An Australian nun is calling on the Abbott government to finally settle the maritime border with East Timor so the tiny nation can get on with delivering basic services to its people.

Sister Susan Connelly is using the G20 to raise awareness of East Timor and Australia's maritime boundary dispute, joining with advocacy group Get Up to put a television advertisement to air during the summit.

The border has been the subject of a long-term dispute between the two countries and has never been officially drawn.

Instead, the countries have a resource sharing arrangement and Australia has profited from oil reserves close to East Timor's shore. The tiny country has long argued Australian drillers are robbing it of the resources required to lift its population out of poverty.

Sr Connelly, who has spent 17 years working in East Timor and is part of the East Timor Sea Justice Forum, is calling on the Abbott government to "start a new page" and negotiate with thEast Timor ese government in good faith.

"Timor is a sovereign nation, no less sovereign than any other nation in the world even though it's small," she told AAP. "They have rights, and one of those rights is that they should have a properly defined maritime boundary."

GDP in East Timor was just US$1.6 billion last year, according to the World Bank. The country faces extreme difficulties providing health and education services, with about half of its population aged under 18.

Sr Connelly says it's not fair that such a poor country should have to fight so hard to get what's on "their side of a halfway line". "Timor really wants to make a go of it," she said.

"They don't want to beg... they want to do it (develop) by themselves but they should not be denied the financial wherewithal to do it. They're wasting so much time and money on legal advice, and having people work... to get what is rightfully theirs."

Source: http://www.9news.com.au/national/2014/11/15/11/06/nun-calls-on-abbott-to-fix-e-timor-dispute

Australia's Woodside opens door to resolving East Timor gas dispute

Reuters - November 6, 2014

Aaron Sheldrick – Australia's Woodside Petroleum is in talks with East Timor on building an onshore gas plant, potentially removing one of the major barriers to developing gas fields that could provide billions of dollars to one of the world's poorest countries.

Another major obstacle is a dispute between East Timor and its wealthy neighbour Australia on sharing revenue from the Greater Sunrise fields, which lie between the two countries. Both nations have said they are working to resolve the decades-long row but it's not clear how long they will take.

Woodside Chief Executive Peter Coleman said partners on the Greater Sunrise project, which remains undeveloped 40 years after the gas fields were discovered, were talking to the East Timor government and the discussions included the possibility of building an onshore liquefied natural gas plant in East Timor.

His comment, in an interview with Reuters, was the first public confirmation that the Greater Sunrise partners are not completely wedded to building a floating LNG plant, which has long been their preferred option and which has been opposed by the East Timor government.

"We have been in discussions with the Timorese around different development concepts, both floating and onshore," Coleman told Reuters on the sidelines of an LNG conference.

East Timor's department of foreign affairs declined to comment earlier this week on whether the country was in talks with Woodside, and government officials could not immediately be contacted after Coleman's comments.

In 2010, Woodside executives said East Timorese officials refused to accept their plans for an offshore gas plant, and threw their project documents back in their car.

East Timor has long pressed for onshore processing as pipeline construction, an onshore plant and port facilities would create jobs and jump-start a petrochemical industry in the tiny country of about 1.2 million people.

The Greater Sunrise fields, located 150 km (90 miles) southeast of East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, and 450 km (280 miles) northwest of Darwin, Australia, are estimated to hold more than 5 trillion cubic feet of gas and 226 million barrels of condensate.

That's roughly the same size as the Bayu Undan gas field in the Timor Sea, which has been East Timor's main source of revenue since independence in 2002, pouring more than $17 billion into its petroleum fund over the past decade.

Arbitration

Australia and East Timor recently agreed to adjourn an international arbitration over their dispute for at least six months to try to resolve their differences directly. The dispute stems from East Timor's allegations that Australia used underhand tactics, including bugging government offices in the capital Dili, during the treaty negotiations.

Political observers say six months is an ambitious time frame for sorting out issues that have brewed for years. "I'd be very, very surprised if the two countries could resolve their dispute by April," said Damien Kingsbury, a professor at Deakin University in Melbourne who has written four books on East Timor.

The Greater Sunrise partners have long said they want to see the dispute between the two countries resolved before they sign off on developing the project, which analysts say could cost $13 billion with a floating LNG plant.

Woodside has previously estimated that an onshore plant in East Timor would cost as much as $5 billion more than a floating plant, as it would involve building pipelines across the Timor Sea trench, seen as technically challenging and expensive. East Timor last year offered to contribute $800 million towards the cost of a pipeline.

Woodside and its partners would first need to negotiate a fiscal package with East Timor to govern an onshore plant before they launch engineering studies for building a pipeline and onshore plant, Coleman said.

"We have kicked that off. We have set a pretty aggressive timeline to conclude that. We are hopeful in the first half of next year we will have matured that quite a lot," he said of the fiscal package.

Coleman said Greater Sunrise would not be developed ahead of Woodside's other big growth project, Browse, which it hopes to sign off on with its partners in 2015. "No, it won't come ahead of Browse, but we have always said it should be an attractive development," he told Reuters.

Greater Sunrise is 33 percent owned by Woodside, the operator, with ConocoPhillips owning 30 percent, Royal Dutch Shell 26.6 percent and Osaka Gas 10 percent.

[Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick, writing by Sonali Paul, editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan.]

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/06/woodside-lng-idUSL4N0SW1SL20141106

Human rights & justice

AG appeals against the release of secret information on East Timor

Sydney Morning Herald - November 17, 2014

Philip Dorling – The Federal Court is to hear a "top secret" appeal by the Australian government aimed at suppressing information from a diplomatic file on Indonesian military war crimes in East Timor more than 30 years ago.

The highly unusual legal case, which involves a mystery government witness identified only as "X", is likely to set important precedents for how courts determine national security matters.

In a late development prior to Monday's hearing, the government upgraded the secrecy of the proceedings by obtaining an order from the court for its submissions and evidence to be treated as "top secret" – information that if disclosed would cause "exceptionally grave damage" to national security.

The case arises from a decision in April by Administrative Appeals Tribunal president Justice Duncan Kerr who ruled that the National Archives was right to deny University of NSW Associate Professor Clinton Fernandes access to parts of two Department of Foreign Affairs files dealing with an Indonesian military offensive across East Timor in 1981.

The operation involved the Indonesian army using East Timorese civilians as human shields and ended with a massacre of hundreds of people.

Attorney-General George Brandis issued a "public interest certificate" that excluded Dr Fernandes and his legal representative from hearing evidence presented by government witnesses.

Although the full reasons for Justice Kerr's decision are classified secret, the judge did reveal that Office of National Assessments deputy director-general Jim Hagan emphasised the "particular sensitivity" of Australia's relationship with Indonesia and warned of potential "damage to Australia's international relations and security interests."

Justice Kerr did agree, however, to the release of one line of text and another paragraph from diplomatic file dating back to 1981, and the prospective release of this information that is the subject of the government's Federal Court appeal.

The National Archives argues that Justice Kerr failed to fully take into account "closed and confidential evidence" given by secret government witness "X". The existence of "X" was not disclosed to Dr Fernandes during the tribunal proceedings.

Fairfax Media understands that the two sections of text relate to information from Australia's overseas espionage agency, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service.

Dr Fernandes and his legal counsel will be excluded from much of Monday's proceedings and will not hear the government's arguments relating to evidence provided by "X".

A former Australian military intelligence officer turned academic, Dr Fernandes has been engaged in a six-year legal struggle to secure declassification of archives relating to Indonesia's invasion and occupation of East Timor.

Speaking to Fairfax Media, Dr Fernandes was critical of the Attorney- General's intervention in the proceedings.

"The Australian Government is pursuing a secret appeal against a secret judgement about the secret evidence of a secret witness. This goes against the English tradition of fairness from which our legal system springs," Dr Fernandes said.

"Why compromise on those principles, just to protect a group of ageing war criminals in Indonesia?"

The appeal will be heard in Canberra by Federal Court Chief Justice James Allsop, Justice Geoffrey Flick and Justice Michael Wigney.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/attorneygeneral-appeals-against-the-release-of-secret-diplomatic-information-on-east-timor-20141116-11npcr.html

Political parties & elections

Women ready for election challenge

Dili Weekly - November 21, 2014

Paulina Quintao – CAUCUS is providing training for female members of political parties in Aileu, Ermera and Liquisa in preparation for them to compete in the 2016 municipal elections.

CAUCUS executive director Paula Corte Real said the training was targeted to those areas as they had been selected by the government as pilot areas for municipal elections.

The training provided to the women aimed to give them the confidence to make decisions and compete with men. "(The training aimed to) increase their know-how in relation to leadership management, conflict resolution, debating and so on," she said.

Participants were given the opportunity to join in a practice debate. Real said the training would continue into the future, with more events planned to teach women about campaign tactics and public speaking techniques.

The two-day training was attended by women from the Democratic Party, Fretilin, the National Congress for the Reconstruction of Timor (CNRT), the Social Democratic Party and Frente Mudansa.

State Secretariat for the Promotion of Equality representative Filomena Babo appealed to all participants to take the most this opportunity to contribute to the development process.

"We should take advantage of this to contribute to the development of women. Don't just keep quiet; if we are quiet, nobody knows what women want and need", Babo said.

CNRT representative Maria Santina da Costa Tilman thanked CAUCUS for the training.

She said she and her fellow women were prepared for the chance to compete for election but their political futures rested with their party leaders. "It depends on whether the person trusts me to run," she said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/gender/12928-women-ready-for-election-challenge

East Timor faces uncertain future as Gusmao prepares to step down

Agence France Presse - November 14, 2014

Dili – East Timor is facing an uncertain future as resistance hero Xanana Gusmao prepares to step down as prime minister after helping hold the tiny nation together during the chaotic early years of its independence.

The country's first president after independence in 2002 and now premier, Gusmao was among a group of guerrilla fighters who emerged as leaders after the struggle against Indonesian occupation that followed the end of Portuguese rule in 1975.

However, the charismatic 68-year-old has signalled his intention to step aside as head of government, a move that would deprive Asia's youngest nation of a unifying leader credited with resolving a string of crises.

"Everyone is scared of him resigning as prime minister," Lino Marques Sarmento, a 30-year-old who works at a tourist resort told AFP, voicing fears that factional violence could break out without Gusmao's personal authority.

It is not yet clear when he will step aside. Earlier this year he pledged to resign in September but missed that deadline, although analysts believe it is inevitable the ageing leader will not run again at elections in 2017.

But while the departure of Gusmao, who spent years living in the jungle during Indonesian occupation and was also imprisoned for a lengthy period in Jakarta, would take East Timor into uncharted territory, many feel it is time he moved on.

Some say his dominance of politics is holding up the transition to a new generation of leaders in the poor, half-island nation, seen as necessary to move away from tensions caused by old rivalries among different factions in the resistance.

His government has grown increasingly unpopular due to accusations of corruption and nepotism, with several ministers accused of graft. "I think we need him – but East Timor also needs new leaders," said political analyst Matias Boavida from the National University of East Timor.

Resistance hero

There is little doubt over the key role of Gusmao, born Jose Alexandre Gusmao, in helping secure East Timor's independence in 2002 and steering the nation of 1.1 million people through troubled periods.

When Portugal withdrew in 1975 after deciding to dissolve its colonial empire, the Timorese declared independence, only for the Indonesian military to invade days later.

Gusmao joined the resistance and later became the head of its military wing, FALINTIL, helping to organise the opposition and continuing to lead the struggle even during a years-long stint behind bars in Jakarta.

On his return to East Timor after the 1999 referendum that paved the way for independence, Gusmao urged reconciliation, persuading pro-Indonesian militiamen who had gone on a murderous rampage following the vote to return home.

Gusmao also helped to keep a lid on communal tensions after a crisis in 2006, when soldiers sacked from the army launched a mutiny which sparked factional violence that left dozens dead and forced 150,000 into makeshift camps.

After the crisis, the then president merged the defence and interior ministries and put himself in charge, helping to restore stability – a move which a leader with less authority may have found difficult, observers say.

Gusmao, who has always claimed he never wanted to be a political leader, has hinted for some time that he will step down but analysts believe that the lack of an obvious successor is one factor that has stopped him.

Whoever takes over is likely to come from the current, old crop of politicians and Gusmao will probably keep some sort of role, possibly in the cabinet, observers say.

This may mean little change in the short term – but analysts say the departure of such a dominant figure from a leadership role would set in motion the transition to a new generation.

Some speculate a rapprochement with his old foe, former prime minister Mari Alkatiri, has helped persuade Gusmao that the time is approaching to resign. He has been reassured by Alkatiri's pledge he will not seek to become premier, they say. "What we need is stability and peace. From confrontation, we realised that we need each other," Alkatiri told AFP.

While Gusmao's departure will be a step into the unknown, calls are growing louder for him to bow out.

"It will not be easy for the country's weak institutions to adapt to a less personalised system of government, but they will never have the opportunity to develop as long as it remains in place," said a report earlier this year from Jakarta-based think-tank the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict.

Source: https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/world/a/25519376/

Labour & migrant workers

Minimum wage violations most common SEPFOPE complaint

Dili Weekly - November 6, 2014

Paulina Quintao – The Secretariat of State for Vocational Training, Policy and Employment (SEPFOPE) registered 198 complaints regarding labour disputes in the eight months between January and August this year.

National Directorate for Working Relationships (DNRT) chief Angelo dos Santos Veloso said they received complaints from workers every day.

"They lodge complaints about wages and contracts and such," he said. "Almost every day we will get five complaints."

About 100 cases had been resolved while the remaining complaints awaited an outcome. Some complaints had been withdrawn and others were sent to the arbitration committee. He said the role of the DNRT was to conduct mediation but not to force outcomes on workers or employers.

"Any complicated problems should be sent to the arbitration committee for them to resolve," he said.

These complicated cases primarily concerned companies accused of paying workers less than the government mandated minimum wage of $1,015, as well as contract disputes.

Member of Parliament Antonio Ximenes Serpa called on SEPFOPE to raise awareness of labour laws with employers and workers so they were aware for their rights and obligations. He said wrongful dismissal was a common complaint.

"I took a complaint from a worker who said they signed a contract with an international company which employed them until 2015 but the contract was terminated early, which is wrong," he said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/development/12844-minimum-wage-violations-most-common-sepfope-complaint

Health & education

Mental health care shambles

Dili Weekly - November 27, 2014

Paulina Quintao – A lack of mental health professionals is making it difficult for Timorese mental health patients to access care.

Commission F (education, health, culture, veterans' affairs and gender equality) president Virgilio da Costa Hornai said the mental health treatment available in Timor-Leste was insufficient, and that mental health patients deserved better.

Hornai said addressing the human resources shortfall as the responsibility of the government which must not wait on non-government organizations to fix the problem.

Psychosocial Recovery and Development in East Timor (PRADET) mental illness assistance program co-ordinator Anibal Idalino said its work was supported by Portuguese and Timorese mental health workers. There was only one specialist mental health worker employed at the National Hospital, he said.

In the districts, general practitioners were often called on to provide assistance to those suffering from mental illnesses, using guides provided by the Ministry of Health. Women's Communication Forum (FOKUPERS) shelter co-ordinator Judit Ribeiro said her organization provided counselling to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

She said all stakeholders were keen for mental health professionals to work in shelters to provide assistance to sufferer.,

"Currently we don't have any mental health workers because East Timor-Leste doesn't have university courses dealing with psychology and psychiatry," she said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12956-mental-health-care-shambles

Portuguese promotion push

Dili Weekly - November 24, 2014

Martinha Gusmao – The Education Ministry, through the National University of Timor Lorosa'e, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Portugal's University of Coimbra committing the parties to the promotion of the Portuguese language in Timor-Leste.

Education Minister Bendito Freitas said the agreement would strengthen the universities' exchange program as well as other programs to promote Portuguese and to improve its teaching within Timorese universities.

He said while UNTL was the only Timorese university mentioned in the document, all universities would play a role in the language's promotion.

Freitas said despite Tetum and Portuguese being nominated in Timor-Leste's constitution as the nation's official languages, many lecturers preferred to teach in Indonesian.

UNTL Rector Aurelio Guterres said the agreement would provide support to the university in terms of resources. Guterres said UNTL had prepared a report into Timor-Leste's human resources needs which was ready to be submitted to the education ministry.

UNTL research director Afonso de Almeida said reports into market vendors, women's participation in the political sphere and the work of UNESCO had also been prepared. "We have analyzed human resources in Timor-Leste and recommended where investment should be made," he said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/education/12948-portuguese-promotion-push

Teachers sell goods on class time

Dili Weekly - November 21, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Educators are using classroom time to conduct business activities, according to Timor-Leste Coalition for Education (TLCE) program manager Matias dos Santos.

He said the Education Ministry needed to take action on this issue as it had the potential to seriously disrupt the learning process.

"In some schools, we have identified that teachers are selling things," he said. "The ministry must create regulations to stop this."

Teachers were found to be selling things such as noodles, ice and chocolates during class time, he said.

Parents had voiced concern about the sale of food items on road verges. These items presented a health risk as they could be contaminated by dust, the parents claimed.

Commission F (health, education, culture, veterans' affairs and gender equality) president Virgilio da Costa Hornai shrugged off the suggestion that teachers selling items during class time was a major problem, provided they did not abandon their pupils. He said the economic situation was to blame for teachers running businesses.

He urged parents and teachers to work together to open school canteens which would offer food for students as well as supplement schools' incomes.

Deputy Education Minister for Primary Education Dulce de Jesus Soares said she was unaware of the reports of teachers selling things during class time.

"The Ministry will try to find the information; when we get the proof that the teachers are conducting business, we will take the disciplinary action against them in accordance with the public service laws," she said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/education/12936-teachers-sell-goods-on-class-time

MP demands answers over health services

Dili Weekly - November 19, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Member of Parliament Manuel de Castro Pereira has demanded answers from the Health Ministry regarding its management of medicines as some health facilities still lack essential equipment.

MP Manuel de Castro Pereira said people needed to know the ministry's processes. "There's no medicine in Oestiku, Vemasse sub-district,or the Uatolari Health Centre," he said.

He said he was concerned as the Health Ministry had taken delivery of a large shipment of medicine but this had not reached district health centres. "We just want to ask how the Health Ministry works," he said. Health centers also lacked diagnostic facilities such as x-ray machines, he said.

Commission F (education, health, culture, veterans' affairs and gender equality) member Antonio Ximenes Serpa acknowledged the issue, which had been brought to light by monitoring activities. Health centres did not have the correct medicines or things such as oxygen, he said.

"There is a woman in Suku Kribas who was suffering from asthma and had a heart attack. She was taken to the Manatuto health center but because there was no medicine or oxygen there, she had to be transferred again to the national hospital but she was unable to be saved because intervention came so late," he said. Serpa said poor co-ordination exacerbated the problem.

Deputy Health Minister for management and human resources support Maria do Ceu Sarmento Pina da Costa said health centres made requests for medicines which were fulfilled by the Autonomous Service of Medicines and Health Equipment (SAMES).

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/health/12910-mp-demands-answers-over-health-services

Timor-Leste mental health system not good enough

Dili Weekly - November 19, 2014

Paulina Quintao – The government does not have a coherent policy for the treatment of those suffering from mental illnesses, says Member of Parliament Virgilio da Costa Hornai.

The president of Commission F (education, health, culture, veterans' affairs and gender equality) said mental illness sufferers required specialist treatment but were currently only provided general care.

He said the government needed to fulfil its responsibility to care for those with mental illnesses. At present, care for such patients falls to non-government organizations. "I think our treatment policy for people affected by mental illness is inadequate," he said.

"We should have a review to determine how to treat them and provide assistance to them, as they are citizens just like any other person," he said. He called for the establishment of a specialist mental illness unit which would provide housing and counselling to patients.

PRADET mental illness program co-ordinator Anibal Idalino said the government should already have a plan to build rehabilitation centres in each district.

"These centres should be built in the districts as well to provide treatment to our people who suffer from mental illness and to educate their families on how to take care of them," he said.

Health Ministry representative Alipio Gusmao Lopes acknowledged that provisions for mental illness sufferers were inadequate as they faced funding and staff limitations.

He said while the government had not built a specific mental health centre, it had worked with PRADET and Sao Joao Laclubar to provide care. "The government has an obligation to establish a psychiatric hospital as it is very important to treat mental illness sufferers," he said.

He said those plans had already been made by the current government in regard to the provision of staff, facilities and equipment.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12918-timor-leste-mental-health-system-not-good-enough

Call for tobacco advertising regulations

Dili Weekly - November 17, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Tobacco advertising has once again come under fire in Parliament.

Member of Parliament Josefa Alvares Pereira Soares said the Parliament passed resolutions in 2006 to restrict the advertising of tobacco and other drugs in Timor-Leste and was also a signatory to several such international conventions but still advertisements went unchecked.

She said youth were the primary target of the tobacco industry which promoted its products as enjoyable but deadly.

She appealed to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Environment (MCIA) to pay close attention to companies which flout advertising regulations as young people could be easily influenced.

Member of Parliament Virginia Ana Belo said there were no laws to regulate the sale of cigarettes or other drugs which are easily imported into Timor-Leste. She said the government may considering increasing the cost of such items.

Belo said cigarette advertising was pervasive in Timor-Leste, with banners visible in kiosks and other places frequented by children. The low cost of cigarettes also posed a problem, she said.

Health data from 2009 showed at the time, 36 per cent of Timorese males aged 15 to 29 smoke. Between the ages of 24 and 29, that figures jumped to 87 per cent. Smoking causes cancers of the lungs, throat and mouth as well as a host of other illnesses.

Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment Antonio Concencao said cigarette companies were breaking the law in posting these advertisements as they did not pay tax to the government.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12900-call-for-tobacco-advertising-regulations

HIV border threat

Dili Weekly - November 17, 2014

Paulina Quintao – The National Commission for Combating HIV/AIDS in Timor-Leste (CNCS-TL) is working with its Indonesian counterpart in border communities to raise awareness of how to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

CNCS-TL general secretary Daniel Marcal said the border areas were a potential gateway for the disease.

"We are at present co-ordinating with the Indonesian commission about how we can organize joint activities in the border areas of Oe-Cusse, Maliana (Batugede) and Suai, because people living in those areas are at serious risk," he said.

Authorities hold concerns for residents of these areas who cross freely into the Indonesian district of Atambua without a passport, and may be exposed to the virus.

Health Ministry data shows that 408 people tested HIV positive between 2003 and 2013, with rates highest in Dili and the border regions.

Forty of those diagnosed have died from the virus while about 100 are receiving treatment. The remainder are not receiving any medical assistance.

Department of Health HIV/AIDS unit chief Marta Abenia dos Santos said the Health Ministry was working with international partners to establish voluntary testing and counselling services in existing health facilities.

Centres to provide training to patients about antiretroviral treatment have been established in Baucau, Maliana, Suai, Maubisse and Oe-Cusse as well as Dili's National Hospital and the Bairo-Pite Clinic, she said.

Member of Parliament Josefa Alvares Pereira Soares urged all people to spread the word about HIV, particularly those involved in women's groups who could get the message to rural women.

The information was particularly important for mothers, she said. "I know in some districts, the rates of HIV/AIDS is very high, and this information needs to reach mothers," she said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/security-defencejustice/12902-hiv-border-threat

East Timor's Bairo Pite Clinic fundraising campaign unable to save boy

ABC Radio Australia - November 13, 2014

Bronwen Reed and Sophie McNeill – The extraordinary generosity of ABC viewers – including an anonymous donation of $200,000 – has stunned the management and medical staff of East Timor's Bairo Pite Clinic and will dramatically improve care and conditions at the overburdened, independent hospital.

Bairo Pite and its medical chief, Dr Dan Murphy, featured recently in the Foreign Correspondent program The Clinic.

The plight of one sick little boy in particular – eight-year-old Sergio, who was stricken with a cancer that had disfigured his face and neck – prompted many in the audience to ask what they could do to help.

Bairo Pite management established a crowd-source fundraising portal and set a target of $30,000 to fund Australian-based medical treatment for Sergio, and the donations poured in.

Specialist medical expertise was mobilised in Australia and the hope was that the boy would be well enough to fly to Australia for life-saving surgery and treatment.

But in the end the money and the best intentions of some of Australia's leading paediatric and oncology specialists arrived too late for Sergio.

A biopsy conducted in East Timor revealed his nasopharyngeal carcinoma was too advanced and had generated secondary cancers in his abdomen. Sergio's cancer was inoperable.

Bairo Pite medical staff devised a palliative care plan. He fought on bravely but lost his painful battle and died last month.

"Sergio happens to be a victim of having been born in the wrong place," Dr Murphy said.

"He was born in a place that doesn't have any access to proper healthcare... and as much as we tried and as much as you people tried we could not get him into a facility that has the capacity to deal with his problems."

East Timor healthcare system reliant on external support

In an email to contributors, Bairo Pite offered to refund donations to the Sergio fund but hoped the money could be used to help save the lives and relieve the suffering of other critically ill patients.

"We can assure you that, if you allow us, your donation will be used to continue treating many sick children in Timor Leste," the clinic said.

"We know that with the help of generous, compassionate people like yourselves, we can make a big impact on the lives of many, many children in Timor Leste."

Dr Murphy, an expat American GP who has been the driving force behind the little hospital for 16 years, said he and his staff had been overwhelmed by the generosity of Foreign Correspondent viewers.

To date, more than $500,000 has been raised since the program went to air and it is already making a difference.

These additional funds can be used for projects which will enhance the hospital and the services it offers. In the pipeline there are plans for a new X-ray machine, treatment room and kitchen.

The challenges remain great with more than half of the population of East Timor living in poverty, according to a recent UN report, and nearly 45 per cent of children under the age of five classified as underweight.

"I would say the efforts of our clinic are slowly getting better because we're getting access to a few more resources but the need is so tremendous, that it's going to be a long time before we can do it ourselves," Dr Murphy said.

"The Government is also trying to do it but I'll tell you, organising such a program and making it work effectively is more than just having resources.

"It takes also experienced personnel and people who have had decision- making training done in a place where they can then go and implement a good program when they do have resources.

"So it's a complex problem and we're finding that it's going to take a long time to make that effective." Malnutrition, leprosy affect children in East Timor

Other patients featured in The Clinic have responded well to treatment in East Timor and surgery in Australia.

In August, Tomas Pinto travelled to Melbourne with the help of the charity, East Timor Hearts Fund, for life-saving heart surgery.

The specialist who treated him was very happy with the outcome of the procedure and Tomas has been doing well in subsequent check-ups. He has returned to work as a teacher in a Dili high school and is enjoying normal family life.

Jeca Pereira, 11, travelled to Melbourne's Monash Heart Service in September for a procedure to repair damaged valves in his heart that left him breathless, dangerously underweight and unable to attend school. He is back on his feet and returned to the classroom.

When five-year-old Paolo visited the Bairo Pite clinic, Dr Murphy suspected he had leprosy and sent him off for tests that confirmed the diagnosis. Paulo has responded well to treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.

East Timor has the highest rate of leprosy in South-East Asia but it is a disease that is completely treatable and preventable.

Dr Murphy is optimistic that if they can get to all the outlying villages and identify those suffering from the disease, it will be entirely possible to eliminate it from East Timor.

At four years of age, Ozmenia arrived at the clinic weighing just 6.7 kilograms.

Her chronic malnutrition was the result of the grinding poverty her family endures in a remote mountainous village with no easy access to clean water. Hygiene is a big problem.

Ozmenia remains on the clinic's malnutrition ward, and her bowel has started to work, but only occasionally. She continues to suffer complications and the clinic does its best to meet her needs.

Dr Murphy reports her personality has blossomed, however, and she is now taking charge of her fellow patients and ordering everyone around. It is hoped surgery will help to change her overall health status.

Source: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2014-11-13/east-timors-bairo-pite-clinic-crowdsource-fundraising-campaign-unable-to-save-boy/1388937

Rural health crisis deepens

Dili Weekly - November 10, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Residents of 244 Timor-Leste sukus do not have access to health services in their villages.

Member of Parliament Domingas Alves da Silva, alias Bilou-Mali, expressed concern and called on the Ministry of Health to take action. "All the people have the right to access health assistance however in reality many communities do not," she said.

She said residents of villages in remote areas were more likely to use traditional medicine as they did not have easy access to health facilities.

"A real example is that of the suku of Aitana in the Lacluta sub-district," she said. "There are many people living there however there is no health post."

She said the problem was widespread with many people dying of treatable conditions. Pregnant women were at particular risk, she said.

Health Minister Sergio da Costa Lobo said just 198 sukus had health posts. "I have asked the district directors to do a re-orientation of primary care in order to assure services continue functioning," he said.

He said communities needed to contribute through providing health staff. Lobo said the ministry planned to build permanent posts in sukus in the next few years.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12866-rural-health-crisis-deepens

Out of service ambulances go to waste

Dili Weekly - November 10, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Prohibitive repair costs mean six ambulances will remain out of action, according to national director of hospital support services Horacio Sarmento da Costa.

More than 44 ambulances are operating across Timor-Leste's 13 districts with further 12 working in the districts to transport emergency patients.

"Many ambulances are out of order," da Costa said. "Some are in the garage being repaired and six can't be fixed because it will cost too much money."

He said the Ministry of Health purchased 16 new ambulances this year which are currently being fitted with radios and other necessary equipment.

Member of Parliament Domingas Alves da Silva, alias Bilou Mali, called on the health ministry to allocate more money to the repair of ambulances. He said ambulances had been out of service for up to three years at a time.

"The Ermera health centre has four ambulances malfunctioning and two are out of service," he said. "It makes work very difficult."

The member of Commission F (education, health, culture, veterans' affairs and gender equality) said a lack of reliable transport was a big hindrance to the provision of quality health care in rural areas.

Health Minister Sergio da Costa Lobo said the ministry initially wanted to centralize vehicle maintenance but ran into difficulties as 13 vehicles operate solely in the districts.

Minister Lobo also voiced concerns about poor road infrastructure which caused damage to vehicles. He said $500 was allocated to the districts for vehicle maintenance.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12864-out-of-service-ambulances-go-to-waste

Catholic University gets conditional go-ahead

Dili Weekly - November 5, 2014

Estevao Nuno – The Ministry of Education will permit the Catholic Church to open a privately managed university in Timor-Leste, provided it fulfills a list of criteria set by the government.

Ministry of Education co-operative work general director Antonio Pires said the church must commit to providing buildings, facilities and courses which measure up to government standards.

He gave his support to the project. "The church has opened many schools and is well-qualified," he said.

The church had successfully run all types of schools, from kindergartens to universities, he said. He said he believed the Balide facility would serve students well.

Pires said while he had not been provided specifics of the Catholic Church's plan, they would be required to abide by Ministry rules. The Ministry would gladly give its approval to the school should those criteria be fulfilled, he said.

Catholic Church representative Pastor Guilhermino da Silva said construction had begun and was progressing well. "In the past we've had difficulties securing land for the facility but that's been resolved and construction has begun," he said.

Construction was scheduled to be complete by November but delays caused by lengthy negotiations and financial issues meant the facility is more likely to be ready in March next year.

Pastor da Silva said the bill for the project was footed by the diocese, the Timor-Leste government and foreign donors.

The project had gone over budget, he said. "I don't know how much (has been spent) but definitely it has been too much," he said.

University of Timor Lorosa'e student Liborio Pinto said praised the Catholic Church for seeking to open a Timor-Leste university.

"This is an improvement as many students leave to study overseas as they say universities in this country are not qualified," he said. He said he hoped the new university would raise education standards.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12826-catholic-university-gets-conditional-go-ahead

Women's rights

Uni students learn about gender relations

Dili Weekly - November 21, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Spanish NGO Paz y Desarrolo (Peace and Development) has been working to improve knowledge of the electoral process and gender relations among Timor-Leste university students.

Paz y Desarrolo representative Margarida Madureira said trainers would give lessons about the electoral process, political ethics, gender, women's participation in politics and representations of gender in the media. "We believe students are the main actors who will be able to effect social change and promote equality in Timor-Leste," she said.

She expressed concern about the implementation of laws regarding gender in Timor-Leste as in practice, these laws did little to prevent discrimination or inequality.

Similar training was provided last year to students and community radio journalists, she said, as they were key to promoting gender equality.

National University of Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL) co-operation deputy rector Ligia Tomas Correia said the training was important for students to understand gender in context.

She said communications students were selected to attend the training as the training had a heavy media focus. "They have good analytical skills and creativity to help them introduce this information about gender to people through the national media," she said.

She called on the students to take the opportunity to listen and ask questions.

Peace University student Sonia Marques thanked the Paz y Desarrolo for the training. "I think this training should be continued, not just for students but for everyone in society because most members of the community have minimal knowledge about gender issues," she said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/children-youth/12938-uni-students-learn-about-gender-relations

Youth parliamentarians learn about women's rights

Dili Weekly - November 19, 2014

Paulina Quintao – The State Secretariat for the Promotion of Equality (SEPI) is working with the Alola Foundation to provide human rights training to members of the Youth Parliament.

The training specifically relates to the rights of women and women's advocacy.

SEPI general director Armando da Costa said it was the first time SEPI and the Alola Foundation had worked with the National Youth Council of Timor- Leste to empower women to contribute to gender equality.

"Youth participation is very important in promoting gender equality in this country," he said.

"We should instill in advance this mentality." He said the training would help Timor-Leste produce leaders in the field of gender relations in the future. "We are expecting to find a good leader with clear vision on gender," he said.

Alola Foundation executive director Alzira Reis said the participants were taught about human rights, women's rights and advocacy planning. She said knowledge of these areas was essential for women who would be representatives in the districts.

"Our sisters have had training in all sorts of areas however they have been limited in the area of gender which is why we are focusing on this," she said.

Bobonaro young women's representative Tania de Fatima said she was grateful to be invited to take part in the advocacy training program which would make participants more mature and enable them to advocate for other young rural women.

"Problems which both young men and women face in the district of Bobonaro include early marriage, unemployment and also no access to information," she said.

She said the fact that all trainings put on by government and civil society groups were held in Dili presented a problem.

Fatima said she and her fellow participants had received training on reproductive health and the importance of education for rural women. The three-day training was attended by female members of Youth Parliament from all 13 districts and was supported by a $5000 grant from SEPI.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/children-youth/12920-youth-parliamentarians-learn-about-women-s-rights

Cash woes halt gender studies programs

Dili Weekly - November 19, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Limited finances are preventing the National University of Timor Lorosa'e's (UNTL) Gender Studies Centre from conducting research and holding academic debates about gender issues.

The centre's co-ordinator Judite Dias Ximenes said research into issues affecting the development of women in Timor-Leste was planned.

"Such as the issue of incest as well as getting teenage mothers to return to school as well as abortion but we do not have sufficient funds to allow our team to gather the data," she said.

The centre also struggled with poor infrastructure and limited staff, she said, hindering its ability to conduct research which would inform government policy.

She said the centre had previously organized debates about things such as the roles of women during the struggle for independence as well as women in the workplace and gender relations in education.

The centre's work contributed to the development of gender equality in Timor-Leste, she said. Last year, the centre conducted research in partnership with the Ministry for State Administration and Territorial Management into the management of rubbish by families.

Supported by the State Secretariat for the Promotion of Equality, the centre is currently collecting data about accessibility of clean water and sanitation facilities as well as the prevalence of malnutrition and the importance of women in agriculture.

SEPI Secretary Idelta Maria Rodrigues said Timor-Leste had ratified a number of international treaties on gender relations and was required to make regular reports as part of its obligations under these treaties.

She said SEPI was committed to supporting the gender studies centre to provide data for the future.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/gender/12914-cash-woes-halt-gender-studies-programs

Gender studies on university agenda

Dili Weekly - November 10, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Gender studies should be offered by tertiary education providers, according to National University of Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL) Gender Studies Centre deputy co-coordinator Judite Dias Ximenes.

She said while courses at UNTL do offer some information about gender studies, a specific course was needed. Ximenes said many people do not understand gender relations issues.

Their understanding of gender was limited to a simple male/female dichotomy, she said, making it necessary for gender studies to be available at university as well as in professional training courses. "We want people know what gender and development are," she said.

Higher Education general director Abrao dos Santos said the inclusion of a specific gender studies subject in the university curriculum was already being discussed.

He said the push to include gender studies had widespread support but an outcome was still pending. The subject curriculum had been designed but still required input from the discussion team, he said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/gender/12868-gender-studies-on-university-agenda

Sexual & domestic violence

Victims face long wait for justice

Dili Weekly - November 24, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Alleged victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse are being forced to live for years at shelter homes as they await an outcome from Timor-Leste's lethargic justice system.

Casa Vida program co-ordinator Domingas Soares said although the shelter home's operational policy states residents could stay at the facility for a period of up to six months, in reality, some women had been at the centre for up to five years.

This made taking in more women needing emergency accommodation difficult, she said. "Currently we have no space to accept more victims," she said.

The centre, established in 2008, takes in female victims of physical and sexual abuse, particularly those who are the victims of incest. "The incest victims cannot go home because the process is slow. We won't kick them out so it's a big obstacle for us," she said.

Casa Vida was working to provide more space for underage victims of sexual abuse as well as others who had experienced domestic or sexual violence. About 75 women are currently residing at Casa Vida.

Women's Communication Forum (FOKUPERS) shelter co-ordinator Judit Ribeiro said some residents had been at the NGO's shelter home for years waiting for their cases to be tried.

"Some of the incest victims have been living here for three years because the court processes have failed because of things such as incomplete documents," she said. She urged the government to take action to fulfil its obligations to victims.

Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) national director for social reintegration Antonia Carmen da Cruz said it was difficult for incest victims to return to their families. She said MSS funded a shelter house, supported by development partners.

"We have a problem with the laws regarding our budget which stipulates that money should be sent via bank transfer. When we come across victims in need of emergency help, we're supposed to send them to open bank accounts," she said.

She said MSS was co-ordinating with referral networks such as child protection and women's support groups.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/news/12946-victims-face-long-wait-for-justice

Consent not a factor in incest

Dili Weekly - November 11, 2014

Paulina Quintao – The Ministry of Justice and National Parliament have made a commitment to change the penal code to specifically outlaw incest.

Deputy Justice Minister Ivo Jorge Valente acknowledged that currently, incest was loosely defined, making convictions difficult.

Incidences of incest can be penalized under different articles but Valente said the prohibitions needed to be strengthened to prevent alleged perpetrators arguing consent was freely given. He called for civil society groups to submit their views as to how such articles would be constructed.

Member of Parliament Josefa Alvares Pereira Soares said Parliament gave its commitment to changing the laws some time ago when it passed laws to give protection to children. The Women's Parliamentary Group of Timor-Leste president said firm action needed to be taken to address the issue of incest which if left unchecked, could have ruinous implications for the nation's development.

"(Incest) makes no sense; a father should be his family's protector and should not have sex with his daughters," she said. She said if the amendments to the code were not made, offenders would continue to escape consequences by arguing consent was given.

Judicial Systems Monitoring Program (JSMP) executive director Luis de Oliveira Sampaio agreed the amendments were needed. "We don't need to make new laws but simply create a new article that states consent is not a factor in the case of incest," he said.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/human-rights/12884-consent-not-a-factor-in-incest

Domestic violence prosecutions left in limbo

Dili Weekly - November 10, 2014

Paulina Quintao – More than 100 cases of domestic violence have been left pending in the Public Ministry due to the alleged victims' reluctance to give evidence.

Domestic violence issues prosecutor Ivonia M. Guterres said the 119 cases would be committed to trial if the purported victims were willing to co- operate with the Public Ministry.

Prosecutor Guterres said the alleged victims reported the crimes but would later refuse to answer calls by ministry staff and hid when justice officers went to their homes.

She said the crimes were reported between 2013 and June 2014. During that period 236 cases were committed to trial.

Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP) executive director Luis Oliveira Sampaio said he believed the laws prohibiting domestic violence were effective.

Sampaio said cases were being tried faster than in the past. He said crimes committed in 2013 were being tried this year. "This is good; in the past it could take three years."

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/gender/12870-domestic-violence-prosecutions-left-in-limbo

Graft & corruption

Exclusive: Timor PM protecting 'corrupt' Cabinet members

Sydney Morning Herald - November 26, 2014

Tom Allard – The shock decision by East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao to expel foreign judges and advisers from the country appeared to be connected to corruption cases against his cabinet, a damning report to Australia's judges and lawyers has alleged.

The report, by Darwin-based barrister Alistair Wyvill SC, said the extraordinary sacking of the judges, attorneys and anti-corruption advisers was part of an escalating campaign by Mr Gusmao that threatens the safety of judicial officers still in the country.

Last month, at the urging of Mr Gusmao, Timor's parliament passed resolutions to expel the judicial officers, justifying the dramatic step on the alleged ineptitude of the judges and the courts' handling of contentious tax cases involving US oil giant ConocoPhillips.

But Mr Wyvill's report found that it seemed none of the eight foreign judges and advisers forced to leave East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, had any involvement in the tax cases.

"Almost every 'insider' to whom I have spoken who is independent of the East Timor Leste government (including the judges to whom I spoke) connects these events with the corruption cases," he wrote.

"This view is supported by the fact that the trial against the Minister for Finance, Emilia Pires, was due to start on Monday 27 October, the next working day after the resolutions were passed. As a result of these resolutions, the trial did not proceed."

Eight members of East Timor's Cabinet are, or have been, under investigation for corruption.

Mr Wyvill said it was possible that Mr Gusmao, aided by intimidating "veterans" of the East Timorese independence struggle, was orchestrating a wider campaign against those members of the judiciary who remain in Timor.

"It is not my intention to be overly dramatic but from what I saw it is just not possible to rule out the risk of danger to the lives and wellbeing of these judges and their families as the current crisis develops," his report, obtained by Fairfax Media, says.

The report, completed after a three day visit to East Timor this month, was produced for the Northern Territory Bar Association. It has been handed to the Judicial Conference of Australia, the body that represents Australia's judges. The Law Council of Australia and Australian Bar Association have also received the report.

A spokesperson for East Timor government did not return calls. Government sources in Dili have previously told Fairfax Media that the spate of corruption cases is linked to an attempt to destabilise the government by prosecutors and judges supportive of opposition parties.

Justice Stephen Rares, president of the Judicial Conference of Australia, said the organisation would be digesting the report in coming days.

"The report raises matters of considerable concern," he said. "If that version of events [in Mr Wyvill's report] is correct, there would be a real problem affecting how the impendence of the judiciary in East Timor is being maintained and respected. It also would amount to a serious departure from that country's constitutional protection of its judges' independence."

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/world/exclusive-timor-pm-protecting-corrupt-cabinet-members-20141126-11tosz.html

Governance & administration

Fragility in public institutions caused by poor HR management

Dili Weekly - November 24, 2014

Paulina Quintao – An absence of opportunities for promotion and the appointment of staff to roles unrelated to their qualifications has led to fragile administrative systems in state institutions, says Member of Parliament Antonio Bianco.

The Commission A (constitutional issues, justice, public administration, local authorities and anti-corruption) said there were a variety of factors which contributed to the fragility.

"There aren't enough staff, their placements aren't based on their areas of professional qualifications, there is no clear path for promotion and many staff are employed by political parties," he said.

He said in order to guarantee solid public administration it was necessary to create a clear promotional path for staff in order to encourage them to develop professionally. Bianco said staff sent overseas to study were often underutilized after their return.

Limited human resources management exacerbated the problem, he said, as the understaffed public service commission was tasked with recruitment and staff performance assessments.

Public Service Commission ex-president Liborio Pereira said some public servants lacked work ethic. He said all public employees needed to be aware of legislation setting out their professional responsibilities.

Pereira appealed to directors and chiefs of departments to raise awareness of these laws with their staff.

A human resources management group with a representative from each ministry met to discuss issues of salaries, recruitment and promotions, he said. Pereira suggested each ministry extend their annual training program.

One civil servant, who wished to remain anonymous, said despite regular performance assessments, pay raises were rarely awarded.

"Being a public servant is not good as the salary never increases," he said. "People have been working here for two or five years without any promotion."

He said the public service laws stipulated that public servants must be considered for promotion every two years.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/capital/12942-fragility-in-public-institutions-caused-by-poor-hr-management

Development & infrastructure

Family planning and the Millennium Development Goals

Dili Weekly - November 5, 2014

John M. Pile – The Timorese government recently released its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report for 2014. Overall the MDG indicators show that living standards and human development have improved significantly in Timor-Leste since independence.

Selected MDG targets for gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, malaria and tuberculosis have been achieved. Out of 29 indicators and sub- indicators, 9 have achieved their targets and 14 show significant improvement. Yet in spite of these achievements, much remains to be done.

Expanding access to family planning has been a key aim of health and development programming for almost 50 years. Family planning is connected to all eight Millennium Development Goals. (Family planning – generates wealth and reduces hunger (MDG 1); prolongs education (MDG 2); empowers women and girls (MDG 3); saves infants (MDG 4); improves maternal health (MDG 5); prevents pediatric HIV (MDG 6); reduces pressure on the environment (MDG 7); and promotes global partnerships (MDG 8).

Since independence, use of family planning in Timor-Leste has increased threefold. All told, over all the married women of reproductive age (15-49) have expressed a desire to space or limit the number of children they have. Yet less half of this demand for family planning is being met.

Increased access to family planning and reproductive health services supports women's social and economic well-being by enabling them to choose the number and spacing of their children.

Women who are able to delay childbearing are more likely to meet their educational goals, obtain productive employment, increase household income, and thus help reduce extreme poverty. Better birth spacing reduces the incidence of low birth weight and poor maternal nutrition. Family planning results in more wealth and less hunger.

For teenage girls, early pregnancy often brings an end to education – girls often have to drop out of school due to unintended pregnancy or to help care for younger siblings. A 2010 study found that 99% of adolescent mothers in Timor-Leste dropped out of school. By increasing access to family planning, teenage girls would be more likely to stay in school, and in turn, send their own daughters to school.

Using family planning empowers women. When women are empowered and are decision-makers in their families, they spend more resources on their children's nutrition, healthcare and education. Involving men in family planning can lead to changes in gender norms. Empowering women in many ways, including their ability to achieve their desired family size, is the most important driver of modern development efforts.

Birth spacing through family planning reduces child mortality. Children born three to five years apart are 2.5 times more likely to survive than children born two years apart. About 750 infant deaths are averted in Timor each year by preventing unintended pregnancies. If we could meet all demands for contraception, another 1,000 infant deaths would be prevented each year.

Family planning is to maternal health what immunization is to child health. Family planning allows spacing of pregnancies and can delay pregnancies in young women at increased risk of health problems and death from early childbearing. Family planning can prevent pregnancies among older women who also face increased risks from childbirth. About 95 maternal deaths are averted in Timor each year by preventing unintended pregnancies. If we could meet all demands for contraception, another 125 maternal deaths would be prevented each year.

Family planning and reproductive health services are essential to preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Women with HIV who have unintended pregnancies run the risk of transmitting the virus to their children. Improving access to condoms can reduce the number of infections acquired through sexual intercourse. Increasing contraception use among HIV-positive women through voluntary family planning services can avert almost 30 percent more cases of mother-to-child-transmission than anti-retrovirals alone.

A family with fewer children needs less food, land and water and puts less pressure on a country's forests and tillable land. The slower population growth that would result from meeting women's needs for family planning and reproductive health contribute to strategies that promote environmental sustainability. Moreover, family planning is five times less expensive than conventional green technologies for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide that leads to climate change.

Fifty of global investment in family planning programs have contributed to strong collaboration among international agencies, governmental ministries, multinational organizations and local community groups. In 2015, the world will shift its focus toward a new development agenda. As the next- generation goals expand the focus from social and human development to also include economic and environmental objectives, we should not underestimate the positive ripple effects of family planning across all three areas. Timor-Leste has set an ambitious goal of doubling contraceptive use by 2018. Family planning could bring more benefits to more Timorese at less cost than any other single technology now available.

[John M. Pile is the UNFPA Representative on Family Planning and Millennium Development Goals.]

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/editorial/12834-family-planning-and-the-millennium-development-goals

Judiciary & legal system

UN rights expert urges East Timor to reconsider judicial dismissals

Paper Chase - November 26, 2014

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers Gabriela Knaul on Tuesday urged the government of East Timor to reconsider the dismissing of international judges and prosecutors.

Knaul believes that the audit and dismissal of judicial personnel puts the independence of the judiciary within the country in question. Since October the East Timor government has terminated the contracts of international judicial personnel and ordered five judges, two prosecutors and an adviser to leave the country.

Knaul said, "[t]he reduction of the number of international judges, prosecutors and other legal professionals is a legitimate path to follow; however, this should be a process implemented in full conformity with international human rights law and standards, as well as national laws and procedure."

The UN expert believes that the government of East Timor has made progress in building a sound judicial institutions in the past decade but should not disregard the importance of international personnel to strengthen the judiciary.

Gabriela Knaul has previously stated that judicial corruption is a direct threat to the rule of law and human rights because it deprives people without political and financial means of their due process rights.

In a report last month, Knaul advocated "strengthening the judiciary from within," with governments developing anti-corruption bodies to ensure that judges act impartially and are free from political influence.

In 2011 Knaul's report focused on the need for gender equality in criminal justice systems. Knaul said that "[g]iven the historical and pervasive discrimination against women throughout the world, we have to look at how women are represented and treated in the criminal justice system."

Knaul stressed the necessity of integrating gender perspective into judicial procedures to allow women's perspectives to challenge the "traditional notions of judging and judicial authority."

Source: http://jurist.org/paperchase/2014/11/un-expert-urges-timor-leste-to-reconsider-judicial-dismissals.php

East Timor kicks out judges over ConocoPhillips tax fight

Reuters - November 5, 2014

Sonali Paul, Melbourne – East Timor has ordered five foreign judges out of the country after a court ruled in favour of US oil and gas producer ConocoPhillips in cases tied to $236 million in disputed tax assessments.

ConocoPhillips operates the Bayu Undan gas field in the Timor Sea between East Timor and Australia. Royalties and taxes from the field are the main source of revenue for East Timor, one of the world's poorest nations.

The young country, which won independence from Indonesia in 2002, had hired international judges and prosecutors to beef up its judicial system, but Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has been unhappy about the rulings on the tax cases, among other issues.

The government's move on the judiciary raises concerns about the rule of law in East Timor, which needs foreign companies to develop its oil and gas resources.

An East Timor embassy spokeswoman in Canberra, Australia, confirmed on Wednesday that five judges and two prosecutors had been ordered to leave the country on Tuesday. She said it was not yet clear when they would depart.

ConocoPhillips has challenged the government in 28 cases over tax assessments that were higher than what the company says it owes, and has won all seven that have been decided so far.

The government's move to expel the judges and prosecutors was done according to the law to "protect the interests of our people", East Timor Foreign Minister Jose Luis Guterres said in an interview on Australian Broadcasting Corp radio.

ConocoPhillips says it has paid all the taxes that are due under East Timor law and has paid "under protest" all taxes, interest and penalties assessed by the government, adding that it still highly values its relationship with the government.

"In our view, an independent and impartial court system is crucial to create a good investment climate for Timor-Leste," ConocoPhillips President Australia-West Todd Creeger said in an emailed statement commenting on the deportations.

"If the business community and potential investors are confident they will be treated fairly, Timor-Leste's long term economic development will benefit."

Greater Sunrise

The move by East Timor comes amid talks with the Australian government to try to resolve a long-running dispute over the treaty that gives East Timor a 50 percent share of the royalty revenue from another gas field, Greater Sunrise, which straddles the maritime boundary between the two countries.

The governments recently agreed to adjourn an international arbitration over the dispute for at least six months to try to resolve their differences directly.

A resolution would help clear the way for a decision to develop the Greater Sunrise project, which remains untapped 40 years after its fields were discovered, and is key to the growth prospects of Australia's biggest oil and gas producer, Woodside Petroleum.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the talks do not involve negotiating permanent maritime boundaries with East Timor and that Australia continues to support current treaty arrangements.

"Through the consultations we hope to find a way to resolve our differences amicably, rather than through litigation," a department spokesperson said in an emailed statement. (Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Tom Hogue)

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/05/timor-australia-lng-idUSL4N0SV2TU20141105?rpc=401

Police & law enforcement

Lack of transportation holds back police investigations

Dili Weekly - November 11, 2014

Venidora Oliveira – A lack of adequate transportation is severely affecting the efficiency of the Criminal Investigation Service (SIK).

SIK commander Chief Inspector Manuel Alves said his unit had access to nine cars – two of which are currently out of service – and nine motorbikes. "Sometimes we have to wait for each other," he said in Kaikoli, Dili.

Chief Inspector Alves said his staff were committed to their duties despite the less than ideal working conditions. A proposal to improve conditions has been put to the government but is still awaiting a response.

Commission B (defence, security and foreign affairs) member Cesar Valente said the National Police of Timor-Leste received vehicles from the United Nations several years ago. "But they are now concerned because those cars are all in poor condition," he said.

He suggested the State Secretariat for Security create an inventory of all out of service vehicles in order to provide a repair cost estimate to be considered during the next budget deliberations. "We need data," he said.

National University of Timor Lorosa'e student Vasco Pereira said he believed public security to be vital and said the government should make it a priority.

"Police assure security in our country and the defence forces protect us against foreign threats," he said. "They need the correct resources including sufficient staff."

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/security-defencejustice/12880-lack-of-transportation-holds-back-police-investigations

Economy & investment

Government won't impose price regulation on basic goods

Dili Weekly - November 5, 2014

Paulina Quintao – Deputy Minister for Industry and the Environment Abel da Costa Ximenes says the government will not intervene to regulate prices for goods as sales tax produces revenue for the state.

Ximenes said sellers had the right to determine prices for their goods based on wholesale and import costs. "We cannot regulate prices for uniformity in the government as that is the right of the sellers not the government," he said."

He said the government had an obligation to assist businesspeople to negotiate and arrange documents.

Consumer Agostinha da Costa said the government must ensure basic necessities are accessible to Timorese. Prices for the same goods varied greatly between shops, she said.

She called on the government to compel vendors to standardize prices. "At the market noodles and Bimoli oil have different prices; some are more expensive," she said.

Small business owner Jose do Carmo Pinto said the government should teach producers and vendors how to price goods to ensure a free market.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/capital/12832-government-won-t-impose-price-regulation-on-basic-goods

Struggle for independence

Students trace the footsteps of resistance fighters

Dili Weekly - November 6, 2014

Martinha Gusmao – The National University of Timor-Lorosa'e (UNTL) donated $200 to student society AKHANA in support of their march from Larigatu, Ossu, to Dili.

Department of Community Development and Social Action chief in the office of the vice rector for student affairs Juviano Alves Reis said the march was part of the FALINTIL Day commemorations.

"Twenty UNTL students marched from Larigatu in sub-district of Ossu, Viqueque, to Dili," he said. "They marched for a week, starting from August 12 and finishing August 20."

During the march the students visited sites significant to the struggle for independence including hide-outs used by guerrilla fighters to plan their clandestine activities. They also visited a site where the late Francisco Xavier do Amaral was punished.

The State Secretariat for Youth and Sport provided marchers with tarpaulins and other items while F-FDTL provided food.

Secretary of State for Youth and Sport Miguel Marques Manetelo said the march gave ESHANA members a taste of what their FALINTIL forebears experienced during the occupation.

Source: http://www.thediliweekly.com/en/news/education/12848-students-trace-the-footsteps-of-resistance-fighters

Analysis & opinion

Timor stands up, international elites say sit down

Washington Times - November 28, 2014

Pierre-Richard Prosper – The recent news that Timor-Leste's parliament voted to terminate contracts of the international judges it has relied upon since the birth of its country should be seen as a major step forward in the small pacific-island nation's path toward true self-governance.

By this act, Timor has shown the world it is committed to gaining its full independence and ending its reliance on the international community. After years of violence, sacrifice and grave human rights abuses committed against it, Timor continues to move forward. It took another step when it ended the United Nation's operational control over its government and people, despite the fact that many in the UN community deemed the move unacceptable and premature.

But Timor officials were committed to get off the world body's agenda and the international welfare system. Now, the country that became a nation in 2002 is sending another strong and clear message by eliminating the role of international judges as the principle decision makers and removing their hold on thEast Timor judicial system.

As one of the first prosecutors before an international tribunal and a diplomat under Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush, I had the responsibility of leading efforts throughout the world to build the rule of law. I provided and coordinated technical legal assistance to developing and post-conflict countries like Rwanda, Cambodia, Sierra Leone and in the Balkans.

As part of that mandate, I played a role in recruiting and placing lawyers and judges in systems to assist in capacity building and promote accountability. In the beginning of 2000, under the direction and pursuant to the policy of President Clinton, I was sent to Timor to initiate the effort to create the first justice system in an independent Timor. Our stated goal was to recruit international experts to train, advise and assist the new system – but not lead it. The international community specifically rejected an international tribunal believing domestic ownership of the judiciary was necessary and proper.

Timor officials were sensitive to the need for international assistance early on but wanted sovereign development. However, what has transpired is that with the passage of time, international jurists enjoyed full power and a culture of judicial dependency emerged. This dependency resulted in the internationals maintaining and possessing effective control over the system for the last 12 years.

This control has stifled growth in domestic judicial capacity and caused many local jurists to defer judgment to the more experienced internationalists. Meanwhile, some of the international jurists underperformed, were essentially unaccountable since their regulatory body was far away from the courthouse steps in Dili, and believed that Timor should simply be grateful for their presence.

The international community talks a lot about capacity building. Many of those advocating for young democracies to do more to engrain the rule of law are the very ones complaining when the new governments begin to make sovereign decisions regarding what is best for their judiciary. It is all too easy to criticize a new democracy from the comforts of 250-plus year old systems.

Demanding that gold-plated systems be created overnight is unrealistic and frankly a patronizing expectation. The European and US systems, which are held out as the standard, were not created overnight nor could they have been. It took centuries of trial, error, controversy and reform to gain the acceptance and faith we have in them – generally – today. And yet, they remain imperfect.

The East Timor parliament has taken the long-view in its path towards independence. It realizes that mistakes have been made by international jurists and local experts alike. It has also created a new independent commission of international and domestic experts to audit and critique the still-new judicial system.

While we all hope that young democracies such as Timor will work to minimize the errors that will surely occur, we must recognize that organic and consistent growth is the surest way to create a strong and enduring system. Timor has taken a major step forward in controlling its own future, it should be applauded for the progress. We frankly often see too little of it from fragile and new states.

[Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper is the former US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes and represents the Government of Timor-Leste in various legal matters.]

Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/28/prosper-timor-stands-international-elites-say-sit-/