From helenh at alphalink.com.au Thu Nov 5 02:22:54 2009 From: helenh at alphalink.com.au (Helen M Hill) Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 02:22:54 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] Launch of Melbourne Chapter of the SID Message-ID: A Melbourne Chapter of the Society for International Development will be launched on Monday evening beginning at 5.30 in Room 9.15, 9th floor, Flinders Street Campus of Victoria University. All interested in discussing and debating development policy are invited. Keynote speakers will be John Langmore, former MP, and UN and ILO employee and Ego Lemos, founder of the HASATIL sustainable development network in Timor-Leste both will address the issue of the Financial Crisis and the opportunities it creates for new models of Development. Please see the attached flier for more information about the Society for International Development and how you can become involved in it. We are also hoping that people will come with ideas for future events. Helen Hill 0409 546 167 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/easttimorstudies/attachments/20091105/7faf1954/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: SID flyer Oct 2009 (1).doc Type: application/msword Size: 40448 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/easttimorstudies/attachments/20091105/7faf1954/attachment-0001.doc From MLEACH at groupwise.swin.edu.au Fri Nov 6 08:38:00 2009 From: MLEACH at groupwise.swin.edu.au (Michael Leach) Date: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:38:00 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] =?utf-8?q?Bolsas_e_outra_Forma=C3=A7=C3=A3o_A?= =?utf-8?q?van=C3=A7ada_-_Programa_Ci=C3=AAncia_Global?= Message-ID: <4AF3E068020000200004CE5A@groupwise.swin.edu.au> Wewould be most grateful if you could post this advertisement in your mailinglist. It refers to a research grants Tender for PhD and Post-doctoralresearchers from Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome andPrincipe and Timor-Leste, to work in research programs carried out inscientific institutions and Portuguese Universities in association witheducational, research or development institutions of those countries. Thank you very much. Best regards,Sofia Martins Bolsas e outra Forma??o Avan?ada Programa Ci?ncia Global Edital Concurso para atribui??o de bolsas deinvestiga??o para Doutoramento e P?s-Doutoramento a investigadores de Angola,Cabo-Verde, Guin?-Bissau, Mo?ambique, S.Tom? e Pr?ncipe, e Timor-Leste paraprogramas de investiga??o a realizar em institui??es cient?ficas e Universidadesportuguesas em associa??o com institui??es de ensino, investiga??o oudesenvolvimento dos pa?ses mencionados Os candidatos devem remeter curr?culo e carta de motiva??o para a Funda??opara a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia at? dia 15 de Novembro de 2009. Aos candidatospr?-seleccionados ser?o solicitados elementos adicionais e, em caso deaceita??o, ser-lhes-? dado apoio na escolha da institui??o cient?fica deacolhimento em Portugal e na defini??o final do plano de trabalho. A selec??o ?efectuada por um painel independente de cientistas, baseia-se exclusivamente nom?rito cient?fico dos candidatos e das institui??es participantes e naaceita??o por parte da institui??o de acolhimento e do orientador. O Programa Ci?ncia Global ? lan?ado no ?mbito da prepara??o do Centro UNESCOpara as Ci?ncias no ?mbito da CPLP, iniciativa apresentada por Portugal juntoda UNESCO com o apoio e a participa??o de todos os pa?ses da CPLP. Reunidos em Lisboa em 29 de Agosto de 2009, os ministros respons?veis palaCi?ncia e pelo Ensino Superior de cada um dos pa?ses da CPLP decidiram saudar,apoiar e acompanhar a iniciativa pioneira de cria??o de um Centro UNESCO para aforma??o avan?ada em Ci?ncias, como entidade distribu?da, aliando forma??ocient?fica avan?ada de alto n?vel com educa??o para a responsabilidadecient?fica, a comunica??o p?blica da Ci?ncia, o conhecimento das condi??es daactividade cient?fica no pa?s de origem, a participa??o em redes e projectosinternacionais e a avalia??o cient?fica independente (ver http://www.mctes.pt/declaracaocplp).Os candidatos e as institui??es participantes na sua forma??o assumemconjuntamente esses objectivos. Uma parte da forma??o dever?, em princ?pio,realizar-se no pa?s de origem. O programa visa formar capacidades cient?ficasde alto n?vel, contribuir para combater a fuga de c?rebros e refor?ar acoopera??o cient?fica internacional sustent?vel. Em 18 de Setembro de 2009, o ministro da Ci?ncia, Tecnologia e EnsinoSuperior de Portugal, Jos? Mariano Gago, assinou e entregou ao Director-Geralda UNESCO a carta do governo portugu?s que formaliza a proposta de cria??o doCentro UNESCO (ver http://www.mctes.pt/cplp-unesco),acompanhada da declara??o de Lisboa dos ministros dos pa?ses da CPLP, ecomunicou a inten??o de lan?ar de imediato um programa inicial de forma??oavan?ada conforme aos seus objectivos e princ?pios. O Programa Ci?ncia Global, agora lan?ado, visa antecipar o funcionamento doCentro UNESCO em prepara??o, promovendo junto das institui??es e dos cientistasa experi?ncia necess?ria ? concretiza??o dos seus objectivos. FCT ? Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia MCTES ? Minist?rio da Ci?ncia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior Av. D. Carlos I, 126 Lisboa Portugal cienciaglobal at fct.mctes.pt -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/easttimorstudies/attachments/20091106/20caccc9/attachment.html From Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au Fri Nov 6 15:16:16 2009 From: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au (Bu Wilson) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 15:16:16 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] Seminar: Conflict and Development in Fragile States: Global and Regional Perspectives Message-ID: Conflict and Development in Fragile States: Global and Regional Perspectives Date: Thursday 26 November 2009 Venue: Lecture Theatre 2, Hedley Bull Centre, ANU Time: 9.45am - 4pm http://www.actionaid.org.au/index.php/conflict-and-development-in-fragile-st ates-seminar.html There is growing awareness of the dynamic relationships between armed violence and social and economic development. Nevertheless, understanding of appropriate 'policy' and 'programming' responses are still in their infancy - including in countries emerging from protracted bouts of collective violence such as Timor-Leste. ActionAid and the Small Arms Survey are working in Timor-Leste and elsewhere to identify innovative and evidence-based approaches to prevention and reduction. On November 26, guest panellists from ActionAid, The Australian National University, the Small Arms Survey and other key agencies will review the nexus between conflict and development at the global and regional level before discussing the Timor-Leste Armed Violence Assessment (TLAVA). The seminar will enable scholars, policy makers and development practitioners to review practical entry-points for addressing the many facets of violence and its impact on development, from the global to the local levels. Speakers and panel members include: Dr Bina D'Costa - The Australian National University Professor Keith Krause - Small Arms Survey Cate Buchanan - Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Bijay Kumar - ActionAid International Emergencies and Conflict team The Timor Leste Armed Violence Assessment is an Australian Government, AusAID initiative. Lunch will be provided for registered attendees. To register your attendance or request more information, please email celia.paoloni at actionaid.org by latest 13 November 2009. Places are limited. Bu Wilson Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet) Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA T: 02 6125 5813 F: 02 6125 1507 M: 0407 087 086 E: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au http://regnet.anu.edu.au ANU Cricos Provider Code - 00120C From wwright1961 at gmail.com Sat Nov 7 07:17:08 2009 From: wwright1961 at gmail.com (East Timor Law & Justice Bulletin) Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 07:17:08 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] ETLJB New Article: Private Security Companies in Timor-Leste Message-ID: New Article on East Timor Law Journal Handle with Care: Private Security Companies in Timor-Lesteby Sarah Parker East Timor Law Journal 2009 Citation: 2009 ETLJB 8 Extract: In the wake of several highly publicized and troubling incidents involving private security companies (PSCs) in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years,2 scholars and the media have increasingly focused on the role of PSCs in providing security in conflict and post-conflict settings. The international debate surrounding the engagement of private security providers is becoming increasingly important in Timor-Leste, where two developments have influenced the local discussion. Firstly, the number of PSCs operating in Timor-Leste has increased since independence. Secondly, the government is considering legislation authorizing non-state security personnel (and other civilians) to carry and use firearms in the course of their duties Internet Address: http://www.eastimorlawjournal.org/ARTICLES/2009/Parker_Private_Security_Companies_pdf.pdf -- Warren L. Wright BA LLB Solicitor, Sydney CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message and any attachments are for the exclusive use of the intended recipient/s and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorised review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message along with any attachments. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/easttimorstudies/attachments/20091107/d228a7b5/attachment.html From Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au Mon Nov 9 10:52:28 2009 From: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au (Bu Wilson) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:52:28 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] Lowy Institute: Internships for Portuguese and Tetum speakers Message-ID: <7F1BE7477BAD4BDDAC349670D040DFD2@anu.edu.au> Portuguese and Tetum speaking interns wanted The Lowy Institute is currently seeking applications from Portuguese and Tetum speaking interns to work on a voluntary Leadership Mapping Project. Applicants will need to have excellent English written skills and be fluent in either Portuguese and/or Tetum. Ideally they would have a relevant degree in international relations and a knowledge of Timorese politics. http://www.lowyinstitute.org/Recruitment.asp Bu Wilson Centre for International Governance and Justice, Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA T: 02 6125 5813 F: 02 6125 1507 M: 0407 087 086 E: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au http://regnet.anu.edu.au ANU Cricos Provider Code - 00120C From Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au Thu Nov 12 12:35:41 2009 From: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au (Bu Wilson) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:35:41 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] ANU Seminar: Balibo & the Laws of War: Prosecution & Responsibility Message-ID: <76986326ACDC4E879A914370F21D75C5@anu.edu.au> PUBLIC SEMINAR Balibo & the Laws of War: Prosecution & Responsibility Speakers: Dr Clinton Fernandes, Senior Lecturer, University of NSW at Australian Defence Force Academy and Geoff Skillen, Attorney-General's Department Wednesday, 18 November 2009, 5.30-7.00pm Law Theatre, ANU College of Law Bldg 5, Fellows Rd The Australian National University Enquiries to T: (02) 6125 0454 This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP by cob Monday 16 November to E: rsvp at law.anu.edu.au For more information, please see: http://law.anu.edu.au/CIPL/Lectures&Seminars/2009/balibo_seminar.pdf Bu Wilson Centre for International Governance and Justice, Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA T: 02 6125 5813 F: 02 6125 1507 M: 0407 087 086 E: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au http://regnet.anu.edu.au ANU Cricos Provider Code - 00120C From Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au Thu Nov 12 12:49:48 2009 From: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au (Bu Wilson) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:49:48 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] New commentary: Loro Horta: Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia: Timor-Leste as a Staging Point Message-ID: <829B35EBE9984CADAA41CB2BBA032F44@anu.edu.au> Human Trafficking in Southeast Asia: Timor-Leste as a Staging Point by Loro Horta RSIS Commentary No. 109 http://www.rsis.edu.sg/publications/commentaries.html Bu Wilson Centre for International Governance and Justice, Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA T: 02 6125 5813 F: 02 6125 1507 M: 0407 087 086 E: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au http://regnet.anu.edu.au ANU Cricos Provider Code - 00120C From Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au Mon Nov 16 14:58:25 2009 From: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au (Bu Wilson) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:58:25 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] POSTPONED Seminar: Balibo & the Laws of War Message-ID: Please be advised that the CIPL and Australian Red Cross Seminar: 'Balibo & the Laws of War: Prosecution & Responsibility' that was to be held at the ANU College of Law this Wednesday has been POSTPONED. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/easttimorstudies/attachments/20091116/133cdd24/attachment.html From Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au Tue Nov 17 08:55:53 2009 From: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au (Bu Wilson) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:55:53 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] Dr Phyllis Ferguson: Domestic Violence and Gender Based Violence in Timor-Leste Message-ID: <9A28F39F229B4206973807AC0FC5C181@anu.edu.au> DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN TIMOR-LESTE Phyllis Ferguson This review is in response to a goal to prevent and reduce real and perceived violence in East Timor through the assessment of risk factors, including the socio-economic costs of violence relating to women, children and IDPs. It is in this specific context that Domestic Violence (hereafter DV) and Sex and Gender-Based Violence (hereafter SGBV) will be examined. The case numbers continue to increase. Here the effort is made to understand why, what remedies there are presently in place, how they can be improved and streamlined to mitigate the risks and socio-economic costs. Are the caseload increases reflective of the heightened lack of physical and economic security since independence? What contributory role do prostitution, drugs and human trafficking make, if any? Sexual assault, rape and much DV is not about sex, but about power and control, by superior force, sometimes involving arms, but always perpetrated to provoke feelings of insecurity, in the domestic realm, or in public, usually against the perceived less strong ? by size, by age and often by gender. The context of DV and SGBV in Timor-Leste is examined in cultural perspective, viewing the present situation in the historical context of prior political subjugations. The crisis of 2006, the displacement and creation of the IDP camps, problems arising and their impact on the return process is analyzed to provide insights to explain the continuing rise in DV and SGBV. Recent statistics from 2008-9 provide insights into the variety and numbers of cases. The Timor-Leste constitutional guarantees and international conventions relating to gender, DV and SGBV and the formal and traditional Adat justice systems, including the impact of polygamy are reviewed. The contexts of the pending DV legislation as well as parliamentary, judicial and police efforts to reduce DV and SGBV since independence are analysed. This review then details the work of both policymaking and stakeholder service provision to protect survivors through forensic, medical and psychosocial support, legal advice and trauma healing. The advocacy and service organizations and NGOs providing support include civil society networks and an increasing number of safe houses for women and children. Alcohol abuse and street drug use, both of which play a role in DV and SGBV are considered. The associated and increasing phenomena of prostitution and trafficking, with the attendant geometric rise in cases of STDs and HIV/AIDS is reviewed. It is hoped that this gendered study will provide insights for social and economic policy planning and action initiatives to provide genuine opportunities for improved gender rights and gender equality in Timor-Leste and a means to decrease the number of cases of DV and SGBV. Overview: DV and SGBV ? Understanding violence in Timor-Leste Gender violence is a domestic and community reality in Timor-Leste. It existed in Portuguese colonial times. Instilling it was part of the patriarchal control of the many by the few. Physical violence as punishment was directed at men and boys; the expectation of a ?soft pillow? on district travel by colonial administrators, foreign merchants and traders affected women and girls. The invading Japanese forces in 1942 imposed forced labour, torture, execution, rape and sexual slavery on the Timorese. During their brief occupation ending in 1945, more than 40,000, possibly as many as 60,000, died. Portugal returned but with the carnation revolution of 1974, they precipitously withdrew from East Timor after over 450 years of colonial hegemony. This was followed a year and a half later by the invasion and 24-year occupation by Indonesia, which left 180,000 dead and 40% of women as survivors of rape or sexual assault. The final destructive violence in 1999 by the Indonesian TNI and their 22 militias ? some formed since the fall of Suharto in May 1998 ? is well documented. Much of it deliberately targeted women, both before and following the announcement of the results of the popular consultation on 30 August 1999 . Post-conflict insecurity since 1999 has been continuous; it has impacted particularly on women and girls. There has been further violence since independence in Dili in 2002, 2005, and intensively in 2006, 2007 and 2008. New engines for domestic violence and SGBV have replaced the previous subjugations of colonialism and military occupations. The rural to urban drift, especially of male youth further separated men and women in their traditional roles and expectations. Urban crowding, property and land ownership disputes, and a resurgent affiliation of predominantly male youth membership in gangs and martial arts groups also contributed to a rise in tensions. These phenomena were the more difficult to accept, as people had suffered, waited and had high hopes and expectations with independence. The high levels of male youth unemployment , mounting urban poverty in Dili, the misuse of alcohol and street drugs and social jealousy all accompanied the rise of both DV and SGBV as will be further explained below. The mounting challenges were joined by a security crisis within the army and between the army and the police, leading to anarchy and the collapse of the rule of law and justice in early 2006. The first government fell in June 2006 and International Security Forces intervened at the request of the second government ? another ?occupation?, to restore law and order. The capacity to build unity following Independence was severely compromised. The weak justice system and resulting impunity continue to need remedy. High levels of insecurity impacted both communities and homes, particularly in the capital, Dili. Public infrastructure was targeted in a copycat repeat of 1999. Public buildings and houses were burned and ransacked and upwards of 140,000 people were displaced into over 65 IDP Camps. The last of these, including ?transitional shelters?, are to close in November 2009, 14 times longer than the UN and Government?s optimistic projected duration of ?just three months? in July 2006. The rise in the number of DV and SGBV cases in the IDP context are examined below. The causes are intrinsically related to changing social relations, family breakdown, a destruction of trust and economic hardship. IDP Camp Closure, Gender Inequality, DV and SGBV The goal of humanitarian assistance in Timor-Leste during the crises of 2006, 2007 and 2008 became increasingly focussed on IDP camp closure, with the assisted return of IDPs to their communities or to alternative living situations. It required practical problem solving by the government, the Ministries, and by those international agencies, INGOs and NGOs who initially provided shelter, water and sanitation, food and non-food items, health care and protection to IDPs. Continuous negotiation over three and a half years and mediation by successive governments finally included scaled payments ranging from $50 to $4,500 to repair and rebuild damaged dwellings or to resettle. Those IDPs in the last of the transitional shelters, now numbering less than 300 families from a figure of over 140,000 people initially displaced, are being assisted to resettle. A recent World Bank Study on Dili reports constant levels of violence, especially among Martial Arts groups, with women specifically reporting harassment in one suco. In another suco, up to 40% of returning IDPs report that they are experiencing ?conflict?. Camp closure is not a panacea. Funding by donors now is dwindling, though badly needed. IDPs suffered and tolerated the loss of property and housing, separation, the threat of violence, insecurity and ill health. They were forced to accept the curtailment of education and economic opportunity while displaced. Both Dili and some district residents have experienced these impacts. Gender issues relating to the crisis became a major focus of the Sex and Gender Based Violence Referral Pathways Working Group (SGBV-RP WG). A large number of member partners of this working group worked tirelessly to support women and children and to cross-refer the increasing caseload for forensic, medical and legal assistance, psychosocial counselling and trauma healing. This work still goes together with and compliments case processing and investigation by the National and District Vulnerable Persons? Units (VPU), by the police (PNT-L) and by the Department of Social Services Children?s and Women?s Protection Units of the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS). Cases are referred by these organizations to the Prosecutor General. Although concerted effort has been made consistently to follow and to track cases, this is one of the deficiencies of staff turnover, a lack of institutional memory and coordination. Camp closure has brought a number of generic and unresolved gender issues relating to DV and SGBV into sharp perspective. These issues are particularly prevalent in Dili, but also have involved family members in the districts. The range and diversity of them are highlighted in the box below. IDP Camp Closure, Gender Inequality, DV and SGBV (1) Unresolved issues relating to ?unwanted? pregnancies Cases of forced sex, sexual assault and rape were reported in the early months of IDP life, as were instances of ?unwanted? pregnancies from these incidents. Some of these were gender-based reactions to the male frustration over loss, dislocation and uncertainty, often exacerbated by increased alcohol abuse and drunkenness. These were characteristically domestic violence (DV) cases, sometimes including incest. IDP women?s concerns over contributory physical factors such as the regular lack of electricity at night and of camp insecurity combined with a lack of security generally were taken up. Attempts were made to rectify these problems, although little could be done to redress the lack of privacy in two family tents. Women reported DV, which they attributed to drunkenness due to their withholding marital relations. Women?s Committees formed in some of the camps supported by Rede Feto; they did much to change reactive to pro-active policies and planning. Subsequent media campaigns using posters, theatre performances and targeted radio programmes in the IDP Camps on DV, SGBV and trafficking played an important role in reducing violent incidents. Local NGOs, International NGOs civil society organizations and UNDP all promoted these strategies. However other types of ?unwanted? pregnancies came forward in the IDP Camps from 2006. The context was an attempt to seek advice and assistance by young women who had ?boyfriend-girlfriend? relationships in the unusual and exceptional circumstances of camp life. De facto family breakdown often occurred as a result of camp life, with mothers and their very young children in one camp and late primary, pre-secondary or secondary children in another, close to their schools. Often the father was in yet another camp or in the districts or peripatetic between the family?s former partly damaged or destroyed house and the other members of his family in their respective IDP locales; polygamy was reported rising and was also an issue in DV cases. This separation of family members combined with the closure of many schools in Dili for long periods of time in 2006 and 2007. The result was a breakdown of settled domestic life and a rupture in the established routines and patterns of school and work, characterized by fixed activities on a daily basis for both youth and adults. Even when schools re-opened, often the economic burden of parental unemployment and constrained domestic finance foreclosed educational opportunities for many IDP youth, male and female alike. There was no possibility of resuming schooling: it was too expensive. New friendships naturally formed in the IDP camps as old neighbourhood attachments were interrupted. The freedoms and circumstances of ?boyfriends and girlfriends? that arose in the IDP Camps were previously unknown because of the traditional pressures and reinforced values exerted by parents, neighbours and community under ?normal? times. Mothers could not be everywhere all the time. With no prospect of an early resolution to the IDP crisis, there was a lack of opportunity for consistent pastoral care to supervise and protect their daughters. This presented a particular challenge to the mothers and fathers of adolescent and young adult daughters. Pregnancies occurred. These children began to be born in the period before the cycle of elections started in 2007. Additional pregnancies have occurred, with some young women now coming forward with one child and a second unwanted pregnancy as they leave the IDP camps. This has several social outcomes for all concerned. In many cases, the boyfriend and his family state he is too young to marry: he is only a student; he cannot assume responsibility for the young woman and her child/children. Some deny paternity. The young woman and her family have stark choices. Judicial System Monitoring Programme, JSMP, can provide legal advice and support to take the issue to court, but the judicial process is slow, due to the backlog of cases and the potential outcome is uncertain, so this prospect is daunting. Often, it is also logistically and financially impossible. The family of the young women has a loss, in the sense that the prospect of barlake, bride-price dowry, traditionally paid to the bride?s family, has now been foreclosed unless the young man and his family through adat mediation agree to make payment. Additionally ? partly due to the crisis ? often these young women have not completed their education and have no skills. Their prospects for further education and training are complicated by the responsibility they have for their infants. They return to their birth families with their dependent children and thus constitute an additional burden to their families in the context of ever-scarcer resources with IDP camp closure: now their situations are more insecure. Where are they to go and what can they do to support themselves? Some have turned to sex-working. (2) Gender and debt: the exacerbation of Domestic Violence As the IDP camps closed, Kiosk owners called in debts for payment. Many women IDPs asked for goods on credit: matches, packets of soap - the small necessities of life. In some cases, over a period of more than three years, the amount owed was more than $200. Women had every reason to fear as the kiosk owners reported the magnitude of these debts to unknowing husbands or partners. What women assumed and hoped was that part of the return packet provided by the government could be used for debt settlement with the kiosk owners. This situation on top of all the other uncertainties of IDP camp closure heightened the frustration and lack of agency of IDP men once again. Some men become drunk and there were reported instances of domestic violence against women and their children that were alcohol related. The dependency culture of IDP camp life was never mitigated by humanitarian assistance, but rather a stark feature and outcome of it. The social problems this dependency created include a destructive dynamic of gendered family mistrust. This mistrust is unresolved. These resentments have accompanied family members as they resettle. The context has change, but these problems will likely fester as women have been deprived of access to return payments by report, either to use for debt repayment or to assist themselves and their children to resettle after leaving the IDP Camps. Some women with children have been abandoned. (3) Gender and Government payments to returning IDPs The distribution of food and non-food items, the provision of electricity, water, sanitation and tents in the humanitarian assistance to IDPs has ended. The settlement offered by the government to returning IDPs upon re-verification of the level of destruction of their former homes was paid to the male heads of households. The incidents of polygamy have increased with men?s access to cash. It has led to poor family relations, loss of trust, men refusing familial responsibility, and the abandonment of women and children, causing broken families. Women often experience mental health problems, psychological stress, loss of dignity and confidence, economic insecurity and DV. There have been cases to date of men disappearing with these funds, as in one instance where a man abandoned his wife, seven children and two minor dependents. The numbers of these cases have risen as there was nothing to constrain them. This has also created a burden on state services. The sharp rise in the purchasing power of men is also reflected in the recent acquisition of large numbers of cars used as taxis and motorbikes. Tailbacks and traffic jams, morning, noon and night in Dili are the evidence of this use of the resettlement funds by men. Cock fighting, gambling, the consumption of alcohol and other gendered leisure pursuits have also markedly increased, as has the incidence of DV. Quarrels over access to money and its use continue to be reported by women in many DV cases. Under a new MSS scheme, promulgated for security reasons for the Eastern Districts, the resettlement payments were paid into banks in Baucau and Viqueque. There was no socialization of the policy indicating the possibility of women being joint account holders, or sole account holders in the cases of female-headed households. This presented a particularly gendered disequilibrium for women as wives, women who are heads of households and women as grandmothers who have responsibility for dependent daughters with children or ?unwanted? pregnancies. The need for gender parity in these resettlement payments was discussed but did not become part of the planning and policy decision-making. It is clear that resettlement payments have been used to purchase taxis and motorcycles. As the funds are not being used for shelter, homelessness will result, create more gender tension and further hardship, particularly for women and children as the seasonal rains of 2009 begin. (4) Schooling in Dili Other aspects of gender abuse, particularly domestic violence, have been exacerbated by the 2006 crisis. Insecurity and inflation have served to breakdown the regular visits between parents living in the more inaccessible rural areas or in Oecusse and the male and female children they sent to Dili for schooling. This has particularly impacted on minor female children. A recent case illustrates this issue. In 2004 a girl of eight was sent by her parents to begin primary school in Dili. Before the crisis, the girl and her brother, a secondary school student, also sent to Dili, had some contact with their parents. The girl lived on her own with two women, one a distant relative. She had no contact with her parents between 2006 and 2008, because of the crisis and financial constraints. During the crisis, as the girl was older, more and more demands were made for her to shop, to clean, to do the laundry and to cook food. When she protested that she wanted to go to school, she was told to do the work. She resisted increasingly and was regularly beaten. She was taken into care after her rural parents were made aware of the seriousness of the situation and with their consent. Increased vigilance is needed regarding forced domestic servitude and child labour abuses, domestic violence assaults on children and potentially more serious sexual violence or trafficking risks with rural children being schooled in Dili. Human Rights, Gender Rights and Violence Impunity for serious crimes of violence against the person and against property has increased in the last decade. This continuing experience of violence, through serial generations, inures young and old to it, by its very transmission. The weakness and newness of the state and its attendant political uncertainties have translated to the experience of violence of the new citizens of sovereign Timor-Leste who wait to see what will happen next. An overwhelming need for truth and justice over events of the past continues; this particularly conditions the presently expressed frustrations of sufferers of DV and SGBV, or those who attempt to assist them. Controlling women and children through violence and the threat of violence has become a culturally accepted assertion of power by Timorese men. In part it is colonially inherited patriarchy well learned and reinforced by the memory of Indonesian violence. Freedom did not mitigate the perpetration or the acceptance of violence. It helped provide the stage for it reassertion, in part as a reclaiming of suppressed ?traditional culture?. Gender power inequalities are perpetuated at home, at school, at work and at church: ?traditionally? men earn, women serve. Its revival is socially reinforced by barlake payments at marriage whereby gender inequality is exacerbated by the unequal payments linking families, not just at the marriage, but in all the subsequent life ritual obligations between the two families: as men give more, women are subsumed as ?property?. Funerals and other life stages ceremonies have the potential to become an arena of conflict and friction, contributing to gender-based and community violence. When combined with a man?s inability to meet payments, these inequalities may lead to abuse, exploitation and loss of face. This, in turn, often results in the victimization and maltreatment of women. Ultimately this practice and the tensions it creates is a causal factor in many DV cases. With the new millennium, particularly following independence in 2002 and now in 2009, civil society NGOs, UNIFEM, SEPI and the gender-focal points in each Ministry and in each of the 13 Districts of Timor-Leste struggle against this patriarchy to promote gender equality, as guaranteed by the Constitution and by the government?s ratification of the major international human rights treaties in 2002 and the CEDAW convention in 2003. RDTL Constitution Article 17 provides ?equality of rights and responsibilities between men and women,? and as a signatory to CEDAW, the GoTL is obligated to promote women?s rights and equal access to health, education, employment, land, political participation and decision-making opportunities. However, domestic laws are still discriminatory against women and children, and information on laws and women?s rights is not known, especially in rural areas. Without this knowledge, women are unaware; when they encounter a problem, like DV or SGBV, they do not know who to approach or how and on what basis to make claims to the state to fulfil these rights. The Beijing Platform for Action and UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 (on women, peace and security) and 1820 (on sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations) are important comprehensive statutes, which need urgent dissemination in the rural areas, as they are not yet known or understood. On September 30, 2009, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1888 that addresses the ongoing need to end sexual violence against women in conflict-affected countries. The resolution builds on and strengthens Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820, which clearly link the prevention of sexual violence with the maintenance of peace and security. However, the passage of a law like 1888 is not an endpoint or a cause for celebration. The predominant perspective is that the power to implement the law lies with government ?bureaucrats?. The truth is that if there is no advocacy at the community level, the law will probably not be implemented. Evidence-based advocacy makes a link between gathering evidence and supporting an advocacy position. A model of evidence-based advocacy builds on the idea of respect for the enormous expertise and knowledge within civil society, particularly with community-based women rights groups. ? Build flexible, resilient partnerships and coalitions with women?s groups ? involve them in designing research so that the relevant questions can be asked ? Continue to link advocacy to law-making, so that the evidence can support the advocacy ? Set up long-term and short-term benchmarks that are achievable, which give a sense of accomplishment ? Plan for the long-term ? five to 10 years: it is only possible to measure systemic change this way. The recent CEDAW review highlighted problems relating to DV and SGBV in the Timor-Leste Country Report and in their questions on it. Government and Shadow responses were submitted. The delays in promulgating the civil code and the domestic violence legislation within it are daunting. It is in its seventh year in draft. The Penal Code stipulates that domestic violence is a public crime. It will also be important to socialize the Domestic Violence, DV Legislation at the suco and aldeia levels when passed, not simply to educate police, prosecutors, public defenders and judges as SEPI plans. Knowledge of and access to district based service provision for survivors are mainly limited to the district headquarter towns, inadequate for the numbers of cases presenting. VPU reports in 2009 more than 3 DV cases per day in Dili [1,095 per year], and they calculate that for every case reported, at least 10 go unreported. Recent statistics on DV cases for January to July 2009 (7 months) report 188 cases. Below are the incidents of DV and SGBV against children under 18 from 9 districts reported to National VPU from September 2008 to April 2009. Information is missing from three districts; again many cases are known to be unreported. DV and SGBV Cases (under 18 years) Victim Age Female/Male Offence Suspect Age Relationship to victim Sept-08 16 Female Incest 47 Father 7 Female DV 25 Mother 14 Female DV 40 Father 15 Female Indecent assault 18 Not Known 9 Male DV N/K Father 14 Female Attempted rape 26 Taxi driver 17 Female Rape N/K Multiple offenders, no relationship 15 Female Rape N/K No relationship 5 Female Attempted rape 15 No relationship 17 Female Sexual assault 24 No relationship Oct-08 3 Female Rape 20 Family friend 7 Female Rape 20 Family friend 16 Female Underage sex 21 Boyfriend 6 months Female Indecent assault N/K Not Known 8 Female Indecent assault 53 Uncle 17 Female Indecent assault 40 Brother in law Not Known Female Incest 40 Father 14 Female DV 45 Father Nov-08 13 Male Assault N/K Not Known 16 Female Indecent assault 19 Not Known 14 Female Underage sex 20 Friend 13 Female Rape 40 Friend 11 Female Assault N/K Not Known 9, 5 Male Assault N/K Father 17 Female Pregnant/abandoned 36 Boyfriend 10 Male Assault N/K School teacher 2 Female Assault 17 No relationship 12 Male Assault 36 Auntie (guardian) 13 Female Rape N/K No relationship Dec-08 9 Male Assault 44 Uncle 16 Female Assault 23 Female no relationship 12 Male Assault 12, 53, 35 Family 16 Female Rape 21 Friend 14 Female Indecent assault 45 Not Known Jan-09 15 Female Rape 18 No relationship 15 Female Pregnant/Abandoned 26 Boyfriend 16 Female Incest 47 Father 14 Female Attempted rape 31 No relationship 12 Female Rape N/K Living in same accommodation 16 Female Indecent assault 50 No relationship 14 Female Assault 40 Neighbour 14 Male Assault N/K Mother 15 Female Incest 64 Father 16 Female Rape 42 School principal 13 Male Assault N/K School teacher Feb-09 17 Female Indecent assault 23 No relationship 12 Male Assault 38 Father 6 Male Assault 33 Father 12 Female Gang raped 13,14,15 &16 No relationship 15 Female Rape 32 Cousin 3 Female Indecent assault 15 Friend, male 17 Female Pregnant/Abandoned 22 Friend, male Mar-09 14 months Female Attempted murder 29 Mother 12 Male Assault 14 Friend, male 9 Female Attempted rape 19 No relationship 13 Male Assault N/K Not Known Apr-09 15 Female Rape N/K Relative 14 Female Rape 36 School teacher 13 Female Attempted rape 15 No relationship 12 Male Assault N/K Not Identified In summary, of these 65 incidents all were under the age of 18; 47 were female, 18 were male. The cases include 23 rape or attempted rape, 5 incest, 10 other sexual assault, 16 DV and 11 other assault cases. The lack of justice for female and child survivors of DV and SGBV is an unfortunate outcome of the formal justice system as well as the non-formal, traditional adat system as will described below. Formal justice consists of a police investigation of the reported crime, leading to court hearings, indictment, conviction and the imprisonment of perpetrators. This is a time consuming process fraught with delays, adjournments and inefficiencies. Formal justice is particularly compromised due to case backlogs (more than 5,000 in Dili District Court alone), a lack of human resources (judges, prosecutors, public defenders and lawyers) and the resulting inherent lack of will and capacity. There are only four district courts for the thirteen districts of Timor-Leste. Although all the new buildings for criminal and civil prosecutions are now completed, one court, that in Oecusse, only convenes irregularly when cases are brought; the judges, public defenders and prosecutors only fly in when there are cases. There have been cases of an indigent wife who suffered DV begging for the release of her convicted spouse, as she has no means to support herself and their children. Women enjoy little security and for the most part do not yet have heritable rights to land or to property, although the draft land law seeks to redress the rights of women, as noted above. There is nothing for women to fall back on, not even on their birth family, who, having received barlake payments often encourage their daughters to remain in failed marriages with violent husbands. So even with legal support, some women who suffer DV and SGBV withdraw their cases only to become serially assaulted. Also, in Timor-Leste, in divorce, the children go to the husband, not to the wife, part of the reason that women remain in violent marriages. In the future, changes in custody rules and the further economic empowerment of all women will be the most important antidotes. Three cases below illustrate the realities of DV. THREE CASES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM TIMOR-LESTE ?My boyfriend followed me. His brother had invited us to go to a party. On the way home my boyfriend attacked me and tried to choke me He had relations with me and raped me (?estraga?). Then we brought him to the tribunal because my brother-in-law and my sister said we should. They said that we would not use traditional justice. It was my brother-in-law who told the police [what happened] because I could not talk. I fainted and I could not eat for 1? days. They just used a spoon to feed me. My brother brought me to hospital and someone else brought the doctor to give me an injection. We went home some days later and the police came and asked us where that man?s house was. When I got home, the ?Dato? [an elder of the traditional justice adat council] was upset with me. He said ?It is not right that this problem has not been resolved by us. It should be resolved with us before the information is given to the police?. [I did not go to the ?Dato?] because I did not think about these things, myself. I knew that all they wanted was only just to eat meat. (*) We had to follow adat to solve the problem, if not, the ?Dato? would say that we had not respected them because we did not choose them to solve the case. Anyway, if we go directly to the police, they will only send it back to ?tesi tradisaun? [traditional adat arbitration]. I would like to put him in prison. Coming from the ?Dato?, the result will be to make the man pay a ?casu sala? [confession, admission of guilt, accompanied by a fine of money and buffalos, see above, (*)]. My brother-in-law wanted him to go to court and to jail. Only my brother-in-law gave me support.? ********** For one and a half months, my husband was just gambling (playing pool). He took the money that I had saved and used it for gambling. I complained, but he didn?t care. He didn?t even care when the babies were crying. So, I threw a bucket of warm water on him that I had used to wash the babies. In response he punched me three times and kicked me twice, then stabbed me with a pool cue, pulled my hair and threw me down forcefully onto the floor. I was in pain so I took a knife and scared him so he ran out of the house. If not, he would have killed me. I was wounded because he had hit me with the pool cue. Then, I went to make a report to the police and the police came to arrest him and to make an investigation. When I later returned to the police station, one police officer asked me, ?Is that your husband you are bringing this food to? You?ve just given birth, why didn?t you send someone else?? The police did not allow him to go home, but I said that since they had arrested him, his family had become so mad with me. And also, I have a little baby. Who will collect firewood and get water while I look after my baby? I asked them to release him because I had just given birth and I could not use cold water. I also thought about the other babies. What would I do if they were crying and asking for bread or other things in the early morning which I wouldn?t be able to do as I must look after the new born? The police released him at 9pm. I didn?t think about [going to the] court. I was just thinking about the fact that he had hit me. They could help, I just reported him so that the police could give him advice or a warning not to do that again to me He has changed his behaviour since he has come back. He has not been gambling since. He just goes to the garden and stays at home if he has nothing to do. He said that he feels ashamed with the neighbours because I reported him to the police.? She summarised her position, ?I had a problem since my first baby was born until now. He never listened to what I said. I wanted to scare him and teach him a lesson as he always said I didn?t have the power to make a report to the police I think the police system is better [than adat justice], because the police can give him some moral motivation and an ultimatum to not do this again.? ********** In a short film by Ian White, a young East Timorese woman is interviewed in hospital. As she begins to speak, you only see her face. As she describes her case, the camera reveals her sitting on the hospital bed. She relates that she had a good job. It involved her having to travel, so her employers provided a motorcycle. Her brother was unemployed and became very jealous of her success; he asked her for money. She told him to seek work. Then he asked to use the motorcycle, but she refused, as it was her motorcycle for work. He became angry and told her to get out of the house and not to think she could continue live there any longer. She told him it was their home and she had as much right to live there as he did. As she was sleeping one night, her brother returned to the house, entered her room, poured petrol on her and lit a match, which he threw on her. She was engulfed in flames. Her whole body, but for her face is bandaged. She states that there are many forms of domestic violence. The first two cases above highlight the choices presented by accessing adat or formal justice procedures and the conditions that sway women?s decision-making. Recidivism by perpetrators in adat cases is very common. Formal Justice The language of the law and the courts is Portuguese, spoken by less than 10% of the population, making it difficult for legislators, for public knowledge and for public comment on draft legislation by civil society. It also presents special challenges in court for victims, witnesses ? who enjoy no guaranteed protection ? and for the accused. Most do not speak or understand Portuguese and therefore find the trial process incomprehensible and intimidating. Meeting the costs of travel, accommodation and food particularly challenges the will of defendants. There is free legal advice available through the Victim Support Service, VSS, of the Judicial System Monitoring Programme, JSMP, and until recently through pro-bono work by legal advisors for Avocats sans Frontiers and still from local Legal NGOs such as CEM in Baucau District, and FFSO in Oecusse District. Rural victims particularly suffer discrimination through their lack access to information concerning their rights and the law and to their fear due to a lack of knowledge of the formal justice system and its procedures. Lack of transport and financial support for women victims also predicates against committing to the lengthy process of a court trial with adjournments due to the long backlog of cases. Police for these reasons often encourage complainants to seek resolution through adat traditional justice. There is growing perception by women that there will be change, however, as articulated in this statement, ?There is also the opportunity to give protection to women through politics. Like a husband and wife, when the husband goes outside the house and does bad things, there is no law to help the wife. But now there is a representative [SEPI] for them through the inclusion of women in politics.? Herein lies some hope. Adat practices regarding DV and SGBV The Community Authority law, 5/2004, stipulates that the village and hamlet chiefs (chefe de suco and the chefe de aldeia) are responsible for promoting the creation of mechanisms for DV prevention and supporting initiatives regarding the follow-up and protection of DV victims, and for the condemnation and repression of DV perpetrators in accordance with the gravity and circumstances of each case as well as their punishment and rehabilitation. Most DV and SGBV cases go before the adat system of traditional justice at the aldeia or suco levels. Traditional adat practice starts with family mediation, which if unresolved moves to the hamlet (aldeia) chief and then to the village (suco) chief, in council with male and female elders. If unresolved at this third level the complaint is referred to the Sub-District and then to the District Administrator; failing all these options, the complaint becomes a matter for the police and formal justice procedures. The adat system seeks above all to mitigate public embarrassment, social shame and stigma. But it often results in the perpetuation of cycles of impunity and further violence with little relief or support for female or child survivors as male-dominated decision-makers adjudicate fines to be paid by the male perpetrator to male relatives of the female or child victim, while blame is often cast on her or the child and most often medical or psychosocial support is not provided. Particularly if the survivor is far from one of the four regional hospitals, the person is physically and psychologically unsupported. Increasingly if women are pregnant, they resort to abortion. Although this adat system continues to be predominantly male dominated, before the October 2009 second local elections there were eight women village chiefs of 442; now there are 16. Since 2004/5 when through positive discrimination women were first elected to local government, some women village chiefs have deliberately sought paralegal training. Their view was better to understand both formal and traditional adat justice. They learned about the constitution, human rights, gender equality, the law, the systems of justice and procedural rules and regulations. This knowledge has empowered them to support women constituents who suffer gender-based violence and to command respect within their communities in these adat traditional justice leadership roles that have been, heretofore, the exclusive right of men. >From 2004 to 2009, many of the 1,360 women local council members were also approached by women constituents for support and advice over problems relating to DV and SGBV. To the extent that they have had transformational gender-based trainings on their roles and duties and on human rights, gender rights and justice, they are able to inform women of their rights in law. The women councillors can also advise how to access advocacy workers from NGOs, district-based gender focal points as well as other service providers, local hospitals and clinics for survivors of DV and GBV. But as the VPU Chief of Manatuto District PNTL emphasised, more socialization about human rights and gender rights with local administrators, legal authorities and traditional justice leaders at the community level is badly needed, to decrease incidences of DV. ?In the past, men have always considered that the rights of men and women are not the same. This is the time of independence now. We need to educate people about human rights, and that women?s rights are the same as men?s.? For information on the major Service Providers and Advocacy Groups in Timor- Leste see the two boxes below. Non-Governmental Service Providers working to prevent DV and SGBV AMKV, Asosiasaun Mane Kontra Violencia, The Association of Men against Violence, is a men?s group leading the promotion of gender equality and the prevention of violence against women, with men, basing their work on analysis of their own personal practice. This informs their social activism to encourage men?s participation in the struggle on gender equality more broadly. It was founded by 10 men in 2002 and now has over 200 male members working on community advocacy campaigns to mainstream gender equality. AMKV believes that transformation needs to begin at home, because that is where the patriarchal system starts and where discrimination originates. It maintains a high level of volunteer activism despite only sporadic, project-specific funding from Oxfam, Caritas and UNFPA. It is an example of ?south-to-south? capacity building, formed after trainings in Dili in 2002 by the Nicaraguan men?s group, Puntos de Encuentro. It currently has 15 focal points in seven districts (six in Dili) and a fluctuating number of other volunteers. It begins community engagement by helping groups of men organize around their own priorities, involving income generation in community gardens, carpentry work, or selling from kiosks. Discussion of violence against women and gender equality arises naturally during these activities. They also work to counsel males in prison convicted of DV and SGBV, providing information and sustained support to prevent recidivism. Casa Vida provides safe house accommodation for females under 18 and counseling for both boy and girl survivors of DV or SGBV. It was founded in 2008 in response to the need for child support services and takes referrals from PRADET, MSS and the Prosecutor General. It has assisted 36 children and youth and has recently opened a Caf? to provide training and income generating activities. Fokupers, (Forum Komunikasi Untuk Perempuan Timor-Leste, Communication Forum for East Timorese Women), was established in 1997 to fight for human rights, especially women?s rights and to empower and support women survivors of gender-based violence. They provide a shelter and psychosocial support to women and their children. They also offer capacity building training at their shelter. GBV/RP Network The Gender-Based Violence Referral Partners Network began in 1999, and included the NGOs FOKUPERS, PRADET and JSMP. In 2006 National VPU including PNTL and UNPol, and MTRC/MSS representing government victim support services and advocacy support from Oxfam, the Alola Foundation, Rede Feto, AMKV (the association of men against violence), and ETCRN (East Timor Crisis Reflection Network) and multilateral donors from UNFPA, UNIFEM, UNICEF and IOM increasingly contributed. The network has two approaches for improving collaboration and coordination of support services. A working group now meets monthly to develop a shared policy planning for case management, with standardized protocols and coordinated, comprehensive data collection, training standards and materials. The long established Service Providers of the referral pathways group meets weekly to share case information; to support members in contacting cases in the districts; to find transportation for witnesses or safe accommodation for children being victimized at home; to share and report information on traffickers suspected of exploiting women and children with VPU and Immigration. Judicial System Monitoring Programme, (JSMP), was established in 2001 to promote compliance with International Human Rights standards by the Timor-Leste justice system. The Victim Support Service supports, advises and facilitates women?s access to the formal justice system. Their Women?s Justice Unit monitors criminal cases of women survivors of SGBV and the legislative process of the national parliament. Through their Legal Research Unit and Outreach Unit, JSMP provides justice reports; media releases through radio, television and the press and district-based workshops and community discussions to inform the public about human rights women?s rights, the law and the judicial process. PRADET, (Psychological Recovery and Development in East Timor) founded in 2002, grasped the nettle of the case in 2004 of the multiple rape of a fourteen-year-old girl by nine police, which a judge dismissed ?for lack of evidence.? This led to the design of a comprehensive forensic protocol, based on WHO guidelines, in three languages and the building and staffing of a safe house, Fatin Hakmatek, which opened in 2006 at the National Hospital in Dili. There, forensic examination for use in court assures that justice can be served. Pradet provides mental health counseling and assistance to women and children who have experienced physical or sexual abuse under a memorandum of understanding with the East Timor Ministry of Health. PRADET provides support for medical treatment, referral for legal aid (JSMP) and longer-term shelter (Casa Vida for children and adolescents, Fokupers for women and their children) for female survivors of DV and SGBV in Dili and by referral from the districts. In the first eight months of 2007, Fatin Hakmatek assisted 144 clients, including survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, child sexual abuse, abandonment and attempted suicide. More recently they have partnered with IOM to work on counter-trafficking and they have initiated a national campaign against alcohol abuse, as it is one of the proven root causes of violence against women. Advocacy Organizations working to prevent DV and SGBV The Alola Foundation was established in 2001, in response to the horrific abduction and gang rape by the militia of Alola, a 14-year-old girl. Since then the Alola Foundation has developed and refined five programme areas: maternal and child health , education, economic development, advocacy and management. It has increasingly moved toward providing practical support for the economic empowerment of women and has now teamed with Oxfam to enable rural women?s groups (with most members younger than 30) to set up income-generating cooperatives. Three-day village-based workshops are offered, which begin with interactive methods for stimulating discussion of the main forms of violence and discrimination experienced by women in their daily lives, such as discrimination in land and property inheritance patterns, male dominance in leadership, and patriarchal cultural attitudes that disempower and blame women. The workshops then help women identify small, manageable steps they can take in their own lives to reduce violence and discrimination. The workshops form income-generating cooperatives that help reduce women?s economic dependence on men. Alola provides continuing training and support to the cooperatives, including marketing opportunities. Ba Futuru, a National NGO founded in 2004 has worked to reduce the prevalence of violent discipline practices through a training curriculum, TAHRE - Transformative Arts and Human Rights Education Guide and resource materials on child protection and positive discipline through a Positive Discipline Manual, Build Peace with Children, Guia Hari?i Dame Ho Labarik Sira. For five years they have provided child rights, human rights, trauma healing and peace building trainings to children and youth. They also provide the opportunity for parents, teachers, Child Protection Focal Points, Youth Representatives and community leaders to learn about the negative impacts of physical punishment while building positive discipline skills, instrumental to stopping the cycle of violence in homes and schools. 25 Trainings given in 2008 reached approximately 600 participants in Lautem, Baucau, Manufahi, Ainaro and Dili. In Baucau, Teacher Training occurred in January 2009 and in a follow up M&E in April 2009, a School Head reported that 98% of the teachers no longer beat or hit their students. In separate meetings with students, more than half reported they had not been hit since the training of their teachers, and a teacher reported that he had stopping hitting his wife, his own children and his students. In 2010 Ba Futuru hopes to take the Strengthening Peace in the Lives of Children to 11 schools in Covalima and one school in Dili; giving protection to the vulnerable, Goal VI of the MDGs. Ba Futuru also coordinates with MSS/DNRS (Social Services) and the Vulnerable Persons Unit of PNTL, the National Police and UNPol in cases of child abuse and neglect, providing counseling and psychosocial support. Grupu Feto Foin Sae Timor-Leste, East Timor Young Women?s Organization, (GFFTL), promotes female literacy training in 11 districts and undertakes advocacy against domestic violence in rural communities. The HAQ Foundation, was founded in 1996 to promote human rights, including gender rights. Through its programme on legal aid; upholding justice; law and human rights education and enforcement, including human rights training for PNTL; human rights monitoring; emergency assistance for refugees from 1998 to independence and for IDPs 2006 to the present; research, for example on Japanese comfort women in WW II in Timor and an assessment of conflict and violence by Martial Arts Groups; citizenship education; referendum and election monitoring and advice to National Commissions and other Working Groups formed by the Government; its internal programme and its new Peace Building project, it has consistently and strongly promoted gender equality. OPMT, the women?s wing of Fretilin was established in 1975. It is a member organization of Rede Feto, the Women?s Network, and advocates for women?s rights to political participation, gender equality and women?s literacy through district-based training. As a Rede Feto partner, it is actively involved in the campaign against violence toward women, particularly domestic violence. OPE/SEPI The Secretary of State for the Promotion of Equality sits on the Council of Ministers and is therefore able to influence decisions of the Government and Parliament. SEPI is strongly supported by the United Nations? mission and agencies. The office has benefited from advice from senior international technical advisors on gender and violence against women and from substantial donor funding. Strengthening national capacity to address gender-based violence is one of its four core programs. OPE/SEPI achievements include: *Legal changes to increase women?s participation in decision-making bodies, including those that hear offences against women, at national and community levels, and training of female candidates in this area with support from UNIFEM. *Presentation of pending legislation on domestic violence, now submitted to parliament. *The 5/2004 law giving local authorities the duty to reduce domestic violence in their communities. *Development with partners of a network of basic services for survivors. *Increased public awareness through extensive civic education and public awareness campaigns. *Advocacy with the department of education to include in school curricula the right of women to live free from violence. *Obtaining a grant of more than $5million under MDG-funding to work jointly on the economic empowerment of women protecting them from violence. Funded activities under this grant (2008?10) will include: strengthening referral systems and agencies in the districts, especially links between the police and NGOs; training and monitoring of the suco councils on implementing their new duties to reduce domestic violence; expanding the system of hospital-based safe spaces into the districts; activities to prevent trafficking and to protect female internally-displaced persons; and to provide rehabilitation for perpetrators and increase men?s gender activism. Rede Feto (Women?s Network), is an umbrella network of seventeen national organizations, established in 2001 as a direct result of deliberations at the First National Women?s Congress in 2000 to promote gender equality and women?s rights and to support women in development. Rede Feto promotes advocacy for gender equality and women?s rights and strengthens the organizational capacity of its members. Its gender-based violence project during the IDP crisis was a collaborative effort involving Rede Feto, UNFPA, JSMP, PRADET and OPE. It undertook an assessment of the incidence of SGBV in IDP camps and the factors contributing to GBV, gave counseling to victims, ensured victims were referred to organizations offering suitable forms of support, trained camp managers in GBV response and facilitated community education about GBV and human rights. Another important initiative developed with Care International, FOKUPERS and OPE were the women?s committees made up of female representatives from the camps. They liaised with camp managers, police, and NGOs and agencies working in the IDP camps. Once the SGBV program in the camps ended, there was concern that women would cease to come forward with problems they faced. The committees are part of a continuing programme by Rede Feto, with women becoming active in a range of decision-making forums in communities as the IDP camps close. Service Providers and Advocacy groups struggle in Timor-Leste to provide support to women and children who experience DV and SGBV. Human and financial resources and continuity of staff, service provision and effective advocacy are lacking. The constant challenge is to secure guaranteed long-term funding to make the outreach sustainable and to expand and to monitor these badly needed services in the districts. Lastly, brief consideration of the complex issues of prostitution, trafficking and STIs/HIV will be given in the context of DV and SGBV. The most recent comprehensive review was undertaken by Cathleen Caron for the Alola Foundation in 2004. Another such study is urgently needed to secure panel data for the past five years. Timorese and foreign men alike have exploited women in Timor-Leste for centuries. Increases in sex working since 1999 partly reflect the large number of arrivals of foreign men. They work in UN missions , international security forces and as foreign workers in agencies and NGOs and since 2007, also as construction workers, primarily from mainland China. Women sex workers cite DV, trauma from rape or sexual assault, unwanted pregnancy, abandonment or divorce and the resulting economic insecurity as the catalysts for entering sex work. The average age to begin was 17, although 2/3rds of those women surveyed began at age 14. Of male sex workers surveyed, half sex work due to economic necessity, half to supplement their other income; 3/4th were under 18. For both men and women under 18, this constitutes statutory rape. Recent cases in 2009 of foreign pedophiles have not gone to indictment or trial, an indication of the vulnerability of minor aged sex workers and the impunity of the justice system. The increasing client demand has also been met by more trafficking into Timor of Chinese from Guangdong and Fujian, Thai and Philippine women, attracted by the dollar economy. The increase is partly reflected in 15 raids between 2001 and 2004, despite UN mission zero tolerance policies. The raids and UN policies served to deflect sex working off the streets, out of the brothels and into more call-ins, house-based, less-visible activity. Two way extortion, by bar, club, massage parlor and/or brothel owners and operators and by the police, local security company guards and martial arts groups, all with overlapping memberships have contributed to rising cases of prostitution, drug use and corruption. Both male and female sex workers experience violence and assert that abuse is a risk, both from clients, the military and the police. No cases have resulted in formal trials of traffickers, there has been no bi-lateral law enforcement, despite trafficking being a transnational crime and without anywhere safe to go, witnesses either return to sex work or leave Timor. IOM, UNHCR and the revived Anti-Trafficking Working Group have begun to implement the regional Bali process, to involve the Embassies in Dili of sending counties and to review for implementation human rights based protection services and to increase the numbers of safe houses and the information and access to these services. To the extent that the 2006 crisis provided new opportunities for trafficking out of Timorese women and girls, one long-running case failed in court to send a definitive message, although the adoption of the anti-trafficking, anti-people smuggling and anti-organized crime statues in August 2009 will help, if properly socialized and enforced. Sex workers and others note growing safety, health and medical issues. An Oecusse woman Councillor concerned about the growing health risk reported, ?There is HIV/AIDS in Oecussi. It is with the youth and the prostitutes, and it also comes from border meetings with TNI, the Indonesian Army, and their former militias, and from people coming from Dili; there is AIDS in the UN.? Failure to use condoms by Timorese clients was reported by both Timorese and Indonesian male and female sex workers. They want monthly STI/HIV tests. They also want a safe house or Resource Centre where they can access condoms; alternate employment counseling; legal advice and assistance regarding their labour rights and immigration problems, as prostitution is legal. In the population at large, particularly in the rural areas where many people do not know what a condom is, more information about HIV/AIDS and STI prevention is needed. Recent initiatives of the SISCa Community Health Programme of the Ministry of Health, through the Global Fund; more reproductive health information through NGOs such as Alola Foundation Health Alliance International (HAI), Marie Stopes International and AMKV and an intensive, coordinated inter-ministerial, inter-agency campaign could reverse the present trend which shows a radical escalation of reported cases. The view is that many cases are unreported due to ignorance and fear but outreach campaigns for Voluntary Counselling & Testing to adolescents and to the Security Forces and to sex workers have been initiated. The increasing incidents of DV and SGBV contribute to sex working as indicated above. Conversely sex working has also contributed to the increasing cases of DV and SGBV, particularly in the IDP camps, in a mutually reinforcing syndrome. KEY FINDINGS: DV and SGBV cases continue to increase in Timor-Leste due to physical and economic insecurities ? joblessness, family breakdown and gender mistrust and continuing cycles of residential upheaval due to migration and forced migration. Remedies suggested in the brief are consolidated below. Address discrimination and patriarchy ? All DV and SGBV is a threat to security. Improve civic education outreach. More training needs to be provided to stop violence against women and to promote child protection through local workshops. Training in gender equality for boys and men at the suco level and in schools in all 13 districts needs to be intensified. Additional training for men, women and children on the contents and meaning of the Constitution, CEDAW and the laws of Timor-Leste to further alleviate gender discrimination and to achieve a paradigm shift in attitudes about women?s rights is needed. ? Target families, teachers, administrators, new suco councillors and prospective Metropolitan Assembly members and all political and policy stakeholders at the district and national levels to eliminate specific domestic and work-related discrimination. ? Advocate equal opportunities for income generating and sustainable development through work and advocate the equal right to own land and property, as guaranteed by the Constitution. Advocate law enforcement by improving the quality and quantity of human resources in the justice and security sectors ? Mitigate corruption and extortion in the security services and pursue DV and SGBV perpetrators by enforcing the laws, strengthening investigation, supporting indictment, leading without undue delay to trial, sentencing and imprisonment without release or amnesty, to end the present impunity. Promote accurate record keeping, filing and databases for DV and SGBV. ? Prioritize long term support for DV and SGBV services with integrated service provision, support for community networks for women and children to include improved data base record keeping by service providers, PNTL and VPU. ? Advocate for truth seeking and justice to end impunity for the SGBV crimes of the occupation period, 1974-99, through Parliament?s review of the Chega! Report?s findings and recommendations submitted to them in 2005 and those of the Truth and Friendship Commission of 2008 as well as for DV and SGBV crimes perpetrated since 1999. ? Advocate the reduction of DV/SGBV incidents as they continue to rise, by supporting and urgently seeking funds for paralegal training work across all 13 districts of legal NGOs and CSOs, such as CEM and FFSO. Communication must be improved, particularly to citizens at the grassroots. This can only become a reality through the government?s commitment to invest in rural infrastructure, including access to lower cost telecommunications; improved roads, bridges and public transportation; health, education, water and sanitation service provision. Water and firewood collection still foreclose rural female children?s education. ? Help secure funding for suco-based information outreach on health service provision and support for survivors of DV and SGBV in all 13 districts and for their access to effective formal and survivor-focussed adat justice, to be achieved through legal reform. ? Support and publicise the IOM-Pradet community-based outreach on anti-trafficking and the new legislation. Help secure funding and publicise UNICEF and the Global Fund of the MOH campaign and training for ?cascade? peer education for HIV/AIDS prevention and alcohol and drug prevention advocacy in the sucos. Fund and prepare a comprehensive suco-based grassroots campaign to disseminate the contents and meaning of DV law when promulgated. The challenge to reduce DV and SGBV in Timor-Leste was again taken up by the Third Women?s Congress in 2008; by the appointment of national advocates in the campaign to eradicate violence against women and children; by SEPI and by the government (especially women parliamentarians) during the annual 16 days of Activism to eliminate Violence Against Women, in November and December; by UNIFEM ; by UNICEF campaigns for child protection and by the valuable contributions of many service providers and advocates in the NGO community. Now the need is for these various platforms of action to be pervasively socialised with all the citizens of Timor-Leste and for sustainable funding to be found to achieve these goals. Phyllis Ferguson, Oxford, 16 November 2009 Bu Wilson Centre for International Governance and Justice, Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA T: 02 6125 5813 F: 02 6125 1507 M: 0407 087 086 E: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au http://regnet.anu.edu.au ANU Cricos Provider Code - 00120C From aetamel at aetamel.org Mon Nov 16 21:23:32 2009 From: aetamel at aetamel.org (Australia-East Timor Association) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:23:32 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] Justice ET-Clinton Fernandes speaker Nov 28-Melb Message-ID: Event: Australia-East Timor Association Independence Day Dinner(+) -- Focus on the issue of justice for Timor-Leste -- Date: Saturday 28th November, 2009 Time: 6.00 pm for 6.30 pm ** Guest speaker - Dr Clinton Fernandes ** Clinton Fernandes was consulting historian to the film Balibo. He is a historian of the 24-year occupation of East Timor in its multiple dimensions: the clandestine resistance, the armed resistance, the Indonesian military, the diplomatic front and the solidarity movement. In this address to AETA's annual dinner, he will expand upon the issues raised in the film, including the role of the Australian government, the solidarity movement that developed here and the ongoing struggle for justice in East Timor today. He will argue that the principal obstacle to justice for East Timor isn't legal but political. The main task for those who support the people of East Timor in their quest for justice is to convert the legal consensus into a political consensus. Fernandes will outline how this consensus can be created. Location: Treacy Conference Centre, 26 The Avenue, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia Melway Map 29 Ref F-12 Programme: * Guest speaker * Three course buffet meal * Live Timorese music * Drinks from the bar (not BYO) * AETA book stall * ETWA craft stall Tickets: $40 per person (Full) $30 per person (Concession) Bring your friends: organise a table for up to 10 Please contact AETA if you require a vegetarian meal. All bookings must be made and paid for by Friday 20th November. Please contact us if you have a difficulty with this deadline and you would still like to attend. For further information call (03) 9416 2960 or e-mail aetamel at aetamel.org (+) Nov 28 is the day in 1975 that the East Timorese liberation movement made the Universal Declaration of Independence to establish the Democratic Republic of East Timor. The military of the Republic of Indonesia launched their full scale invasion nine days later on the 7th December 1975. --------------------------------------- Australia-East Timor Association (AETA) PO Box 93 FITZROY VIC 3065 AUSTRALIA Tel.: 61 3 9416 2960 E-mail: aetamel at aetamel.org From saraniner at gmail.com Tue Nov 17 16:14:38 2009 From: saraniner at gmail.com (Sara Niner) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:14:38 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] INVITE to the Melbourne Book Launch for "XANANA: Leader of the Struggle for Independent Timor-Leste" Message-ID: *"XANANA: Leader of the Struggle for Independent Timor-Leste" *by Sara Niner* * *Book Launch Human Rights Day Thursday 10 December 2009 6-8pm at the Bella Union Trades Hall crn Lygon, Russell and Victoria Sts Carlton * *Launched by Terry Bracks ** * *Timorese and World Music by Zelda Da** ** * *For more information about the author and the book go to** http://saraniner.blogspot.com/ ** * *This is the political biography of Xanana Gusm?o, leader of the East Timorese struggle for self-determination and first President of the new nation of Timor-Leste. * *Twenty-four years of warfare with Indonesia transformed Xanana from an apolitical outsider into a tough guerrilla commander and, ultimately, the central unifying figure of East Timorese nationalism.* *In 1999, upon his bittersweet homecoming after years of imprisonment in Indonesia, Xanana faced the unenviable task of leading a traumatised people out of the terrifying violence and destruction that ended the Indonesian occupation. Today, the politics of East Timor remain volatile and complex, and many challenges still exist for this tiny new nation.* *This is the story of a remarkable man and gifted leader.* Dr. Sara Niner is a writer, research consultant and Honorary Research Associate at Monash University where she has recently finished a Post-Doctoral Fellowship focussing on women, handcrafts and development in Timor-Leste. She is the editor of 'To Resist is to Win: the Autobiography of Xanana Gusm?o with selected letters and speeches' (2000). *Please come and celebrate and please pass this on. Thanks Sara* * * *To purchase the book on-line go to http://www.scholarly.info/purchase.htm* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/easttimorstudies/attachments/20091117/eed755d0/attachment.html From Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au Wed Nov 18 11:14:50 2009 From: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au (Bu Wilson) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:14:50 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] ANU: UN Peacekeeping Round table Message-ID: <7D5563B39A1D4F3B99F0DAF511EF1FD9@anu.edu.au> Charting A New Horizon: UN Peacekeeping Round-Table With special guest Izumi Nakamitsu, Director of Policy Evaluation and Training, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations Monday 23 November 2009 from 2.00 - 4.00 pm, Mills Meeting Room, 4th floor of the Chancelry Building, ANU (Building No. 10) Representatives from the Australian Government, non-government organisations and the academic communities of ANU and University of Canberra are invited to attend this round-table discussion on recent initiatives in UN peacekeeping with Ms Izumi Nakamitsu, a senior official in the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations based at UN Headquarters in New York. One of the topics of discussion will be the important new UN peacekeeping policy document, Charting A New Horizon for UN Peacekeeping. Ms Nakamitsu is the Director of Policy Evaluation and Training in the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. She reports directly to the UN Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations on peacekeeping policy development, training and best practices. This rare visit to Canberra by a senior UN peacekeeping official provides an important opportunity for the Australian Government and nongovernment communities to hear about the latest initiatives relating to UN peacekeeping operations, in particular plans coming out of A New Horizon. If you plan to attend this event please rsvp before 5.00 pm Friday 20 November by email to cigj at anu.edu.au or by phone to 6125-3556. The UN Peacekeeping Round-Table is co-hosted by the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence and the ANU Centre for International Governance & Justice. Bu Wilson Centre for International Governance and Justice, Regulatory Institutions Network (RegNet, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA T: 02 6125 5813 F: 02 6125 1507 M: 0407 087 086 E: Bu.Wilson at anu.edu.au http://regnet.anu.edu.au ANU Cricos Provider Code - 00120C From bu.wilson at anu.edu.au Fri Nov 20 16:48:05 2009 From: bu.wilson at anu.edu.au (Bu Wilson) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:48:05 +1100 Subject: [TimorLesteStudies] ANU PRN Event: Henri Myrttinen: Masculinities and violence in Timor-Leste Message-ID: Peace Research Network Centre for International Governance and Justice presents: Masculinities and violence in Timor-Leste Henri Myrttinen 10am Tue 8 December 2009 Hedley Bull Lecture Room 2 ANU Bio: Henri Myrttinen is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa, and has recently completed his doctoral thesis on the interplay between concepts of masculinity and violence in East Timorese militia groups, gangs, martial arts and ritual arts groups. Henri has been working and publishing on issues of gender and conflict in the Southeast Asian region, especially on Timor-Leste and Indonesia, and has also recently co-edited a book on the gendered impact of small arms, "Sexed Pistols" (United Nations University Press). Bu V.E. Wilson Centre for International Governance and Justice Regulatory Institutions Network Australian National University +61 407 087 086 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/easttimorstudies/attachments/20091120/bc7c48d0/attachment.html