international community and from the East Timor side, we are not interested in pushing for an international tribunal," Horta said. Asked if justice took a back seat in relations with Indonesia, he said: "For me, the greatest act of justice is that we are free".

The Minister added that the his government was more interested in working in "the present relationship towards the future." In the joint press briefing with Alkatiri, Megawati underlined the importance of accepting political realities that East Timor and Indonesia were two equal countries that should develop a mature relationship.

"We share the view that two countries living as neighbors are a political and social reality that we have to accept, and develop mature ties," Megawati said.

During the meeting, they also discussed various residual issues between the two countries, including refugees, assets and former Indonesian civil servants.

Alkatiri said that he believed there was goodwill to settle the issues for better cooperation in the future. "I believe that our two countries will deal with these residual issues with honesty and sincerity," the Prime Minister said.

It was reported earlier this month and again upon departure to Indonesia on Tuesday that Alkatiri wanted the establishment of an international tribunal against alleged Indonesian war criminals, and proclaimed that the ongoing human rights trials here were, "nothing but theater". It is unclear, however, if Alkatiri actually said such things, as Horta, a close aide, said he had never heard them.

Alkatiri is known for his strong personal stance on the justice and rights issues, particularly as they pertain to alleged Indonesian abuses.

The Indonesian human rights ad hoc tribunal acquitted 13 of 18 officials implicated in the 1999 violence which left hundreds dead, 80 percent of the buildings destroyed and created a refugee crisis. The decisions have drawn the ire of both domestic and international human rights activists.

Alkatiri, leading a high power delegation during the visit, is on a four-day working visit to Indonesia. Also on Wednesday, Alkatiri witnessed the signing of a border/trade agreement. He is slated to meet with other high ranking officials on Thursday and return back to Dili on Friday.

East Timor sentences militia leader to seven years

Associated Press - June 9, 2003

Jakarta -- An East Timorese court sentenced a pro-Indonesia militia leader to seven years in jail Monday for the 1999 killing of an independence supporter after the country voted to end 24 years of Indonesian occupation.

Quelo Mauno is the 32nd person convicted by the Dili District Court. In contrast, courts in Jakarta have convicted only five of 18 Indonesian military and government leaders tried for the violence that killed 1,500 and left 250,000 homeless.

Mauno pleaded guilty to one count of crimes against humanity for murdering Domingos Kolo, a pro-independence supporter, on Sept. 8, 1999. The indictment alleged that Mauno stabbed Kolo to death.

East Timorese overwhelmingly voted for independence in August 1999, triggering violence by the Indonesian military and its proxy militias that left the former province in ruins.

Prosecutors in Dili have indicted more than 260 people including the former chief of the Indonesian military Gen. Wiranto. But many of the defendants have already escaped to Indonesia, which has so far ignored extradition requests from Dili.

As a result, most of the defendants convicted of crimes ranging from murder to rape in Dili have been former East Timorese militiamen like Mauno. In Jakarta, the rights courts have been criticized for failing to convict top ranking officers on trial for atrocities in Timor. Last week, prosecutors took the unusual stance of asking judges to acquit the last defendant on trial, Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri, who was the highest-ranked officer indicted for the violence.

Alkatiri's call for tribunal draws fire from Jakarta

Associated Press - June 10, 2003

Dili -- East Timor's prime minister drew fire from Jakarta Tuesday after resuming his call for an international tribunal to try Indonesian officers for alleged rights abuses during the country's bloody fight for independence.

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri's suggestion had already been flatly rejected by Indonesia, and pressing the issue could complicate efforts to improve bilateral relations when the two countries meet for talks starting Wednesday in Jakarta.

Unlike President Xanana Gusmao and other Timorese leaders, Alkatiri has been a vocal critic of the Jakarta courts that are trying 18 senior Indonesian officials over their alleged roles in the 1999 violence, which left up to 1,500 people dead.

Calling the Jakarta proceedings a "theater," Alkatiri said last month that an international tribunal should be established in a neutral country. On Tuesday, he reaffirmed his support for a tribunal but emphasized he would not bring it up in meetings with President Megawati Sukarnoputri Wednesday unless she broached the subject first.

"The UN has an obligation to establish an international tribunal in a neutral country," he said before flying to Jakarta for a four-day visit.

"If Ms. Megawati wants to discuss the comments I made before about the tribunal, then I will discuss them in detail," he said. "But my mission in Indonesia is not to talk about the justice system. My mission is to talk about bilateral cooperation and border issues."

Marty Natalegawa, an Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman, said he was "perplexed" by Alkatiri's comments, adding that he thought the prime minister had retracted his earlier statements and told Indonesian authorities that he was misquoted.

"Suggestions from the government of East Timor that an international tribunal should be established would concern Indonesia," he said.

"Indonesia's position is that this issue is one that should be addressed by national means, through our own legal process," he said. "We have a national process which is still ongoing. We should respect this process. We would absolutely reject calls for a tribunal."

The Jakarta trials have so far acquitted 12 suspects and convicted five, all of whom are free pending appeals. The last defendant, Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri, is expected to go free after prosecutors recommended that he be acquitted of all charges.

Alkatiri's comments will likely cheer rights activists, who have called the Jakarta courts a sham and demanded that a tribunal be established similar to what was used in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

Indonesian troops and their militia proxies destroyed much of East Timor before and after voters approved a UN-sponsored independence referendum in 1999. East Timor became independent May 20, 2002.

Gusmao has said that maintaining ties with its giant neighbor is more important than pursuing justice for those accused in the violence.

Prosecutors in the capital Dili are pursuing their own war crimes trials. They have indicted more than 250 people, including the former chief of the Indonesian military, Gen. Wiranto. Thirty-two people, mostly former Timorese militiamen, have been convicted.

But Indonesia has rejected demands by Dili prosecutors to extradite many of the higher ranking Indonesian military officers including Wiranto, making it highly unlikely they would be tried for alleged war crimes.

East Timor women must tell of Indonesian atrocities

Jakarta Post - June 9-10, 2003

Karen Campbell-Nelson -- It is important the women of Timor Leste tell what they know about past violations, to balance the tendency for men to dominate the documentation of history, and to remind social, political, and religious leaders of Timor Leste what is required of an inclusive reconciliation process.

This is how Beatriz Guterres begins telling us what she knows.

"After Andre and I married in December 1982 we moved from Beobe to Craras. When the Craras massacre occurred on 8 August 1983, I was two months pregnant. [Because] my husband ... was suspected by ABRI [Indonesian armed forces, now TNI] ...we sought refuge in the forest. However ... we were ambushed.

"I surrendered, but my husband got away and ran to Bibileo Mountain. Every day I was interrogated by ABRI at Buikaren. My child was born in February 1984. When he was five days old, my husband surrendered. He stayed in our house for one month before he was made a TBO (Tenaga Bantuan Operasi, Operational Assistant) by ABRI. After he reported for duty he never returned. He was probably murdered the same day he was called to report. My child also died at 14 months because of illness and we had no medicine." Beatriz was one of 14 Timor Leste women invited to Dili by the Commission for Reception, Truth-seeking, and Reconciliation (CAVR) to participate in the Commission's third national public hearing held on 28-29 April.

According to its mandate, CAVR is to seek the truth about human rights abuses that occurred in the context of political conflict in Timor Leste from 1974-1999. One means for establishing the truth is by giving witnesses, and experts the opportunity to speak in public hearings.

The theme for this hearing, Women and Conflict, was explored through various submissions, eye-witness accounts, and the sharing of personal experiences by women such as Beatriz. The women's stories painted a painfully vivid picture of their experience of human rights violations from 1974-1999, the historical period being investigated by Commission researchers.

During the hearing these accounts were supplemented by two presentations. Mario Carrascalco, East Timor's governor from 1982-1992, shared stories that clearly illustrated the impact of Indonesia's militarization of the territory on Timor Leste women.

John Fernandes, field coordinator for the Indonesian Family Planning Program in Manufahi district shared his knowledge of how the promotion of birth control prevented women from freely exercising their reproductive rights.

Submissions by three different groups -- Timor Leste women, the Indonesian National Commission Against Violence Towards Women, and members of the former West Timor Humanitarian Team that investigated violence against Timor Leste women in West Timor refugee camps -- provided different perspectives for analyzing how gender is exploited, but also shaped, in contexts of political conflict and violence.

To better understand all that is required, we must hear the rest of Beatriz's story. Not long after her child died, Beatriz was forced by the military to join a women's night patrol to guard the village, Lalerek Mutin, from Falintil attack. Patrol members were regularly harassed on their night rounds and it is likely this is how Beatriz first came to the attention of a Kopassus (Special Forces) officer, E.

Only a few days after meeting E, Beatriz lived with him as his wife. E first demanded Beatriz dance with him all night at a military party. The following day, he followed Beatriz to her rice field where he beat her mercilessly. Beatriz ran home only to be confronted by male members of her family and community who persuaded her to give in to the soldier, "Better you sell your soul to save our necks. No one will blame you." So Beatriz lived with this soldier for one year before his term of duty expired and he left Timor Leste. Although Beatriz was pregnant with his child, she had a miscarriage. This was Beatriz's first forced marriage. It was followed by two more.

"In 1991 another Kopassus soldier, Prada M, had duty in Lalerek Mutin. When my friends and I were in the rice field he shot in our direction. My friends pressured me so that I would become his wife in order to save myself. Because I was ashamed I stood and said, "OK. I'll cut myself in half. The lower half I'll give to him, but the upper half is for my land, the land of Timor." They said to me, "Don't be afraid, don't run. You probably must suffer like this because your husband was murdered, whereas you are still alive. ... Our lives are the same." Then Prada M. walked with me and I answered each of his questions only with, "Ya" ... I was just resigned to my fate. We lived as husband and wife and I had a child.

Although Beatriz' friends tried to assure her their lives were just the same, they were not. Once Beatriz was perceived as a "fallen woman" for living with Indonesian soldiers, it was easy to forget that friends, family, and community members had contributed to her fall.

Politically-motivated violence became so distorted that a beating or being shot at was interpreted, correctly it seems, as a soldier's interest in a Timorese woman. Such was the distortion that Beatriz's own community treated her as the village's scapegoat, turning her into a sexual sacrifice to mitigate violence against the larger community. The community logic seemed to be that if military violence could be limited to the women they abused (to Beatriz) it would not so easily spill over into broader attacks on the residents of Lalerek Mutin. But once Beatriz "fell" she became more vulnerable, not only to repeated incidents of forced marriage, but also to community perceptions that this was her fate.

The tendency to blame the victim is nothing new. However, in the context of political violence in Lalerek Mutin this tendency was used to explain away the disappearance of Beatriz's husband as well as to accept her forced marriages as judgment for her simply being alive. They knew Beatriz suffered. Yet they saw her suffering as fate or divine judgment rather than a violation of her rights and in this way deflected blame from themselves and others who did not rally to Beatriz's defense, but indeed pressured her to accept the violations.

The third incident of forced marriage begins when two soldiers, one the commanding officer of the other, come to where Beatriz is working in the rice field and begin to fight over who will take Beatriz as his own.

Local village officials become involved and the village head scolds Beatriz, telling her if she wants a husband to choose one, not two. Beatriz protests. "I was in the paddy field cutting rice when suddenly these two appeared and started fighting ... I just wanted to cut rice, not talk to them about who would be my boyfriend." The village head repeats his demand, "You date just one of them, not both!" In the end Beatriz is, once again, resigned to what she and others call her fate. She lives with one of these two soldiers and gives birth to his child. When the child is only a few months old, the soldier who fought with his commanding officer in order to win Beatriz, as if she were a boxing trophy, leaves Timor Leste.

Beatriz's story points to the complexity of gender-based violence in Timor Leste during the 25 years of conflict prior to the country's independence, a complexity the reconciliation process cannot afford to ignore.

Women's experience of the conflict demands special attention and reflection because, as the stories of Beatriz and the other women at the public hearing suggest, it is different from men's. Stories of rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, and sexual torture -- not only at the hands of Indonesian police and soldiers, but also those of the other parties in the conflict, Fretilin and UDT -- make clear that women are sexually vulnerable in a way men are not.

Because women are socially constructed as primary caretakers and nurturers of children, guardians of the hearth, healers of those in pain, their social identity is derived from their biological roles as those who give birth and nurse. When they are sexually violated, it is not only their bodies that suffer; their very identity as women is attacked.

This, then, is a part of women's suffering. Many women continue to suffer physical trauma -- they cannot give birth or only do so painfully, their sexual organs are scarred or damaged. But also damaged is their sense of self. How can they come to accept themselves as whole women if they or others feel their sexual abuse has soiled their reputation and moral character for life? How can they heal?

"Reconcile" comes from the Latin word re-conciliare. It means "again-make friendly". Indeed one of the mandates of the Commission for Reception, Truth-seeking, and Reconciliation (CAVR) is to facilitate a process whereby relations among those estranged from each other can be reformed and enemies can become friends once again.

When I consider the experiences and trauma of women in Timor Leste, my understanding of what reconciliation might mean for women is aided when I reflect on another word -- integration from the Latin word integrare, to make whole.

What I observed during the public hearing on Women and Conflict was women yearning for integration at three levels. First, women who suffered abuse during the years of conflict in Timor Leste are at once victims and survivors. We celebrate their courage, fortitude, resourcefulness, and strength when we recognize them as survivors. But we must also recognize them as victims who long to be healed.

Listening to women who shared their experiences I was reminded the healing process may take a lifetime, but it is supported when women are given the opportunity to tell what they know. Telling what they know enables women to take steps towards personal integration.

They need to hear they are valued and loved and to have their questions answered. When one participant expressed concerns about the status of her marriage since her rape by a militia commander in 1999, it was healing for her to hear one of CAVR's National Commissioners, Father Juvito, tell her that rape cannot nullify her marriage.

Telling what they know to others who want to listen helps women place the abuse outside themselves where it can be seen, heard, and whittled down, piece by piece, rather than allowing it to eat away at them from the inside like a silent cancerous growth.

Second, by telling what they know in public, women also become integrated into the truth-seeking and reconciliation process in Timor Leste. However, given the burden of patriarchy it is not enough simply to make opportunities available to women along with men.

The opportunities must be especially for women, something that requires planning, preparation, and often an inordinate amount of support and encouragement for women. The proceedings of this public hearing were broadcast live over national television and radio.

This will hopefully encourage other women to come forward with their statements, to tell what they know to members of CAVR district teams throughout Timor Leste so that their perspectives and experiences are integrated into what would otherwise be a male-dominated process.

And once women are integrated into the process, the stakes for reconciliation are raised. Take Beatriz. Ideally she would receive support for herself and her children from the fathers of her children. Since that is not forthcoming and it is unlikely the Indonesian military will compensate Beatriz for her suffering, then it falls to religious and political institutions in Timor Leste to address her situation. But what about her friends and family? The men of her community who pushed her into unwanted common law marriages, not once, but three times? Beatriz still lives in this community and has made enough peace with herself and others to continue living there.

But to integrate women into the truth and reconciliation process demands acknowledgement of uncomfortable truths about local communities. The Commission might ask itself: What would be a process of reconciliation for healing this dimension of abuse?

Third, the recent public hearing also suggests something about political integration. At the conclusion of a testimony by Maria, another woman who was yet to tell her story, Victoria, spontaneously arose and came forward, making an impassioned confession.

She admitted to having been involved with the Fretilin fighters who tortured Maria. Victoria yearned for public confession and forgiveness. Victoria approached Maria and hugged her and Maria hugged Victoria in return.

When the women who spoke came together from different corners of Timor Leste and began telling what they know to each other, it became apparent to them that what was common about the violations they suffered was that they were politically-motivated, were instigated by men, and mostly perpetrated by men.

Although some women, such as Victoria, were drawn in as perpetrators, the political, social-economic, and personal disintegration due to conflict in Timor Leste must be seen as driven by men of all political persuasions and in that sense, no men won as a result of the conflict.

Without the stories of women to balance those of men, whatever political integration may exist for Timor Leste will not be total. The truth will remain distorted and reconciliation may only contribute to a future in which men's friendly relations allow the violation of women's human rights to continue.

Reconciliation in Timor Leste must seek to make individuals, communities, and the nation whole.

After years of so much fragmentation this is not easy, but it must be done for shattered lives and communities cannot be swept away like glass. Some women began piecing together fragments when they spoke of gender-based violence at this public hearing.

The process remains a fragile, yet beautiful one. Listening to these women tell what they know was at once a painful and strengthening experience that helped me to better understand how such a small country could survive such a history of pain.

If the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, then Timor Leste's future promises to be a great one as long as the women's parts are told, reconciled, and integrated.

[Karen Campbell-Nelson is a researcher with the Commission for Reception, Truth-seeking, and Reconciliation (CAVR), Dili, East Timor.]

Indonesia

Timor Leste won't push for war crimes tribunal

Straits Times - June 15, 2003

Asad Latif -- Indonesia has shown real statesmanship in its dealings with Timor Leste, the latter's Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta said during a visit to Singapore. This, he suggested, is why the former Indonesian territory would not push for an international tribunal to try Indonesian soldiers and others responsible for deaths and destruction in 1999, when it voted to secede from Indonesia.

Human rights activists have demanded a United Nations war crimes tribunal for Timor Leste similar to tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. Rights groups have also dismissed as a sham a human rights court which Jakarta has set up to try those associated with the 1999 violence.

However, Mr Ramos-Horta made a case for reconciliation. Delivering a public lecture organised by the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies on Friday, he noted the goodwill with which Jakarta had recognised the reality of Timor Leste's independence.

It took only about one month after independence in May last year for Timor Leste President Xanana Gusmao to pay a state visit to Indonesia, he said. "I bow to Indonesian courage and statesmanship," he said, calling Indonesia "a new country" after the fall of the Suharto regime.

On Thursday, he said in Jakarta that Indonesia had made "a tremendous effort" to bring to justice those responsible for violence in Timor Leste, then known as East Timor. "Indonesia has made a tremendous effort, with all the limitations and flaws that everyone knows about, to establish it [the trials]", AP quoted him as saying.

On Friday, he placed his nation's strong ties with Indonesia in context by giving examples of how long it could take to resolve international conflicts.

He said that Iraq and Iran had not normalised relations even 15 years after the end of their war. Likewise, there was no reconciliation between Saddam Hussein's Iraq and Kuwait, which Baghdad invaded.

A report on Timor Leste's security prepared by the Lisbon-based Institute of Strategic and International Studies last year said that the new government might try to exert pressure on Jakarta over the trial of senior military officers before an international tribunal.

"Thus, future bilateral relations may continue to be fraught by residual tensions stemming from the events of 1999 and Indonesia"s 24-year-long occupation,' it said.

On Friday, however, Mr Ramos-Horta underlined the importance of his country's relations with Indonesia, saying: "We need a secure border and need to focus on creating jobs for our people."

Timor prime minister on 'healing' Jakarta visit

Melbourne Age - June 11, 2003

Jill Jolliffe, Darwin -- East Timor Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri is aiming to turn former bitter enemies into best friends and neighbours during his first official visit to Indonesia since his nation became independent. Mr Alkatiri arrived in Jakarta yesterday, leading a high-powered delegation that includes five ministers, commanders of the new nation's army and police forces and more than 20 Timorese businessmen.

During the three-day visit at the invitation of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, there is consensus that the two leaders will focus on healing issues. Their agenda includes border problems, fostering trade ties, co-operation in health and education, and the problem of the continued concentration in West Timor of about 28,000 refugees in militia-controlled camps.

However, according to prime minister's aide Jose Guterres, the question of an international court to judge Indonesian officers accused of war crimes during Jakarta's scorched-earth withdrawal from Timor in 1999 will not be discussed. "We are putting it to one side for now," Mr Guterres said.

Days before the delegation left Dili, there was a flurry of diplomatic activity after an international news agency reported that Mr Alkatiri would confront the Indonesian President over the issue.

Panicking Indonesian diplomats requested clarification. "The Prime Minister would not be so stupid as to say that on the eve of such a sensitive visit, which is to deepen friendly relations."

The visit is also an occasion for the 53-year-old Prime Minister to raise his profile in Jakarta. Although he is a leader of the radical Fretilin party, he is also a practising Muslim and a pragmatist, and should have an easy rapport with Indonesian leaders.

They have become accustomed to dealing with the better-known President Xanana Gusmao, creating some confusion about who represents East Timorese policy. The presidency is a figurehead role, and it is Mr Alkatiri who wields executive power.

While President Gusmao has been in Jakarta before, this will be Mr Alkatiri's first official visit.

Jakarta talks 'positive and fruitful', says PM Alkatiri

Lusa - June 11, 2003

Jakarta -- Top level government delegations from East Timor and Indonesia signed an agreement Wednesday to control border traffic between the two halves of Timor island. The accord came after two hours of talks led by Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri and Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, who is on his first official visit to Timor's former occupying power.

Alkatiri told reporters the meeting had been "extraordinarily positive and fruitful", and that the Timorese delegation were "warmly received". "There was always much frankness and openness from the Indonesians and a willingness to approach problems. There are pending matters, but we will continue to try and resolve them", Alkatiri said.

Dili had reaffirmed its wish to strengthen relations with Jakarta, both because of geographical proximity and bilateral cultural ties. "We will transform the borders into a means for connection and not separation and convert the sea into an ocean of peace and stability in the region", he said, adding that both governments were aware they had a duty to bring the two nations even closer.

Megawati gave a similar upbeat account of the meeting, saying: "We are committed creating bilateral relations and cooperation. Political and social relations have to be supported so as to achieve friendly future relations". The Indonesian leader said the two delegations had discussed pensions for ex-Indonesian workers, the question of private Indonesian assets in Timor and Jakarta's war graves in its former province. Wednesday's border agreement will ease the movement of people and goods between Indonesian West Timor and the independent half of the island.

Alkatiri was on the first day of a three-day Jakarta visit and is accompanied by five cabinet ministers, including Foreign Minister Josi Ramos Horta and Finance Minister Madalena Boavida, along with 15 of Timor's top businessmen. The Timorese leader said Monday that his trip was aimed to establish "good personal relations with Indonesia's leaders". In addition to his talks with Megawati, Alkatiri is due to meet, among others, the president of the Consultative Assembly, Amien Rais, and the speaker of parliament, Akbar Tanjung.

Alkatiri Jakarta visit hits snag

Sydney Morning Herald - June 11, 2003

Jill Joliff -- East Timor's prime minister drew fire from Jakarta yesterday after resuming his call for an international tribunal to try Indonesian officers for alleged human rights abuses during his country's bloody fight for independence.

Before arriving in Jakarta yesterday on his first official visit to Indonesia, Mari Alkatiri reaffirmed his support for a tribunal but emphasised he would not bring it up in meetings with the Indonesian President, Megawati Soekarnoputri, unless she broached the subject first.

An Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Marty Natalegawa, said he was "perplexed" by Mr Alkatiri's comments. He said he thought Mr Alkatiri had retracted his earlier statements and told Indonesian authorities that he was misquoted.

An aide for Mr Alkatiri said the prime minister had postponed, but not withdrawn, his push for setting up the tribunal after a flurry of behind-the-scenes diplomatic activity over reports that Mr Alkatiri would confront Ms Megawati.

There is a consensus that the two leaders will focus on "healing" issues. Their agenda includes border problems, fostering trade ties, co-operation in health and education and the 28,000 refugees in militia-controlled camps in West Timor. Although he is a leader of the radical Fretilin party, Mr Alkatiri is also a practising Muslim and a pragmatist, and should have an easy rapport with Indonesian leaders.

East Timor a quick study in realpolitik

Asia Times - June 10, 2003

Jill Jolliffe, Dili -- East Timorese Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri leads a high-powered delegation to Indonesia on Tuesday in a bid to turn former bitter enemies into good friends and neighbors.

During his first official visit since East Timor became independent a year ago, Alkatiri will apply his customary pragmatism and concentrate on "healing" issues in talks with President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

These include settling border problems, fostering trade ties, and cooperation in health and education. According to a senior aide of Alkatiri, they exclude the issue of an international court to judge Indonesian officers accused of war crimes during Jakarta's scorched-earth withdrawal from East Timor in 1999.

"The prime minister has been credited with statements that he didn't make," senior aide Jose Guterres said. "He will not be asking President Megawati Sukarnoputri for agreement on an international court."

The committee traveling with the prime minister reflects the importance placed on the bridge-building visit of three days. Five ministers will accompany him, including Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta, along with commanders of the new national army and police force, and more than 20 Timorese businessmen looking for investment opportunities.

It is an occasion for the 53-year-old prime minister to raise his profile in Jakarta. Although he is a leader of the radical Fretilin party, which predominated in East Timor's guerrilla war against Indonesia, he is also a practicing Muslim and a pragmatist, and should have an easy rapport with Indonesian leaders.

They have become accustomed to dealing with the better-known President Xanana Gusmao, which has created some confusion about who represents East Timor's government policy. The role of president is largely a figurehead one -- it is Alkatiri who wields executive power.

"It's more the atmospherics that are going to be significant in this visit, and the prime minister getting acquainted with President Megawati," a United Nations analyst in Dili observed. "While President Gusmao has been there before, this will be his [Alkatiri's] first official visit. It will introduce him as a player and clarify issues of past weeks."

It was Gusmao who set new terms for the Indonesian-East Timorese relationship, in the period around independence day, May 20, 2002. The Indonesian parliament, still dominated by the army, did not approve of Megawati's stated intention to attend independence festivities in Dili. To strengthen her resolve, Gusmao hopped on a plane carrying a personal invitation. The result was historic. During the ceremonies the pair came on stage with hands joined aloft in a victory salute, to wild applause from the East Timorese public.

Solid framework From that symbolic beginning, the solid work of forging a new relationship began in the post-independence period. Given the residue of bitterness from Indonesia's brutal invasion it was not an easy task. Tensions rose when Jakarta demanded reparations for assets left behind during the military withdrawal. The new East Timorese government pointed to assets expropriated from individuals and the Portuguese state when the Indonesian army invaded in December 1975.

The issue was resolved by the establishment of a joint commission to deal with mutual grievances. It met successfully for two days in Jakarta last October under Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda and his East Timorese counterpart Horta. Five working groups were established: on border issues, trade and finance, legal matters, social, educational and cultural affairs, and transport and communication.

The current talks in Jakarta will reflect work begun in that framework. The large delegation of Timorese businessmen results from an agreement that Indonesian assets in East Timor could be transformed into equity investment in the independent territory. They have come seeking business partners on that basis.

Work to demarcate the border, which has not been revised since a Dutch-Portuguese colonial agreement in the early 20th century, is well under way, and is expected to be completed soon. There are some leftover points of disagreement.

A related issue is the East Timorese desire for overland access to the coastal Oecusse enclave, which is geographically isolated from the rest of the territory. The only access to Oecusse, surrounded by Indonesian-controlled West Timor on three sides, is currently by plane or sea. The government is seeking Indonesian agreement for an overland transport service exempt from normal passport controls so that ordinary people may travel more freely.

According to the East Timorese Foreign Ministry, a memorandum of understanding will be signed concerning the movement of goods and people from the border, although no details have been given.

And then there is the long-standing problem of a substantial number of refugees from the 1999 violence who remain in camps on the West Timorese side of the border, some controlled by the same militiamen responsible for the bloodshed. After a massive effort of several years by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a hard core of about 28,000 remains. They are a potential source of destabilization, as several armed border incursions early this year showed. Negotiations to resolve the situation have reached an impasse, and their concentration close to the border is increasing worries as the term for the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers, set for next June, draws closer.

The war crimes issue Although Alkatiri has decided not to make war-crimes trials a major issue on this visit in order to reinforce positive ties, it is a background issue that looms over all bilateral dealings between the new state and the former occupying power.

The prime minister does advocate trials of Indonesians and East Timorese accused of atrocities committed during the 1999 referendum. But he believes this is primarily the responsibility of the international community -- in particular, the UN.

The UN-backed Serious Crimes Unit in Dili has issued 169 arrest warrants for persons in Indonesia accused of involvement in the violence. They include General Wiranto, Indonesia's defense chief at that time. The Indonesian attorney general has not acted on any of the warrants, on the grounds that the government does not recognize an April 2000 extradition agreement made between the UN and the previous government led by president B J Habibie.

After Wiranto's indictment, Gusmao traveled to Jakarta to dissociate from the legal action, and declare his general opposition to trials. He believes the two countries can only move on to a strong relationship if they put the past behind them -- and believes this is the best way to do it.

The prime minister disagrees. In an interview with Asia Times Online early last month he accused the UN of washing its hands of prosecutions. He stated that "whoever committed crimes ... in 1999 must be judged", adding that "crimes against humanity are of the most serious nature. We cannot treat them with impunity and yet prosecute petty thieves."

He also made it clear that the president was speaking on a personal basis and did not represent the government view. "I am the prime minister, and it is the government which makes policy," he asserted.

However, he said he had been misquoted in a more recent interview by an international news service, on the eve of his departure for Jakarta, where it was claimed he would raise the controversial issue with Megawati. Last week panicking Indonesian diplomats requested a clarification of the newspaper report. "It absolutely didn't correspond with the truth," Jose Guterres said. "He would not be so stupid as to say that on the eve of such a sensitive visit."

The prime minister's assistant added that the question of Aceh would not be raised by the East Timorese side, but that if it came up "the prime minister will respect Indonesia's territorial integrity, because this is a first principle of good neighborliness."

In the blackest years of Indonesia's military occupation of East Timor, young nationalists at home and abroad argued passionately against the acceptance of arguments based on realpolitik, which claimed they were fighting a lost cause. They were a tiny territory, their critics argued, with no influential friends. That tiny territory is now the much-applauded first new nation of the new millennium, but it is quickly learning, as many new nations do, that idealism and state power don't mix.

Economy & investment

East Timor woos Indonesian investors

Jakarta Post - June 13, 2003

M. Taufiqurrahman, Jakarta -- East Timor has called on Indonesians to invest in the country, saying there are a number of business opportunities open to investors.

East Timor Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said on Thursday that tourism, trade and manufacturing were among the sectors that could be attractive to Indonesian investors.

He said to lure more investors, especially from Indonesia, the East Timor administration was preparing a legal framework to help business thrive. Alkatiri said his government was considering adopting Indonesia's investment law, rather than the package of law laid out by the United Nations's transitional administration.

"The incentives [contained in the law formulated by the UN transitional administration] are just not attractive enough," Alkatiri said during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Trade (Kadin) and the East Timor Business Association.

For example, he said, the immigration law proposed by the UN administration imposed barriers on investors wishing to enter the country. "All foreigners who enter East Timor through its main gateways have to pay a fee worth US$25," he said. Alkatiri is here for a four-day state visit.

East Timor, which was formerly part of Indonesia, officially gained independence more a year ago. It has reported huge unexploited oil and gas resources, but today agriculture is the backbone of the country's economy with coffee, rice and maize the main commodities.

Kadin chairman Aburizal Bakrie said East Timor was a lucrative market for Indonesia, citing the high demand for Indonesian products in the country. He said Kadin members were keen to supply foods, oil and to invest in the construction of low cost housing and infrastructure in the new country.

"If possible, we also want to take part in the exploration of East Timor's reserves of oil and natural gas," Aburizal told reporters. He also said a member of Kadin planned to set up a garment and cement factory in East Timor, but did not provide details.

Local media monitoring

East Timor local media monitoring

UNMISET - June 2-13, 2003

Suara Timor Lorosae reported that Portugal and East Timor signed an accord on Friday that commits Lisbon to supporting Dili's state budget to the tune of USD 9 million during the coming year. The agreement, which states the aid funds will be released in three equal installments, was signed in Dili by Portugal's ambassador to Timor-Leste, Rui Quartin Santos, and Timor-Leste's Finance Minister, Madalena Boavida. After the signing, Ambassador Santos described the accord as "the fulfillment of a commitment made by Portugal at the May 2002 international donor conference to fund about 10 percent of the estimated budget deficit. I want to reaffirm Portugal's strong pledge to carry out commitments taken on. It is a realisation of strong friendship based on history, language and a common past, which we hope can continue in the future, said Santos. Boavida told the press that the agreement was "another sign of strengthening cooperation between Portugal and Timor in various areas, particularly education and the creation of a defense force".

In response to the Council of Ministers' approval of the new Investment Law, the Vice President of the Economy's Commission in the Parliament, Mr Manuel Tilman said that the new investment law needed complementary land ownership regulation to support the Investment Law. He said it would strengthen the law enforcement and enhance investors' confidence in doing business in Timor- Leste.

Timor-Leste's National Police Commander, Mr Paulo de Fatima Martins, said that the formation of a new police special force unit is very important to curb unidentified armed groups. According to Mr Martins the existing Rapid Response Unit had limitations. He said it only prevents violence within the community. "When an armed attack occurs like in Atsabe and Atabae, we need a special force unit to combat armed groups inside the country" he said. Mr Martins also gave an example of the Atsabe incident where the FDTL troops' intervention got a lot of criticism from the community because it was an internal matter that should have been handled by police. Mr Martins was speaking after the inaugural ceremony of the motorcycles unit handover from United Nations Populations Fund Agency to Timor-Leste National Police at Police Academy in Comoro last Friday.

In anticipation of the Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri's visit to Jakarta and Kupang in June two citizens, Mr Manuel Marques and Saturnino Pereira gave their comments about the impact of the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia and the community living near the border. They said that they hoped the Prime Minister's first official visit to Jakarta and Kupang would be used to discuss border issues especially with the Governor of East Nusa Tenggara, Mr Piet A Tallo. There are three districts (Bobonaro Suai and Oecusse) with land borders with West Timor. They said the communities living near the border depend upon the traditional trade with their counter parts in West Timor to achieve many of their basic needs.

The Timor Post reported that East Timor's Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri, makes his first official visit to Indonesia in June at the head of a delegation of senior Timorese government officials and top businessmen, an official source announced Friday. Mr Alkatiri will meet Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri as well as other Jakarta government ministers. The visit is primarily aimed at creating "good personal relations with Indonesian leaders", particularly Megawati. "We want to establish the bilateral economic and political agenda now. We also wish to resolve outstanding problems over maritime and land borders", said Alkatiri. Mr Alkatiri is also scheduled to meet with the Speaker of the Upper House, Mr Amien Rais and the Speaker of the Lower House, Mr Akbar Tanjung.

President Xanana Gusmao has officially inaugurated the Independence Memorial Hall building last Friday at Farol in Dili. The Independence Memorial Hall will serve as a museum and data center. The President said younger generation needs to know their independence struggle's history to look towards their future. In his speech President Gusmao said " A great nation, is a nation that respects its heroes". The building was provided by the Korean International Cooperation Agency.

The General Attorney, Mr Longuinhos Monteiro, said that the decision taken by the Indonesian ad-hoc tribunal to free the East Timor Armed Commander, Gen. Tono Suratman during the 1999 referendum was irrational. Mr Monteiro said this during UNMISET weekly press conference in Dili.

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri criticized the sentence given by Dili's Court in the Metal Enterprise case as incorrect. According to Mr Alkatiri his name was mentioned during the process, but the judge did not call him to present his testimony in the court. Mr Alkatiri said that as a citizen he has the personal right to give testimony and to be heard. Mr Alkatiri said that he will seek an Appeals Court decision and will take the judges to the Council of Superior Magistrates to take discipline actions against them. (The Metal Enterprise's case was brought to court by the Director of ME against Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and the Secretary of State for Commerce and Industry, Mr Arlindo Rangel. In short, the case involved a claim that Government officials threatened the ME owner. It was argued by the Government side that the ME owner was doing illegal business).

June 3, 2003

Suara Timor Lorosae reported that Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri told the press yesterday that in order to avoid further revision for the budget already approved by Parliament, donors' commitment to channel aid is a pre requisite. He said this means that the Government needs the goodwill of the donors to disburse their assistance already pledged.

President Xanana Gusmao yesterday swore in the Court of Appeal's Judge, Jose Maria de Carvalho, at Palacio das Cinzas. In his speech, President Gusmao said that the conduct of the justice system will serve as a barometer for the people of Timor-Leste to trust the judicial system or not, now and in the future.

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said that police are not the community's enemy but a partner in keeping law and order in the society. Mr Alkatiri responded to critics who said that Timor- Leste's National Police still have the "colonial mentality". The Prime Minister said "the problem of colonial mentality is not a problem of the National Police, but a problem of the entire nation.". The Prime Minister yesterday officially opened the workshop on "Enhance the Professionalism of the PNTL". (The workshop was sponsored by UNDP).

The Director of the Timor-Leste Electrical Power, Virgilio Guterres told STL yesterday that from the 2002 to 2003 budget year, TLEP had spent US$9.5 million from the Consolidated Fund for East Timor (CFET) coffers for the maintenance and repair of the damaged cables. He said that each month TLEP spent around US$780,000. Talking about consumers, Mr Guterres said that Dili itself has 21.000 consumers not including Laulara, Metinaro, Liquisa and Maubara.

The Timor Post reported that according to information sourced from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the third Timor-Leste and Development Partners meeting will be held on June 3, until June 5, 2003.Twenty two donor nations and institutions will be taking part in this important event. Among them are Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, United States, Britain, European Commission, IMF, World Bank and UNICEF and UNDP.

President Xanana Gusmao said that when every body trusts and respects the justice system, the people will be confident in the Independence of their nation. He said the judges, prosecutors and lawyers' actions will reflect in the community. Mr Gusmao said this in his speech during the swearing in ceremony of the Judge of the Court of Appeal, Mr Jose Maria de Carvalho, yesterday at Palacio das Cinzas.

Timor Post also reported on the PNTL workshop held yesterday at Hotel Timor.

June 4, 2003

Suara Timor Lorosae reported that nine NGOs have formed an umbrella called "Ukun Rasik A'an". Under the "Ukun Rasik A'an" umbrella the group presented a statement to the Government regarding the assistance support from donors. They are: Yayasan Hak, La'o Hamutuk, FOKUPERS, Sahe Institute for Liberation, Haburas Foundation, Judicial System Monitoring, Kdalak Sulimutu Institute, Dai Popular and Hasatil. In their statement they described the long period of colonization and military occupation and finalized with points to the Government:

• After 1999 referendum and the total destruction of Timor-Leste, donors under the leadership of the World Bank made an assessment to the catastrophe destruction and came to a conclusion that it would take five years to recover and called for an immediate response to start with the recovery process.
• The NGOs appreciated the recent review of the Transitional Support Program, but they urged the Development Partners and the World Bank not to use the TSP to put pressure on the Government.
• They said the Government needs to have flexibility in decision making on how to spend the budget.
• International experts paid by international agencies or institutions should work in accordance with the Government guidelines and for the interests of Timor-Leste, not for the interests of the agencies or institutions.
• They urged the Australian Government to start maritime boundaries discussions and settlement with the Government of Timor-Leste.
• They urged the Development Partners and the United Nations to set an International Tribunal for crimes against humanity.
• They urged Development Partners to support democracy in Timor- Leste.
• They recognized that each donor has its own agenda and priorities. According to them, all bilateral assistance funds given to Timor-Leste go back to their source. They explained this point by saying that they urged Development Partners to reduce capital flight from Timor-Leste by reducing the number of international consultants, methods of procurement especially external services and goods to international companies/contractors.

The Government of Timor-Leste will present its performance of one year governance to the development partners meeting said Vice Minister of Finance and Planing, Aicha Bassarewan. According to Mrs Bassarewan, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri will present his government's performance during the two days meeting at Hotel Timor.

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said yesterday that the Government agreed to create a (Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste) PNTL's special force unit to combat armed bands in the country. Mr Alkatiri said that Government's decision was based on the events of December 4, 2002; Atsabe incident on January 4, 2003; and the Atabae incident on February 24, 2003. In his statement, the Prime Minister said that the special units are underresourced and cannot carry out their tasks efficiently without support from the development partners and UN member states. Stressing the close link between security and development, Mari Alkatiri said that Timor-Leste looks forward to continued assistance on a bilateral basis and through the contributions of the UN agencies and international organizations in strengthening PNTL's capacities and capabilities.

The Timor Post reported that the Secretary of State for Labor and Solidarity, Mr Arsenio Bano said that Timor-Leste faces high unemployment of 18%. According to Mr Bano the main reason for this unemployment is to the increasing number of high school students that did not attend universities or colleges and not enough job creation. He said that currently his department is managing the RESPECT fund provided by the Government of Japan. Another alternative is sending abroad to work, said Mr Bano.

Timor Post reported on the NGOs statement linked to the Development Partners' meeting.

The Prime Minister has commented on the creation of the (Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste) PNTL's new special force unit, as per the report in the STL.

June 5, 2003

Suara Timor Lorosae report that speaking at the opening ceremony of the Development Partners Meeting on Wednesday at Hotel Timor President Xanana Gusmao said that Timor-Leste's economic growth from 1990 until August 1999 was between 5-6%. From September 1999 where Timor-Leste faced a tremendous destruction of her economic growth, this decreased to 3,8%. During the UNTAET administration from 1999 -- 2000 Timor-Leste's economic growth reached 15,4%. From 2001 ? 2002 it was increased to a level of 18,3%. However with the down sizing of the United Nations structures and role, Timor-Leste's economy faced an decrease of (minus) ?5% during 2002 ? 2003. It is predicted that Timor-Leste's economic growth for the year 2003 ? 2004 would be (minus) ?2%. Vice President for East Asia and Pacific region of the World Bank, Mr Jemal-ud-din Kassum said that the Government of Timor-Leste had reacting swiftly to recent developments and he stressed in particular the recent Government devotion of one week out of every month to "Open Government." Open Government involves taking the entire Council of Ministers to one district at the time, providing a forum for dialogue between the Government and the population. In his remarks Mr Kassum said "many challenges remain, and as you yourself have reminded us (citing the Prime Minster's open remarks), the path will not be easy. To rise to these challenges, Timor-Leste and its development partners need to focus our resources and expertise on a collaborative effort to support the efficient and pro-poor implementation of your Road Map for the National Development Plan, through mechanisms that are accountable and transparent. We believe that successful implementation of the Road Map and the NDP will depend both on the institutions that you are creating, and on prudent, well- planned investments to support sustained development, stable economic growth, and job creation. We look forward to future discussions on sustained donor support for a medium-term investment portfolio in key sectors that are the crucial underpinning for the successful implementation of your National Development Plan".

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said that he doesn't want to damage the existing good relationship between Timor-Leste and Indonesia. He said that the relationship with Indonesia is a pragmatic and realistic political choice. Mr Alkatiri was commenting after Jakarta's reaction to his statement regarding the creation of an International Tribunal to try the perpetrators of crimes against humanity committed in Timor-Leste.

The Timor Post reported that the Minister of Finance and Planning, Mrs Maria Madalena Boavida Brites and the Ambassador of Finland, Mr Matti Pullinen signed a Memorandum of Understanding yesterday, during the Timor-Leste and Development Partners meeting at Hotel Timor. The Finance Minister told Timor post that Finland will contribute an amount of 1.260.000 (One million two thousand and sixty). She said that the money will be channeled through the World Bank's Transitional Support Program.

Speaking at the opening session of the Development Partners' Meeting at Hotel Timor President Xanana Gusmao told the press that he is confident that the donors will continue to support the country. The President reiterated that Timor-Leste is in process of learning. He said it needed further assistance and support from its development partners. According to President Gusmao, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri also recognized the lack of experience faced by the country.

Timor Post reported on Prime Minister's statement regarding Indonesia and the International Tribunal as per the report in the STL.

June 6, 2003

Suara Timor Lorosae reported that President Xanana Gusmao said that a prison could be a place of isolation, or it could be also an rehabilitation center that offers opportunities for people to become good citizens. President Gusmao said that he will support this second option where the prison will be a rehabilitation center for prisoners to be more productive. He said this during the open ceremony of the workshop on "Consolidation of the Judicial System" yesterday at Hotel Timor.

The World Bank's Vice President for East Asia and Pacific, Mr Jemal-ud-din Kassum said that Development Partners applaud the genuine commitment on the part of Timor-Leste's Government to transform the National Development Plan, written in a such collaborative and consultative manner, into a "living document" that guides the common efforts to reduce poverty, promote economic growth, and improve the lives of the Timorese people. He said that this means the Government recognized the necessity to strengthen peace and stability as basic ingredients for success in future.

In response to the question about article 11 of the new Immigration Law and its impact on foreign investment, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said that the Government made all efforts to attract investors. The Prime Minister said article 11 of the Immigration Law does not have any link to the investment sector. Mr Alkatiri was speaking during the press conference after the closing ceremony of the Timor-Leste and Development Partners Meeting held yesterday at Hotel Timor.

The Chancellor of Dili University, Dr Lucas da Costa, said the decrease in Timor-Leste's economic growth was attributable to the Government intentionally not supporting key sectors in the economiy. Dr Lucas said Timor-Leste has no national banking system, no clear regulation policy, no incentives for "productive sectors", no attractive incentive for foreign direct investments. Dr da Costa was commenting on President Xanana Gusmao's welcome speech at the Timor-Leste Development Partners' Meeting where the President cited the decrease in Timor-Leste's economic growth from 1990 until 2003.

The Timor Post said that in his opening remarks at the workshop on Consolidation of the Judicial System, President Xanana Gusmao said he is very concerned with the judicial system structure in Timor-Leste. He said that it is a fact that there are 32% of the cases pending in the courts that have not had a final decision from the court. The President also pointed out the bad conditions faced by prisoners at Ermera prison.

Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said in the Development Partners' Meeting press conference held yesterday at Hotel Timor that donors had reiterated their continuing support to Timor-Leste. According to Mr Alkatiri the two day meeting was positive. He said the international community had the confidence to support the Government and the Timorese people. He said that the meeting closed without any fund agreement or pledge, but at least the international community reiterated their commitment to assist Timor-Leste. (It was not a pledging meeting).

The RDTL Government, the main organs of the judiciary, districts administrators, police officers and representatives from civil society are taking part in a wide ranging consultation on the justice sector that opened yesterday in Dili. The meeting was organized by the Government, with support from UNMISET and UNDP. The meeting was aimed to review the current capacity of the justice sector and to identify immediate and tangible improvements that can be made.

June 10, 2003

The Timor Post reported that Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri is leading a senior Government and business delegation to Jakarta, Indonesia today. Alkatiri said his three-day visit to Jakarta was aimed at establishing "good personal relations with Indonesia's leaders". "We want to set the bilateral economic and political agenda", said Alkatiri, who will meet with Indonesian President, Megawati Sukarnoputri on Wednesday. "We also want to resolve the problem of maritime, land borders, former civil servants and refugees issues, said Mr Alkatiri.

Timor-Leste's entrepreneurs yesterday held a meeting with Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and the Secretary of State for Commerce and industry, Mr Arlindo Rangel. The meeting was aimed to agree the framework of the Timor-Leste's economy development and it was also a preparation for the Prime Minister's visit to Jakarta. The Prime Minister explained the Government's policy regarding economic development and Mr Rangel gave a briefing on the draft law on investment. The entrepreneurs unanimously appointed Mr Oscar Lima as their coordinator during the Prime Minister's visit in Jakarta.

The United States Ambassador to Timor-Leste said "the people of Timor-Leste might be proud of the Public Defender's new office, which looks better than the United States Embassy, however you need to know that it is easier to build an office rather than a judicial system which is very important for Timor-Leste". The US Ambassador said this during the inauguration ceremony of the new Public Defender's office yesterday at Mascarenhas-Dili. The Public Defender's office rehabilitation funded by USAID.

Suara Timor Lorosae reported that the Deputy of Commission B in the Parliament for Security, Cooperation and Negotiation Affairs, Mr Clementino dos Reis Amaral, yesterday told STL that the informal leaders on the border should be involved in controlling the security and stability in the border area. According to Mr Amaral this approach would be helpful and take into consideration the loyalties of the local communities.

The Parliament called on the Minister of Telecommunications Transport and Public Works, Mr Ovideo de Jesus Amaral, to address consumers' complaints that the Timor Telecom tariff is too expensive. The Minister reiterated that Timor Telecom tariff was cheaper than Telstra (a telecommunication company from Australia that was replaced by Timor Telecom).

In a press conference held yesterday the Timor-Leste's Lawyer Association said the actions of the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Commerce and Industry, Mr Arlindo Rangel were unconstitutional and an abuse of power. The article stated that the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Commerce and Industry had ordered the police to close Metal Enterprise Company and arrest its owner, Wong Kee Jen without appropriate investigation.

STL also reported on the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia. The visit is aimed at strengthening the relationship and mutual cooperation between the two countries.

June 11, 2003

The Timor Post reported that Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri arrived yesterday in Jakarta. The Prime Minister was received by Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Hasan Wirayuda and Timor-Leste's Ambassador to Indonesia, Mr Arlindo Marcal, at Soekarno Hatta airport in Jakarta. In the evening the Prime Minister met with the UNHCR representative in Indonesia, Mr Robert P. Ashe at Hotel Mandarin. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Jose Ramos Horta told Timor Post that they had received a warm welcome from Jakarta's citizens as well as the Government itself. He said he is confident about a positive outcome from the bilateral talks between President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri.

President Xanana Gusmao is in Paris to receive the "Felix Houphouet-Boigny" peace prize from the United Nation's Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO. The story says the East Timorese leader was chosen for "his fight for human dignity and for his conduct which has elevated the human spirit not only in his region but in the world." Former recipients include Jimmy Carter and Nelson Mandela. President Gusmao also met with French President, Jacques Chirac on Monday at Elysee Palace. During the two hour talks, the French's President expressed his interest in investing in tourism sector. The French's President also cited New Caledonia's development as a good model for Timor-Leste.

Timor Post reports that a member of the National Parliament from PSD (Partido Social Democrata) party, Mr Joao Goncalves has protested the appointment of the Deputy Attorney General by UNMISET. Mr Goncalves said that in the Constitution the process should be started with nominee proposed by the Attorney General to the President of RDTL. Then, after receiving the nominee proposed by the Attorney General, the President will endorsed the candidate. He said the process that was followed was not constitutional.

Suara Timor Lorosae reported that the Speaker of the National Parliament, Mr Francisco Guterres Lo-Olo, said yesterday that he has received a complaint letter from the community of Sanirin, Balibo's Sub District. The letter said that four Border Patrol Unit staff had beaten five people in the village of Sanirin. The five of Sanirin's citizens were wounded in the brutal incident. The Speaker said that whatever the reason for the event it is not acceptable. He said that the Parliament will send an investigation team to look into the allegations.

Before his departure for an official visit to Jakarta, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, yesterday said at Nicolau Lobato's International airport that one of the discussion issues with President Megawati Soekarnoputri is the severance pay for the former Indonesian civil servants in East Timor. Mr Alkatiri said that the issue is already in his agenda because the payment process is not in accordance with the May 5, 1999 tripartite Agreement (Indonesia, Portugal and the United Nations).

STL did not carry a story about President Xanana Gusmao's visit to France. It does however, feature a big picture of President Xanana Gusmao inspecting the Republican Guards at Elysee Palace.

June 12, 2003

The Timor Post reported that in a press conference in Jakarta, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri said that they had committed to create bilateral relations and cooperation to achieve friendly future relations. The Indonesian leader said the delegations had discussed pensions for ex-Indonesian civil servants in Timor-leste, the question of private Indonesian assets in Timor-Leste and Indonesia's war graves in Timor-Leste.

Twelve members of the National Parliament have proposed three resolutions relating to articles 11 and 12 of the Immigration and Asylum Law. The proposal (Timor Post did not mention the resolutions) passed with 39 votes, 20 objections and 11 abstains. The Speaker of the National Parliament said that the proposal will be submitted to the Court of Appeal once it was approved by majority in the Parliament.

Suai's District representative in the National Parliament, Mr Gervacio da Silva, said that about 80 clandestine and "Kolimau 2000" group members are still hiding in the bush. He said their position right now is in Suai Loro's Suco, Village of Akar Laran. He said these groups left their villages after attacking a Police post two years ago. These 80 men were dissatisfied with the recruitment of the Falintil-FDTL soldiers, National Police(PNTL) members and Government civil servants.

Suara Timor Lorosae said that during the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the Republic of Indonesia have signed agreements on traditional border crossings and trade at the border. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Timor-Leste's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Jose Ramos Horta and his counterpart the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mrs Rini Swandi on Wednesday at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.

A member of the Border Patrol Unit, Ms Celina Borges, said in Batugede on Tuesday that two illegal border crossers had been arrested by an Australian Battalion in the Mota-ain border area. Ms Borges said that the identities and motives of those detained are unknown. She said that the Ausbat will hand the case over to Bobonaro Police for further investigation.

The Speaker of the National Parliament, Mr Francisco Guterres Lu-Olo said that Timor-Leste's Parliament is waiting for the formal invitation from the Indonesian Parliament to meet with and to visit their counterparts in the Indonesian Parliament. Mr Lu- Olo said that verbally they received a message from the Indonesian Parliament through their representative in Timor-Leste few weeks ago. According to Mr Lu-Olo, President Xanana Gusmao had also conveyed the message when he came back to Timor-leste from his official visit to Indonesia last year.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri said that Timor-Leste's Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri's visit to Indonesia creates a basic common understanding and is strengthening the relationship between the two countries.

June 13, 2003

The Timor Post reported that during a meeting between Timor- Leste's Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Mandarin Hotel-Jakarta Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri has said that Timor-Leste opens its door for foreign investment, including Indonesian investors. The Prime Minister said that his Government is preparing a set of regulations in order to guarantee foreign investment in Timor- Leste, for the benefit of all parts concerned.

The President of the Indonesian Parliament, Mr Amien Rais, said that the relationship between Timor-Leste and Indonesia will be more productive in future. He cited progress that had been achieved by Timor-Leste in these last years. Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri made a courtesy call to the President of Indonesian Parliament, Mr Amien Rais, yesterday at the Parliament house in Jakarta.

A Parliament member from the District of Oecusse, Mr Antonio da Costa Lelan, told Timor Post that the border agreement between Timor-Leste and Indonesia will benefit the people of Timor-Leste, and in particular the community in the enclave of Oecusse. Mr Lelan said that he welcomed the agreement of free entry visas for West Timorese visiting East Timor and East Timorese visiting West Timor. This applies to communities near the border only. Mr Lelan thanked both the Government of Timor ?Leste and Indonesia for fulfilling their wishes.

The Deputy Commissioner of the National Police (PNTL), Mr Ismael Babo, has told Timor Post that the police did not have any list of persons at large with a connection to the attack on a police post in Suai. Mr Babo said this in response to the Timor Post article on June 12 that said 80 clandestine and "Kolimau 2000" group members were still hiding in the bush. The story said their position right now is in Suai Loro's Suco, Village of Akar Laran. Timor Post had reported that about 80 people were at large in Suai Loro. Their information source was a member of Parliament from Suai District, Mr Gervacio da Silva.

Suara Timor Lorosae reported that three members of the Parliament, Mr Clementino Amaral from Kota Party, Mr Rui Menezes from Democratic Party and Mrs Cipriana Pereira from Fretilin have suggested that the Government involve civil society in the preparation of the national annual budget report. Their suggestion came up during an open session entitled "Financial analyses of the State". The proposal was supported by the Asia Foundation and the University of San Francisco. Mr Amaral said that this request is not something brand new. It is similar to ideas implemented in many countries, where national and international NGOs offered input into budget matters. Mr Menezes from Democratic Party added that the Government's unwillingness to involve the civil society showed that the Government is not yet transparent in their accountability to the people. Mr Menezes said that without the involvement of civil society in the preparation of the national budget, there are no "checks and balances".

The President of the Economy Commission in the Parliament, Mr Manuel Tilman, said he predicts the total revenue from Timor Gap for fiscal year 2003 will be US$51 million. According to Mr Tilman, the 2003 profit sharing from Timor Gap is US$25 million, while tax revenues from the Timor Gap area for Timor-Leste in 2003 is about US$26 million. Mr Tilman said that Timor-Leste's economy will face a great challenge ahead in 2004-2005, where many businesses will face bankruptcy if the handover of the national security from UNMISET to the local authorities was not handled well.

STL also reported on the border agreement and the free visa for the border communities of East and West Timor. in 1975.

Cahyono, who was with Tempo magazine in 1999 when Indonesia's repression in East Timor reached its peak, recalls former president Suharto's words on reporting on East Timor back then. "Suharto said in 1991 that he hoped that Indonesian media would not report on East Timor except when they received information from government sources," he said in an interview.

In 1994, Tempo and two publications were banned from publishing by the Suharto government, among other reasons because of their independent reporting on East Timor.

Today, Cahyono says, Indonesia's military is using a new media strategy, adapted from the US-led war on Iraq, of embedding journalists with the troops. But though it is new, it has the same aim of ingraining into journalists the idea that patriotism means supporting the government's position and offensive on Aceh.

Shortly before May 19, about 50 Indonesian journalists assigned to cover the war in Aceh received training from the military on war survival tactics. They have since been allowed to follow military units in their operations, to wear military uniforms and use their equipment.

Local and international media groups have criticized these as an attempt by the military to manipulate reporting by the media. "It is an attempt to manipulate information -- something that they [the military] learned from what the US government did in Iraq," said Solahuddin, secretary general of the Jakarta-based Alliance for Independent Journalists.

In May, Aceh's martial-law commander, Major-General Endang Suwarya, frankly told journalists that they were free to report on actions of security personnel, "but there should be no reports from GAM and reports that praise GAM". "We will bring a halt to the news from the spokesmen of GAM because they are turning the facts upside down," he argued.

Local media reports say that the military is considering more media restrictions under martial law, possibly including the expulsion of journalists not accredited with the armed forces.

Meanwhile, there have been a growing number of reports in local and international media on the military's brutality against civilians in Aceh and the number of people displaced by the war.

In late May, human-rights groups estimated that more than 15,000 people had been displaced by the military operations in Aceh, but Jakarta authorities say these reports are biased. Muarif complains that media tend to report on "soldiers dragging corpses" rather than on the government's efforts to rebuild damaged schools. "We are weak in international public relations, and because of that, reports by foreign media are often damaging," he said.

But nearly a month into the latest offensive in Aceh, both media and non-government reports continue to cite human-rights abuses, including the killing of children and civilians. Hundreds of schools have been torched by unidentified arsonists while the military and GAM blame each other for the attacks.

Indonesian media and activists working on Aceh say that gathering information has also become more difficult. Local sources, they say, are afraid to talk because of threats from both the military and GAM.

Journalists have not been immune from these threats. "Acehnese journalists have experienced threats from both the military and GAM for a long time," said Solahuddin. "These threats include their lives and their families. Now they have been extended to journalists from outside Aceh."

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has also issued a statement on several cases of the shooting of journalists by unidentified gunmen.

An Inter Press Service source in Banda Aceh says two Acehnese journalists who work for an international magazine were sent out of the province this month, after receiving several threats.

An Acehnese journalist from the independent Tempo Daily is under interrogation by military for the sources of a story that reported on the killing of villagers, including a 13-year-old child, by the military. The magazine says it quoted a foreign news agency in the report, which said the soldiers had insisted that the villagers were with GAM.

Cahyono says that although the media tactics used by the military in East Timor and Aceh do not differ that much, what does make a big difference is Indonesia's political environment today.

While journalists were muzzled in the Suharto era and for much of Indonesia's occupation of East Timor -- Suharto was ousted in 1998, after which East Timor was allowed to vote on its future -- they are now free to be critical of the state. "It is not the time for the military to control media anymore," Cahyono said.

In a May 30 editorial titled "Don't shoot the messengers", the English-language daily Jakarta Post urged the Indonesian military to remember what happened in East Timor.

"The moment the [military] starts shooting journalists, either literally or figuratively, is the moment when it starts losing the propaganda war. And we know, based on our experience in East Timor a few years ago, how costly that could be," wrote the daily.