East Timor: Who Cares?

Julinho Ximenhes at Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, where in 1991 he saw two close friends killed in a massacre of an estimated 250 unarmed people by Indonesian military forces (photo © Marcus Perkins/Progressio)

After hundreds of Progressio activists joined the campaign calling for justice for the people of this forgotten nation, the UK government acknowledged the strength of UK public concern on issues of long-awaited justice for the people of Timor-Leste.

Watch a slideshow of images from our East Timor: Who Cares? campaign (click on the speech bubble to see captions):

Read Trapped by the past, our East Timor: Who Cares? campaign leaflet (1MB PDF).

Campaigners used a letter in the Trapped by the past leaflet to write to their MP asking the UK government to pressure the Timorese government to take action on past crimes, and to provide technical and financial support for a proposed justice centre in Timor-Leste that will provide support to victims of violence seeking justice.

Campaigners also used a poster in the Trapped by the past leaflet to send a personal message saying why they care about Timor-Leste. We put those messages together into single big poster which we presented to the UK government - and displayed at a photo exhibition at the House of Commons attended by MPs from all parties. Watch a slideshow of this event (click on the speech bubble to see captions):

Following the campaign the UK government pledged to support Timor-Leste’s efforts to build a strong and just society.

What happens next?

To mark the eighth anniversary of Timorese independence, Aliansi Nasional Timor-Leste ba Tribunal Internasional (ANTI – the National Alliance for an International Tribunal in East Timor), an alliance of local NGOs, some of whom are Progressio partners, released a statement, an excerpt from which is quoted below:

"Though we have been happily celebrating [independence for eight years], a portion of the population is sad on this commemorative day because of wounds that have not healed and still inflict pain.

"These wounds will not heal while those responsible for them remain free from judicial accountability. We ask you all to consider that the demand for justice for serious crimes is not just necessary for the Timorese people, it is not for a movement or a group, but it is the responsibility of everyone in this country, of the international community, and particularly of the United Nations.

"We are conscious that the demand for justice is not just for Timorese people, but is necessary to prevent future crimes against humanity and human rights violations in other countries. For this reason we firmly insist that the time has come to end the chain of impunity for Timor-Leste and for the people in other countries.” (Dili, 17 May 2010)

ANTI are calling on the UN and states with a presence in Timor-Leste to take action, arguing that the issue of justice is still a major concern for the people of Timor, that it is key to the development of the country and that the national Parliament should implement the Chega! report recommendations.

Progressio continues to work for justice and human rights on the ground in Timor-Leste and internationally to encourage decision-makers in the EU, UK and elsewhere to promote human rights and good governance in Timor-Leste.