“East Timor in the 21st Century: Global Rights and Responsibilities”

ETAN to hold Timor Solidarity Conference

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. Please be sure to include an email address and phone number where you can be reached. Proposals and suggestions can be e-mailed to conference@etan.org

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 conference@etan.org or call 718-596-7668.

To donate, please visit: 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

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 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, www.etan.org . For more information, e-mail conference@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.