[TimorLesteStudies] Conference Announcement: E Timor in the 21st Century: Global Rights and Responsibilities

Wed Feb 25 13:18:44 EST 2009

>East Timor and Indonesia Action Network is proud to announce:
>>
>>“East Timor in the 21st Century: Global Rights and Responsibilities”
>>A conference to build understanding and solidarity
>>
>>November 13-15, 2009
>>Seattle, Washington, USA
>>
>>The East Timor and Indonesia Action Network 
>>(ETAN) is proud to announce East Timor 
>>(Timor-Leste) in the 21st Century: Global 
>>Rights and Responsibilities, 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.
>>
>>East Timor in the 21st Century: Global Rights 
>>and Responsibilities will include panel 
>>discussions, workshops, film screenings, art 
>>showings, and strategic organizing discussions. 
>>Please join us in building solidarity with the East Timorese!
>>
>>Have you been to Timor with the Peace Corps, 
>>the UN, a humanitarian NGO, as a tourist, or on 
>>some other capacity? Were you active in support 
>>of East Timor’s self-determination in the 1990s 
>>(or before) and want to learn more about 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!
>>
>>Call for Proposals: 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.
>>
>>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.
>>
>>Your support is needed!
>>
>>Organizing a conference is expensive! ETAN 
>>needs your help to make this conference happen. 
>>We welcome financial support from individuals 
>>and organizations for East Timor in the 21st 
>>Century: Global Rights and Responsibilities. 
>>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 
>><http://us.mc532.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=conference@etan.org>conference at etan.org 
>>or call 718-596-7668.
>>
>>To donate, please 
>>visit: 
>><http://www.etan.org/etan/donate.htm>http://www.etan.org/etan/donate.htm 
>>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. Please note “for conference” in your donation
>>
>>Themes addressed may include, but do not need to be limited to:
>>
>>*  Justice and Accountability for the East Timorese people
>>*  East Timor since the referendum – an overview
>>*  East Timorese welfare: malnutrition, 
>>maternal and infant care, education, water and 
>>sanitation, housing, unemployment
>>*  Government and politics
>>*  Arts and culture
>>*  Gender and women's rights
>>*  International financial institutions and East Timor
>>*  International aid
>>*  The United Nations in East Timor
>>*  Resource and oil issues
>>*  Trade, fair and otherwise, and Timor Leste
>>*  East Timor's security forces (military and police)
>>*  Learning from other solidarity efforts
>>*  Ecological issues
>>*  Language issues
>>*  The international financial crises and East Timor
>>
>>Please be sure to include an email address and 
>>phone number where you can be reached. 
>>Proposals and suggestions can be e-mailed to 
>><http://us.mc532.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=conference@etan.org>conference at etan.org
>>
>>Conference Background: 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.
>>
>>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.
>>
>>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.
>>
>>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 <http://www.TimorRelief.org>Seattle-East 
>>Timor Relief Association (SETRA), 
>>which  supports health, education and rural 
>>development projects in Timor-Leste through the 
>>sale of Fair Trade  organic East Timor coffee.
>>
>>Ten years after the referendum, activists, 
>>advocates, scholars and others will meet to 
>>learn from each other. At East Timor in the 
>>21st Century: Global Rights and 
>>Responsibilities we hope to re-energize U.S. solidarity efforts for East Timor.
>>
>>Further details about registration, 
>>accommodation and travel will be available soon 
>>on ETAN's website, 
>><http://www.etan.org>www.etan.org. For more 
>>information, e-mail 
>><http://us.mc532.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=conference@etan.org>conference at etan.org 
>>or write ETAN, PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202.
>>
>>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.
>>
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