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<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><b>East Timor and Indonesia
<i>Action </i>Network is proud to announce:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""><div align="center"><br>
“East Timor in the 21st Century: Global Rights and Responsibilities”<br>
A conference to build understanding and solidarity <br><br>
November 13-15, 2009<br>
Seattle, Washington, USA <br>
</b></div>
<br>
The East Timor and Indonesia <i>Action </i>Network (ETAN) is proud to
announce <b>East Timor (Timor-Leste) in the 21st Century: Global Rights
and Responsibilities</b>, a solidarity conference for activists,
advocates and scholars interested in East Timor. The conference will be
held November 13-15, 2009, in Seattle, Washington. Exact location will
soon be announced.<br>
<br>
<b>East Timor in the 21st Century: Global Rights and Responsibilities</b>
will include panel discussions, workshops, film screenings, art showings,
and strategic organizing discussions. Please join us in building
solidarity with the East Timorese! <br>
<br>
<font size=2>Have you been to Timor with the Peace Corps, the UN, a
humanitarian NGO, as a tourist, or on some other capacity? </font>Were
you active in support of East Timor’s self-determination in the 1990s (or
before) and want to learn more about <font size=2>what has happened
since? Whether your interest in East Timor is as an activist or academic,
or you are just curious, ETAN wants your participation!<br>
</font> <br>
<b>Call for Proposals: </b>Are you interested in sharing what you know
about East Timor? Is there a topic you want to learn more about? ETAN is
seeking proposals and ideas for workshops, panels, speakers, art
presentations, films and other ideas. <br>
<br>
Please submit your suggestions and proposals by June 30, 2009. We prefer
proposals for complete sessions. In your proposal, please include a
description of the session with suggested presenters and session length.
<br><br>
<div align="center"><b>Your support is needed!<br>
</b></div>
<br>
Organizing a conference is expensive! ETAN needs your help to make this
conference happen. We welcome financial support from individuals and
organizations for <b>East Timor in the 21st Century: Global Rights and
Responsibilities</b>. The conference is organized by a committee of
volunteers. Aside from other expenses, we want to bring participants
directly from East Timor. If you have suggestions for funding, please
contact us at
<a href="http://us.mc532.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=conference@etan.org">
conference@etan.org</a> or call 718-596-7668.<br>
<br>
To donate, please visit:
<a href="http://www.etan.org/etan/donate.htm">
http://www.etan.org/etan/donate.htm</a> or send your check to ETAN, PO
Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202. Make checks payable to East Timor Action
Network. Tax-deductible donations can be made out to AJ Muste Memorial
Institute/ETAN. <i>Please note “for conference” in your donation</i>
<br><br>
Themes addressed may include, but do not need to be limited to:<br><br>
<font size=2>* Justice and Accountability for the East Timorese
people <br>
* East Timor since the referendum – an overview<br>
* East Timorese welfare: malnutrition, maternal and infant care,
education, water and sanitation, housing, unemployment<br>
* Government and politics<br>
* Arts and culture <br>
* Gender and women's rights<br>
* International financial institutions and East Timor<br>
* International aid<br>
* The United Nations in East Timor<br>
* Resource and oil issues<br>
* Trade, fair and otherwise, and Timor Leste<br>
* East Timor's security forces (military and police)<br>
* Learning from other solidarity efforts<br>
* Ecological issues <br>
* Language issues<br>
* The international financial crises and East Timor<br>
<br>
Please be sure to include an email address and phone number where you can
be reached. Proposals and suggestions can be e-mailed to
<a href="http://us.mc532.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=conference@etan.org">
conference@etan.org</a><br>
<div align="center"> <br>
</font></div>
<b>Conference Background</b>: <font size=2>In 1975, Indonesia invaded and
began a brutal 24-year occupation of East Timor. With U.S. military
assistance, Indonesia’s illegal occupation took the lives of up to
180,000 people. In 1999, after years of struggle, the East Timorese voted
overwhelmingly for independence. This conference will mark 10 years since
that historic vote and the 18th anniversary of the November 12, 1991
Santa Cruz massacre, which energized international solidarity.<br>
<br>
Following the 1999 independence vote, the Indonesian military and its
militias committed devastating acts of violence, killing 1400, destroying
at least 75% of the country’s infrastructure, and forcibly deporting
hundreds of thousands. For two-and-one-half years, East Timor was
officially administered by the United Nations. In 2002, East Timor
finally achieved its independence – and celebrated the successful outcome
of years of pain and struggle.<br>
<br>
Although East Timor stands proudly as an independent nation, the
population still faces significant problems in achieving true
self-determination, as well as justice for past wrongs. The range of
problems that plague the world's newest state include grinding poverty,
youth gangs, violence against women, and difficulties in providing basic
education, health and other services. There has also been a lack of
accountability and justice for those responsible for egregious abuses
committed during Indonesia's occupation and several violent events
since.<br><br>
International activism played an important role in the struggle for East
Timor's independence. This activism continues to play a vital role in the
struggle for human rights and economic and social justice in independent
East Timor. Activists in Seattle have a particularly strong record of
East Timor solidarity organizing, including the long running Seattle ETAN
chapter, an ongoing sister-city school project with Kay Rayla High
School, and the formation of the
<a href="http://www.TimorRelief.org">Seattle-East Timor Relief
Association (SETRA)</a>, which supports health, education and rural
development projects in Timor-Leste through the sale of Fair Trade
organic East Timor coffee.<br>
<br>
Ten years after the referendum, activists, advocates, scholars and others
will meet to learn from each other. At <b>East Timor in the
21<sup>st</sup> Century: Global Rights and Responsibilities</b> we hope
to re-energize U.S. solidarity efforts for East Timor.<br>
<br>
Further details about registration, accommodation and travel will be
available soon on ETAN's website,
<a href="http://www.etan.org">www.etan.org</a>. For more information,
e-mail
<a href="http://us.mc532.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=conference@etan.org">
conference@etan.org</a> or write ETAN, PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY
11202.<br>
<br>
For those planning to come to the conference we urge you be conscious of
the environment and utilize the most environmental friendly travel
options possible. Please contact ETAN if you’re interested in organizing
group travel, such as carpooling, from your area.<br><br>
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