Portugal
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Provedor de Justica, Portugal
For the past 24 years the Portuguese colony of East Timor has been occupied by the Republic on Indonesia. Despite the international decisions recognising Portugal as administrative power, Indonesia has always claimed East Timor as part of its territory till last May, when an agreement was signed between Portugal and Indonesia, under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, calling for a ballot to take place last August. Indonesia agreed to recognise the independence of East-Timor if the results of the ballot were in favour of that decision in a matter of months. Until then, the security of East Timor, before, during and after the ballot, was in charge of the Indonesian army and police.
Following the overwhelming vote towards independence, an extraordinary and horrifying spectacle of violence has began, led by pro-Indonesian militias with, to say the least, connivance of the Indonesian army and police forces.
The thousands of deaths and the catastrophical situation in what concerns the human rights, recognised as such by all the independent observers in East Timor, namely the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary Robinson, and a special committee of UN Security Council members.
Last September 6th, the Portuguese Ombudsman addressed a letter to his fellow ombudsmen of all over the world, and to other entities concerned with human rights, asking their help to obtain a stronger UN intervention.
The letter read as follows:
“Dear Colleagues,
The Portuguese Ombudsman, regarding the situation of horror and calamity in Timor Lorosae, would like to address to all of You, in order to obtain your contribution to achieve the Peace, Law and Order in that territory.
The People’s will, clearly expressed in referendum, under the U.N. supervision, in which the independence have had a smashing victory, is being annihilate by the criminal acts of the militias, that insist not accepting the legitimised results and without punishment spread death and terror.
International community cannot quietly watch the genocide of the people of East Timor, waiting for the effective accomplishment of the New York agreement by Indonesia, in order to respect the results of the referendum and assuring the necessary Peace and Order. Indonesian troops seam to be far from capable of doing that and the latest activities clearly show that Indonesia is not carrying out its proper role of policing and maintaining security in East Timor.
I am appealing to all of You, who are responsible for Institutions with special duties in the promotion and maintenance of Human Rights, that You presser, directly or through State governments, the international community to take an effective and urgent intervention in order to defend the new Nation of Timor Lorosae, specially to the U.N. Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, and the permanent members of the Security Council.”
Also by his proposal and with the warmest support of the Ombudsman of France, host of the event, a motion was approved at the seminar over “The Ombudsmen, the Amsterdam Treaty and European integration”, held last September in Paris, France.
The declaration, approved by unanimity, read as follows:
“Déclaration sur le Timor Oriental
Les Médiateurs nationaux et Ombudsmen de l’Union Européenne et le Médiateur Européen, réunis e Paris les 9 et 10 septembre 1999 sur le theme ”les Médiateurs, le Traité d’Amsterdam et l’intégration européenene“, expriment leurs plus vives préoccupations concernant les violations flagrantes et répétées des Droits de l’Homme au Timor oriental.
Les Médiateurs, particulierement attachés de par leurs fonctions au respect des Droits de l’Homme, souhaitent l’intervention du Secrétaire Géneral des Nations Unies pour rétablir la paix sur ce territoire, afin d’éviter un génocide et d’assurer le respect des Drois de l’Homme.
Les Médiateurs et Ombudsmen appuient leur gouvernemnt respectif et l’Union Européenne dans leurs éfforts pour rechercher tous les moyens de nature e parvenir e une solution du conflit au Timor oriental.”
As is generally known, last September 20th a multinational peace-keeping forcce, led by Australia, landed in East Timor.
The Portuguese Ombudsman would like to thank their Fellow Ombudsmen’s contribution to improve the East-Timorese human rights complex situation.
Newsletter No. 19
Provedor de Justica, Portugal
For the past 24 years the Portuguese colony of East Timor has been occupied by the Republic on Indonesia. Despite the international decisions recognising Portugal as administrative power, Indonesia has always claimed East Timor as part of its territory till last May, when an agreement was signed between Portugal and Indonesia, under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, calling for a ballot to take place last August. Indonesia agreed to recognise the independence of East-Timor if the results of the ballot were in favour of that decision in a matter of months. Until then, the security of East Timor, before, during and after the ballot, was in charge of the Indonesian army and police.
Following the overwhelming vote towards independence, an extraordinary and horrifying spectacle of violence has began, led by pro-Indonesian militias with, to say the least, connivance of the Indonesian army and police forces.
The thousands of deaths and the catastrophical situation in what concerns the human rights, recognised as such by all the independent observers in East Timor, namely the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary Robinson, and a special committee of UN Security Council members.
Last September 6th, the Portuguese Ombudsman addressed a letter to his fellow ombudsmen of all over the world, and to other entities concerned with human rights, asking their help to obtain a stronger UN intervention.
The letter read as follows:
“Dear Colleagues,
The Portuguese Ombudsman, regarding the situation of horror and calamity in Timor Lorosae, would like to address to all of You, in order to obtain your contribution to achieve the Peace, Law and Order in that territory.
The People’s will, clearly expressed in referendum, under the U.N. supervision, in which the independence have had a smashing victory, is being annihilate by the criminal acts of the militias, that insist not accepting the legitimised results and without punishment spread death and terror.
International community cannot quietly watch the genocide of the people of East Timor, waiting for the effective accomplishment of the New York agreement by Indonesia, in order to respect the results of the referendum and assuring the necessary Peace and Order. Indonesian troops seam to be far from capable of doing that and the latest activities clearly show that Indonesia is not carrying out its proper role of policing and maintaining security in East Timor.
I am appealing to all of You, who are responsible for Institutions with special duties in the promotion and maintenance of Human Rights, that You presser, directly or through State governments, the international community to take an effective and urgent intervention in order to defend the new Nation of Timor Lorosae, specially to the U.N. Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, and the permanent members of the Security Council.”
Also by his proposal and with the warmest support of the Ombudsman of France, host of the event, a motion was approved at the seminar over “The Ombudsmen, the Amsterdam Treaty and European integration”, held last September in Paris, France.
The declaration, approved by unanimity, read as follows:
“DĂ©claration sur le Timor Oriental
Les MĂ©diateurs nationaux et Ombudsmen de l’Union EuropĂ©enne et le MĂ©diateur EuropĂ©en, rĂ©unis e Paris les 9 et 10 septembre 1999 sur le theme ”les MĂ©diateurs, le TraitĂ© d’Amsterdam et l’intĂ©gration europĂ©enene“, expriment leurs plus vives prĂ©occupations concernant les violations flagrantes et rĂ©pĂ©tĂ©es des Droits de l’Homme au Timor oriental.
Les MĂ©diateurs, particulierement attachĂ©s de par leurs fonctions au respect des Droits de l’Homme, souhaitent l’intervention du SecrĂ©taire GĂ©neral des Nations Unies pour rĂ©tablir la paix sur ce territoire, afin d’Ă©viter un gĂ©nocide et d’assurer le respect des Drois de l’Homme.
Les MĂ©diateurs et Ombudsmen appuient leur gouvernemnt respectif et l’Union EuropĂ©enne dans leurs Ă©fforts pour rechercher tous les moyens de nature e parvenir e une solution du conflit au Timor oriental.”
As is generally known, last September 20th a multinational peace-keeping forcce, led by Australia, landed in East Timor.
The Portuguese Ombudsman would like to thank their Fellow Ombudsmen’s contribution to improve the East-Timorese human rights complex situation.
