09 April 2009

Women for Peace Conference Resolution on Gender Justice in East Timor

RESOLUTION GENDER JUSTICE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF TIMOR-LESTE

FROM THE TIMORESE PARTICIPANTS AT THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL WOMEN FOR PEACE CONFERENCE, DILI, TIMOR-LESTE meeting under the theme Women as Creative Agents for Peace Building

Believing that the experience of Timor-Leste lasting reconciliation cannot be achieved without establishing the truth regarding the context, causes, antecedents, motives and perspectives which led to the violence and human rights violations; striving for justice and providing reparations to victims.

Believing that reparations are necessary to restore the dignity of victims and to repair damaged relationships within the community. In Timorese culture, the institution of kasu sala – a traditional mediation process of rolling out the mat to establish the facts, identify the wronged and the wrong doer and what compensation should be given to the wronged party – had for centuries set the foundation for community reconciliation and peace building.

Believing that Gender Justice is a precondition to lasting peace and development

Reaffirming the need to implement fully the CEDAW and the human rights and humanitarian laws that Timor-Leste has signed onto

Emphasizing the responsibility of all states to put an end to impunity and to prosecute those for responsible for gender based crimes against the women of Timor-Leste such as sexual and other torture and violence against women and girls.

CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT OF TIMOR-LESTE

To under take actions and measures such as the following:

1. Investigate and prosecute the crimes committed during the 1999 crisis and under the occupation.

2. Document and record the atrocities and violence against women during the occupation and the 1999 crisis.

3. Undertake reforms and measures to compensate the victim/survivors with reparation, legal and medical support, psycho-social support, social protection and education and livelihood skills development and economic opportunities.

4. Address gender based violence within the current context of domestic violence through the adoption of the Criminal Code and the Domestic Violence Law and provide financial and human resources for the implementation of the laws.

5. Adopt suitable measures for appropriate response to victim/survivors of domestic violence and other forms of gender based violence.

6. Remove all articles in the Law that discriminates against Women's.

Click on the following link to sign the petition to the United Nations to prosecute 1999 crimes against humanity in East Timor

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