Campaigning for human rights in East Timor
DILI — The East Timor Human Rights Commission (ETHRC) was established on October 1 to conduct investigations and monitoring of human rights violations in East Timor, educate the East Timorese people about human rights issues and establish rehabilitation, education and advocacy programs.
ETHRC was formed by activists and students with a background in law, many of whom were formerly involved with Kontras, an East Timorese organisation which conducted investigations into human rights abuses and the whereabouts of persons detained by the Indonesian military before the August 30 referendum. The founder and general coordinator of ETHRC, ISABEL FERREIRA, spoke to Green Left Weekly's JON LAND about the work of ETHRC and its campaign for the creation of an international war crimes tribunal.
Ferreira said that the ETHRC has been concentrating on collating information about human rights violations carried out by the Indonesian military since September. The investigations are ongoing and it is hoped that the information will assist the activity of United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) commissions and other bodies investigating human rights violations in East Timor. The ETHRC's ultimate goal is that the information be used to prosecute criminals in an international war crimes tribunal.
Ferreira and others are deeply concerned, however, that, "There is no clear information about the status or creation of a war crimes tribunal. Often, the information we receive from UNTAET implies that an international tribunal is not possible ... and that there is little motivation to establish such a tribunal, which is very disappointing to us." ETHRC believes that this is because there is not enough pressure being placed on the UN, that the international campaign for a war crimes tribunal has been "very weak to date".
Another factor is the investigation by the Indonesian Human Rights Commission (Komnas-HAM) into the activity of the military in East Timor. Ferreira believes that, while Komnas-HAM's investigation shows the Indonesian people's desire to find out the truth about the military's role in East Timor, it may be used to block an international war crimes tribunal. "The Indonesian government and military say that their own investigations will be sufficient", Ferreira said.
ETHRC is calling for solidarity and human rights organisations to increase their campaigning for a war crimes tribunal. "Without such a campaign, the people of East Timor will be denied justice and the perpetrators of human rights violations will continue their activities", Ferreira told Green Left Weekly.
Over the coming months, ETHRC will continue its investigations into the killings and terror that occurred after the referendum. "This will assist not just in providing evidence for the prosecution of those responsible for human rights abuses but also in rehabilitating those affected by the violence. So many Timorese families have been traumatised and there are many problems", Ferreira explained.
ETHRC, through its education and advocacy programs, is helping to rebuild Timorese society, with the aim of assisting East Timorese people to become self-sufficient economically and fostering a better understanding of democracy, human rights and gender issues. "We hope that with a greater understanding of these issues, there will be no need in the future for the people to rely on non-government organisations or others to pressure and control the government, but that the people themselves will be able to do this", Ferreira said.
The work of ETHRC is hampered by many problems, such as limited finances and the lack of infrastructure in East Timor, from transport to communications. However, the members of ETHRC are committed to consolidating the work of the commission, and plan to establish offices in Maliana, Aileu and Baucau, building upon networks established in these centres and other districts.