[TimorLesteStudies] AETA NSW 5th Dr Andrew McNaughtan Memorial Lecture

[Bu Wilson]

AUSTRALIA-EAST TIMOR ASSOCIATION (NSW)


        PRESS RELEASE (for Immediate circulation....from 3.12.08 for Sunday
7.12.08)


The "FIFTH DR ANDREW MCNAUGHTAN MEMORIAL LECTURE" on the theme "EAST TIMOR,
WAR CRIMES, GOVERNMENT INACTION"




The "FIFTH DR ANDREW MCNAUGHTAN MEMORIAL LECTURE"  is to be held (upstairs)
at Gleebooks at 49 Glebe Point Rd, Sydney, this coming  SUNDAY  on 7th
DECEMBER 2008 from 3.30pm for 4pm-6pm. A range of keynote speakers will
reflect on both the recent ABC-TV official version of Timor Leste's
Independence struggle as depicted in the Mini-Series  "The Howard Years" and
the unresolved human rights issues as raised by the Gui Campos and Balibo
issues during the first 12 months of  "The Rudd Years"  (2007-2008).


The late Dr Andrew McNaughtan, a medical practitioner from Mosman, Sydney
died unexpectedly at home in his bed in the days following the opening of
the Timor Leste Embassy in late 2003. Every year the Australia-East Timor
Association (NSW) mark the occasion with a memorial lecture in his honor.
Andrew was the Convener of A.E.T.A. as well as a Board Member of the leading
emergency aid group TIMOR AID and a leading human rights advocacy and
NGO-Aid body known as ETISC. His contribution to the military success of
INTERFET has never been acknowledged by either Peter Cosgrove or John
Howard. His contribution to the media coverage of Timor Leste has never been
properly acknowledged by the numerous media outlets and journalists who used
his work. His contribution to raising global human rights issues and Timor
Leste's independence struggle remains understated. The Annual Memorial
Lecture and raising of funds for the Dr. Andrew McNaughtan East Timor
(Education) Foundation is part of addressing these issues.


AETA are fortunate this year to be holding the lecture on the historic date
of December 7th. In a letter to Mr Jefferson Lee, the organizer of the event
in Sydney this year, Mr Paddy Kenneally, a veteran soldier from the 2/2nd
Commandoes ("Diggers") who fought the Japanese inside Timor Leste during
World War Two, pointed out this date marks both the 33rd Anniversary of the
Indonesian invasion of Timor Leste (1975) and the 67th Anniversary of the
attack on Pearl Harbour (1941) which brought the Americans into World War
Two in the Pacific.Now well into his nineties, Paddy said his physical
frailty will not prevent him being there next Sunday in spirit and word. His
greetings will be read out .Mr Kenneally is the AETA-NSW co-patron (with
fellow veterans Mr Tom Uren and the Gordon Hart)


Keynote speakers for the Memorial Lecture this year include Mr James Thomas,
a television journalist for the Channel Seven commercial TV network's
leading current affairs program "Today-Tonight". Mr Thomas will address the
unresolved issue of "war crimes" as exemplified in his three part story on
the "Gui Campos issue" put to air over the past three months. After some
stalling at a Federal Government and AFP level, this story compiled by James
Thomas has forced an official Commonwealth Police investigation. It raises
the issue of possible future Australian prosecution of war criminals from
the Indonesian regime on Australian soil.  It begs the question of whether
the Rudd-Smith Foreign Affairs policy is 'dragging the chain' following the
failure of the new Canberra government to implement the findings of Coroner
Dorelle Pinch during their mid-year diplomatic visit to Jakarta in 2008?


With this in mind AETA has asked a family member of the "Balibo Five", Mr
Paul Stewart, (a working journalist and lead singer from the Melbourne
Timorese rock band, "Dili All Stars"), to introduce a key note lecture from
Mr John Maynard who will speak as the Producer of the new feature movie
"Balibo" due for release next year by Arenafilm. Clearly the two key
recommendations of the NSW Coroner's Court from 2007 - especially the
possibility of Australian authorities issuing of arrest warrants and
Interpol alerts for Yunis Yosfier (in Jakarta) and Christoforus da Silva (in
Lombok). So far this issue has been bogged down with the Federal
Attorney-General Robert McClelland stating that his office had referred the
NSW Deputy Coroner Pinch's recommendations (from her October 2007 final
judgement) to the AFP for "further investigation". The AFP have made no
public statement, nor acted publicly on this issue in the past six months,
despite a call for action at the most recent anniversary of Balibo and the
Coroner's decision last October 2008 by family members and activists.


In keeping with the example of the Jill Jolliffe's  "Living Memory Project"
initiative in Timor Leste - which aims to document the stories of survival
by Timorese during the Indonesian occupation, A.E.T.A. is also inviting the
former CEO of Timor Aid, Ms Ceu Federer, to fly to Sydney from Dili and
Darwin this week-end to participate. Ms Federer, has just completed a short
term contract with the UNDP in Dili and will have up to date information on
current developments in Dili. However her main objective is to reflect on
her close friend from Timor Aid, the late Andrew McNaughtan, and to outline
her forthcoming two volumes of books with stories about Timor  Leste's
"unsung heroes", both indigenous and from overseas solidarity. Ms Federer
will be introduced by former lawyer for Timor Aid and human rights activist,
Ms Jacquie  Everitt who since her involvement inside Timor Leste in
19999-2001, has worked in Cambodia and most recently released the book "The
Bitter Shore" (Pan Macmillan 2008) on the mistreatment of asylum seekers in
Australia.


Australian business woman and Rotarian, Ms Tricia Johns, who is on leave
from her Dili-based Woven Women's Art initiative (to market women's weaving
to a global audience and raise funds for Timorese women) has agreed to open
the second part of the program for the afternoon by introducing Sister Susan
Connelly , from Mary MacKillop East Timor Mission (MMETM), who will launch
the second edition of the "English-Tetun Dictionary of Everyday Words".
A.E.T.A. is honored to also be launching two books from the Hong Kong
University based linguist Mr Jean Berlie who has travelled from Paris,
France for the occasion. The first book is his "EAST TIMOR A Bibliography"
((Les Indes Savantes, Paris 2001) and his world-first Mandarin language
"Politics and Education in East Timor" (Hong Kong University 2008). Members
of the Timorese Chinese Association have welcomed this publication and
delegated Ms Kim Gago from the Sydney community to introduce Mr Berlie's
text.


ENTRY to this annual event will be by suggested donation of $10/$7 conc.
with all profits beyond costs going to the Dr Andrew McNaughtan East Timor
Education Foundation. Donations are tax deductible and can be forwarded
directly through Stewart Partners, C/- GPO Box 971, Sydney 2001.


The event will be Chaired by AETA member and CPACS Board Member Ms
Bernadette Connole.
It is organized by Mr Jefferson Lee from AETA's  Special Projects Office in
Sydney, Australia. We acknowledge our Melbourne Office's assistance c/-
<aetamel at aetamel.org.au> or c/- PO Box 93, Fitzroy, Victoria,  3065 and
AETFA in South Australia c/-  "AETFA-SA" <aetfa at westnet.com.au> and AFFET in
Darwin c/- <rweswley at ozemail.com.au>.


All enquiries re back copies of the Dr Andrew McNaughtan Lecture series
(2004-2008) should be directed to Jefferson Lee (02)9569-6070 or mobile
(0408) 162 013 or email <jefferson.lee at bigpond.com> or postal c/-PO Box 703
Leichhardt, NSW 2040. Some DVD's are available.


 AETA thanks Gleebooks Bookshop [enquiries (02) 9660-2333] and their events
manager Morgan Smith for the venue, publicity assistance and on-going
support for the people of Timor Leste. We thank also Mr James Fox and
colleagues from the ANU for assistance with Mr Berlie's travel arrangements
in Australia.


end. (3/12/08)

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 3194
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